First scheme of the PSFS Building. Image via George Howe

Looking Back at Early Iterations of the PSFS Building

Earlier this year, Philadelphia YIMBY ran two features (one introductory and another covering construction) on the iconic PSFS Building at 1200 Market Street in Market East, Center City. The sizable high-rise, developed for the Philadelphia Savings Fund Society, was a modern marvel at the time it was built, and to this day it still makes an impression with its height and history. The 36-story building stands 491 feet tall, with the antenna bringing the total height to 792 feet. The tower was designed by George Howe and William Edmond Lescaze, who made a few iterations of the design before arriving at a version that became one of the first major International-style skyscrapers.

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Rendering of 1209-15 Vine Street. Credit: Cadre Design.

Permits Issued for Vine Street Apartments at 1209-15 Vine Street in Callowhill

Permits have been issued for Vine Street Apartments, a 120-unit large multi-family development located at 1201-15 Vine Street (with an alternate address of 1201-1209 Vine Street) in Callowhill. Designed by Cadre Design, the development involves horizontal and vertical extensions to an existing building at the site. Upon completion, the structure will stand eight stories tall and will include 36 mechanical parking spaces. In total, the building will offer 83,635 square feet of space and cost an estimated $10 million to build.

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Current view of 2301 Grays Ferry Avenue. Credit: Colin LeStourgeon.

Construction Progresses at 2301 Grays Ferry Avenue in Graduate Hospital, South Philadelphia

Construction is progressing at 2301 Grays Ferry Avenue, a six-unit multi-family development rising in Graduate Hospital, South Philadelphia. The project consist of a three-story vertical extension to an existing single-story structure. A restaurant will be located on the ground floor, with residential units above. In total, the building will hold 8,475 square feet of space. Construction costs are estimated at $1 million.

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The Laurel Rittenhouse. Credit: Southern Land Company

Residential Floors Topped Out at The Laurel Rittenhouse at 1911 Walnut Street in Rittenhouse Square, Center City

The residential floors of The Laurel Rittenhouse at 1911 Walnut Street, in the Rittenhouse Square neighborhood of Center City, have been topped out. The skyscraper now rises 48 stories into the sky, nearing its final height of 599 feet. The tower was developed by Southern Land Company and designed by Solomon Cornwell Buenz, which has also designed the 27-story tower planned at 1620 Sansom Street. The building will offer 185 rental apartments as well as 64 condominiums at the upper floors. The condo section will offer a private entrance, lobby, and elevators, as well as parking included with every condo unit. The building will feature an amenity space on the 26th floor, as well as an Equinox gym within the lower floors.

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CHOP Hub for Clinical Collaboration rendering via Perkins + Will

CHOP Hub for Clinical Collaboration Steel Topped Out in University City, West Philadelphia

The massive structural frame of the CHOP Hub for Clinical Collaboration at 3501 Civic Center Boulevard in University City, West Philadelphia, has been topped out. Designed by Perkins+Will, the tower stands 377 feet and 19 stories tall. The building is a part of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s plan to expand its space on the west side of the city at the cost of $4 billion. The building’s facade, which faces its wide profile toward the Schuylkill River, will feature stone cladding shifting along the exterior.

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