The structure at 1622 Chestnut St. conjures images of men speaking into waffle-shaped microphones with funny, high-pitched voices and slick looking moustaches.  An art-deco survivor flanked by chain stores like Men’s Wearhouse and RadioShack, the building shown below in a photo taken from the Temple University Libraries Digital Collection, was erected in 1933.

In 1933. Half photo, half illustration, all deco

In just a decade of operation, the small AM station WCAU had moved from the back of an electrician’s Market Street shop to this location.  According to Alan J. Heavens’ article for Philly.com, this structure was the first building in the United States designed with the expressed intent of housing a radio station. Under the ownership of the newly forged Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS), the radio station began broadcasting at the familiar frequency of 1210.  The image…