Renderings have been revealed for a large mixed-use development at 3801 Chestnut Street in University City, West Philadelphia. Designed by Perkins and Will and developed as a joint venture by Sterling Bay of Chicago and Botanic Properties of New York, the massive structure will hold 310,000 square feet. The 13-story building will include retail space at the ground floor, while the upper floors will contain lab and office space targeting life sciences.
3801 Chestnut Street. Credit: Perkins and Will.
3801 Chestnut Street Materials. Credit: Perkins and Will.
The new tower will feature an attractive modern exterior that will be a great addition to the location. Its uniform grid composed of precast concrete and large rectangular windows remains consistent throughout the entirety of the exterior. Certain columns of concrete will additionally feature fluted details that adds more intricacy and elegance to an otherwise contemporary design, and creates nice contrast with the adjacent windows.
3801 Chestnut Street. Credit: Perkins and Will.
In order to maximize interior space, the building extends directly to its property line, creating a blank wall. However, designers are able to limit this wall’s impact on the street by decorating it with a large mural. This pop of color will certainly stand out from the gray-blue structure and will add interesting artwork to the University City landscape.
3801 Chestnut Street. Credit: Perkins and Will.
The building’s design will also consist of an attractive street scape. Street trees will be planted around the footprint of the building, adding shade and greenery to sidewalk. Floor-to-ceiling windows will meet nicely with the street and advertise both the retails paces inside as well as provide natural light for interior space The building cantilevers outward ever so slightly from its footprint, which provided designers the opportunity to make a small cornice atop the first floor, which is designed like an upside-down set of stairs.
3801 Chestnut Street. Credit: Google.
3801 Chestnut Street. Credit: Perkins and Will.
The new tower is replacing a low-slung commercial building. The one floor brick and stucco structure most notably includes Abner’s Cheesesteaks. While the loss of this restaurant and others is unfortunate, the one-floor building admittedly was not the most efficient use of space in this location.
3801 Chestnut Street. Credit: Perkins and Will.
3801 Chestnut Street. Credit: Perkins and Will.
The prominent location certainly makes the building’s large scale seem practical. Located along University Avenue and Chestnut Street, lots of pedestrian traffic passes by the property on the daily. Transit access to the Market Frankford line can be found not far away on Market Street, while the site is located within walking distance from thousands of people, as well as both UPenn’s and Drexel’s campuses.
3801 Chestnut Street. Credit: Perkins and Will.
The new development will be a great addition to the neighborhood and overall metro area. Currently, demand for lab space in Philadelphia is seemingly at an all time, with few signs of slowing down, and the city needs to continue to construct additional space for the growing life science industry in order to make sure companies do not look to different locations and cities to fulfill their needed space. The industry has the potential to supply the city with many jobs and economic growth opportunities, and it is always positive to see University City nicely filling into its role as the capital for the region’s lab space.
3801 Chestnut Street. Credit: Perkins and Will.
3801 Chestnut Street. Credit: Perkins and Will.
3801 Chestnut Street. Credit: Perkins and Will.
Construction work is planned to begin in early 2023, and be completed sometime in 2025.
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What a Beautiful building! Great Location & addition to the growing demand in life science.
It is a nice looking building in a location that calls for it. The mural and the trees are really good. The cheese steak place should get a new home in the ground floor commercial area. We lose too many good and interesting places to these building, like randelaubs bakery on 18th between walnut and chestnut.
Agree about those special places that get displaced; should be some provision for them.
Should be a super tall. Shame.
Where are the outcomes regarding jobs, education/training for the neighborhood, low income residents, African Americans, people of color. I am so tired of plans as exhibited in this article, who benefits, just middle-class Whites. Where is the community space in the plan. Again who are the beneficiaries?
Claudette: Middle class whites pay the exorbitant city wage taxes that fund the social services and schools that benefit low-income city residents of all races. University City is the second largest employment cluster in the region and it is a home to lots of high-wage jobs. And community space for whom are referring? For the grad students who live at 36th and Chestnut nearby? Draw a radius of four blocks and who are the community residents now? Now that you’ve stated who you are so tired of, I am so tired of shake-down artists from West Philly trying to extort money from businesses, UPenn, Drexel, and other institutions (note — i am NOT referring you personally, Claudette, but actual shakedown artists, having been a resident of University City and having a spouse who worked for a West Philly non-profit and witnessing the shakedowns first hand)