Editing Lit Brothers (section)

== Urban Context ==

The Lit Brothers building occupies a significant position within Market Street East, the commercial corridor that extends from City Hall toward Independence National Historical Park. The building's preservation maintains historic character in a district that urban renewal and contemporary development have significantly transformed. The Gallery at Market East (now Fashion District Philadelphia), immediately adjacent, represents the modernist approach to urban retail that planners promoted during the 1970s. The contrast between Lit Brothers' Victorian facades and the mall's enclosed spaces illustrates different eras' approaches to commercial architecture and urban design.<ref name="webster"/>

Market Street East continues evolving, with recent development bringing residential and mixed-use projects that increase street-level activity. The Lit Brothers building's presence contributes historic character that new construction cannot replicate, anchoring the district's identity as development occurs around it. The building's survival ensures that some portion of Market Street's nineteenth-century commercial character remains visible, providing continuity with the retail district's origins even as its functions and demographics change.<ref name="gallery"/>