Its cornerstone laid in 1907,[1] the Guastavino tiled dome of the de Sales parish has been an icon in its neighborhood.

The de Sales parish was designed by Philadelphia architect Henry D. Dagit,[2] built in the Byzantine Revival style and incorporates a Guastavino tile dome modeled on that of Istanbul's Hagia Sophia and elements of the Arts and Crafts movement which was at its peak when the church was built.

All of the tiles on the entire dome were replaced in the 1950s by then-pastor Bishop Joseph McShea in an unsuccessful attempt to stop the leaking.

St. Francis de Sales is architecturally and culturally so beloved ... the congregation is serving the community in so many wonderful ways, and they have done so much for immigrants.

[6] The alterations that Venturi and Rauch added included a new altar, a celebrant's chair, a suspended cathode light and the elevation of the sanctuary floor.

Historically the Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) provided the teaching force, with the first group arriving in 1904.