2043 Fitzwater Street. Looking northwest. November 2020. Credit: Google Street View

Ornate Prewar Townhouse Makes Way for Similarly-Sized Building at 2043 Fitzwater Street in Graduate Hospital, South Philadelphia

7:30 am on July 17, 2021 By Vitali Ogorodnikov

Philadelphia’s ongoing construction surge is a major boon for the city, and occasional demolitions are needed for the city’s continued growth. However, some teardowns are rather unfortunate and unnecessary, to put it mildly, particularly when they take down a preservation-worthy edifice in apparently sound structural condition, or when the replacement offers no notable increase in scale, density, or functional use. The proposal at 2043 Fitzwater Street in Graduate Hospital, South Philadelphia, checks off on both of these concerns, where a finely ornamented, contextually appropriate, apparently well-maintained prewar townhouse is being demolished to make way for a four-story, three-unit building that will offer only a marginal boost both in scale and density.

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2653-61 Salmon Street, prior to renovation. Looking southeast. July 2019. Credit: Google Maps

Construction Progresses at 2653-61 Salmon Street in Olde Richmond, Kensington

7:00 am on July 17, 2021 By Colin LeStourgeon

Construction work is making rapid progress at 2653-61 Salmon Street, an eight-unit multi-family development situated in Olde Richmond, Kensington. The development involves a complete renovation of the single-floor structure, with an additional floor added to the building. In total, the structure will hold 14,195 square feet of space, with construction costs estimated at $900,000.

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Matson Mill. Credit: IMC Construction

Topping-Out Ceremony Held at Matson Mill at 101 Washington Street in Conshohocken, PA

8:00 am on July 16, 2021 By Vitali Ogorodnikov

Construction is making steady progress at Matson Mill, a 280-unit multi-family development at 101 Washington Street in Conshohocken, PA, a town situated two miles to the northwest of the Philadelphia city line. A topping-out ceremony was held on June 29th, when an American flag was hoisted atop one of the gabled pinnacles at the five-story-tall, 426,000-square-foot structure. The project team includes Hord Coplan Macht as the architect; High Street Residential as the developer; IMC Construction as the construction manager; Structura, Inc. as the structural engineer; Bohler Engineering as the civil engineer; and Girard Engineering, PC as the MEP engineer.

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Observing the Comcast Technology Center Shortly After Crane Removal

7:00 am on July 16, 2021 By Thomas Koloski

The Comcast Technology Center at 1800 Arch Street in Center City has dominated the Philadelphia skyline ever since it became the city’s tallest skyscraper in 2017. The tower rises 62 stories and 1,121 feet tall, topped with a bright beacon. The tower was designed by Norman Foster of Foster + Partners, who has done many well-known projects around the world notable for their exteriors of glass, metal, and decorative lighting. The developer of the project is Liberty Property Trust, which had also developed One Liberty Place when the company was known as Rouse and Associates under Willard Rouse. In this feature, Philadelphia YIMBY looks back at when the crane was first removed from the near-completed Comcast Technology Center.

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