Barclay Hotel (Philadelphia)
| Barclay Hotel Barclay Condominiums | |
|---|---|
 Barclay Hotel in April 2019 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Location | Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia |
| Address | 237 S. 18th Street Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 |
| Opening | 1929 |
| Closed | 1994 |
| Owner | Allan Domb Real Estate |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | John McShain (Barclay Hotel) and Shay Construction (Barclay Condominium) |
| Other information | |
| Parking | located at 18th Street and Walnut Street |
| Website | |
| Rental and Sales Listings | |
The Barclay Hotel was located at 237 S. 18th St. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Rittenhouse Square.
History[edit]
The Barclay Hotel opened in October 1929. It was, for a period of time, the most famous hotel in Philadelphia. It was owned by the well-known developer John McShain.
Abscam scandal[edit]
In 1980, the hotel was the site of the FBI's Abscam sting operation, which exposed corruption in government. Federal agents posing as Arab sheikhs rented a suite in the hotel, where they solicited the help of local, state, and federal officials.[1]
Condominium conversion[edit]
In 1989, the hotel was put up for sale for approximately $30 million. In April 1992, owner Barclay Hotel Associates filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The property was subsequently purchased by Princeton, New Jersey developer Peter Marks for $4.3 million in October 1994. Construction on the Barclay Condominiums was completed in 2005.[2]
Literary references[edit]
In the 1994 novel The Fermata by Nicholson Baker, the narrator first discovers his ability to "freeze time" while staying at the Barclay Hotel as a child.
References[edit]
- ^ "Owner Puts The Barclay Up For Sale", May 20, 1989, By Susan Warner, philly.com
- ^ "Historic Barclay Hotel Condominium". www.shayconstruction.com. Shay Construction, Inc. Archived from the original on 1 June 2014. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
