Construction is progressing quickly on Next LVL, a mixed-use development at 4223 Chestnut Street in University City, West Philadelphia. Designed by JKRP Architects and developed by the Alterra Property Group, the roughly 250,000-square-foot building stands seven stories tall and is built with modular construction. The project will hold 281 residential units and eight thousand square feet of retail.
A large proposal called The Standard at Philadelphia has been unveiled at 119 South 31st Street in University City, West Philadelphia. Designed by CUBE 3, the development will consist of a 219-foot-tall building standing 17 stories with two underground levels. The project went to the Civic Design Review but still remains somewhat mysterious because of the limited detail provided. No specific number of residential units has been provided, although it will likely be in the hundreds due to the size of the building. Additionally, the project will contain parking, although the number of spaces has also not been confirmed.
The 736-foot-tall, 49-story FMC Tower at 2929 Walnut Street has stood as one of the tallest towers in Philadelphia since its completion in 2017, with a sharp design that elevates the University City skyline to new heights once seen as barely imaginable for the area. Along with Evo and Cira Green, the tower has given West Philadelphia a dramatic profile with eye-catching good designs. The abovementioned skyscrapers have the same designer, Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects, and all feature angled cuts. Developed by Brandywine Realty Trust, FMC Tower also displays distinctive curvy façades. Nighttime lighting with a red FMC logo topping the north and south faces adds an extra distinctive touch.
Several years ago, plans have been revealed for a major megadevelopment to be built on a new deck above the Amtrak railyard on the banks of the Schuylkill River in University City, West Philadelphia. The project is called the Philadelphia 30th Street Station District Plan, as the first phase includes restoration of the historic 30th Street Station. Designed by Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill and developed by Plenary Infrastructure Philadelphia, the master plan shows a large number of high-rises and a supertall skyscraper that would become the tallest, or one of the tallest, buildings in the city.
Demolition is nearly complete at a three-story budget motel at 600 South University Avenue (also known as 600 University Avenue) in West Philadelphia. Located directly on the Schuylkill River waterfront near the southernmost point in University City, the hotel was built in the postwar period and was once geared toward University of Pennsylvania visitors, and was later converted into a prison halfway house and was at times described as a “hot sheets” motel. The facility was eventually shuttered and the structure has stood vacant for years. However, Philly YIMBY’s site visit last weekend revealed that the building has almost been reduced to a pile of rubble. Given its generous zoning and location at a major university, medical, and office hub, the site may be slated for a large, and possibly high-rise, development.
