South Broad Concourse

[NickFromGtown]

Why is the South Broad concourse so obnoxiously large? What was its purpose before?

[mixiboi]

It has a long history...But the theme is: Unfinished:

A Subway Space Where Wheels Would Turn The Concourse Under South Broad Stretches 1,680 Feet Betwwn City Hall And Spruce Street. How Could It Rise Above Its Pedestrian State? - Philly.com

Notes From Underground :: Cover Story :: Article :: Philadelphia City Paper

TThe Broad Street subway line, which began operating on Sept. 1, 1928, wasn't extended to stations at Walnut or South streets until 1930. That's when South Broad Concourse opened. Christopher Zearfoss, director of transportation programs in the Mayor's Office of Strategic Planning, says the subway was intended to be "the main artery for a more extensive subway system" that would've connected City Hall with neighborhoods throughout the Philadelphia region. But that never happened. So, though it's become more connected to other forms of transportation via the expansion of Market Street and the Center City Commuter Connection, the concourse remains unfinished and underutilized with regard to its initial intention: to grow.

In years gone by, in basements of office buildings with doors leading to the concourse — the Wanamaker Building, the Philadelphia Bank Building and the Ritz-Carlton building — there have been barber shops and modest retail establishments (specifically newspaper vendors) but nothing beyond that. Today, all those doors leading to the concourse are locked, accessible only to those with special access cards and identification.

sitehiladelphiaspeaks.com South Broad concourse - Google Search