PECO Building with the new display. Photo by Thomas Koloski

Crown Lights Restored Atop the PECO Building at 2301 Market Street in Center City West

An upgrade has been completed for the lighting array atop the PECO Building at 2301 Market Street in Center City West. Designed by H2L2 (Harbeson, Hough, Livingston & Larson), the building was completed in 1970, which was soon followed by a number of major high-rise developments in Center City. The tower rises to a total of 27 stories and 384 feet, an an impressive height for its time. While the tower does not feature an outstanding design, it is widely known for its tenant, the PECO Energy Company, which serves customers across the tri-state area and all over the country. However, the tower is best known for its 38-foot-high screen spanning every face on top of the tower, measuring 148 feet across on the north and south façades and 71 feet across the east and west faces. Over the decades, more than 17,500 digital messages have scrolled across the display.

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1101 Walnut Street via Civic Design Review

Permits Filed for a 259-Foot-Tall Tower at 1101 Walnut Street in Washington Square West, Center City

The booming area around the Loews Hotel and Jefferson Center, at the junction of the Washington Square West and Market East neighborhoods in Center City, is getting ready for the construction of yet another high-rise development. Demolition and construction permits have been filed at 1101 Walnut Street, a site that is currently occupied by a single-story Wendy’s fast food restaurant. It will be replaced by a 259-foot-tall, 23-story skyscraper with an L-shaped footprint, as the property extends to the north. The structure will house 111 residential units and 6,000 square feet of retail on the first and second floors. JKRP Architects have brought a vibrant mix of materials, with irregular stone patterns that will make the tower stand out on the cityscape. The permits list ARD 1105 Walnut LLC and now LD Investment Partners LLC as the current owner.

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