Callowhill in Philadelphia in Philadelphia County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Terminal Commerce Building

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 26, 2019

1. Terminal Commerce Building Marker

Inscription. Completed in 1931, the Art Deco building by William Steele & Sons was the largest commercial building on the East Coast. It is an architectural and engineering landmark that combined a freight station with a storage and office building for the Reading Railroad.

Erected 2017 by Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Industry & Commerce • Railroads & Streetcars. In addition, it is included in the Art Deco, and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission series lists. A significant historical year for this entry is 1931.

Location. 39° 57.585′ N, 75° 9.708′ W. Marker is in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia County. It is in Callowhill. Marker is on North Broad Street (State Highway 611) north of Callowhill Street, on the right when traveling north. Marker is located along the sidewalk, directly in front of the subject building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 401 North Broad Street, Philadelphia PA 19108, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Inquirer Building (within shouting distance of this marker); The SPHAs Basketball Team (within shouting distance of this marker); Thomas E. Cahill (about 500 feet away,

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measured in a direct line); Workshop of the World (about 600 feet away); Rail Park (about 600 feet away); Walnut Street (approx. 0.2 miles away); Philadelphia Arts (approx. 0.2 miles away); a different marker also named Philadelphia Arts (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Philadelphia.

Regarding Terminal Commerce Building. National Register of Historic Places #96001203

Also see . . .
1. Terminal Commerce Building / North American Building. The massive edifice even had a freight station beneath it, which replaced the Reading's North Broad Street Freight Station and rail yard that had previously been on the site. The Terminal Commerce Building was reputedly used to manufacture tanks during WWII. And from the 1940s to 1973, it was the main U.S. Army Induction Center in Philadelphia, striking fear in the young men who entered or even passed by it. The Reading Railroad sold the structure in 1955, whereupon it became known as the North American Building. (Submitted on June 29, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. Terminal Commerce Building (Wikipedia)

Terminal Commerce Building<br>(<i>looking north along Broad Street</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 26, 2019

2. Terminal Commerce Building
(looking north along Broad Street)

Marker visible on sidewalk • near southwest corner of building

. Today, the building serves as one of the largest interconnection and colocation facilities on the east coast of the United States with 11 stories and 1.3 million square feet of space. The property was acquired by Netrality Properties in March of 2014, and is considered the most fiber-dense, network neutral facility between New York and Virginia. (Submitted on June 29, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Terminal Commerce Building<br>(<i>art deco ornamentation detail</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 26, 2019

3. Terminal Commerce Building
(art deco ornamentation detail)

Terminal Commerce Building<br>(<i>front entrance detail</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 26, 2019

4. Terminal Commerce Building
(front entrance detail)

Terminal Commerce Building (<i>southwest corner view</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, June 26, 2019

5. Terminal Commerce Building (southwest corner view)

Credits. This page was last revised on February 2, 2023. It was originally submitted on June 28, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 412 times since then and 101 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on June 29, 2019, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.