PHILADELPHIA | Renaissance Plaza | 292 FT x2 & 195 FT x2 | 29 FLOORS x2 & 19 FLOORSx2
 

http://planphilly.com/uploads/media_....752.360.c.jpg

Title: Renaissance Plaza
Project: 1,458 apartments, 90,000+ sqft of retail, structured parking, rooftop green space and pools, public green space
Architect: Alesker & Dundon Architects
Developer: Waterfront Renaissance Associates
Location: 400 N. Columbus Blvd., Philadelphia, PA
Neighborhood: Penn's Landing
District: Center City
Floors: 5 tower: ~20 floors
Height: 5 towers: ~240 feet

Developer Waterfront Renaissance Associates plans to build a 1,458-unit, four-tower residential and retail complex at the corner of Columbus Boulevard and Spring Garden Street.

The tallest two of the four towers of Renaissance Plaza would rise 426 feet, the other two 227 feet. The shorter towers would be more than double the 100-foot height limit established in the Central Delaware Waterfront Master Plan, the city's long-range plan for the redevelopment of the Delaware River waterfront, between Oregon and Allegheny Avenues.

But the Philadelphia City Planning Commission, which must approve plans of development for projects within the Central Delaware, has the power to grant exceptions to the height limits.


The master plan calls for ground-floor retail, and the proposal for the 5.29 acres at 400 North Columbus Boulevard includes more than 90,000 square feet of it, Grigos said. The master plan calls for public open space, and this development would have green areas that all Philadelphians – complex residents or not – can use. The project would be built to the highest LEED standard attainable, and include a green roof with swimming pools.


Link to article:
http://planphilly.com/1458-unit-four...de-center-site

Hmm, I guess the design is supposed to pay homage to the best of Value Engineered crap high rises of the 1960s/70s era.

Oh no! Are those green pitched roofs on top of 60's commie block towers? This is adding insult to injury! Love the scale - and the massing isn't bad - but the design couldn't be worse if it punched every passersby in the face.

For those unaware this design is replacing the failed World Trade Square project that's been in the air since the late 80s.

You can see that's it a modified version of the previous one:


en.wikipedia.org

This is laughably bad. I love the density, but this design is right out of some 1977 issue of Architectural Record.

They look like projects... definitely not worth for Philly's skyline.

if this project does get approved, you can bet this WILL NOT be the final design. the planning commission will make sure of that.

it sure does look bland and just pathetic but the original rendering is usually changed numerous times before construction. I have a good amount of faith this will be changed for the better.

Wow, the design is just plain bad even down to the massing, if you ask me. The slopping roofs on the podia are the rotten cherry on top, if you ask me.

I actually thinking something thinner and even "stepped" up or down to or from the river would look way better, something to break up the massing of the tower.

agree

I read the entire length of Kidphilly's post. I'm confident that this will get built dispite the silly comitee.

This has about as much chance of being developed as dookie has of smelling good.

This thread should already be in the "never built - not remotely visionary" section.

Time to move on now.

No need to be pessimistic.

It's not over till the fat lady sings.

not pessimistic, just realistic.

The "developer" has never developed a thing in his life, has already been sitting on this lot for 20+ years, and prefers to get into litigation with the NAs rather than actually, you know, building.

Snowballs in hell have better chances than this thing.

I hope the Planning Commission consigns this to the dustbin quickly and painlessly.

Article on this today from Philadelphia Real Estate Blog

http://blog.philadelphiarealestate.c...t-renaissance/

I don't know what to think of the article; it seems they aren't denying it anymore.

But are they saying "Okay"?

It seems there is A LOT of people who are supporting this project. That is good news :banana:

Let's just hope they push the developers to produce some new renderings and new designs... these designs aren't too pretty looking

Article on this from Naked Philly

http://nakedphilly.com/old-city/coul...-the-delaware/