The eighth-tallest building on Philly YIMBY’s December 2020 Development Countdown is a 460-foot-tall, 32-story office tower proposed at 1301 Market Street in Market East, Center City, half a block to the east of City Hall. Designed by the the globally renowned firm Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and developed by the Oliver Tyrone Pulver Corporation, the massive building will yield over 700,000 square feet, with floor plates at the lower levels measuring over 25,000 square feet and those at the upper floors at over 17,000 square feet. The project is being marketed by Jones Lang LaSalle Incorporated.
The building will rise at the site of a parking lot that sits directly to the east of the 347-foot-tall, 24-story Residence Inn by Marriott Philadelphia Center City, built in 1930. Philly YIMBY’s recent site visit revealed no progress at the site. The parking lot remains active and is filled with vehicles.
1301 Market Street. Model by Thomas Koloski
The tower was first revealed near the end of 2016, originally proposed to stand 547 feet tall, one foot lower than the William Penn statue atop City Hall. The tower featured a blocky design without major setbacks on the north side. The new design is 87 feet shorter than the original and features metal cladding that highlights the structural skeleton, with diagonal beam bracing along the central split.
Despite its shortened height, the building will still be one of the tallest buildings in the area and will have a notable impact on the skyline east of City Hall.
1301 Market Street looking Northwest. Photo by Thomas Koloski
1301 Market Street looking west. Photo by Thomas Koloski
1301 Market Street looking southwest. Photo by Thomas Koloski
The tower is anticipated to be completed in 2024.
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I remember back in the 1980’s when Market Street east had Stars and Stripes painted on every crosswalk at every intersection.
East Market Street also featured a pedestrian island with poles and chains.
Back then, there was a McDonald’s at 13th & Market and it was a fun city back then.
I was there for the filming of Blowout with John Travolta driving his truck through the City Hall courtyard and into a parade on East Market street (celebration: Independence Day).
I hope this tower gets built at that famous intersection.
It will take a law firm bold enough to sign on the dotted line to jump into Don Pulver’s building and inspire others to take the plunge there It is time to shatter a long held prejudice that professional firms should always conduct business on the west side of City Hall and not on the East side of City Hall.
Pulver would have no problem selling the site along with blueprints to another developer wanting to build condos. It is time for him to be rewarded for his faith and patience by having law and professional corporations to sign on the dotted line and fill the 32 stories to enable banks to release construction funding.
Now who is bold enough to take the plunge?
I remember this site was once occupied by many neon lit s** shops, dirty movie house, and peep shows until 1995; when all the buildings were razed. However this planned tower by developers OTP, set to rise up – looks too institutional, bland, daft, homogenised, and characterless. I’d go for a handsome hybrid facade of granite and limestone (like the trophy office towers of 1980s were built – signature corporate statements, eps penned by SOM and KPF) – a nod and compliment to the neighbouring extant older restored buildings like the Wanamaker building (Macy’s now + offices), City Hall Annexe (now a Marriott Courtyard hotel), and the elegant Art Deco One East Penn Square (extended stay hotel now) to the left of new tower.
I walked by this site when it was a seedy and tawdry corner in 1980s and 1990s. Oh how time has changed!