Kohn Pedersen Fox

Philadelphia skyline from I-676. Photo by Thomas Koloski

YIMBY Observes the Rising Philadelphia Skyline from the I-676

Recently, Philly YIMBY has covered the rising Philadelphia skyline from the Interstate 95 South and the Walt Whitman Bridge. Today we look at the skyline from the outlook at the Interstate 676 in Camden, New Jersey, which reveal a unique view of Philadelphia’s skyscrapers. The I-676 circles around the city as the Vine Street Expressway cuts through the north side of Center City, then heads south toward the Sports Complex and turns back to the Walt Whitman Bridge. The I-676 then heads south and becomes Route 42, while heading north on the highway takes one toward Camden and onto the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, which leads back to the Vine Street Expressway and further in University City and beyond.

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Arthaus rendering. Photo and edit by Thomas Koloski

Arthaus Nears Top of Parapet in Washington Square West, Center City

The Arthaus condominium under construction at 311 South Broad Street in Center City is nearing the very top of the parapet, which will stand at at an impressive height of 542 feet. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox and developed by Dranoff Properties, the 45-story skyscraper features a bright and modern design. The tower will include 107 units and amenity and retail space on the first four floors, along with green roofs at the top of the podium and at the roof. The building’s design is perfect for the Philadelphia skyline as the tower keeps a blocky profile while changing form as it steps up to a square crown, with the metal cladding thickening around the edges as it opens up on the glass faces to have thinner metal run vertical up the tower with spaces dividing the rows.

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Arthaus. Credit: Kohn Pedersen Fox

542-Foot Tall Arthaus Tops Out in Washington Square West, Center City

The concrete structure at the Arthaus condominium at 311 South Broad Street has officially topped out on February 12th, when the last bucket of concrete was lifted to the pinnacle. A celebratory ceremony was held on that day, as work continued on the 542-foot-tall, 47-story tower, located in Washington Square West in south Center City. The skyscraper will house 108 residential units, along with retail situated on the first four floors. The project is developed by Dranoff Properties, which had acquired the site in 2013 with the intent of constructing the SLS International Hotel. Eugene Kohn of Kohn Pedersen Fox has been the lead designer since the earliest stages, when the development was still planned as a hotel.

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Mellon Bank Center. Photo via Elizabeth Day Art & Architectural Illustration

A Look at the Former, Taller Iteration of Mellon Bank Center, Center City

The 824-foot Mellon Bank Center at 1735 Market Street was completed in 1990. Originally, the tower had a similar design yet with a taller shape and several other  differences. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox and developed by CommonWealth REIT, the tower would have stood 880 feet tall and would have featured projecting floor space at the corners up to an estimated height of 400 feet. The crown would have also appeared more skeletal than it looks today. Stone patterns all around the base are different.

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American Commerce Center rendering via Kohn Pendersen Fox

The Story of the American Commerce Center, Once Planned as Philadelphia’s Tallest Tower

During the construction of the first Comcast Center tower, many wondered whether the 975-foot-tall skyscraper would rank as the city’s tallest for much longer. Just a few months before the former’s topping out, details were released about the American Commerce Center at 1800 Arch Street, a proposal that stunned many development watchers with its 1,510-foot height. The project was being developed by Hill International Real Estate Partners and designed by Kohn Pendersen Fox, a firm that is also behind the 792-foot-tall Mellon Bank Center, currently the city’s fifth-tallest building, and Arthaus, a 542-foot-tall skyscraper currently under construction. The development was ultimately canceled and the 1,121-foot-tall Comcast Technology Center was built at the site.

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