Description: REAL PHOTO - Philadelphia, PA - Saving Fund Society Building ©1937 - Now Hotel: The PSFS Building, now known as the Loews Philadelphia Hotel, is a skyscraper which is located in Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A National Historic Landmark, the building was the first International style skyscraper constructed in the United States. It was built for the Philadelphia Saving (later Savings) Fund Society in 1932 and was designed by architects William Lescaze and George Howe. The skyscraper's design was a departure from traditional bank and Philadelphia architecture, lacking features such as domes and ornamentation. Combining Lescaze's experience with European modernism, Howe's Beaux-Arts background and the desire of Society President James M. Wilcox for a forward-thinking, tall building the skyscraper incorporated the main characteristics of an International style architecture. Called the United States' first modern skyscraper, and one of the most important skyscrapers built in the country in the first half of the 20th century, the building featured an innovative and effective design of a T-shaped tower that allowed the maximum amount of natural light and rentable space. The Philadelphia Saving Fund Society's offices and banking hall featured custom-designed furniture, including custom Cartier clocks on every floor. The top of the skyscraper featured the bank's boardroom. The building was the second high-rise in the U.S. to be equipped with air conditioning. The skyscraper is topped by a red neon sign with the PSFS initials. Visible for 20 miles (32 km), the sign has become a Philadelphia icon. In the 1980s, the Philadelphia Savings Fund Society lost millions. In 1992, the bank and its building were seized by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). That same year, the skyscraper was 85 percent vacant. The FDIC auctioned the building off, and it was bought by developers to turn into a Loews Hotel. The Pennsylvania Convention Center opened in 1993 a block away. Conversion into a hotel began in 1998, and the Loews Philadelphia Hotel opened in time for the 2000 Republican National Convention. The Real Photo postcard, copyrighted in 1937, is in good condition. Published K. F. Lutz. Philadelphia, Pa.
Price: 9 USD
Location: Brooklyn, New York
End Time: 2024-12-05T20:36:51.000Z
Shipping Cost: 0 USD
Product Images
Item Specifics
Restocking Fee: No
Return shipping will be paid by: Buyer
All returns accepted: Returns Accepted
Item must be returned within: 14 Days
Refund will be given as: Money Back
Unit of Sale: Single Unit
Featured Person: James M. Wilcox
Size: Standard (5.5x3.5 in)
Signed: No
Material: Paper
Year Manufactured: 1937
City: Philadelphia
Original/Licensed Reprint: Original
Brand/Publisher: K. F. Lutz
Subject: Saving Fund Society Building
Continent: North America
Type: Printed (Lithograph)
Era: Real Photo (1900-Now)
Theme: Aerial View, Architecture, Cities & Towns, Hotel & Restaurant, Landscapes, Occupational, Saving Fund Society, International Style, PSFS Building, Loews Philadelphia Hotel, Center City
Country: United States
Region: Pennsylvania
Features: Panoramic
Time Period Manufactured: 1930-1939
Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
Postage Condition: Unposted
