The Victor Talking Machine company, established in Camden in 1901, is perhaps one of the most iconic American companies of all time. They started out making phonographs and recording equipment before braching out into the new medium of radio technology. The company expanded into a large manufacturing and office complex in downtown Camden, right at the landing of the Ben Franklin Bridge. The crown jewel of the hulking Ballinger & Perot designed campus was the iconic tower adorned with D’ascenzio Studios stained glass windows depicting the company’s trademark “His Masters Voice” logo. General Electric bought out VTMC in 1919 and incorporated it into their new corporation, RCA. Over the next decade they continued to expand the Camden campus, which is when the subject of this article came to be
Finally in 2002, after more than a decade of abandonment, the Nipper building was purchased by Philadelphia Developer Carl Dranoff. Work moved quick on the structure which reopened as apartments the following year. Replacement Stained Glass windows were even installed in the tower. Unfortately things almost immediately started to get ugly between the city and Dranoff. Part of the developers plans were contingent on the city doing an environmental survey on building No. 8 and taking on the ensuing cleanup. Afterwards the developer would purchase the building from the city and renovate that into lofts too. However, the city expected an initial loan of 3 million dollars to have been paid off first. Dranofff saw things differently.
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You got it scrambled because it is twisted and confusing. The radio lofts building is not in your photo. The victor building that you do show is thriving and not going anywhere. RCA acquired victor in 1919. GE acquired RCA in the 1990s. RCA had already spun off its defense business in Camden which had already moved out of the victor building to a brand new campus across the street.
Thank you so very much, we will make an effort to rectify the situation, however, making a major change a day after posting is difficult. Will talk with tech.
Again
thanks
It would appear, the change was not difficult at all
Once again, Charles
Thanks