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Barclay Hotel (Philadelphia)

Coordinates: 39°56′55″N 75°10′15″W / 39.94874°N 75.17072°W / 39.94874; -75.17072
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Barclay Hotel
Barclay Condominiums
Barclay Hotel in April 2019
Map
General information
LocationRittenhouse Square, Philadelphia
Address237 S. 18th Street
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
Opening1929
Closed1994
OwnerAllan Domb Real Estate
Design and construction
Architect(s)John McShain (Barclay Hotel) and Shay Construction (Barclay Condominium)
Other information
Parkinglocated 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

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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.

A 1938 advertisement for the hotel

Abscam scandal

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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

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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

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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

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  1. ^ "Owner Puts The Barclay Up For Sale", May 20, 1989, By Susan Warner, philly.com
  2. ^ "Historic Barclay Hotel Condominium". www.shayconstruction.com. Shay Construction, Inc. Archived from the original on 1 June 2014. Retrieved 17 September 2014.
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39°56′55″N 75°10′15″W / 39.94874°N 75.17072°W / 39.94874; -75.17072