Editor’s Note: A version of this story was published in the Spring 2026 issue of Extant, a publication of the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia.

Photo: Michael Bixler

Robinson Building

Location: 1020 Market Street

Built: 1946

The Robinson Building at 1020 Market Street was one of Philadelphia’s most striking examples of mid-century modern commercial design and a rare surviving work by architect Victor Gruen who widely regarded as the father of the American shopping mall. Completed in 1946, the building was defined by its extraordinary wave-like facade, composed of a five-story concrete slab clad in tiny, variegated purple tiles that curved outward at the cornice and appeared to float above a glass storefront. Beneath decades of grime, the facade has remained remarkably intact.

In 2016, recognizing its architectural significance, the Preservation Alliance nominated the Robinson Building to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places, and the Philadelphia Historical Commission voted to designate it. That protection proved short-lived. The building’s owners appealed the decision, arguing that designation would hinder redevelopment, and it was ultimately overturned. Despite years of advocacy, including efforts to retain the distinctive faccade as part of future development, the Robinson Building remained vacant and vulnerable.

At press time, property owner Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment announced a temporary pause on their intention to clear much of the 1000 block of Market Street. These structures, many modest in scale but vital to Market Street’s historic, pedestrian-oriented fabric, are being removed without a defined redevelopment plan in place.

Once celebrated for its glowing neon signage and sculptural presence on Market Street, the Robinson Building serves as a cautionary reminder that buildings can be lost when preservation is treated as expendable rather than integral to revitalization.

Photo: Michael Bixler

Grand Theater

Location: 2026 S. 7th Street

Built: Circa 1870s

For over a century, the building at 7th Street and Snyder Avenue adapted repeatedly to meet the changing needs of its South Philadelphia neighborhood. Constructed in the late 19th century as the Snyder Avenue Baptist Church, it was converted into the Grand Theater in 1911, screening silent films and adding vaudeville the following year. In 1937, architect William Harold Lee modernized the structure with a stainless-steel marquee and updated interiors, transforming it into a 949-seat neighborhood movie palace. By the 1950s, under the A.M. Ellis Theaters Co., the Grand showed films exclusively and served as a popular local gathering place.

As entertainment habits shifted, the building changed again. In 1959, its sloped auditorium floor was leveled and the structure converted to retail use. Its ornate facade was concealed beneath aluminum siding, and the Grand Theater became John’s Bargain Stores, followed by a succession of other discount retailers that reflected evolving commercial patterns along Snyder Avenue.

Even in decline, traces of the theater endured. The removal of siding revealed fading ghost signs: “Grand Theater,” “Talkies” and “Matinee Daily,” reminders of its former life. Today, however, rising development pressures have taken precedence to adaptation. A plan to demolish the building for a five-story, mixed-use project brings an end to the structure that spent decades reshaping itself to remain useful, embedded, and recognizable within its neighborhood. The Grand Theater’s loss reflects how easily neighborhood cultural landmarks can slip from memory once their original use fades, leaving little room for preservation when redevelopment pressures arrive.