Center City

One Cathedral Square. Credit: Solomon Cordwell Buenz

Cathedral Square Phase One Takes Shape at 222 North 17th Street in Logan Square, Center City

The first phase of the Cathedral Square development is underway and rising at 222 North 17th Street in Logan Square, Center City. The building, at this time known as Cathedral Square Phase 1, will rise 245 feet and 23 stories tall. The tower is designed by Solomon Cornwell Buenz, which had also designed the Murano condominium and The Laurel Rittenhouse, which is currently under construction. The two-tower complex is being developed by the Archdiocese of Philadelphia and Exeter Property Group, which will span much of the city block that is situated three blocks to the north of the Comcast Center.

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Top of Arthaus. Photo by Thomas Koloski

Crane Removed From Arthaus At 311 South Broad Street In Washington Square West, Center City

The large crane that was attached to the south side of Arthaus at 311 South Broad Street in Center City has been removed from the structure. Designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox and developed by Dranoff Properties, the 47-story tower stands 542 feet high and will have 108 condominium units, with leasing already underway. The tower has grown into the skyline over the past year and is looking close to completion.

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Comcast Technology Center under construction July 2016. Photo by Thomas Koloski

Observing the Comcast Technology Center After the Topping Out of the Concrete Core

The majority of Philadelphia’s tallest skyscrapers stand in Center City to the west of City Hall, which include the Comcast Technology Center at 1800 Arch Street. The supertall, which is the tallest building in the city, has risen into the skyline between 2014 and 2017. Designed by Foster + Partners, the tower’s structure is compromised of a central concrete core surrounded with a steel frame, with the facade mostly clad in glass and metal. The tower was developed by Liberty Property Trust, which collaborated with Comcast to erect their second tower in the city. In this article, Philadelphia YIMBY takes a look back to when the Comcast Technology Center was under construction at the time when the core had just topped out.

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

Nighttime Lighting Upgrades Possibly in the Works at Several Philadelphia Skyscrapers

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.

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