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8 Philly Buildings That Met the Wrecking Ball in 2013, Mapped

By Zach Patten
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By Zach Patten
3 comments / new

Likely 2013 will be remembered as the year University City boomed as several new high-rises and residential developments broke ground. But along with progress, came a few tough losses; a number of noteworthy buildings across the city were demolished. Some went quietly, others gained national media attention. So turn the lights down low and hold onto your misty water-colored memories, it is time to say goodbye, one more time.


· Demolition Imminent at North Philadelphia Landmark St. Bonaventure [Hidden City]
· Ortlieb's Brewery is Being Demolished [Plan Philly]
· Final Curtain for the Former Edison High [Hidden City]
· Homes Replacing the Pain Center Will Be Less, Uh, Painful [Naked Philly]
· Demolition of Old Armory Faces Heightened Scrutiny [Phila Inquirer]

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St. Bonaventure Church

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Click for more photos. [via Jeremy Marshall]

Deemed unsafe in its current conditions, St. Bonaventure has been a neighborhood-defining landmark for Fairhill since its completion in 1906. This church featured one of the most ornate interiors of any religious structure in the city and met the wrecking ball mere weeks ago. It's certainly a tragic loss for Philadelphia's architectural history.

[Image via Philly Church Project]

2842 North 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19133

Salvation Army Building

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Click for more photos. [Curbed]

Hands down the most devastating loss of the year, the heartbreakingly preventable collapse of the Salvation Army building at 22nd & Market claimed a total of seven lives. Negligence and greed are the main factors as the investigation continues.

[Image via Google Maps]

2140 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Ortlieb's Brewery

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Click for more photos. [via Ruinporn/StreetsDept]

As seen in the photos, Ortlieb's was in such rough shape that owner Bart Blatstein decided against the original goal of adaptive reuse and opted to bring in the bulldozers back in September.

[Image via Google Maps]

838 North American Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123

Edison High School

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Click for more photos. [via Matthew Christoper]

Demolition started early in 2013 on this 108 year-old school that had certainly seen better days. Its auditorium was one of the most photographed abandoned locations in Philadelphia, even after a massive four-alarm fire that gutted the roof in 2011. Sadly, this will be replaced by a rather uninspiring retail center.

[Image via Google Maps]

701 West Lehigh Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19133

Ruffin Nichols Memorial Church

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Click for more photos. [Curbed]

Built in 1844, you might recognize this as the church that was left partially demolished at the northwest corner of 11th & Mt. Vernon. While it was left open to the elements for most of this year, the lot now sits vacant.

[Image via Google Maps]

1108 Lemon Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123

St. John the Evangelist Church

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Click for more photos. [via NakedPhilly]

One of several Philadelphia churches to meet the wrecking ball in the past few years, this one dated back more than 120 years. It's currently being replaced by a group of townhomes.

[Image via Google Maps]

301 Reed Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147

The Pain Center

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Click for more photos. [Curbed]

Brutalism isn't known for its beauty, and the Pain Center is a perfect example of that. It will be replaced by townhomes, and nobody seems too distraught about seeing it bite the dust.

[Image via Naked Philly]

501 South 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147

Third Regiment Armory

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It really seemed like adaptive reuse was a sure thing for this building, but the lot now sits vacant as crews remove the last bit of rubble. Built in 1898 and deemed an impossible restoration project, a new six-story apartment complex will be built in its place.

[Image via Tom Gralish, Philadelphia Inquirer]

1221 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147

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St. Bonaventure Church

2842 North 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19133

Click for more photos. [via Jeremy Marshall]

Deemed unsafe in its current conditions, St. Bonaventure has been a neighborhood-defining landmark for Fairhill since its completion in 1906. This church featured one of the most ornate interiors of any religious structure in the city and met the wrecking ball mere weeks ago. It's certainly a tragic loss for Philadelphia's architectural history.

[Image via Philly Church Project]

2842 North 9th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19133

Salvation Army Building

2140 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Click for more photos. [Curbed]

Hands down the most devastating loss of the year, the heartbreakingly preventable collapse of the Salvation Army building at 22nd & Market claimed a total of seven lives. Negligence and greed are the main factors as the investigation continues.

[Image via Google Maps]

2140 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103

Ortlieb's Brewery

838 North American Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123

Click for more photos. [via Ruinporn/StreetsDept]

As seen in the photos, Ortlieb's was in such rough shape that owner Bart Blatstein decided against the original goal of adaptive reuse and opted to bring in the bulldozers back in September.

[Image via Google Maps]

838 North American Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123

Edison High School

701 West Lehigh Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19133

Click for more photos. [via Matthew Christoper]

Demolition started early in 2013 on this 108 year-old school that had certainly seen better days. Its auditorium was one of the most photographed abandoned locations in Philadelphia, even after a massive four-alarm fire that gutted the roof in 2011. Sadly, this will be replaced by a rather uninspiring retail center.

[Image via Google Maps]

701 West Lehigh Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19133

Ruffin Nichols Memorial Church

1108 Lemon Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123

Click for more photos. [Curbed]

Built in 1844, you might recognize this as the church that was left partially demolished at the northwest corner of 11th & Mt. Vernon. While it was left open to the elements for most of this year, the lot now sits vacant.

[Image via Google Maps]

1108 Lemon Street, Philadelphia, PA 19123

St. John the Evangelist Church

301 Reed Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147

Click for more photos. [via NakedPhilly]

One of several Philadelphia churches to meet the wrecking ball in the past few years, this one dated back more than 120 years. It's currently being replaced by a group of townhomes.

[Image via Google Maps]

301 Reed Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147

The Pain Center

501 South 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147

Click for more photos. [Curbed]

Brutalism isn't known for its beauty, and the Pain Center is a perfect example of that. It will be replaced by townhomes, and nobody seems too distraught about seeing it bite the dust.

[Image via Naked Philly]

501 South 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147

Third Regiment Armory

1221 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147

It really seemed like adaptive reuse was a sure thing for this building, but the lot now sits vacant as crews remove the last bit of rubble. Built in 1898 and deemed an impossible restoration project, a new six-story apartment complex will be built in its place.

[Image via Tom Gralish, Philadelphia Inquirer]

1221 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19147