Philadelphia has lost a huge number of historically and architecturally significant buildings over the centuries. The wholesale demolition carried-out to form Independence Mall and Independence National Park, the swathe cut through the city for the Vine St Expressway, and more successfully, to create the Parkway, all lost the city huge numbers of significant buildings. However, a few of the worst or more recent losses below.
Broad St Station
The main train station in Philadelphia from 1881, and gradually phased out with the building of 30th St Station, until it was demolished in the 1950's. Although it was an amazing building, the "Chinese Wall" of train tracks split the city in half from City Hall to the Schuylkill River. Penn Center now sits on the site of the headhouse, and the Chinese Wall is now JFK Blvd.
Had an amazing Frank Furness interior.
Keystone Building
Wonderfully eccentric building on S Broad, now replaced by the woeful po-mo Bellevue parking garage.
Morris Building
Frank Furness skyscraper from 1910, built for the Girard Bank. Was allegedly damaged in the Meridian fire and finally demolished in 1991, although had been plans to get rid of it since the 60's. The 1441 Chestnut condos (or perhaps just a stumpy parking garage) are due to be built on the site any decade now...
One of many amazing Furness buildings now lost.
Bulletin Building
Beautiful Beaux Arts building next to City Hall, with amazing tiled dome, which was home of the Evening Bulletin until the 50's, when they moved to Howe and Brown's modernist masterpiece (still standing, if slightly mangled) at 31st and Market. Was on the National Register of Historic Places, but demolished in 1985 to make way for the new Criminal Justice Center, which is actually not too bad of a building.
The Wanamaker Mansion
Built by creator of the world's first department store, John Wanamaker. At 21st and Walnut, now a surface lot. Suffered severe fire damage in 1978, and demolished in 1980.