Philadelphia YIMBY Presents Massing Renderings Of The 1965 Skyline

In the 1960s, Philadelphia observed a rise in development with ample space available for new buildings in Center City. The William Penn statue at the pinnacle of City Hall still topped the Philadelphia skyline with a height of 548 feet, though it was surrounded by high-rises that stood nearly as tall. Today YIMBY presents massing renderings of the skyline as it appeared in 1965, when a new batch of modern and blocky towers were rising, with still more proposed.

Philadelphia skyline 1965 looking west. Photo by Thomas Koloski

Philadelphia skyline 1965 looking southwest. Photo by Thomas Koloski

The tallest structures are mostly on the east side of the visuals as the taller and older buildings all stand near City Hall. The most notable tower other than City Hall is the PSFS Building at 491 feet tall, or 792 feet tall with the antenna. The white letters on top of the PNB Building stood out as they used to top the structure that was completed in 1932. The metal-topped Girard Trust Building just to the south of City Hall had also dominated in the area and the tower stood with other Art Deco buildings, easily fitting in at any time period.

Philadelphia skyline 1965 looking northeast. Photo by Thomas Koloski

Philadelphia skyline 1965 looking northwest. Photo by Thomas Koloski

A large corridor of city blocks had just been emptied out in 1955 with the demolition of the so-called “Chinese Wall,” and ten years later the void was filled back in with developments that had also changed the zoning. The most major project of the time was the Penn Center, but only towers under 30 stories were constructed at the time. Other low-rises and office buildings were also built where the Chinese Wall stood, including the Penn Center Inn, which was demolished in late 1987 to make way for the twin of the Blue Cross Blue Shield Tower, which was never built.

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