Skyline

Observing the Philadelphia Skyline from South Street Bridge

7:30 am on September 12, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

Philadelphia offers a great number of that showcase the growing skyline. Though photographers always seek a new perspective of the skyline, the time-tested, iconic spots are still available to capture for the sake of the beauty in frame that has been captured for multiple years. On the list, the most iconic spots include the walkways of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the view from Spring Garden Street Bridge, and lastly the South Street Bridge view. Today, we observe the skyline from the South Street Bridge, which puts multiple new developments in the spotlight.

Center City from South Philadelphia 2020 and 2021. Photos by Thomas Koloski

Comparing the 2020 And 2021 Skyline as Seen from South Philadelphia

7:00 am on August 19, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

Over the past year, Philadelphia YIMBY has showcased the skyline on a constant basis, which has seen nearly a decade of constant construction. A number of projects have spawned all around the city, producing massive growth. Center City of course receives the most developments, as it is the busiest neighborhood. Other nearby neighborhoods are also joining in on the growth, such as University City. In this feature, Philadelphia YIMBY compares sections of the Philadelphia skyline via photographs taken this and last year.

Philadelphia skyline from the Girard Point Bridge. Photo by Thomas Koloski

YIMBY Observes the Rising Philadelphia Skyline from the Girard Point Bridge

8:00 am on August 18, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

Philadelphia YIMBY has been covering the rise of the Philadelphia skyline over a year now. Today we observe the skyline from the Girard Point Bridge, which connects South Philadelphia with Southwest Philadelphia. The bridge had started construction in 1968 and was completed in 1973, just after the completion of One Meridian Plaza and while Centre Square was on the rise. The bridge, which is a double-decker cantilevered truss structure, was repainted in 2011, as it was previously coated in a fading green color. The bridge runs over the mouth of the Schuylkill River, just to the west of the Navy Yard.

Philadelphia skyline with unbuilt proposals looking northeast. Image and models by Thomas Koloski

Philadelphia YIMBY Presents Updated Massings Of The Unbuilt Philadelphia Skyline

8:00 am on August 10, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

In March, YIMBY shared exclusive renderings of the Philadelphia skyline featuring several unbuilt skyscrapers that would have made the city appear quite different from its current look. The conceptual massing shows the possibilities that never happened, though they remain archived by the original architects and now also by our publications. Numerous projects have been canceled in the city over the years, including the American Commerce Center, a tower once proposed in Center City that would have stood taller than the Comcast Technology Center. Today we present updated massing renderings of the Philadelphia skyline with many projects that remain unbuilt.

Philadelphia skyline 2017 from New Jersey. Photo by Thomas Koloski

Looking Back At Developments Under Construction In 2017

7:30 am on August 8, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

Philadelphia has had certain key years when skyscraper construction saw a notable surge, when many developments were underway at the same time. For instance, much of the current Center City skyline took form in and just after 1987. Another key year for construction took place in 2017, when various high-rise projects spanned multiple neighborhoods. Most of these developments stood under 500 feet, with some barely noticeable from afar, yet others added significant bulk to the skyline. The tallest skyscraper under construction was the Comcast Technology Center, the city’s first supertall tower and still the city’s tallest building. In this publication Philadelphia YIMBY looks back to when this collection of developments was underway four years ago.

YIMBY Presents Massing Animations of The Philadelphia Skyline Growth from 1985 to 1990

8:00 am on July 30, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

In recent months, YIMBY shared multiple publications covering the historical status of the Philadelphia skyline. Though our massing renderings have gone all the way back to when City Hall stood alone in the skyline, the modern skyline largely came into being around 30 years ago, when developers finally dared to pass its 548-foot-high William Penn Statue. Philadelphia YIMBY presents our custom animation of the Philadelphia skyline rising between the years 1985 and 1990, when Center City received some of its most iconic skyscrapers.

Looking Back at the First Philadelphia YIMBY Photo Reports

7:30 am on July 29, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

Since August 3, 2020, Philadelphia YIMBY has been publishing content covering development in Philadelphia and the greater region, expanding from the original New York YIMBY site to track content in Chicago, Florida, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. Today we look back to a year ago when our first photo report was posted on the site.

Philadelphia skyline 1905 and 1987 south elevation. Photo by Thomas Koloski

City Hall versus One Liberty Place: Philadelphia YIMBY Compares Massing Renderings of the 1905 and the 1987 Skyline

7:30 am on July 22, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

The 20th Century was a key period for development in Philadelphia, with numerous remarkable structures built in the 100-year time period. At the very start of the century, City Hall was finishing construction in the heart of the city, with the William Penn Statue was topped on the structure six years beforehand. The 548-foot masonry structure was completed in 1901. Flashing forward to 1987, an even more massive monolith was finishing construction: One Liberty Place in Center City, which stands 945 feet tall. Philadelphia YIMBY compares the time periods when the two giants dominated the skyline fresh upon completion.

One Liberty Place and W/Element Hotel lighting. Photo by Thomas Koloski

Nighttime Lighting Upgrades Possibly in the Works at Several Philadelphia Skyscrapers

8:00 am on July 18, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

The Philadelphia skyline features a fantastic collection of prominent skyscrapers that shimmer during the day. But at night, particularly from certain angles, the skyline can be underwhelming with the amount of darkness, despite a number of bright displays. Many of the towers were not originally designed with decorative lighting, while illumination at others has faded or otherwise deteriorated over the years, so the ones still have well-maintained nighttime lighting are greatly appreciated for their look. The majority of skyscrapers that are illuminated are at some of the tallest in the city, and most of them were built around the same time period in the late 1980s within the same part of Center City. But given a number of recent developments, it is possible that original lighting schemes on a number of skyscrapers are being restored to their original look.

Philadelphia 2020 and future south elevation. Models and image by Thomas Koloski

Philadelphia YIMBY Compares Massing Renderings of the 2020 and the 2025 Skyline

8:00 am on July 13, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

The Philadelphia skyline has generally maintained its aesthetically appealing, iconic look at least since its major outward and upward expansion in the 1980s. High-rise buildings stack up gradually to the tallest skyscraper in the city, the Comcast Technology Center, which, at 1,121 feet tall, is Philadelphia’s first supertall. A number of other large skyscrapers also rose during the recent construction boom. In the next four years and beyond, Center City and the surrounding neighborhoods will gain yet more tall high-rise buildings. In this feature, Philadelphia YIMBY compares the 2020 skyline to how it will likely look in 2025.

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