Articles by Thomas Koloski

Riverwalk south and north from a garage looking east. Photo by Thomas Koloski

GIANT Supermarket Opens at Riverwalk North Tower in Center City West

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

The large GIANT supermarket located on the first two levels of the Riverwalk north tower at 60 North 23rd Street has officially opened, bringing a new shopping hub to Center City West. Designed by Gensler and developed by PMC Property Group, the tower stands prominent at the Schuylkill River Trail, and the way the façade takes in daylight in a dramatic fashion, with metal cladding manipulating creating different shades. The two-tower project will have 711 units, and the shorter north tower will have 331 units above the podium floors. The tower, which replaces a large parking lot, stands 315 feet tall and 28 stories above ground.

Rendering of the project via OCF Realty.

Steel Erection Continues at Broad Street Flats at 701 South Broad Street in Hawthorne, South Philadelphia

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

Construction is making progress at the Broad Street Flats at 701 South Broad Street in Hawthorne, South Philadelphia, where several steel beams have been erected. Developed by Hightop Development, the seven-story project will extend help create a sense of canyon-like enclosure at South Broad Street. The building will feature retail space at the ground floor and 54 residential units above.

Philadelphia skyline 1985 south elevation. Image and models by Thomas Koloski

Philadelphia YIMBY Presents Massings of the 1985 Skyline

8:00 am on April 15, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

In the mid-1980s, the Philadelphia skyline rose as an even, roughly 500-foot plateau, particularly when viewed from the north and south. Though the skyline spanned a great expanse length-wise, it remained at a low profile, in great part thanks to the “Gentlemen’s Agreement” to not build above the 548-foot-tall pinnacle of the City Hall, which sat just beneath the 37-foot-tall statue of William Penn, the state’s founder. Philly YIMBY presents exclusive massing renderings of the city skyline just as it appeared in 1985, just before One Commerce Square and One Liberty Place both broke ground, starting their challenge to the skyline in the summer.

Arthaus rendering. Photo and edit by Thomas Koloski

Arthaus Nears Top of Parapet in Washington Square West, Center City

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

The Arthaus condominium under construction at 311 South Broad Street in Center City is nearing the very top of the parapet, which will stand at at an impressive height of 542 feet. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox and developed by Dranoff Properties, the 45-story skyscraper features a bright and modern design. The tower will include 107 units and amenity and retail space on the first four floors, along with green roofs at the top of the podium and at the roof. The building’s design is perfect for the Philadelphia skyline as the tower keeps a blocky profile while changing form as it steps up to a square crown, with the metal cladding thickening around the edges as it opens up on the glass faces to have thinner metal run vertical up the tower with spaces dividing the rows.

The Drake. Photo via Murphy, Quigley Company

Taking a Look At The Drake at 1512 Spruce Street in Rittenhouse Square, Center City

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

While Philadelphia did not build massive art deco skyscrapers in the 1920s, there still were buildings that were constructed with fantastic designs in Center City such as The Drake at 1512 Spruce Street. The tower rises 33 floors above ground and stands at an impressive height of 375 feet. The tower was designed by Verus Shay and Howell Lewis Shay of the architectural firm Ritter and Shay, who have designed a building with such an incredible design with a wide profile when viewed from the east and west. The north and south profile is incredibly thin, with brickwork running up to the angled and curved tops of the Art Deco and Spanish Baroque design. The structure was constructed by Murphy, Quigley Company and was completed in 1929.

1101 Walnut Street via Civic Design Review

Demolition Underway at 1101 Walnut Street in Washington Square West, Center City

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

Demolition work has commenced on the many properties at the site of the high-rise proposed at 1101 Walnut Street in Washington Square West, Center City. The future structure will rise to a height of 259 feet and 23 stories. Designed by JKRP Architects and developed by ARD 1105 Walnut LLC and LD Investment Partners LLC, the tower will feature 111 residential units nearly 6,000 square feet of retail at the ground floor. The building will rise directly across a helipad on top of a Jefferson Health property, which had lowered the height of the 12th and Sansom proposal nearby.

Second Crane Erected at East Market Phase 3 Site in Market East, Center City

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

A second tower crane has been erected at East Market Phase 3, the two-tower project under construction at 1101 Chestnut Street and 1153 Chestnut Street in Market East, Center City, two blocks to the south of Reading Terminal Market. The 372-foot Thomas Jefferson Specialty Care Pavilion was designed by Ennead Architects and Stantec, and the 329-foot residential tower to the east is designed by Morris Adjmi Architects. The Jefferson building will have a wavy glass exterior, while the other tower will be clad with glass and orange terracotta with rounded edges. National Real Estate Group is the developer for the project.

North Liberty Triangle at 1102-48 North 2nd Street. Credit: Streamline

Steel Ascends at North Liberty Triangle at 1115-27 North American Street in Northern Liberties, North Philadelphia

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

Philly YIMBY’s recent visit to Liberty Triangle at 1115-27 North American Street in Northern Liberties, North Philadelphia, has revealed that the steel structure for the second building of the complex is well underway, with two of the eventual six stories already assembled. The structure is located to the north of the first building, which stands four stories tall and is further along in construction progress. Developed by Streamline Development, the project stands within a rapidly developing hub within the neighborhood. The complex will hold a total of 84 units and the structure to the north will include retail space spread out across the ground floor. The units on the upper levels will have larger average sizes compared to the structure to the south.

1620 Sansom Street massing. Original image from Google Earth, edit and model by Thomas Koloski

Demolition Imminent at 1620 Sansom Street in Rittenhouse Square, Center City

8:00 am on April 9, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

The mid-century parking garage at 1620 Sansom Street in Rittenhouse Square, Center City, is being prepared for demolition, with the site closed to the public and machinery at the site. The garage will make way for a 27-story, 340-foot-tall tower, designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz and developed by Southern Land Company, with Hunter Roberts Construction Group as the general contractor. The three companies are also behind The Laurel Rittenhouse Square, which is rising a few blocks to to the west. Hunter Roberts Construction Group is the general contractor. The building will feature 298 residential units, 19,600 square feet of restaurant space, 5,200 square feet of retail, and 67 underground parking spaces.

Philadelphia's South Street Bridge. Looking northwest. Credit: li2nmd via Wikipedia

The History Behind the South Street Bridge

7:30 am on April 9, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

Many locations offer views of the Philadelphia skyline, yet some spots offer uniquely dramatic vistas that effectively catch the eye and stay etched in one’s mind. South Street is home not only to a popular stretch of retail, restaurants, and markets, but also to the South Street Bridge, which crosses the Schuylkill River and connects Center City and South Philadelphia to University City in West Philadelphia. For over a century, the bridge has offered sweeping skyline views to locals and visitors alike. Today Philadelphia YIMBY looks at the history behind the iconic bridge.

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Articles by Thomas Koloski

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