The South Broad Street skyscraper canyon will possibly be extended in the near future with the two-tower Virgin Hotel development at 500 South Broad Street in Rittenhouse Square, Center City, bringing new skyline mass to an unexpected location. While the buildings’ heights remain unconfirmed, renderings indicate that the taller tower will rise 36 stories high while the shorter tower will stand 23 stories. The project is being developed by The Badger Group, Dranoff Properties, The Goldenberg Group LLC, and of course Virgin Hotels USA. The development was designed by Skidmore Owings and Merril, which has crafted iconic towers such as the Burj Khalifa in Dubai, the Jin Mao Tower in Shanghai, and One World Trade Center in New York City.
Virgin Hotels looking northwest. Image via The Badger Group
The project will revamp the whole city block. The shorter tower will stand on the south side of the block and the taller tower will rise on the north side of the block. The taller tower will replace a current parking lot at 1410 Lombard Street and span a somewhat small footprint, though the tower will have more mass in height. The shorter tower will replace an existing building at 512 South Broad Street, and the footprint of the building will presumably extend to 15th Street, unlike that of the taller tower. The Department of Public Health Building at 500 South Broad Street is also a part of the project, but will be preserved and converted into amenity space.
Virgin Hotels and 500 South Broad Street. Image via The Badger Group
The project has been under development by Goldenberg for some time, as a rendering was released in 2019 showing an unfinished design of one new tower from street level. The project was likely eyed up by Virgin Hotels with the recent proposals and construction along Broad Street. Developer Carl Dranoff’s Arthaus is currently wrapping up construction nearby and their proposal at Broad and Pine will soon be underway.
Future Virgin Hotels site looking northwest. Photo by Thomas Koloski
Future Virgin Hotels site panorama. Photo by Thomas Koloski
In 2019 an October 2023 completion date was announced, but with the three-year delay means the towers may be completed by 2026.
Subscribe to YIMBY’s daily e-mail
Follow YIMBYgram for real-time photo updates
Like YIMBY on Facebook
Follow YIMBY’s Twitter for the latest in YIMBYnews
If the city doesn’t screw things up, the towers will be ready for the celebration of our 250 years of the founding of our nation in 1776. Phillies will have their All Star game at Citizens Bank Park and it’s possible we will have NBA All Star game, NHL All Star hockey and perhaps the NCAA basketball tournament.
Bottom line, nothing has been planned for 2026 by Mayor Kenny
Sorry, but you act like he has control over development, and what plans and events come through, thats not under the cities control, unless the event is city sponsored. Wrong place for politics
And don’t forget the World Cup
Really hope this project happens.
only if the buildings are taller, sleeker…..i’m sick of short, stumpy slab buildings.
Relative to the rest of broad from that point south, these are tall. If we can build these types of developments along the entirety of South Broad St to Oregon Ave over the next 20 years, that would be ideal. High density next to rail transit is needed to decrease car dependency.
This is a fantastic project but are their actual plans to break ground soon? I worry if we are headed for economic recession this is exactly the kind of thing that will be tabled for another 5 years.
Game changer for that area of the city.
Hear we go again, one small building and one pretty tall building instead of making one real 600+foot tower or a skyscraper The small building will get started, than the taller one will be cancelled , delayed or shorter. But I have to say they do look nice.