Memphis Street Academy, charter school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Memphis Street Academy is a school building in Philadelphia now operated as a charter school and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The three-story brick structure with a raised basement features classic architectural details including stone trimming at the main entrance and decorative cornices that reflect its early 20th-century style.
The building was designed by architect Irwin T. Catharine and constructed in the 1920s as John Paul Jones Junior High School, named after an 18th-century naval hero. In 1988 the structure was added to the National Register of Historic Places, and the school later transformed into a charter institution.
The school carries the Memphis Street name and stands in a historic neighborhood where many older buildings define the streetscape. It serves as a daily gathering place for students and families, reflecting the role schools play in neighborhood life.
The school sits in the Port Richmond neighborhood surrounded by other historic buildings that create the feel of an early 20th-century neighborhood. Located on a small plot of about 2 acres, it is easily reached on foot, and the numerous windows allow views into the structure from the street.
The building originally featured 17 window bays across its front facade, an unusually high amount of natural light for a school in the 1920s. This emphasis on bright interiors reflected educational thinking of that era and remains visibly apparent in the facade today.
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