Arthaus and Center City towers from the I-95. Photo by Thomas Koloski

Toward the Blue Yonder: Comparing Views from the Tallest Skyscrapers on the Philadelphia Skyline

High-rise development offer numerous advantages, including efficient use of valuable urban real estate, environmental benefits through resource use economies of scale and conservation of land, and dense, transit-friendly and pedestrian-favorable environments that create thriving cities. Then, of course, there are the lofty views that are available to dwellers of sky-high aeries. Using the formula of D = 1.22459 x Sqrt (H + 5.58), where D equals distance and H stands for the height of the building’s highest floor and 5.58 represents 5′-7″, the height of the average US adult in feet, we can calculate the longest unobstructed view distances on a clear day from any building level. Today YIMBY offers a comparison of views and view distances from the highest floors of some of the tallest buildings on the Philadelphia skyline.

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3424 North 17th Street. Looking northwest. Credit: Google

Permits Issued for 23-Unit Building at 3424 North 17th Street in Nicetown-Tioga, North Philadelphia

Permits have been issued for the construction of a five-story, 23-unit mixed-use building at 3424 North 17th Street in Nicetown-Tioga, North Philadelphia. The development will rise on the west side of the block between Ontario and West Tioga streets. The structure will span a 7,798-square-foot footprint and will hold 23,964 square feet of floor space, which will include ground-floor commercial space. Residences will be located on floors two through five. The project will offer parking for six cars and seven bicycles. Permits list Scott Woodruff of Designblendz as the design professional and Backcourt Builders LLC as the contractor. Construction costs are specified at $3 million.

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4140 West Girard Avenue. Looking south. Credit: Google

Permits Issued for 12-Unit Building at 4140 West Girard Avenue in East Parkside, West Philadelphia

Permits have been issued for the construction of a four-story, 12-unit mixed-use building at 4140 West Girard Avenue in East Parkside, West Philadelphia. The structure will be located on the south side of the block between North 41st and North 42nd streets and will span a 2,600-square-foot footprint. The proposed 9,800 square feet of floor space translate into n average of just over 800 square feet per typical unit. The development will feature full sprinkling and a roof deck, which, due to the building’s future prominence, promises to offer sweeping skyline views. Permits list Francesco Zampetti as the design professional and Eugene Naydovich of Fitler Development as the contractor. The total construction cost is specified at $200,000, an oddly low figure for this relatively sizable development.

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Harper Square. Image via centercityphila.org

Philadelphia YIMBY Reveals Updated Skyline Massings for Harper Square in Rittenhouse Square, Center City

Over the past year, several new proposals for the city of Philadelphia have been revealed that will make a significant mark on the skyline. One of these is situated in Rittenhouse Square in Center City, where a project was revealed at 113-121 South 19th Street. The development, known as Harper Square, will dominate the neighborhood along with the nearly-complete Laurel Rittenhouse. Designed by DAS Architecture and Planning, the residential tower will stand 611 feet and 54 stories tall, and will include 215 units. The slender high-rise is being developed by Pearl Properties, which also developed The Harper, another residential tower located nearby. Today YIMBY presents our latest custom-made building massings that show the proposal’s future effect on the skyline.

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One Liberty Place. Photo by Thomas Koloski

Looking at the Philadelphia Skyline from the Observatory Atop One Liberty Place

Philadelphia is home to several tall skyscrapers in Center City, with One Liberty Place among the most iconic in the group. The steel-framed tower rises at 1650 Market Street to a height of 945 feet and 61 stories above the ground. The skyscraper was designed by Helmut Jahn, who has unfortunately passed in May of last year, as part of the Liberty Place project developed by Rouse and Associates. At the moment, only two observatories operate in the city, as one has closed last year. Today we look at views from theh currently closed One Liberty Observation Deck, located on the 57th floor in the skyscraper’s gabled crown.

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