The uCity Square development in University City, West Philadelphia, is coming along at a rapid pace. The main tower, One uCity Square at 3401 Market Street, is well underway to join the recently topped-out Drexel building, with structural steel continuing to rise. Designed by ZGF Architects, the 250-foot-tall, 13-story building will feature a blocky, Jenga-like massing with shifting, glass-clad sections. The uCity Square complex, developed by Ventas Inc., will span 14 acres and will feature four more buildings to the west, with some rising taller than One uCity Square.
One uCity Square structure. Photo by Thomas Koloski
In the previous update on the building, the cranes had recently been erected on the site, standing tall enough to be seen from the Spring Garden Street Bridge and the Girard Point Bridge near the airport. Foundation work was just about complete, with all of the concrete walls poured along with the concrete mat. The street in front of the site was noticeably clear, most likely prepared for delivery of steel beams.
One uCity Square looking west. Photo by Thomas Koloski
Over the course of the past two months, the site has dramatically changed at an incredibly rapid pace. Since the beginning of the summer, steel has been rising, and the structure currently stands nine stories above ground. The blocky feature at the southeast corner is already visible. The building currently rises to nearly half the height of the Drexel College for Nursing and Healthcare, which stands 185 feet tall. If the project continues this pace of construction, the structure may be topped out by fall.
uCity Square site. Photo by Thomas Koloski
The building was originally scheduled for completion in 2022, but an earlier construction pause may push the completion to 2023.
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Even though this development is a rather short tower, the design is very nice and it will add density to the area when the taller towers eventually arrive. 🙂
Gm, I was inquiring about the complex on 53abd chester ave how do I applying looking for a new residents