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The Franklin Residences

The Franklin Residences is a historic apartment building located at 834 Chestnut Street in Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It opened on January 14, 1925, as the Benjamin Franklin Hotel and was named after United States Founding Father Benjamin Franklin.[3]

Benjamin Franklin Hotel
Location822–840 Chestnut St.,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Coordinates39°56′58.9″N 75°9′18.45″W / 39.949694°N 75.1551250°W / 39.949694; -75.1551250
Built1925[2]
ArchitectHorace Trumbauer, John N. Gill
Architectural styleLate 18th-century Anglo-American
NRHP reference No.82003808[1]
Added to NRHPMarch 2, 1982

History edit

The site edit

 
The Continental Hotel

The first hotel on the site was the Continental Hotel, built from 1857 to 1860.[4] The 700-room, six-story hotel was designed in the Italianate style by architect John McArthur Jr., who also designed the Philadelphia City Hall.[5] The luxurious hotel boasted one of the first elevators in the country, and a grand stairway made from polished Italian marble. Its main entrance was redesigned by noted Philadelphia architect Frank Furness in 1876.[5]

Among its famous guests were Ulysses S. Grant, Andrew Johnson, Charles Dickens, King Edward VII, and Brazilian Emperor Dom Pedro. However, its most notable guest was president-elect Abraham Lincoln, who gave a speech from the hotel's balcony on February 21, 1861, just before his March 4 inauguration.[5]

The aging hotel was demolished in 1924 for construction of a massive new replacement.[5] The lamp from the balcony Lincoln spoke from was retained for the new structure and still hangs today on a balcony known as the "Lincoln Balcony," at the same spot as the one from which Lincoln spoke.[4]

Hotel edit

The Benjamin Franklin Hotel, opened on January 14, 1925, named for Founding Father and Philadelphian, Benjamin Franklin. It was designed by prominent American Gilded Age architect Horace Trumbauer,[1] built by Niagara Falls businessman Frank A. Dudley and operated by the United Hotels Company of America.[6]

The Benjamin Franklin made news in 1947, when the segregated establishment refused to accommodate the Brooklyn Dodgers, who had used the hotel for years, because of the presence of Jackie Robinson, the first African-American player in Major League Baseball. The Bellevue-Stratford Hotel agreed to house the team that day.[7] The team later moved their permanent accommodations to The Warwick Hotel.[8]

William Chadwick was the general manager for many years in the 1960s to 1970s, followed by Harry Gilbert and then Tom Johnson just prior to the hotel's closing in the 1980s. Also on the staff in the late 1960s to early 1970s was Robert C. Bennett, Jr., grandson of noted 1930s hotel manager Claude H. Bennett, and in 1974 the founding professor of the hotel management degree program at Delaware County Community College.

The hotel was owned by Bankers Securities Corporation which owned several Philadelphia hotels, including the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel, the Sullivan, and the former Holiday Inn near the football/baseball stadiums. During the Army-Navy Game each year, the hotel traditionally hosted Army. The 1970s were a slow period with hotels hoping to benefit by the 1976 Bicentennial Celebration in the original Thirteen Colonies. However, the 1976 celebration was not the tourist financial success expected.

Also, in 1976 the state of New Jersey legalized casino gambling, which further diluted the hotel industry demand in greater Philadelphia as new hotels opened in Atlantic City. The hotel closed in 1980,[9] and the vacant building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Apartment building edit

 
Lobby of The Franklin Residences in 2014

The hotel was converted to house 412 apartments and 120,000 square feet (11,000 m2) of office space. It reopened in 1986[10] as the Benjamin Franklin House - affectionately referred to as "The Ben" by many Philadelphians.

During the renovation, the historic grand ballroom of the hotel was converted into office space. This resulted in objections by the National Park Service, so the ballroom was restored in 1988 to qualify for federal tax credits.[11] One of Philadelphia's largest ballrooms, it is now managed by Finley Catering and used for banquet/weddings, marketed as Ballroom at the Ben.[12]

The building was purchased by Korman Communities in 2011. They invested $13 million in renovations and renamed it "The Franklin Residences" in 2014.[13] The Franklin Residences specializes in studio, one, and two bedroom luxury apartments, as well as fully furnished suites with flexible leases for individuals needing temporary accommodations.[14]

