Talk:Philadelphia City Hall

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[edit] Washington Monument is Taller

At 555 feet, the Washington Monument in D.C. is taller. What is the basis for the claim that Philadelphia City Hall is the tallest masonry building in the world?

I'm comfortable calling the Monument a structure, NOT a building, since its not really "occupied" for any reason other than to visit, much like an observation/communications tower, but not sure how others see that.

Also, it isn't clear to me after all these years (I grew up in Phila) whether the cited 548 ft is to the top of the Penn statue, or to the top of the masonry structure itself? Redneb 17:06, 15 February 2006 (UTC)

This National Park Service site http://www.nps.gov/wamo/history/chap5.htm says that, while the walls of the monument are masonry, the internal structure (stairs, landings, elevator system, etc.) is ironwork.BillFlis 22:27, 15 February 2006 (UTC)

Good information that helps, but wouldn't this ALSO apply to the City Hall Tower? (there is an elevator, and I presume stairs, to the observation deck at the top). I guess I'd qualify the statement/claim by adding "tallest habited"?? Redneb 23:44, 15 February 2006 (UTC)

I doubt the elevator shaft in either City Hall or the Washington Monument is a load-bearing element, but I'm no building engineer. From the Skyscraper article, "...Philadelphia's City Hall, completed in 1901, is the world's tallest load-bearing masonry structure - a title to which it still holds claim." RockinRob^Talk 01:06, 19 May 2006 (UTC)

www.gophila.com/.../211/Philadelphia_CultureFiles/210/Historic_Attractions/12/U/City_Hall/1214.html calls this hall the tallest masonry structure without a steel frame.

[edit] Largest Municipal Building

The comment about PHL City Hall maybe being the largest municipal building in the world can definitely be removed. I'm pretty sure the Tokyo City Hall is larger. It's a full city block and 799 feet tall. -th —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 71.123.62.17 (talk • contribs).

Agreed. Plus the only hard fact mentioned is that it has 700 rooms, which itself isn't very meaningful. The total space in square feet or square meters should be cited if anything. In addition to Tokyo City Hall, there are lots of other huge municipal buildings that are probably larger than Philadelhpia City Hall, even North America, like the Manhattan Municipal Building that is 580 feet tall and is very massive.

[edit] "Headings were removed. There were no need for additional sections without more data."

The section headings were added in the course of adding more info and i was a bit surprised to find them gone this a.m. Since i don't like adding to articles that my work is being removed from, at least without some discussion, i guess i'm done here. Carptrash 14:25, 8 November 2006 (UTC)

My apologies. I should have been more patient. I originally thought that they were a vandalism. I ask for you to reconsider and participate. I am sorry.—The preceding unsigned comment was added by Jlivewell (talk • contribs) 10:58, 8 November 2006.

well i certainly accept your apology - but if my edits look like vandalism, then they are probably best gone. However i shall continue posting my research into this fascinating building. Carptrash 17:48, 8 November 2006 (UTC)