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

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.

Read More

Credit: Wulff.

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

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.

Read More

Philadelphia skyline 1965 south elevation. Photo by Thomas Koloski

Philadelphia YIMBY Presents Massing Renderings Of The 1965 Skyline

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.

Read More

2222 Market Street rendering from Parkway Corp.

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

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.

Read More

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

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.

Read More

Fetching more...