The finale of the Oscar-winning 2012 film Silver Linings Playbook was filmed in the building's ballroom and its lobby.[15]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. ^ "Good Eye: The grandest lobby in Philadelphia is grand again".
  3. ^ Investigation of Real Estate Bondholders" Reorganizations. U.S. Government Printing Office. 1934.
  4. ^ a b "Trumbauer's Legendary Ben Franklin Hotel Reborn". Hidden City Philadelphia. 2016-08-10. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  5. ^ a b c d Patten, Zach (2013-06-25). "Echoes of an Extravagant Past: The Ben Franklin House's Continental History". Curbed Philly. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  6. ^ "Receivers Name for Hotel Firm" (PDF). The New York Times. November 18, 1933. Retrieved 14 October 2015.
  7. ^ Rossi, John (2013-04-07). "He was unwelcome". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  8. ^ Threston, Christopher (2003-01-06). The Integration of Baseball in Philadelphia. McFarland. ISBN 9780786414239.
  9. ^ "The Franklin Closing As Philadelphia Hotel". The New York Times. 1980-12-07. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  10. ^ Hildebrandt, Rachel (2009). The Philadelphia Area Architecture of Horace Trumbauer. Arcadia. ISBN 9780738562971.
  11. ^ DeWolf, Rose (8 December 1988). . Philly.com. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on 9 March 2014. Retrieved 20 February 2023.
  12. ^ "Ballroom at the Ben - Finley Catering". 2021-06-08. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  13. ^ . Archived from the original on 2014-04-13.
  14. ^ "Overview". AVE Living. Retrieved 2023-09-01.
  15. ^ "Pennsylvania: Philly shows off its 'Silver Linings'". Los Angeles Times. 21 January 2013.

External links edit

  • The Franklin Residences official website
  • Ballroom at the Ben official website
  • Listing and images at Philadelphia Architects and Buildings

