Center City

Commerce Square from Spring Garden Street Bridge. Photo by Thomas Koloski

Looking Back at the Construction of Two Commerce Square at 2001 Market Street in Center City

In 1987, construction was finished at One Commerce Square in Center City, with the building opening in October, but the complex was still unfinished as a second tower was planned. Two Commerce Square would rise at 2001 Market Street to the west of the first building, filling in a gap between the finished structure and the Independence Blue Cross Tower. The second tower rises 565 feet and 41 stories tall. Designed by I. M. Pei and Partners and developed by Maguire Thomas Partners of Los Angeles, the Commerce Square complex was completed in 1992 and this became last structure built in the 1980s boom after the unofficial Gentleman’s Agreement height limit was eliminated.

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Philadelphia 1945 aerial looking east. Models and image by Thomas Koloski

Observing the “Chinese Wall” Rail Viaduct on the 1945 Cityscape

In the late 1800s, the city of Philadelphia made a bold move that greatly transformed and influenced both mass transit and the cityscape when they allowed Pennsylvania Railroad to construct a massive rail viaduct in Center City. One of the largest transportation projects in the city, dubbed to citizens as the “Chinese Wall” due to its appearance and presence, had a dramatic effect on the city’s planning for years to come. Designed by the Wilson Brothers, the rail line stood next to Broad Street Station, which sat on the current site of Dilworth Park, and stretched out all the way to West Philadelphia. The structure saw busy rail service for decades, yet it ultimately met its fate in 1953 after it was demolished to make way for future development. Today YIMBY presents an exclusive massing mock-up of how the structure appeared on the cityscape in 1945.

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AC Hotel by Marriott via Baywood Hotels

Work Stalled On AC Hotel at 230 North 13th Street in Chinatown, Center City

Work appears stalled on the 150-room AC Hotel by Marriott planned at 230 North 13th Street in Chinatown, Center City. Designed by Bergman Associates and developed by Baywood Hotels, the project will integrate a historical building into the design. The 181-foot-tall, 15-story tower will stand out prominently in an area with few tall buildings and will offer fantastic views of the city.

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Rendering of 1101 Walnut Street. Credit: JKRP Architects

Revised Design Revealed for 1101 Walnut Street in Washington Square West, Center City

A revised design has been revealed for a high-rise tower planned at 1101 Walnut Street in Market EastCenter City. Designed by JKRP Architects, the revised plan will rise 18 stories and include 198 residential units, with a total of 138,150 square feet of space, located on the second, third, and fifth through eighteenth floors. The ground floor will hold 4,420 square feet of retail space and the fourth floor will offer 6,281 square feet of office and amenity space. The project will also include 34 off-site parking spaces, as well as 68 bicycle spaces.

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Commerce Square from Spring Garden Street Bridge. Photo by Thomas Koloski

Looking Back at the Construction of One Commerce Square at 2005 Market Street in Center City

In 1984, the unwritten Gentleman’s Agreement that forbade building above the 548-foot-high statue of William Penn atop City Hall was about to be eliminated when, in April, developer Willard Rouse proposed a skyscraper development that eventually became Liberty Place. The proposal apparently influenced more developers and architects to build towers above the former height limit. The Commerce Square twin towers were revealed at 2005 Market Street in Center City at the end of the year. Designed by I.M. Pei and Partners and developed by IBM and Maguire/Thomas Partners, the 41-story towers were not built simultaneously, as One Commerce Square was the first building finished in the complex.

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