One South Broad

PHILADELPHIA, UNITED STATES · 1932

One South Broad

A 28-story Art Deco tower built for Wanamaker’s, crowned with one of the world’s largest bells.

At a glance

One South Broad, also known as the Lincoln-Liberty Building or PNB Building, is a 472-foot (144 m) office tower in Center City. Architect John Torrey Windrim designed it as an annex for Wanamaker’s department store, and it was completed in 1932. The building holds 465,000 square feet (43,000 m²) of space. Wells Fargo is the main tenant, occupying almost half the building.

History

Wanamaker’s Men’s Store opened in the first seven floors. The site sits a block from Wanamaker’s main store. The store aimed to rival European department stores in size and selection. In 1952, the Philadelphia National Bank bought the building and converted it into offices and banking space. The former banking space at street level became retail and restaurant space in 2000.

What you see

The building features a three-story gallery lobby connecting to the Widener Building to the south. The 24th and 25th floors originally held a penthouse designed for Rodman Wanamaker and his wife. In 2000, advertising agency Red Tettemer O’Connell + Partners converted the penthouse to office use. Until 2014, the bell tower displayed PNB’s initials in stainless steel, each 16 feet (4.9 m) tall, on all four sides.

Cultural significance

The tower houses the 17-ton Founder’s Bell. Rodman Wanamaker placed it as a memorial to his father, John Wanamaker. The Philadelphia Historical Commission has listed the bell on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. The bell is rung hourly, except on Sundays.

Key facts

Country: United States
City: Philadelphia
Coordinates: 39.95138889, -75.16361111

Practical information & getting there

The tower is in Center City, Philadelphia. It stands near Wanamaker’s main store, one block away.

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