Art Deco Entrance to Suburban Station -Philadelphia

Suburban Station opened on September 28, 1930 as a new commuter rail terminal for the Pennsylvania Railroad, replacing the older Broad Street Station and reflecting the era’s technological optimism. The structure combines an underground regional rail station with a 21-story office tower rising above street level — an innovative mixed use that anchored the Penn Center redevelopment in Center City. Designed by the Chicago architectural firm Graham, Anderson, Probst & White (with local collaborators), it’s officially listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural and transportation significance.

The Art Deco style of Suburban Station’s exterior is expressed through materials, ornament, and geometric articulation typical of the movement. The 16th Street street-level facade features a polished black granite base that gives a strong, refined visual weight to the entrances. Art Deco is all about geometric abstraction and clean lines, and Suburban’s facade reflects this with chevrons, zigzags, and stylized motifs integrated into spandrels and decorative bands.