Philly YIMBY recently revisited the site of a dormant proposal for an office tower at 1301 Market Street in Market East, Center City, half a block to the east of City Hall. Designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill and developed by the Oliver Tyrone Pulver Corporation, the building will yield over 700,000 square feet, with floor plates at the lower levels measuring over 25,000 square feet and those at the upper floors at over 17,000 square feet.
1301 Market Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. April 2023
1301 Market Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. April 2023
1301 Market Street. Photo by Jamie Meller. April 2023
YIMBY has been tracking the development for several years; however, though the developer maintains an active website for the project to this day, no progress has been made on the development whatsoever and no permits had been issued. The property continues to operate as a parking lot.
The website focuses on features such as its nigh-unparalleled transit accessibility (the City Hall Station on the Broad Street Line, the 15th Street Station on the Market-Frankford Line, and the 13th Street trolley station all sit directly next door, and the Jefferson Station of the regional rail is located two blocks to the east). Features such as floor-to-ceiling windows and landscaped outdoor terraces will provide a major attraction to office tenants, as few to none of the commercial structures in the immediate vicinity offer similar perks.
1301 Market Street via Skidmore Owings & Merrill
1301 Market Street will represent a significant expansion of the business core, both at the skyline level and in terms of square footage, to the east of City Hall, as the majority of office skyscrapers are currently located in the western section of Center City. We wish to see further progress on the development at some point, given its nigh-unmatched central location and current underutilization of the property.
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
Really been waiting for this one to rise!!!!
Is Philadelphia marketing itself for business globally?
Lol, yes. That’s what the chamber of commerce does along w/ other groups (select greater phl, ceo council for growth). The biggest detractor is how taxes are levied. Businesses get taxed on both revenue and profit in Philly and their employees have one of the highest wage taxes in the country. The city needs to lower these taxes and raise property taxes. It’s never a good idea to tax what can move (people) because they will or they will just avoid your city altogether.
Why does Center City need another office building anyway. Can anyone tell if all the existing ones are 100% occupied? A new department store would be ideal.
I’d like to see a shorter version of Chicago’s unbuilt 7 S. Dearborn, say around 72 floors. Actually, the old Gimbel’s site at 8th. and Market would be a better location for such a building, but I’ll settle for this site. The skyline needs a bit of pizzaz. This current proposal is a bit chunky.
Could they market this for hotel,and/or lab space instead? I feel like those markets need to be expanded/are expanding, especially the hotel market with upcoming events
If the Sixers arena gets approved, I see this being a mixed use building. 2 floors of retail at the bottom. A mix of apartments and a hotel. Maybe a rooftop restaurant overlooking city hall.
That’s the EXACT scenario I’d like to see!
Long live its dormancy. What a hulk. -Jim
Problem herin is that corporate offices don’t like locating across from the former John Wanamaker as workers will be tempted to go shopping. That’s why corporations like to keep offices on the west side of Philadelphia as opposed to the East side.
Hotel could take the space or condos, rentals can be built. Pulver knows what has to be done yet nobody wants to site a office building on the East side of Philadelphia.
i want all these new highrises to be built ASAP…..i really want Philadelphia to look like the NEW NEW YORK!!!
No, thanks. Philly is Philly and NYC is NYC. We will never look like NYC and we will never be the sixth borough.
Sigh. Remember when no buildings were to be allowed to surpass the height of Billy Penn atop the City Hall??
John… Philadelphia looking like New York? lol We’d be lucky to look like Chicago as far as high rise structures are concerned.
The height on this building will be limited because the view of Billy Penn must be protected. That’s good.
Just a thought, Sixers Arena could be built on 1300 Market with adjacent building torn down. Fan access through MFL 13TH Station and City Hall BSS. Available office buildings for Sixers Office.
I’m just a visitor to this site. And the list of projects that are stalled, or have gone off the rails seem to be expanding? People want to flee Center City, not Bill there doesn’t seem to build there. Between the lack of post covid office workers to the crime killing off retail such as Wawa and Target. None of these projects make any sense anymore.