franklin, residences, this, article, about, historic, hotel, philadelphia, pennsylvania, benjamin, franklin, residence, philadelphia, franklin, court, london, residence, benjamin, franklin, house, historic, apartment, building, located, chestnut, street, cente. This article is about the historic hotel in Philadelphia Pennsylvania For Benjamin Franklin s residence in Philadelphia see Franklin Court For his London residence see Benjamin Franklin House The Franklin Residences is a historic apartment building located at 834 Chestnut Street in Center City Philadelphia Pennsylvania It opened on January 14 1925 as the Benjamin Franklin Hotel and was named after United States Founding Father Benjamin Franklin 3 Benjamin Franklin HotelU S National Register of Historic PlacesShow map of PhiladelphiaShow map of PennsylvaniaShow map of the United StatesLocation822 840 Chestnut St Philadelphia PennsylvaniaCoordinates39 56 58 9 N 75 9 18 45 W 39 949694 N 75 1551250 W 39 949694 75 1551250Built1925 2 ArchitectHorace Trumbauer John N GillArchitectural styleLate 18th century Anglo AmericanNRHP reference No 82003808 1 Added to NRHPMarch 2 1982 Contents 1 History 1 1 The site 1 2 Hotel 1 3 Apartment building 2 References 3 External linksHistory editThe site edit nbsp The Continental Hotel The first hotel on the site was the Continental Hotel built from 1857 to 1860 4 The 700 room six story hotel was designed in the Italianate style by architect John McArthur Jr who also designed the Philadelphia City Hall 5 The luxurious hotel boasted one of the first elevators in the country and a grand stairway made from polished Italian marble Its main entrance was redesigned by noted Philadelphia architect Frank Furness in 1876 5 Among its famous guests were Ulysses S Grant Andrew Johnson Charles Dickens King Edward VII and Brazilian Emperor Dom Pedro However its most notable guest was president elect Abraham Lincoln who gave a speech from the hotel s balcony on February 21 1861 just before his March 4 inauguration 5 The aging hotel was demolished in 1924 for construction of a massive new replacement 5 The lamp from the balcony Lincoln spoke from was retained for the new structure and still hangs today on a balcony known as the Lincoln Balcony at the same spot as the one from which Lincoln spoke 4 Hotel edit The Benjamin Franklin Hotel opened on January 14 1925 named for Founding Father and Philadelphian Benjamin Franklin It was designed by prominent American Gilded Age architect Horace Trumbauer 1 built by Niagara Falls businessman Frank A Dudley and operated by the United Hotels Company of America 6 The Benjamin Franklin made news in 1947 when the segregated establishment refused to accommodate the Brooklyn Dodgers who had used the hotel for years because of the presence of Jackie Robinson the first African American player in Major League Baseball The Bellevue Stratford Hotel agreed to house the team that day 7 The team later moved their permanent accommodations to The Warwick Hotel 8 William Chadwick was the general manager for many years in the 1960s to 1970s followed by Harry Gilbert and then Tom Johnson just prior to the hotel s closing in the 1980s Also on the staff in the late 1960s to early 1970s was Robert C Bennett Jr grandson of noted 1930s hotel manager Claude H Bennett and in 1974 the founding professor of the hotel management degree program at Delaware County Community College The hotel was owned by Bankers Securities Corporation which owned several Philadelphia hotels including the Bellevue Stratford Hotel the Sullivan and the former Holiday Inn near the football baseball stadiums During the Army Navy Game each year the hotel traditionally hosted Army The 1970s were a slow period with hotels hoping to benefit by the 1976 Bicentennial Celebration in the original Thirteen Colonies However the 1976 celebration was not the tourist financial success expected Also in 1976 the state of New Jersey legalized casino gambling which further diluted the hotel industry demand in greater Philadelphia as new hotels opened in Atlantic City The hotel closed in 1980 9 and the vacant building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 Apartment building edit nbsp Lobby of The Franklin Residences in 2014 The hotel was converted to house 412 apartments and 120 000 square feet 11 000 m2 of office space It reopened in 1986 10 as the Benjamin Franklin House affectionately referred to as The Ben by many Philadelphians During the renovation the historic grand ballroom of the hotel was converted into office space This resulted in objections by the National Park Service so the ballroom was restored in 1988 to qualify for federal tax credits 11 One of Philadelphia s largest ballrooms it is now managed by Finley Catering and used for banquet weddings marketed as Ballroom at the Ben 12 The building was purchased by Korman Communities in 2011 They invested 13 million in renovations and renamed it The Franklin Residences in 2014 13 The Franklin Residences specializes in studio one and two bedroom luxury apartments as well as fully furnished suites with flexible leases for individuals needing temporary accommodations 14 The finale of the Oscar winning 2012 film Silver Linings Playbook was filmed in the building s ballroom and its lobby 15 References edit nbsp Philadelphia portal a b National Register Information System National Register of Historic Places National Park Service March 13 2009 Good Eye The grandest lobby in Philadelphia is grand again Investigation of Real Estate Bondholders Reorganizations U S Government Printing Office 1934 a b Trumbauer s Legendary Ben Franklin Hotel Reborn Hidden City Philadelphia 2016 08 10 Retrieved 2023 09 01 a b c d Patten Zach 2013 06 25 Echoes of an Extravagant Past The Ben Franklin House s Continental History Curbed Philly Retrieved 2023 09 01 Receivers Name for Hotel Firm PDF The New York Times November 18 1933 Retrieved 14 October 2015 Rossi John 2013 04 07 He was unwelcome The Philadelphia Inquirer Retrieved 2023 09 01 Threston Christopher 2003 01 06 The Integration of Baseball in Philadelphia McFarland ISBN 9780786414239 The Franklin Closing As Philadelphia Hotel The New York Times 1980 12 07 ISSN 0362 4331 Retrieved 2023 09 01 Hildebrandt Rachel 2009 The Philadelphia Area Architecture of Horace Trumbauer Arcadia ISBN 9780738562971 DeWolf Rose 8 December 1988 Ben Franklin Ballroom Restored To Splendor Philly com Philadelphia Pennsylvania Philadelphia Inquirer Archived from the original on 9 March 2014 Retrieved 20 February 2023 Ballroom at the Ben Finley Catering 2021 06 08 Retrieved 2023 09 01 Benjamin Franklin House in Philadelphia gets 13 million renovation Philadelphia Business Journal Archived from the original on 2014 04 13 Overview AVE Living Retrieved 2023 09 01 Pennsylvania Philly shows off its Silver Linings Los Angeles Times 21 January 2013 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to The Franklin Residences The Franklin Residences official website Ballroom at the Ben official website Listing and images at Philadelphia Architects and Buildings Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Franklin Residences amp oldid 1217083261, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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