Center City

Philadelphia YIMBY Presents Massing Renderings of the 1945 Skyline

8:00 am on May 7, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

In the 1940s, development in Philadelphia progressed at a slow pace as over the previous four years the United States of America was engaged in World War II after Japan’s surprise attack on Pear Harbor on December 7, 1941, further slowed down by the Great Depression, which lasted through the 1930s. However, in the preceding decades, many ornate buildings rose into the skyline with fantastic masonry designs. Most of the largest buildings were built around the City Hall in Center City, which created a hub of development when the Second Empire style building was completed in 1901.

Tower Crane Erected At 2222 Market Street In Center City

8:00 am on May 5, 2021 By Colin LeStourgeon

A tower crane has been erected at 2222 Market Street in Center City West. Designed by Gensler and developed by Parkway Commercial Properties, the tower will rise 318 feet and 20 stories tall, making it one of the tallest structures in the area. Its stacked-box design will allow it to stand out at its prominent location on Market Street. A mixture of glass and stone materials grants the tower a modern façade that, toegther with new public outdoor space, will liven up the stretch of Market Street.

300 North Christopher Columbus Boulevard. Image by Handel Architects

New Renderings Released for 300 North Christopher Columbus Boulevard in Northern Liberties

8:00 am on May 3, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

New renderings have been released for 300 North Columbus Boulevard via a Civic Design Review submission, giving an updated look at the high-rise that will stand just to the north of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. The structure will rise 28 stories and 316 feet tall, and will be located on the north side of the Old City neighborhood, near the boundary of Center City and Northern Liberties to the north, where several projects underway and many proposals have been revealed. The building was designed by Handel Architects, which had also designed the 805-foot Madison House at 15 East 30th Street in New York City. The project is being developed by The Durst Organization, which is also developing the massive Penn’s Landing Redevelopment just to the south of the Ben Franklin Bridge.

20th + Arch at 2000-24 Arch Street. Credit: L2P

Gas Station To Relocate For 20th + Arch at 2000 Arch Street In Center City West

7:30 am on May 3, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

A prewar-style gas station will soon be relocated off the site of the 20th+Arch proposal at 2000 Arch Street in Center City West, where construction could start soon. The proposal will add height and density which, while not significant for the skyline, will be imposing for the area. The vicinity of the site feels empty, even though skyscrapers stand the site just blocks away. The building was designed by L2P, which has crafted the previous iteration for the 12-story Wellshaus project at 918 North Delaware Avenue. The building will stand 15 stories above ground at a possible total height of 260 feet. The property is owned and managed by Parkway Commercial Properties, which also runs a number of parking lots in Center City.

City Tower model and schematics. Images via Louis I. Kahn

A Look at the Unbuilt City Tower by Louis Kahn in Center City

8:00 am on May 2, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

In the 1950s, Philadelphia was starting to see a rise in new development as developers focused on Center City, particularly after the demolition of the “Chinese Wall” opened up a large swath of space from City Hall to the Schuylkill River. A wild proposal called the City Tower was revealed in the late 1950s at 1400 Arch Street, where the Philadelphia Municipal Services Building currently stands. The 30-story tower would have stood just to the north of City Hall. The tower was designed by Louis I. Kahn in a dramatic Futurist style, as the building’s design and form were way ahead of its time.

Excavation Equipment On Site at 1823 Callowhill Street in Franklintown, Center City

7:30 am on May 1, 2021 By Colin LeStourgeon

Excavation is in progress at 1823 Callowhill Street in Franklintown, North Philadelphia. Designed by Wulff Architects, the building will rise six stories tall and will feature 57 residential units, according to a CDR filing from last April. A 5,000 square foot fresh food market will be located on the ground floor, as well as two commercial spaces, with one holding 1,500 square feet of space, and the other with 680 square feet of space. No parking space is planned for the property, which makes sense given its location that is within walking distance of many Center City destinations.

Philadelphia YIMBY Presents Massing Renderings Of The 1965 Skyline

8:00 am on April 30, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

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.

2222 Market Street rendering from Parkway Corp.

Foundation Work Nearly Complete at 2222 Market Street in Center City West

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

After a rapid excavation, the foundation for 2222 Market Street in Center City West is nearly complete. The building will rise to a total height of 318 feet and 20 stories above the ground. Designed by Gensler and developed by Parkway Commercial Properties, the tower will feature a glass façade with stone highlights and glass, along with public space and amenity space. The building will stand at the former site of a 21,000-square-foot parking lot, which was also owned by the developer.

East Market Phase 3. Credit: National Real Estate Development / Ennead Architects / Morris Adjmi / BLTa via CDR

In-Depth Look at East Market Phase 3, a Two-Tower Complex Underway at 1101-53 Chestnut Street in Market East, Center City

8:00 am on April 28, 2021 By Vitali Ogorodnikov

In the late 1980s, in rapid succession, a series of skyscrapers broke through the long-held “Gentlemen’s Agreement” that unofficially restricted Philadelphia’s buildings from rising above the 548-foot-tall pinnacle of City Hall, creating the now-iconic skyline of Center City. While the skyscraper cluster transformed the area to the west of City Hall, the Market East district to the east continues to lag behind in terms of an imposing skyline. However, East Market Phase 3, developed by National Real Estate Development as part of the East Market complex and currently under construction at 1101-53 Chestnut Street, will boost the local skyline with a pair of towers rising 364 and 288 feet tall. The buildings will bring one million square feet of medical office, residential, and retail space to the neighborhood, and add a sizable public plaza. Today we take a detailed look at the transformative project.

PNB Building (left) in the Philadelphia skyline. Photo by Thomas Koloski

Looking at the PNB Building at One South Broad Street in Center City

8:00 am on April 21, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

The PNB Building at One South Broad Street in Center City was originally built as a massive addition to the Wanamaker’s at 1300 Market Street, just to the west of the department store. The building was originally called the Lincoln-Liberty Building, though today the structure is known as One South Broad. The 465,000-square-foot building stands 28 stories tall and rises to a height of 478 feet. The tower was designed by John Torrey Windrim, who also designed the Franklin Institute, which was completed in 1934. The building features a wide profile from the east and west and a setbacked crown that steps up to a bell tower that holds the 17-ton Founder’s Bell. The tower’ cornerstone was placed on October 1, 1931, shortly before the nearby Wanamaker Men’s Store opened over a week later on October 12, 1932.

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