During the 1960s and 1970s, multiple developments with massive amounts of office space, occupied by banking firms in particular, were constructed in Center City Philadelphia. Most of these developments featured a light brown Brutalist exterior with contrasting dark glass. Among the first such structures built was One Meridian Plaza, located at 1416 South Penn Square, which stood 492 feet and 38 stories. Designed by Vincent Kling & Associates (later known as KlingStubbins, now part of JACOBS) and developed by the Girard Bank and Fidelity Mutual Life Insurance, the tower started construction in 1968 and was completed in 1972, and featured the light brown stone cladding commonly seen during the period, along with rows of dark glass leading up to the bay windows at the top. The skyscraper eventually met its tragic demise in 1991, and was deconstructed in the following years in a process that YIMBY revisits in today’s feature.
One Meridian Plaza in the Philadelphia skyline June 1991. Image via The Philadelphia Inquirer
One Meridian Plaza February 1995. Image via Philadelphia Daily News
One Meridian Plaza proposals in 1997. Image via The Philadelphia Inquirer
The unfortunate story starts in 1991, at a time when shiny, still-new towers already stood above the top of statue of William Penn, a limit held through most of the twentieth century. On February 23 at 8:23 PM, a twelve-alarm fire ignited on the 22nd floor of the tower, with flames rising several stories high and smoke billowing thousands of feet into the atmosphere. After the 19-hour blaze, three firemen tragically lost their lives battling the fire. An investigation discovered that the fire was caused by piles of rags covered in linseed oil, which eventually caught enough heat to spark.
One Meridian Plaza July 1998. Image via The Philadelphia Inquirer
One Meridian Plaza December 1998. Image via Philadelphia Daily News
After the building was emptied, a tower crane was eventually placed on top of the building later in the year of the incident, along with protective sheets and floors shielded by plywood where glass once sat. In 1997, the owners’ demand was to demolish the damaged top 19 floors restore the building, while the insurer’s cheaper position was to fix the building’s beams piece by piece. Fortunately, neither of the plans went through, and demolition started in the third week of July 1998. In July 1999, the tower stood two-thirds demolished, and was completely dismantled by Christmas as projected. In 2009, the Residences at Ritz Carlton opened, and in 2021 the W/Element Hotel was inaugurated, both standing on the site of One Meridian Plaza.
One Meridian Plaza July 1999. Image via The Philadelphia Inquirer
One Meridian Plaza nearly demolished in November 1999. Photo from The Times Leader
One Meridian Plaza December 1999. Image via The Miami Herald
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
It was grey granite
Don’t miss this ugly brutalist eyesore.