Center City

300 North Christopher Columbus Boulevard. Image by Handel Architects

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

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.

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

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

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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