In March, YIMBY shared exclusive renderings of the Philadelphia skyline featuring several unbuilt skyscrapers that would have made the city appear quite different from its current look. The conceptual massing shows the possibilities that never happened, though they remain archived by the original architects and now also by our publications. Numerous projects have been canceled in the city over the years, including the American Commerce Center, a tower once proposed in Center City that would have stood taller than the Comcast Technology Center. Today we present updated massing renderings of the Philadelphia skyline with many projects that remain unbuilt.
Philadelphia skyline with unbuilt proposals looking south. Image and models by Thomas Koloski
All of the unbuilt projects that are seen in the renderings were supposed to be completed by now. The tallest building in the projections is the American Commerce Center at 1800 Arch Street, the current site of the Comcast Technology Center. The tower was planned to stand 1,510 feet tall, almost 1,000 feet above the hat of the William Penn statue at City Hall. The second tallest unbuilt skyscraper on the renderings is the Center City Tower (alternately known as the City Center Tower), which was proposed to stand at the current of the Residences at Ritz Carlton and the W/Element Hotel, replacing the fire-damaged One Meridien Plaza. The tower was proposed to stand 1,050 feet tall and Comcast was intended as the anchor tenant.
Philadelphia skyline with unbuilt proposals looking west. Image and models by Thomas Koloski
Another supertall was proposed in the city back in the 1980s. The Philadelphia World Trade Center would have stood 1,095 feet and 75 stories above ground, situated just hundreds of feet away from the Delaware River and the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. The next tower in line is the tower proposed at 17th and Vine Street, at the current site of The Alexander at 1601 Vine Street. Other towers that were supposed to be built was Cira 2, the Twin Independence Blue Cross Tower, Mandeville Place, Park Tower, and City Tower. Also featured in the images is the first iteration of the PSFS Building.
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Cira Centre II was proposed (725 feet).
Cira II is currently in the proposal stage (705 feet).
The American Commerce Center (1,510 feet).
The City Center Tower (1,050 feet).
17th & Vine Streets (890 feet).
World Industry Center (875 feet).
The World Trade Square.
Bridgeman’s View Tower (749 feet).
Waldorf=Astoria (670 feet).
IBX Twin Tower (625 feet).
Mandeville Place (608 feet).
1441 Chestnut Street (584 feet).