Renderings have been revealed for a massive 245-unit residential development proposed at 1600 North Broad Street (or 1406 Cecil B. Moore Avenue) near Temple University in North Philadelphia. Designed by JKRP Architects, the structure will rise 15 stories tall, containing 238,090 square feet of space. The development will feature a mix of studios, one- and two-bedroom apartments. Included with the project will be 62 parking spaces, and an impressive amenity space predominantly located at the second floor.
1600 North Broad Street / 1406 Cecil B. Moore Avenue. Credit: JKRP Architects.
1600 North Broad Street / 1406 Cecil B. Moore Avenue. Credit: JKRP Architects.
1600 North Broad Street / 1406 Cecil B. Moore Avenue. Credit: JKRP Architects.
The tower will feature a modern exterior with an intriguing massing, with subtle cantilevers that alternate between the eastern and western faces of the buildings every three floors. These inclusions create a design vaguely resemblant of stacked boxes, which makes for a unique and intriguing exterior. Gray metal paneling follows the s-like route created by the cantilevers. At each extrusion, the facade will be clad in this gray paneling, while the space between will utilize dark blue paneling, which further accentuates the massing.
1600 North Broad Street / 1406 Cecil B. Moore Avenue. Credit: JKRP Architects.
1600 North Broad Street / 1406 Cecil B. Moore Avenue. Credit: JKRP Architects.
The tower meets the street in a reasonable way, with renderings showing sidewalk activation thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows and planters at the ground floor. Unfortunately, the surface parking spaces will appear fairly prominently from the sidewalk, and their presence also necessitates a curb cut which will mildly hamper walkability (though there already is a curb cut in this location presently). Though the project site technically covers the entire eastern portion of the block, renderings do not suggest or show any exterior changes made to the current shopping/entertainment complex along Broad Street or the Rite Aid at Cecil B. Moore Avenue. What can be mentioned, however, is that the tower will still help provide to Broad Street’s urban canyon effect, and solidify this high-density corridor as it may potentially connect all the way to Center City with high-rise development.
1600 North Broad Street / 1406 Cecil B. Moore Avenue. Credit: JKRP Architects.
1600 North Broad Street / 1406 Cecil B. Moore Avenue. Credit: JKRP Architects.
1600 North Broad Street / 1406 Cecil B. Moore Avenue. Credit: Google.
The new development will rise in place of an existing surface parking lot. At this location, there are actually two immediately adjacent parking lots, providing the appearance of one large lot. However, the development will only correspond to the narrow lot seen to the right in the above picture, closer to Broad Street. The surface lot, as almost all others, is certainly nothing exciting, with its drab asphalt expanse providing few favors to the surrounding streets woe or institution as a whole.
1600 North Broad Street / 1406 Cecil B. Moore Avenue. Credit: JKRP Architects.
The development certainly makes sense for the site. The massive improvement of land use in this location is fantastic, considering the site is just steps from Temple University and the Broad Street Line. For a university with a student body of its size, Temple will absolutely benefit from the added residential space, as the bulk of density in this location will help bring students closer to the center of campus and will improve surrounding housing greatly. The structure’s height is also particularly exciting, as Temple continues to grow its own skyline in North Philadelphia. It would certainly be ideal for Temple and Center City to become more visually connected with additional similar development along North Broad Street.
1600 North Broad Street / 1406 Cecil B. Moore Avenue. Credit: JKRP Architects.
YIMBY will corniche to monitor the status of the development moving forward.
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this building looks like the vastly overweight person wearing short shorts and a tank top with a McDonalds supersized meal that tries to discreetly in the middle seat on a long air-flight.
Wow this is a great use of space, just get rid of the damn parking spots. Students don’t drive and it’s RIGHT on a subway station!
Students should get free SEPTA passes from Temple to acclimate them to take advantage of seamless riding on the Broad Street Subway.
Yeah more free stuff for students, James, because free is better.