Center City

The Laurel Rittenhouse. Credit: Southern Land Company

Concrete Core Topped Out at The Laurel Rittenhouse in Rittenhouse Square, Center City

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

The concrete structure has topped out at The Laurel Rittenhouse at 1911 Walnut Street in Rittenhouse Square, Center City. Developed by the Southern Land Company and designed by Solomon Cornwell Buenz, a team that is also collaborating on a residential tower underway nearby at 1620 Sansom Street, The Lauren Rittenhouse rises just to the northwest of Rittenhouse Square Park. The building already stands 49 stories tall, and will shortly rise to its final planned height of 599 feet. The development will feature 185 rental units and 64 luxury condominiums.

Broad+Pine at 337-41 South Broad Street. Rendering credit: Cecil Baker + Partners Architects

Demolition Status Remains Uncertain at Broad + Pine at 337 South Broad Street in Washington Square West, Center City

7:00 am on September 7, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

Demolition status remains in an uncertain state at the site of Broad + Pine, a skyscraper planned at 337 South Broad Street, in Washington Square West, Center City. Designed by Cecil Baker + Partners, the building is planned to rise 361 feet and 23 stories tall, and contain 56 condominium units. The project is developed by Dranoff Properties, which is also behind Arthaus , a high-rise condo under construction just to the north up the block

Work Appears Stalled At 1101 Walnut Street In Washington Square West, Center City

7:30 am on September 6, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

YIMBY’s recent site visit revealed that construction work has not yet started on the tower planned at 1101 Walnut Street in Washington Square West, Center City. Designed by JKRP Architects and LD Investment Partners LLC and Ernest Bock and Sons Inc., the building will stand 259 feet and 23 stories tall and will be clad in an exterior of alternating light and dark sections. The building will feature 111 units, along with retail space on the ground floor.

Rendering of One Dock Street. Credit: BLT Architects.

Excavation Underway at One Dock Street in Society Hill, Center City

8:00 am on September 5, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

The foundation work for the 374-foot-tall, 31-story One Dock Street is underway in the Society Hill section of Old City, Center City. The residential skyscraper will join architect I.M. Pei’s nearby Society Hill towers with a dominant presence that nearly marches the massing of the Brutalist high-rises. Designed by Bower Lewis Thower Architects and developed by LCOR Incorporated, the new building will feature an exterior that makes use of various shades of glazed glass, white metal highlights, and brick cladding at the base. The 272-unit rental tower will add considerable mass the east side of the Philadelphia skyline near the Delaware River.

Rendering of 204 South 12th Street. Credit: BLT Architects

Excavation Imminent at 204 South 12th Street in Washington Square West, Center City

8:00 am on September 4, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

Excavation work appears imminent for the residential building at 204 South 12th Street in Washington Square West, Center City. Designed by Bower Lewis Thower Architects and Roger Stirk Harbour + Partners, the development will feature 448 rental units and three stories of retail. The 445-foot-tall, 32-story tower will make a dramatic impact on the Philadelphia skyline when viewed from numerous angles, while white and orange highlights will give the building a unique look. The building was developed by Midwood Investments and Development, which will feature three stories of retail and 448 rental units.

Rendering of Arthaus. Image by Dranoff Properties

Cladding Reaches Top of Parapet at Arthaus in Washington Square West, Center City

8:00 am on September 1, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

The Arthaus condominium at 311 South Broad Street is starting to resemble its renderings as the skyscraper’s exterior moves toward completion. The 108-unit high-rise stands 542 feet and 47 stories high, towering over the Washington Square West neighborhood in Center City. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox, the building features bright cladding highlighted by the white metal mullions. The developer, Dranoff Properties, has produced numerous properties around the city, which include the Symphony House across the street.

2301 John F. Kennedy Boulevard. Credit: Solomon Cordwell Buenz

YIMBY Looks at Latest Renderings for 2301 John F. Kennedy Boulevard in Center City West

8:00 am on August 31, 2021 By Vitali Ogorodnikov

Last December, the 28th place on Philadelphia YIMBY’s December 2020 Development Countdown went to the 303-foot-tall, 22-story tower proposed at 2301 John F. Kennedy Boulevard in Center City West. Since that time, the official website for the mixed-use high-rise, designed by Solomon Cordwell Buenz and developed by the PMC Property Group, was spruced up with new renderings that show off the sleek, curvy structure with even more pizzazz than before, while also introducing minor design alterations.

W/Element Hotel from City Hall. Photo by Thomas Koloski

W Hotel Opens to Visitors, Marking the Completion of the W/Element Hotel at 1141 Chestnut Street in Center City

7:30 am on August 31, 2021 By Vitali Ogorodnikov

The most dramatic skyscraper to join the Philadelphia skyline over the course of the past two years is the dual-branded W/Element Hotel, which stands at 1141 Chestnut Street in Center City, a block south of City Hall. Designed by Cope-Linder Architects and developed by Chestlen Development, the 617-foot-tall, 52-story structure combines a 460-room Element Hotel and a 295-room W Hotel. The building has stood largely finished for the past few months, as the Element Hotel opened in May and its dynamic nighttime illumination finishing its testing rounds. As of last week, we may officially declare the building as complete, as the W Hotel opened its doors on August 23rd.

One Liberty Place Rainbow animated scheme from South Street. Photo by Thomas Koloski

My Liberty Lights Program Is Underway at One Liberty Place

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

Over the course of the past two years, the decorative illumination at the crown of One Liberty Place at 1650 Market Street in Center City has been under renovation, as it is being upgraded with powerful lights that can be animated into various schemes and colors. Designed by Helmut Jahn of Murphy/Jahn and developed by Rouse and Associates (later known as the Liberty Property Trust), the tower was completed in 1987 and stands 945 feet and 61 stories tall. The contractor for the illumination upgrade is The Lighting Practice, which has also decorated the W/Element Hotel. The new lighting system is integrated with the My Liberty Lights program, which allows certain users to change the exterior lights atop the building once per day for a duration of five minutes.

The view from The Laurel Rittenhouse looking west toward Center City West and University City. Photo by Thomas Koloski

Center City West Lands at the 21st Place on Philly YIMBY’s First Anniversary Countdown

7:30 am on August 29, 2021 By Vitali Ogorodnikov

Yesterday, Philadelphia YIMBY’s First Anniversary Countdown, which looks at the most frequently mentioned article categories over the course of the past year, looked at Market East, which scored 35 category mentions. Today we visit a Market Street-anchored neighborhood on the opposite side of Center City, where Center City West noted 36 category mentions and as such arrived at number 21 in the countdown rankings. The forlorn neighborhood, a domain of block-spanning parking lots, garages, and otherwise underutilized properties, is the remaining development frontier of Center City, and is finally witnessing a major development surge, albeit one on a smaller scale than it deserves. Today we look at a few of the projects transforming its rather inhospitable streetscape into Philadelphia’s newest neighborhood.

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