No matter what next occupies the southeast corner of Broad Street and Pattison Avenue, it will always be remembered as the place where the Spectrum stood.
Although the Spectrum’s footprint will eventually be filled by Philly Live! – a proposed retail and entertainment complex – the landmark arena will be lost to time like so many other iconic sports venues that once drew thousands of fans.
As the wrecking ball starts to tear down the Spectrum today at noon, the Daily News takes a look at other stadiums and arenas that have been razed in the city over the last 60 years, and what has become of the once-hallowed grounds on which they stood.
* Baker Bowl, Broad and Huntingdon streets: It opened in 1887 as the home of the Phillies. The ballpark closed in 1938 and was demolished in 1950.
A two-story, white-painted brick building built by UPS on the site of the old National League ballpark now houses the transportation-maintenance office for the School District of Philadelphia.
A car wash sits at one end of the rectangular property, and the dilapidated Botany 500 building still stands up the block near Lehigh Avenue as it has since 1910, just outside where the leftfield fence stood.