The dual-branded W/Element Hotel, located at 1439 Chestnut Street in Center City, has opened its final section to the public with the completion of its retail portion. Designed by Cope-Linder Architects and developed by the Chestlen Development Group, the tower rises 617 feet and 52 stories above ground, and stands at the former site of One Meridian Plaza, a block to the south of City Hall. Tutor Perini is the general contractor and The Lighting Practice is the lighting designer and contractor for the tower’s elaborate nighttime illumination. The skyscraper has an enormous impact on the skyline, more so than just about any other building completed in the past couple of years.
Liberty Place and the W/Element Hotel. Photo by Thomas Koloski
The tower was under planning since at least 2012 and was under construction two years later. The foundation was completed in 2016 and the superstructure was rising out of the ground by the end of the year. By the summer of 2017, the building stood above the base floors and the residential floors were underway, rising at a quick pace. The concrete work was done by August 2018, with the steel topping the building by November and the W logo installed. Interior work continued as the glass was nearly complete by Spring 2019 and the decorative lighting were being tested earlier this year.
W/Element Hotel from South Street Bridge. Photo by Thomas Koloski
The tower, which has already become a significant part of the skyline, is now open to the public since the hotels opening in May and August of this year. But as the hotels opened, the restaurant at the top floor, as well as retail space on the ground floor, remained unfinished, though both were nearing completion. On the east side of the ground floor, the restaurant Dolce had opened earlier this week and the restaurant on the 52nd floor opened to visitors earlier this month.
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The Residences at the Ritz Carlton replace the Meridian Plaza in 2009.
It might help to report what businesses filled the retail spaces?
Bit confused myself. Are they referring to Dolce or the space on the corner that stilled seemed vacant when I walked by a few days ago?
The lounge gets a very weird crowd on weekends, similar to what I remember seeing at Z Bar the few times I got roped into going there late night. In Manhattan, they would call it a bridge and tunnel crowd.
I wonder if there are any business in the retail space? That is going to be a tough location I imagine. Also, the lighting does not seem to be operational at least from my vantage point. I am south of the building and it looks dark to me.
Its very massive and bulky…not a bit of elegance. -Jim
At picture #1 the reflection of the glass on the upper floors appears different than the lower floors. Is this just the picture or the design of the glazing ?
The bottom portion of tbe building is reflecting the ground, while the top is reflecting the sky