Located at the southeast corner of South Broad Street and South Penn Square, the Betz Building was constructed during 1891 and 1892 following the designs of William H. Decker. Decker’s client, John Frederick Betz (1831-1908) served an apprenticeship as a brewer and went on to great financial success in the brewing industry in Philadelphia. This office building included a restaurant and bar in the basement, which was a particularly popular gathering spot for politicians and power brokers from nearby City Hall.  The Betz Building was demolished in 1926 to make room for the PNB building, which still stands on the site today.

The following people correctly identified the building:
Julian Brodsky
Frank Hoeber
Tom Keels

Sarah Weatherwax
Curator of Prints & Photographs