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Home > Reference > Reading News Building

April 17, 2009

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Reading News Building

by Chris Brimley

A small Beaux Arts newspaper building that would add character and life to a town or city on your layout.

Front view

Front view

The Building

The Reading News Building of Reading, PA was completed on March 26, 1912 and was designed and built by architect William A. Sharp. The building was designed specifically as a newspaper building and therefore was made to be fireproof. The small 55′x31′ building was framed with steel girders, concrete floors, and had a terra cotta and limestone facade.

The main floor housed the Business offices and the pressroom. On the second floor was the Editorial department and the third housed the mechanical department. Sadly the Reading News Company went out of business later in the year that the building was completed. It than went through a large amount of tenants during its lifetime. In the 1970’s it was abandoned and had fallen to disrepair, but still remained in good condition. Then in July or August of 1980, it reportedly was demolished.

View of the block

View of the block

View of the back

View of the back

Detail of front

Detail of front

Detail of entryway

Detail of entryway

Photos and information gathered from the Library of Congress.

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About the Author

Chris Brimley — Co-founder of N scale Limited, Chris was bitten by the model railroading bug when he was 14, originally working with HO scale he soon discovered the limitless possibilities of N scale. It was only a few years ago when Chris decided that it was time to break free of the kit bubble and begin scratch building structures. The few structures Chris has built have gone on to acquire multiple Best of Show awards in NMRA and non-NMRA judged shows. He is also a member of the budding Junction City N-scalers modular club based out of Ogden, UT that will strive for the best of what N-scale modelers have to offer.
  • Funny, I just discovered these HABS photos too on the LOC web site. If you fly into Google Earth and turn on "Street View" (or use Google Maps and do the same thing) you can see which buildings are still standing and which are not, and what is there now. I remember as a small child the bas relief mural being made at this same location on the new structure.
  • Jim Boyer
    Chris,
    I sent Frank an e-mail yesterday to inform him that I brought up 5th and Penn Sts. on Virtual Earth and found that the entire west side of that block had been torn down and replaced by single new building. That includes the Berks County Trust office building. The original bank itself, which was next to the office building facing Penn St. is still there but kind of boxed in by modern buildings.
  • Jim,
    Thank you for sharing that experience with us, I didn't plan on evoking memories from anyone's past. It was a wonderful surprise though. When I was doing my research for this article, I was unable to find information on the other buildings. Whether they were still standing or not and so on. Frank and I would love it if sometime in the future you were able to get some pictures of the American Bank. With those and any other info you have on that building or block would be amazing.
    Thank you,
  • Jim Boyer
    BTW, the taller building at the left (South) end of the block is the former Berks County Trust Co., later American bank. As far as I know it is still there. The next time I get to Reading, I'll try to get a photo of that block as it is now.
  • Jim Boyer
    Frank,
    If I remember right I believe the window sashes and the trim above the front door and window was a faded, peeling brown, even when it was in use. I thing the front doors were a light grey. I seem to remember it housing a tailor shop at one time.
  • Frank Giacobbe
    Jim,

    With a first-hand memory of this prototype structure, is there anything you can recall that would be worth sharing about the building? Such as the color of the window trim, etc? Chris pointed out that the facade was limestone and terra cotta, but just thinking it would nice to know any other specifics.
  • Jim Boyer
    Chris, I remember that building well. As a Reading cop in the 70's 5th and Court Sts. was my regular post on day shift, doing traffic duty on that corner. Spent a lot of time in the luncheonette on that corner! Thanks for the memory.
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