1027 ARCH STREET LOFTS
THE PITCARIN BUILDING
The Pitcairn Building is located at the northeast corner of 11th and Arch Streets next to the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This eight-story building is steel framed and clad in brick and granite with terra cotta details. The building measures approximately 74 feet wide and 172 deep. Built in 1901, the building was designed by the Philadelphia architects, G.W. and W.D. Hewitt. Both architects also designed the Philadelphia Bourse and the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel. The building is named for John Pitcairn who was president and co-founder of the Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company. The company resided in the building until 1923 when it was acquired by H. Daroff and Sons.
Daroff was a Jewish immigrant from Russia who capitalized on the opportunities for ready-to-wear clothing. His company was one of the major clothing manufacturers in Philadelphia producing 3.6 million suits annually.
Prior to the building acquisition by Daroff, portions of the building were leased to other clothing manufacturers. Surprisingly, the 7th and 8th floors had been used as a skating rink and bowling alley.
As the Philadelphia clothing industry became more mechanized by the 1880s, sweat shops tended to move to loft type buildings in Philadelphia. As a result of the harsh working conditions in these sweat shops, unions such as the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America (ACWA), successfully fought for better pay and conditions. During one such battle, the ACWA went after The Daroff Company resulting in the company signing a contract with the union 27 days later. Other manufacturers quickly followed this example. The Daroff Company later moved to a nearby location at 23rd and Walnut Streets in 1945. The Pitcairn Building continues to be used for various office and light industry purposes, and was recently rehabilitated for office use.
Beginning in 2004, the building underwent a $22 million renovation to become a loft condominium called "1027 Arch Street Lofts."