Articles by Thomas Koloski

Philadelphia 1925 south elevation. Model and image by Thomas Koloski

Philadelphia YIMBY Presents Massing Renderings of the 1925 Skyline

8:00 am on May 18, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

During the 1920s, “the Roaring Twenties,” the nation saw a major economic boom that lasted nearly a decade, until it came crashing down in the 1930s with the Great Depression. Major cities were vibrant and illuminated, with ballrooms and theaters spreading around cities. The growth also positively affected the skylines of American cities, including that of Philadelphia, which saw the construction of multiple office buildings in Center City, mostly around Broad Street and Market Street.

Terrace on 18th Street. Image by Gabe Lui Architectural Renderings

Conversion Work Underway at The Terrace On 18th Street in Logan Square, Center City

8:00 am on May 17, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

Renovation work continues at the the 27-story hotel-to-residential conversion at Terrace on 18th Street at 1776 Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Logan Square, Center City. Designed by Oskar Stonorov of Korman Co., the tower was completed in 1963 as an apartment building. In the mid=1980s it was converted into the Embassy Suites by Hilton Philadelphia Center City, around the same time as the Embassy Suites at Philadelphia International Airport also opened with a similar design. The tower is now owned by Pearl Properties, which is also responsible for The Harper and 113-121 South 19th Street. The conversion was designed by DAS Architecture, and exterior renderings are provided by Gabe Lui Architectural Renderings.

Philadelphia 1965 and 2020 south elevation. Model and image by Thomas Koloski

Philadelphia YIMBY Compares Massing Renderings of the 1965 and the 2020 Skyline

8:00 am on May 16, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

In the 1960s, the Philadelphia skyline was on the verge of transformation as several massive towers were proposed at the end of the decade. In the mid-1960s, City Hall, topped by the William Penn Statue, ranking as the tallest building, with most other tall towers clustering in the vicinity. Over the next few decades, the Center City skyline has extended greatly to the east and west, with many dominant modern office towers surpassing City Hall. Today Philly YIMBY looks back and compares the skyline from 1965 skyline to its current form.

Medical Tower with Center City Towers. Photo by Thomas Koloski

Looking At The Medical Tower At 255 South 17th Street in Center City

7:30 am on May 15, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

Philadelphia YIMBY takes a look at a wildly slender high-rise for its time, the Medical Tower built in 1931 at 255 South 17th Street in Rittenhouse Square, Center City. The tower stands just over a block away from Rittenhouse Square Park and several blocks to the south of the Liberty Place complex. Designed by McIlvain and Roberts, a firm that had also designed the American Patriots Building and 3557 Walnut Street, the building rises 364 feet and 33 stories tall. The tower is clad in brick and limestone and makes a distinctive presence on the skyline, oarticularly when viewed from the south.

W/Element Hotel from Chestnut Street. Photo by Thomas Koloski

Element Hotel Opens at W/Element Hotel at 1441 Chestnut Street in Center City

8:00 am on May 14, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

The Element Hotel at the W/Element Hotel has opened for business at 1441 Chestnut Street in Center City, with the W Hotel scheduled to open in July. The 52-story skyscraper stands at a height of 617 feet, where the Element Hotel will have 460 rooms and the W Hotel will have 295 rooms, bringing the total to 755 units. Designed by Philadelphia-based Cope-Liner Architects and developed by Chestlen Development, the tower featuring a jagged top and scattered lighting. The latter was crafted by The Lighting Practice, which has lit up structures such as the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, 2400 Market Street, the PECO Building, and the Empire State Building in New York City. Tutor Perini Corporation is the contractor for the skyscraper.

Rendering of 2300-24 Market Street via Tantillo Architecture.

A Review of the Future Site of 2300-24 Market Street in Center City West

8:00 am on May 13, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

Two months ago, Philadelphia YIMBY had reported on a new and exciting development that will rise in Center City West. Located at 2300-24 Market Street, an overbuild is planned to rise on top of several structures that has been standing for over 50 years. Designed by Tantillo Architecture and developed by Lubert-Alder, the new building will stand 202 feet and 14 stories tall.

Future Philadelphia skyline south elevation. Models and image by Thomas Koloski

Philadelphia YIMBY Presents Updated Massings Of The Philadelphia Skyline In The Next Decade

8:00 am on May 12, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

In October of last year, Philadelphia YIMBY published an extensive article covering developments that are under construction and proposed across the city. The visuals illustrated the future of the city’s skyline, coordinated in height in terms of placement of the new projects. Since, several new proposals have been revealed, a number of which will have an impact on the skyline. Today we present an updated version of the future appearance of the Philadelphia skyline.

30th Street Station during the 2016 DNC. Image via Wikipedia

Taking a Look at 30th Street Station at 2955 Market Street in University City, West Philadelphia

7:30 am on May 12, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

With the growth of rail transit in the early 1900s across the country, Philadelphia’s train network was also expanding. After the construction of the Broad Street Station, the larger 30th Street Station was built in University City, West Philadelphia, in order to increase the capacity of local transit. Built by the Pennsylvania Railroad, the station sits on the west side of the Schuylkill River, right in the middle of where John F. Kennedy Boulevard would run, with rail lines running and under the station and across the river. The Classic Revival structure was designed by Graham, Anderson, Probst & White, which also designed the Suburban Station in Center City and The Wrigley Building in Chicago.

YIMBY Tours The Poplar, at 900 North 9th Street in Poplar, North Philadelphia

8:00 am on May 11, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

In an encore to our Piazza Terminal tour last month, Philly YIMBY recently visited another property developed by Post Brothers, a nearly complete, 10-story, 285-unit residential complex dubbed The Poplar, located at 900 North 9th Street in Poplar, North Philadelphia. The factory loft has been standing since 1918, and a renovation has been in progress since the developer acquired the property in 2017. The renovation by Cosica Moos Architecture will yield luxury apartments and interiors, while the exterior now features a new shade of blue. The building also has expansive amenity spaces, including a roof deck that features swimming pools and an incredible view of the skyline. Today we invite our readers to join us on a tour of the latest luxury apartment addition to North Philly.

One Liberty Place elevation and Helmut Jahn. Photo and image via JAHN

As the World Remembers Helmut Jahn, One Liberty Place Lights Up the Skyline

8:00 am on May 10, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

Philadelphia YIMBY often shares exciting and uplifting news regarding the city and its development. However, on May 8th, in Chicago, world-renowned architect Helmut Jahn was tragically killed in a road incident not far from his eponymous firm. According to the press, Jahn was biking near his home, 40 miles away from Chicago, when he was struck by two vehicles and was pronounced dead the next day at 81 years old. The architect was born on January 4, 1940 in Zindorf, Germany, and has designed an incredible amount of buildings between 1974 and 2017. In his lifetime, Jahn has produced unique and awe-inspiring designs throughout the world, which stood out as ahead of their time, and has left a dramatic imprint on the Philadelphia skyline.

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Articles by Thomas Koloski

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