Arthaus. Credit: Kohn Pedersen Fox

Steel Erection Continues Atop the Arthaus in Washington Square West, Center City

Since Arthaus at 311 South Broad Street in Center City topped its concrete structure, the pinnacle of the building has seen much construction activity as steel at the parapet continues to rise, nearing its final height of 542 feet. The 47-story tower is designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox, a firm behind well-known structures such as 30 Hudson Yards and One Vanderbilt in New York City, and the Mellon Bank Center at 1735 Market Street. The developer, Dranoff Properties, owns many properties around the city, such as Symphony House and a future residential building at 337 South Broad Street.

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Former rendering of 900-18 North 8th Street. Credit: Coscia Moos Architecture.

Permits Issued for 152-Unit Development at 900 North 8th Street in Poplar, North Philadelphia

Permits have been issued for the construction of two multi-family developments at 900 North 8th Street in PoplarNorth Philadelphia. The larger of the buildings will be situated at 901-965 North 9th Street. The building will rise five floors tall and include a commercial space. 152 residential units will be situated within the building with each set to be an apartment according to the permit. The structure will be separated into multiple wings and connected by a pedestrian walkway. In total, the building will hold 118,541 square feet of space. Construction costs are estimated at $11,854,100. The other structure will be situated at 900-18 North 8th Street, and will also rise five stories tall. A commercial space will be included in the building, as well as 60 residential units, with each planned to be an apartment according to the permit’s listing. A roof deck is planned on the building at the second floor. Twelve surface parking spaces will be included with the building, with two set to be accessible. Additionally, the building will also have 20 bike spaces. In total, the structure will hold 48,275 square feet of space, with construction costs estimated at $4,827,500.

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Rendering of 204 South 12th Street. Credit: BLT Architects

Site Cleared at 204 South 12th Street in Washington Square West, Center City

Demolition work has been finished at 204 South 12th Street in Washington Square WestCenter City, and a recent site visit observed an uptick in activity after a period of pause. Designed by BLT Architects, the tower will rise 32 stories tall and make a meaningful impact on the Philadelphia skyline. The development will hold 448 residential units, occupying 340,253 square feet of space and bringing significant density to the property. The project will also include 39,999 square feet of retail space, creating a significant commercial presence on 12th Street, and 68 underground parking spaces in a 41,380-square-foot garage.

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701 South Broad Street via OCF Realty

Steel Continues to Rise at 701 South Broad Street in Hawthorne, South Philadelphia

Significant construction progress has been made at 701 South Broad Street, a seven-story mixed-use development in HawthorneSouth Philadelphia. A commercial space will be situated in the ground floor, with 50 residential units will be included above.  The building will also hold four “hotel rooms,” which will likely be used as apartments. The building will feature a modern exterior primarily comprised of brick, with a large amount of gray panels. The ground floor will have floor-to-ceiling windows to help create a welcoming street presence.

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Observing The Comcast Technology Center Shortly After Topping Out

Over the past 40 years, Center City has become home to multiple structures over the height of 500 feet. Philadelphia City Hall was the tallest structure in Philadelphia from 1894 to 1986 at 548, then in 1987 the steel structure of One-Liberty-Place eventually passed the statue to soon top out its spire at 945 feet. The same developers of Liberty Place also developed the next tallest skyscraper in the city, the 974-foot Comcast Center from 2007 to 2017. In 2017, across the street to the west, the Comcast Technology Center became the tallest skyscraper in the city since 2017 and its first supertall skyscraper at 1,121 feet. For this development, Comcast had partnered with Liberty Property Trust, which was originally known as Rouse and Associates. The tower was designed by Foster and Partners, which has designed iconic structures such as the Gherkin in London and the Hearst Tower in Midtown Manhattan. Today Philly YIMBY looks back at the period when the iconic tower’s spire topped out.

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