In 1987, construction was finished at One Commerce Square in Center City, with the building opening in October, but the complex was still unfinished as a second tower was planned. Two Commerce Square would rise at 2001 Market Street to the east of the first building, filling in a gap between the finished structure and the Independence Blue Cross Tower. The second tower rises 565 feet and 41 stories tall. Designed by I. M. Pei and Partners and developed by Maguire Thomas Partners of Los Angeles, the Commerce Square complex was completed in 1992 and this became last structure built in the 1980s boom after the unofficial Gentleman’s Agreement height limit was eliminated.
Two Commerce Square rising reflection. Image by Philadelphia Daily News
The twin tower project was unveiled on November 14, 1984, just seven months after the unveiling of the controversial Liberty Place. After the entire block was excavated for both towers, One Commerce Square was constructed between June 10, 1985 and October 23, 1987, as the developers announced that one tower was being built at a time. After One Commerce Square and the three-story connecting structure were built, the future site of Two Commerce Square sat empty for some time.
Two Commerce Square rising. Image by The Philadelphia Inquirer
The structure was finally underway in 1990 after Conrail had announced that it will lease space in the building. The steel structure was underway by fall of 1990, with a crane erected on the northwest corner of the site. The crane was popping into the skyline by early 1991, just before the fire at One Meridian Plaza. The steel structure rose into the skyline by spring, and was quickly shaping up to mimic its twin next door. The west diamond was the last piece of the structure to be added, topped out on July 25, 1991. The building opened in the next year.
Two Commerce Square topped out. Image by Philadelphia Daily News
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
Wonderful buildings we saw completed in the 1980s along with the others when I was working for Navair. That decade was when the Phillies won their second World Series in 1980 and the Sixers their NBA Championship in 1983.
Now our adult children will see more being built
in the decades ahead.
Two Commerce is to the EAST of the first one.
As stated previously, building 2 is EAST of building 1. Please fix this error.