Alfred E. Burk House facts for kids

The Alfred E. Burk House, also known as the Burk Mansion, is a large, old house in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It's located at 1500 North Broad Street. Today, Temple University owns it.

The house was built during a time called the Gilded Age. This was a period in American history (late 1800s to early 1900s) when some people became very rich. The Burk Mansion has an Italian Renaissance style. This means its design was inspired by old Italian buildings.

Architects Edward P. Simon and David B. Basset designed the house. It was built between 1907 and 1909. Later, in 1949 and 1953, Louis A. Manfredi made some changes and additions. The first owner was Alfred E. Burk. He was a wealthy businessman who made leather. He lived in the house from 1909 until he passed away in 1921.

From 1945 to 1970, the house was used as the main office for the Upholsterers International Union of North America. This was a labor union for workers who made furniture and other textile products. In 1971, Temple University bought the house. They used it as a daycare for children of their students and staff until 1995. The building is currently empty.

History of the Burk Mansion

Who Was Alfred E. Burk?

The Burk family came from Germany. Alfred E. Burk's parents, David and Charlotte Reinman Burk, moved to the United States in 1854. They settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Alfred E. Burk and his two brothers, Henry and Charles, started a company called Burk Brothers. They specialized in making a type of leather called glazed-kid leather. Their factory was in Philadelphia's old leather district. It was a large complex of 12 buildings. The factory was sold after Henry Burk died in 1903.

Alfred E. Burk was a successful businessman and also involved in politics. Besides his leather company, he also owned the Garden Pier in Atlantic City, New Jersey with his brother Louis. He was a delegate for Pennsylvania at the Republican National Convention in 1920. He passed away in Philadelphia in 1921 when he was 56 years old.

The House as a Union Headquarters

Between 1945 and 1971, the Alfred E. Burk House became the main office for the Upholsterers' International Union (UIU). This union was started in 1892. It represented workers in many industries. These included people who made caskets, mattresses, bedding, and furniture.

In the late 1800s, North Broad Street in Philadelphia became a popular place for wealthy business owners to live. It was a good spot for two reasons. First, many of their factories were nearby. This meant they could easily get to their businesses. Second, living on North Broad Street also allowed them to enjoy a rich social life.

Temple University's Ownership

Temple University bought the 27-room Alfred E. Burk House in 1970. The university paid $375,000 for it. The building was added to the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places the next year.

Soon after buying it, the house became home to Temple's new School of Social Administration. In 1975, the university moved its daycare program into the mansion's carriage house. This daycare served the children of Temple students and employees for almost 20 years.

However, in July 1993, a fire started in the house. This fire caused about $2.8 million in damages. Because of the fire and less money from the state for upkeep, Temple officials closed the house in 1995. The building has been empty ever since.

What's Next for the Mansion?

The Burk House has been empty and unused since 1995. Temple University has a Master Plan for its campus, but it doesn't mention the Burk House. So, people are still wondering what will happen to it.

Before the economic problems in 2008, Temple had plans to use the building for its Honors program. This project would have cost $44 million. But the economic crash stopped the project before it could begin.

In 2015, a picture of a possible hotel at the site started to spread. This made people ask more questions about Temple's plans. Temple architect Margaret Carney said that the university did not plan to tear down the building. She mentioned that over a million dollars had recently been spent to fix the mansion's roof. New lights, heating, and ventilation had also been put in.

According to Jon Farnham, who leads the Philadelphia Historical Commission, Temple University had not asked for permission to tear down the building as of 2015.