One South Broad
| One South Broad | |
|---|---|
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 Location within Pennsylvania
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| General information | |
| Status | Complete |
| Type | Office |
| Architectural style | Art deco |
| Address | 1 South Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19107 United States |
| Coordinates | 39°57′5″N 75°9′49″W / 39.95139°N 75.16361°WCoordinates: 39°57′5″N 75°9′49″W / 39.95139°N 75.16361°W |
| Completed | 1932 |
| Owner | One South Broad, LLP |
| Height | |
| Roof | 472 feet (144 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 28 |
| Floor area | 465,000 square feet (43,000 m2) |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | John Torrey Windrim |
| Developer | |
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1 S. Broad Street
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| Part of | Broad Street Historic District (#84003529) |
| Designated CP | April 6, 1984 |
One South Broad, also known as the Lincoln-Liberty Building or PNB Building, is a 28-story 472-foot (144 m) office tower in Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. The art deco tower, designed by architect John Torrey Windrim as an annex for Wanamaker's department store, was completed in 1932. Wanamaker's Men's Store opened in the first seven floors of the building, which is located a block from Wanamaker's main store, and was intended to rival European department stores with its size and selection. In 1952, the Philadelphia National Bank (PNB) bought the building and converted it into offices and banking space. Until 2014, the building's bell tower was decorated on all four sides with PNB's initials in stainless steel 16 feet (4.9 m) tall. Wells Fargo is the main tenant, occupying almost half the building. The former banking space at street level was converted to retail and restaurant space in 2000.
Containing 465,000 square feet (43,000 m2) of space, One South Broad features a three-story gallery lobby that connects to the Widener Building, adjacent to the south. The 24th and 25th floors originally featured a luxurious penthouse designed for Rodman Wanamaker and his wife; it was converted to office use in 2000 by independent advertising agency Red Tettemer O'Connell + Partners. The tower houses the 17-ton Founder's Bell, one of the largest in the world, a tribute to John Wanamaker by his son Rodman; listed on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places by the Philadelphia Historical Commission, the bell is rung hourly, except for Sundays.
In the late 1920s, numerous high-rises were being built in Center City Philadelphia. Among the businesses constructing their own skyscrapers was Wanamaker's department store. Under direction of Wanamaker President William L. Nevin, Wanamaker's decided to expand its Philadelphia store by constructing a new building that would contain a store catering to the "Philadelphia gentleman". Nevin directed Wanamaker's to buy property on South Broad Street across the street from Philadelphia City Hall. The land was the site of two late-19th-century 13-story high-rises. On the corner of Broad and Penn Square stood the Lincoln Building, originally called the Betz Building. South of that stood the Liberty Building on the corner of Broad and Chestnut Streets. Both buildings were demolished in 1926 to make way for the Lincoln-Liberty Building.
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