Mystery Broad Street Line entrance - North side of City Hal

ChrisinAbington wrote:And I walked by there about a week ago and wondered the same. The stairs are to the south of the east-west hall, but lead to a passage that goes north, in close proximity to the MSB. All the signs mention it being police department property, and the gates are locked so there's not much chance for an average person to further explore. Was the North councourse grade separated from the rest of the councourse system, and this stairwell the only way to access places to the south? If it did "meet-up" with a sloped walkway, where was the connection? I've spent a bit of time scratching my head over how it all fit together.
(sorry in advance as I'm going off topic, and might even be getting off SEPTA altogether)

The North Concourse is below the lower level of the Municipal Services building, which is on the same grade as the concourse surrounding City Hall. The South Broad Concourse is, by my guess, about 20 feet lower than the concourse around City Hall. This appears be the same elevation as the North Concourse, but I have no way of telling. I don't think you could cross from the North Concourse to the South Concourse without taking stairs.

To all the curious people who want to know about the North Side of City Hall ConCourse
1. Stairway 5# use to go to the Subway-Surface Trolley Old 15th Street Station & exit at Filbert, if you go in the old stairway 5# turn to the left and you will end up at the old 15th Street Subway-Surface Trolley Station now hid behind that brick wall the separate the new 15th Street Trolley Station fron the old. Turn to your right and go up the steps and you will come outside at Filbert Street(now JKF Blvd @ north Broad Street with Mason Temple is to the northeast corner.

2. Far as the north Concourse under Broad Street is, you can enter from two locations, 1 is the concourse near the ground level of MSB Building or @ the Race Street Side of the Broad Street Subway's Race-Vine Station. come down the steps and you will see the fake wall with a pad lock on it, that section is from Race to Arch Streets and is pitch black (you can not even see your hand in front of your face, the ceiling is chiping, lead paint and tile walls read to "CITY HALL". Now the section from the Arch is well lit up and that did houses the Philadelphia Police Transit Unit with gave way to the Now "SEPTA TRANSIT POLICE". however the concourse is still intact and well in shape.

3. Stairway 2# as did mention did go to the Subway-Surface Trolley Old 15th Street Station Eastbound side

Here's the Race Street entrance to the north concourse.

Cheviot wrote:Here's the Race Street entrance to the north concourse.

If you go into the fake wall, there is a gate on the other side because when it was in use they would close it after 7pm like they do MSB concourse, then when SEPTA or the CITY OF PHILADELPHIA close it they choose to just use it as a POLICE STATION for the PHILADELPHIA POLICE DEPARTMENT.

Suburban Station wrote:there used to be an entrance into the marriott (the old bank) on the east side of broad at city hall? interestnig, that would be a useful restoration. as it is, I use the stairwell on the east side but I still have to cross the circle to go east. it would also be useful if the msb entrance was made open to the public.

In the hey day's it was!!

Do you have a pic of the old subway surface trolley station?

I believe this is part of the original 15th street subway/surface station:

http://world.nycsubway.org/perl/show?52592

I remember in the mid 1970's when 15th Street Station was getting a big renovation, my mother and I started using a different exit at 15th Street Station that would bring you up in this area covered by green awnings with benches. We only used this exit while the escalator and steps at 15th Street were under contruction and stopped using it after they reopened but I've never seen that other exit again and was just wondering where it was and what happened to it.

This was around the time they moved turnstiles at 15th Street from the lower area next to the Fannie Mae Candy Shop to place they are today.

I have vague memories about the now closed crossunder at 15th street and I am curious what year it closed and what it was used for.

My late father worked for Public Property at the time and he was working on alot of these renovation projects.

Cheviot wrote:I believe this is part of the original 15th street subway/surface station:

http://world.nycsubway.org/perl/show?52592

Sorry, not the original. It's the current 15th St eastbound station. The one I grew up with was about 1 track north, or right in this photo. They moved the platform and track 1 track south, and relocated the westbound station, when they widened the 15th St Market Frankford platforms, around the same time they built the Center Square building, southwest corner 15th and Market.

THAT'S THE CURRENT? Wow Septa should really put some money in to cleaning up that station.

Umm, that's the current design. The photo of the design is likely quite dated. (probably close to the date of the caption based on the coloring of the car)

Is it that dirty now?

rbreslow wrote:Is it that dirty now?

Go check it out yourself?

ChrisinAbington wrote:Umm, that's the current design. The photo of the design is likely quite dated. (probably close to the date of the caption based on the coloring of the car)

Ohhhh... is that the westbound station? I'm sorry. I'd assumed from the unfamiliar look of the station and the date that it was the original eastbound station.

Cheviot wrote:I believe this is part of the original 15th street subway/surface station:

http://world.nycsubway.org/perl/show?52592

That is the new 15th Street Subway-Surface Trolley Station on the eastbound side...the original station was location in part of the Market-Frankford Line
15th Street Eastbound Station, if you on the MFSE eastbound platform, look up to the ceiling and one can still see the overhead wire metel slates in the roof.