The Comcast Technology Center at 1800 Arch Street in Center City was completed on August 12, 2019, when the hotel portion officially opened, becoming the tallest skyscraper in Philadelphia. The tower stands 1,121 feet and 60 stories tall, with a central concrete core and steel floor plates. The skyscraper was designed by Foster and Partners, which has designed several buildings that features metal highlights and bright lighting features, and developed by Liberty Property Trust, which used to be known as Rouse and Associates when Willard G. Rouse III ran the company before his death. Today YIMBY looks at the process of testing the lighting at the building’s lantern around the time of its completion.
Comcast Technology Center lantern testing from Westville. Photo by Thomas Koloski
When looking from the north and south, the sides of the building mirror each other, while the east and west faces are symmetrical. The west façade is split by a clearer row of glass directly in the center, leading up to the lantern on the top of the skyscraper. Situated between the two structures that house the cooling equipment, the lantern rises 126 feet feet above the structures and 210 above the roof. The lantern stands nine stories above the cooling towers, with slim walkways and stairs inside for the roof to be accessible for the building maintenance unit and aviation warning lighting.
Comcast Technology Center lantern testing from Riverwinds. Photo by Thomas Koloski
The lantern had its construction finished on November 27, 2017, when the last level was attached to the top of the beams. Three months later, the entire lantern was covered with glass, and the lighting was tested the next month in March. One section was tested at some long periods worth of time, and the sections were tested individually until the end of May. From then, each section was tested simultaneously until July. The lights permanently returned in December 2018 with each section including the “zipper” lit up to prepare for the building completing construction.
Comcast Technology Center lantern testing from Paulsboro. Photo by Thomas Koloski
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I love that cluster of skyscrapers! 🙂
The lantern is too bright at night. Should be dialed down a coupla notches.
I saw them place the last piece of glass of the lantern into place, and recorded it and put it on Facebook. Also, I had a chance to see blueprints for the building in 2015, so that’s how I know that the tower is actually 1,150 feet tall (officially 1,149 feet and six inches) and almost 950 feet to the roof. When they added the 60th floor, they added the additional 30 feet to the roof and lantern height.
Unless you can provide proof, no one will believe it.
If you can find a tape measure long enough, I will personally volunteer to help you measure it.