Quote:
Originally Posted by McBane
This building design is typical Philadelphia. Red brick base with cornice line matching neighboring buildings with a setback tower to give the illusion that the tower doesn't actually exist. This approach is getting very old.
The base is well designed but boring and very unoriginal. I hope that the two jewlers who were interested in the retail space are retained. This tower itself is not a threat to the Row but it will be if this tower follows the pattern of all other new development in the city in that the retail space will either go to a drugstore, a bank, a fast casual chain, or an upscale chain/celebrity chef restaurant.
The Sansom Street facade is awful. Someone likened it to the Federal Courthouse building. I agree - and that's not a good thing, that building is hideous.
The back of the building with the glass facade is okay but doesn't mesh well at all with red brick.
This is truly a Dr. Jekyl and Mr. Heide building. It doesn't need a little tweaking but a complete redo. What would work very well IMHO is a contemporary building built with traditional materials, as exemplified by the proposed Hyde Hotel on South Broad or (to a lesser extent) the brick/metal building on Sansom that houses Dizzengoff. Such a design would compliment the other buildings on Jewlers Row, whereas the current design is attempting to be a carbon copy. Finally, do away with the setback. You're building a high rise - own up to it, it's nothing to be ashamed of. |
You seem to have a universal distaste for setbacks. In fact, they have their uses, are often a sensible approach, and they can also look nice. Certainly not universally desired, but I think a setback in this location is appropriate. Otherwise, there are so many problems with this building design. Hammer nailed it. I can't add much to that.