Could the Wanamaker Building become a hub for Philly’s 250th anniversary events?

The closing of Macy's in March was unexpected by the Semiquincentennial organizers, but the sudden availability of this great historic asset, across the street from City Hall and a block from where the mayor and most of City Council greenlit a new Sixers stadium, seems like an opportunity.

Growing vacancies

Plans for the Semiquincentennial include 52 weeks of events throughout the city, highlighting each neighborhood, with one conspicuous gap. Between Independence Mall at Sixth Street and the museums along the Benjamin Franklin Parkway (which start at 19th street), there is nothing, except for the Walnut Street Theatre’s production of 1776 April 14-May 31, 2026. And sitting right there at 13th Street: the Wanamaker Building.

Development on the east side of Market Street has been a tough subject for years. Changing the Gallery at Market East to the Fashion District mall did not attract new traffic. The Sixers proposal for 12th and Market proved to be better at showing what not to do: as concerns including Chinatown and parking increased and the plans turned out to be a negotiating point for the basketball franchise, they were dropped in January 2025. In February, Macy’s announced it would close the 1300 Market Street location on March 23. The vacancies grew at a time the city was planning to celebrate its successes.

Inviting ideas

From Love Park to Dilworth Plaza, through the City Hall courtyard, and across into Wanamakers would be a full afternoon out in the center of town. In April the Portal was moved from Love Park to the City Hall courtyard, making the connection an even wider experience.

The location across from City Hall invites the idea of exhibit space for city archives, at least during the Semiquincentennial year. A department store on this scale is, in itself, an exhibition hall, albeit for shopping. When the Philadelphia History Museum (formerly the Atwater Kent Museum) closed in 2018, the only devoted museum of Philadelphia history moved under the stewardship of Drexel University, but mainly online. The massive marble and glass counters in the great hall are ideal for displaying city artifacts (if they haven’t been removed yet).

The quality of the hall for concerts and exhibitions is already established. The 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair Organ was installed at the new Wanamaker’s Department store in 1911, with later additions bringing it up to the world’s largest, at 28,750 pipes. (Take my word for it: that’s a lot.) John Wanamaker wanted it because it had attracted a crowd at the World’s Fair, and this continued in the store. On September 27, 2008, Macy’s celebrated its 150th anniversary with a concert featuring the organ and the Philadelphia Orchestra.

This space would not just be a good home for concerts or exhibitions. A series of anniversary TED Talks are planned in Philly; as of now, the location(s) are not booked; why not meet at the Eagle? If Mayor Parker or City Council wanted to host a public event, they could just cross the street. Town halls are trending; the Grand Court is literally a town hall, dedicated by President Taft on December 30, 1911.

Entrance to the space might be blocked by construction of new commercial leases in the Market and Chestnut Street sides, but there’s an entrance on Juniper. In fact, being restricted to one entrance might be a benefit if there are ticketed events.

Potential problems

There are some obvious problems with this whole idea. Most of the 2026 event planning was already finished in 2024. Rental costs might be prohibitive. TF Cornerstone, owner of the property since 2019, might have other plans. In January, city commerce director Alba Martinez told the Inquirer that TF Cornerstone envisions “a mix of possible uses, retail, dining, residential, cultural attractions, and more,” and that the existing square footage for Macy’s will probably be divided up into new, separate retail spaces.

Construction on those spaces might restrict the building’s accessible hours. Councilmember Mark Squilla, who represents District 1, told BSR he supports the use of the Wanamaker Building for 250th events, provided they are not in the midst of renovations. TF Cornerstone did not respond to a request for comment.

It’s not too late to look inside

Even if the interior is unavailable, there are seven large display windows on both the Market and Chestnut Street sides of the Wanamaker building, and another three on Juniper Street, facing City Hall. They shouldn’t be empty. This is not a new idea: when Hamilton was touring last year, a window on Chestnut Street displayed costumes and props.

On Saturday, March 22, 2025, there was a final organ recital that lasted from 9am to 7pm. The Friends of the Wanamaker Organ proved efficient at handling the crowd of 1,000. It demonstrated the suitability of the space to handle large crowds for a concert.

It’s not too late to make this work. It’s not too soon to look forward to it.