The Barclay Hotel was located at 237 S. 18th St. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Rittenhouse Square.

History

The Barclay Hotel opened in October 1929. It was, for a period of time, the most famous hotel in Philadelphia. It was owned by the well-known developer John McShain.

Abscam scandal

In 1980, the hotel was the site of the FBI's Abscam sting operation, which exposed corruption in government. Federal agents posing as Arab sheikhs rented a suite in the hotel, where they solicited the help of local, state, and federal officials.

Condominium conversion

In 1989, the hotel was put up for sale for approximately $30 million. In April 1992, owner Barclay Hotel Associates filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy. The property was subsequently purchased by Princeton, New Jersey developer Peter Marks for $4.3 million in October 1994. Construction on the Barclay Condominiums was completed in 2005.

Literary references

In the 1994 novel The Fermata by Nicholson Baker, the narrator first discovers his ability to "freeze time" while staying at the Barclay Hotel as a child.