Print City: How Newspaper Buildings Shaped Philadelphia's Downtown

Philadelphia, once home to numerous newspapers, saw these print outlets form media enclaves by clustering their offices on the same block. Unlike other industries that remained static, Philadelphia's newspaper row frequently shifted westward through downtown, reflecting the movement of wealth and influence. Each relocation prompted newspapers to build increasingly elaborate offices to stand out. Although these newspapers and their buildings are largely gone, their historical shifts provide valuable insights into the development of Center City.

Event host Inga Saffron, the architecture critic for the Philadelphia Inquirer, has spent over 20 years advocating for thoughtful design, public spaces, and urban policies. Her accolades include a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism, the Vincent Scully Prize, a Loeb Fellowship, and a Guggenheim Fellowship. Saffron's career began as a municipal reporter and foreign correspondent covering conflicts in Eastern Europe. She has authored two books and is currently working on a study of American newspaper buildings, tentatively titled Holding the Presses: How Newspaper Buildings Shaped the American City.