Nix Federal Building
United States Court House and Post Office Building | |
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | |
| Coordinates | 39°57′02″N 75°09′20″W / 39.9506°N 75.1555°W |
|---|---|
| Area | 2.1 acres (0.85 ha) |
| Built | 1939 |
| Architect | Harry Sternfield |
| Architectural style | Moderne |
| NRHP reference No. | 90001540[1] |
| Added to NRHP | October 19, 1990 |
The Robert N. C. Nix Sr. Federal Building and United States Post Office,
History
Built between 1937 and 1941, Nix Federal Building was designed by Harry Sternfeld in the
The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990,[8] and is part of the Mark East neighborhood.
Architecture
The building is located in Center City Philadelphia on a 2-acre (0.81 ha) lot bounded by Market Street to the north, Ninth Street to the east, and Chestnut Street to the south, and an alley to the west. Its seven stories have a height of about 115 feet (35 m) above grade and include a basement, a mezzanine between the first and second floors, and two penthouses. It measures 170 feet (52 m) along Chestnut and Market Streets by 470 feet (140 m) along Ninth Street. A light court provides access to outside air and light from the third to the sixth floor.[3]
The steel structure is encased in concrete and the foundation and basement walls are reinforced concrete. Interior walls are concrete, clay tile, or brick. The base of the building is faced with Milford pink granite with Indiana limestone covering most of the facades facing the street. Buff-colored brick covers the facades of the interior light court.[3]
Central air-conditioning was a feature of the original construction, but records indicate that more than 270 window units were installed over time, and then removed during a 1989 restoration. Handicapped access was installed at the eastern entrance on Market Street, but otherwise the exterior appears as it was originally designed.[3]
The first floor is occupied by a post office, while courtrooms and a law library occupy the second floor. Upper floors contain offices,
Gallery
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Mail Delivery – West, a relief by Edmond Amateis, by the Ninth Street entrance nearest Market St. -
Justice, relief by Donald De Lue east of the Market Street entrance -
Law, also by de Lue, west of the Market Street entrance
See also
Notes
- United States General Services Administration, which owns and operates most Federal government buildings, including the Nix Building, nevertheless refers to the building as the "Robert N.C. Nix, Sr. Federal Building and United States Post Office" (1 comma, no space),[3] which is also the name on the plaques mounted on the outside of the building.[4]
References
- ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ "Pennsylvania Federal Buildings". U.S. General Services Administration. Retrieved April 7, 2016.
- ^ United States General Services Administrationwebsite
- ^ a b Photo of identifying plaque on the building
- ^ H.R. 5397 (97th): A bill to designate the building known as the Old Federal Building in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the 'Robert N. C. Nix Federal Building'" (January 28, 1982)
- ^ "H.R. 3880 (99th): A bill to designate the Federal Building and United States Post Office in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as the 'Robert N. C. Nix, Sr., Federal Building and United States Post Office'" (December 9, 1985)
- ^ Public Law 99-214 (December 26, 1985)
- ^ Newbury, Diana E. (1989) NRHP Nomination Form for US Court House and Post Office Building Enter "public" for ID and "public" for password to access the site.
- ^ National Archives at Philadelphia website
External links
Media related to Nix Federal Building at Wikimedia Commons
