A month ago, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia unveiled two new towers that are part of a $3.4 billion plan that will add considerable bulk to the University City skyline in West Philadelphia. On the University City side, the University-City-Tower at the presumed address 3401 Civic Center Boulevard will rise across the street from the CHOP Buerger Center for Advanced Pediatric Care at 3500 Civic Center Boulevard. On the Southwest Center City side, 690 Schuylkill Avenue will stand to the northeast of the CHOP Robert’s Center for Advanced Research as the tower, right next to the iconic South Street Bridge.
690 Schuylkill Avenue (left) and University City Tower (right) looking south. Photo by Thomas Koloski
690 Schuylkill Avenue will be the shorter of the two buildings, standing 13 stories when built. The CHOP Roberts Center for Advanced Research was one of the very first major structures of the overall master plan, with the tower was finished recently back in 2017. The $600 million tower that is planned to rise is designed by Canno Design with a design very similar to that of the Roberts Center. Both towers feature curved facades with smaller curves being pushed into the tower, while also having an angled crown that points to the sky.
690 Schuylkill Avenue (left) and University City Tower (right) looking southeast. Photo by Thomas Koloski
The University City tower will be taller, set to rise 22 stories and will be constructed at a cost of $1.9 billion. The tower will rise in a more densely clustered, development-heavy area, with the Buerger Center finished nearby in 2016 and the CHOP Hub for Clinical Collaboration currently under construction, set to be finished in two years. The building was designed by ZGF Architects and The Ballinger Company and will feature an all-glass skin with colorful strips that will enhance the design.
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Very expensive for such short towers.
I know. That’s, like, 20x per sq ft more than the lovely Canyon-making Arthaus. I have some swampland in Florida I’d like to sell these developers. ?lol ?
What’s the projected sqftage? At NYC prices, University city building should have 1.5 Million sqft of space. If it’s less, I don’t know what they’re are doing… Corruption I guess.
Meanwhile in Midtown Manhattan,the land under the Grand Hyatt hotel was sold for $13 million.
The developer is going to tear down the hotel & replace it with “Project Commodore”, a 1,646 foot super tall.
Meanwhile back in Philadelphia, this little project of two short towers cost $3.4 billion?
Okay, that makes sense!
I said it once and I’ll say it again. These should be super tall. Super tall medical buildings with super tall nurses to serve super tall children with super tall diseases. I mean…this isn’t difficult. In New York I watched Presbyterian Hospital get built as I sipped my coffee at McDonalds. Where’s the canyon?
It could be horizontal construction due to either the wishes of City Council (more buildings and jobs created) or the FAA due to EMT helicopters.
It’s a medical facility with more intricate workings on the inside. BTW- since we have soooo many people making comments comparing nyc to Philadelphia and what’s going on there – why don’t you just move back to nyc? Seems to me you were happier there. Or is it because you can’t afford to live there anymore? Hmmm. I’m just sayin’.
No need to compare anything to NYC.
The recently completed Comcast Technology Center (the tallest skyscraper in Philadelphia) cost $1.5 billion dollars.
The two short towers that this article mentions a price tag of $3.4 billion dollars.
You can share your opinions all you want, but do not assume anything about any of us because you are 100% wrong.
Have a nice day! 😉
Brian, I’m having a great day,week,month and year. I also stand by my initial comment concerning nyc wanna-be’s such as yourself. Now you can relax and have a great day too. ?
If you are going to throw around comparison prices and opine on how much we backwater hillbillies from Philadelphia are getting shafted as compared to the big city developers from New York City, the least you can do is compare like buildings. Hospitals and research centers have much higher costs because they are HOSPITALS & RESEARCH CENTERS and require significantly different infrastructure. You are not building just a box. Like those you all mention. Because you know the top Children’s Hospital in the country can’t possibly know what’ they’re doing.