2206 North 2nd Street. Looking northwest. Credit: Google Maps

Permits Issued for Mixed-Use Building at 2206 North 2nd Street in Norris Square, North Philadelphia

Permits have been issued for the construction of a three-story, mixed-use building at 2206 North 2nd Street in Norris Square, North Philadelphia. The structure will replace a vacant lot situated on the west side of the block between West Susquehanna and West Dauphin streets. The building will rise from a 1,000-square-foot footprint and will feature 3,960 square feet of interior space, comprised of two residential units and a commercial space. The development will feature full sprinkling. The roof deck will likely provide sweeping vistas, given a near-total lack of taller buildings nearby. Permits list Adeline Kupa as the owner, Paul Dietz as the design professional, and Qazim Kupa as the contractor. Construction costs are specified at $175,000.

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Rendering of 1101 Walnut Street. Credit: JKRP Architects

Revised Design Revealed for 1101 Walnut Street in Washington Square West, Center City

A revised design has been revealed for a high-rise tower planned at 1101 Walnut Street in Market EastCenter City. Designed by JKRP Architects, the revised plan will rise 18 stories and include 198 residential units, with a total of 138,150 square feet of space, located on the second, third, and fifth through eighteenth floors. The ground floor will hold 4,420 square feet of retail space and the fourth floor will offer 6,281 square feet of office and amenity space. The project will also include 34 off-site parking spaces, as well as 68 bicycle spaces.

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Rendering of 1201 Normandy Place. Credit: Google.

Renderings Revealed for Life Sciences Building at 1201 Normandy Place in the Navy Yard in South Philadelphia

Renderings have been revealed for a life sciences laboratory building at 1201 Normandy Place in the Navy Yard in South Philadelphia. Designed by DIGSAU and developed by Ensemble Investments and Mosaic Development, the building will rise four stories tall, with a mechanical penthouse on top, and will feature 127,259 square feet of lab space. The ground floor will also hold 2,990 square feet of retail. An off-site garage will hold 58 parking spaces.

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Commerce Square from Spring Garden Street Bridge. Photo by Thomas Koloski

Looking Back at the Construction of One Commerce Square at 2005 Market Street in Center City

In 1984, the unwritten Gentleman’s Agreement that forbade building above the 548-foot-high statue of William Penn atop City Hall was about to be eliminated when, in April, developer Willard Rouse proposed a skyscraper development that eventually became Liberty Place. The proposal apparently influenced more developers and architects to build towers above the former height limit. The Commerce Square twin towers were revealed at 2005 Market Street in Center City at the end of the year. Designed by I.M. Pei and Partners and developed by IBM and Maguire/Thomas Partners, the 41-story towers were not built simultaneously, as One Commerce Square was the first building finished in the complex.

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12+Sansom at 123-27 South 12th Street. Rendering credit: Studios Architecture

Garage Mostly Demolished at 12 + Sansom Street Site at 123 South 12th Street in Market East, Center City

A massive parking garage that took up nearly an entire block is mostly demolished at 123 South 12th Street in Market East, Center City. The large residential building, dubbed 12 + Sansom, will make a positive impact on the area with its addition of 412 residential units. Designed by Studios Architecture and Bower Lewis Thower Architects and developed by Greystar Real Estate Partners, the building will stand 265 feet and 20 stories tall, a significant height for the neighborhood, though more residential towers are on their way to join the area.

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