636 East 6th Street | Block : 387 | Lot #127 Building Date : 1846 Original Use : Residential Original Owner : John Pheilan Original Architect : Unknown

Description & Building Alterations No. 636 East 6th Street was erected in 1846 as a row house. It was altered for the United Brethren Mission of the Moravian Church in 1889 by architects Calvert Vaux and George K. Radford. In 1906, the building became a synagogue.

On the 1853 map it is a brick dwelling. On the 1868 map, the house has been extended at the rear and it is labeled “Moravian Chapel,” and by 1893 it is labeled “P.E. Church.” The first architect associated with the building, in 1889, is George Kent Radford, who worked with Calvert Vaux on the building adjacent in the same year. Originally a Moravian Chapel, the building also served as a German Church and a synagogue at one time. A rose window was once above the door where there is now a cross in a recessed circle. There was also a cornice at the top of the building, similar in design to its neighbor at 638 East 6th Street. Based on alteration permits from 1909, it appears that the front of the building underwent significant changes. The bricks at the top of the facade are set at forty five degree angles, creating an interesting pattern and texture. Terra cotta tiles cover the window openings. The openings are capped by decorative brick work and are arched at the tops; the center opening features a pointed arch.