PHILADELPHIA | Highrise Development Thread X

[TK2001]

https://www.gettyimages.ae/detail/ne...hoto/548185791

In this known photograph you can see The Drake under construction! Just behind and to the right of The Atlantic

[mcgrath618]

Originally Posted by TK2001

https://www.gettyimages.ae/detail/ne...hoto/548185791

In this known photograph you can see The Drake under construction! Just behind and to the right of The Atlantic

I've been seeing a girl who used to live in the Drake. She said that ownership is letting maintenance fall to the wayside

[bdurk]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

I've been seeing a girl who used to live in the Drake. She said that ownership is letting maintenance fall to the wayside

he's gettin rizzyyyy

[TK2001]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

I've been seeing a girl who used to live in the Drake. She said that ownership is letting maintenance fall to the wayside

I've been looking back at many photographs of the Drake throughout time...it's been horribly maintained! The most noticable feature removed from the tower is on the 26th floor, two decorative beams were on the east face and west face, but they were removed sometime between 1995-1998. In the 70's additional structures were built on some of the north terraces, adding enclosed space. Also during the condo conversion, many of the original windows were replaced with windows that ruin the theme along with some covered up. Not surprising since the former owners went to jail back in the 80's. There was also a fire on the fourth floor on January 8, 1987. They need to treat this tower like a landmark! I seriously hope someone comes along and truly fixes it up. It's owned by Brookfield Properties now, who owns MANY properties including the former World Financial Center in Lower Manhattan. They can fix it, but they would probably let it crumble to make money off it.

[Knight Hospitaller]

Originally Posted by TK2001

https://www.gettyimages.ae/detail/ne...hoto/548185791

In this known photograph you can see The Drake under construction! Just behind and to the right of The Atlantic

The description says New York, which it obviously isn't.

[TK2001]

^
And based on my research, the date of that image is wrong too!

The Drake timeline

The original design was 329 feet tall and 28 stories, with a smaller footprint compared to the built tower
Demolition work was published to be underway on April 29, 1928
There was a collapse on site just THREE days later, killing two men and injuring six.
The first column is placed on site September 1, 1928.
That photograph above shows The Drake possibly 21 stories high (they built the floors in sets of 3), truly taken on October 16, 1928
Vivian Shirley visits the top of the Drake on January 29, 1929. She's standing on the northwest corner of the 28th floor, the large terrace.
There is two aerial photos from (presumably) late spring 1929 showing the building mostly clas, but missing stone cladding on the base floors along with windows.
The building was originally projected to cost $2,100,000 and to be open by June 1929, but it costed $5,000,000 in the end and was announced to be ready for occupancy on September 11, 1929.

Despite the height often stated to be 375 feet, some sources list the tower to be 416 feet tall. Most of this information comes from newspapers.com. And I bring this information because it seems hidden or lost, so let's bring it back

The Drake early design by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr

The Drake Apartments rendering by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr

[TK2001]

Penn's Landing demolition, making way for an 11.5 acre park by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr
^
5/19

Philadelphia skyline by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr

Philadelphia skyline by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr

[PhillyPDX]

Originally Posted by TK2001

Penn's Landing demolition, making way for an 11.5 acre park by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr
^
5/19

Philadelphia skyline by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr

Philadelphia skyline by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr

Incredible how different this view has become in last 6 years (Schuylkill ones).

[TK2001]

Speaking of, here's the skyline 6 years ago. I only had my camera for almost a year taking this photo (and many, many more)
Philadelphia skyline 2018 by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr
And also
One Liberty Place spire topped out by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr
One Liberty Place spire topped out by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr
Interestingly, the same photographer who took this photo above also took those iconic photos on top of the massive antenna of the original World Trade Center, during its construction back in 1979. Well done Peter!

Independence Blue Cross Tower by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr

[ArchGuy1]

Originally Posted by TK2001

Speaking of, here's the skyline 6 years ago. I only had my camera for almost a year taking this photo (and many, many more)
Philadelphia skyline 2018 by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr
And also
One Liberty Place spire topped out by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr
One Liberty Place spire topped out by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr
Interestingly, the same photographer who took this photo above also took those iconic photos on top of the massive antenna of the original World Trade Center, during its construction back in 1979. Well done Peter!

Independence Blue Cross Tower by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr

Certain wish the observation deck was included as part of the original construction rather than added in 2015.

[TK2001]

They did let people go up on the 57th floor, as shown at the end of the construction photos of One Liberty Place on phillyskyline.com. I'm sure afterwards it became tenant space, as the floor was never made to specifically be an observation deck. It was always a floor to lease, just like it is now.

[Radio5]

Has there ever been a stand alone observation structure proposed, like the one in Toronto?

[ArchGuy1]

Originally Posted by Radio5

Has there ever been a stand alone observation structure proposed, like the one in Toronto?

A proposal for such a tower was made for South Philadelphia back in 2014.
https://whyy.org/articles/space-need...-south-philly/

[Radio5]

Originally Posted by ArchGuy1

A proposal for such a tower was made for South Philadelphia back in 2014.
https://whyy.org/articles/space-need...-south-philly/

damn, that would have been kind of cool.

[DeltaNerd]

Originally Posted by ArchGuy1

A proposal for such a tower was made for South Philadelphia back in 2014.
https://whyy.org/articles/space-need...-south-philly/

Would it been built in the sports district? It would have made a ton of sense too. Given the stadiums, FDR park and CC views. Would have been cool to see a tower when landing at PHL.

[BroadandMarket]

I mean it was never going to get built. There was even one proposed in Camden in 2013 which realistically would have a better view than the sports complex but less foot traffic. This is separate than the infamous Camden-Philly gondola which would have been incredible.



https://whyy.org/articles/camden-add...to-waterfront/

[Eigenwelt]

Originally Posted by Radio5

Has there ever been a stand alone observation structure proposed, like the one in Toronto?

The grandaddy of modern observation towers was proposed in the early 1870s to be built for the Centennial Exhibition of 1876 in Fairmount Park. It was designed by Clarke, Reeves and Company to be1000 feet tall, built of steel, with four observation decks. It was never completed due to funding.

Supposedly its proposal was one of the instigating factors in Paris hiring Eiffel to build a tower as the centerpiece of the 1889 World's Fair.

Image from Phillyyimby.com


*Edit

Clark Reeves & Co atually ended up building three much shorter (225') towers for the exhibition. Sawyer's Observatory north of Belmont, Lemon Hill Observatory, and George's Hill Observatory near where the Mann center is today. Sawyer's and George's were taken down shortly after the exhibition, with one scrapped and the other disassembled and sold to investors who rebuilt it as Coney Island's famous Iron Tower (1878-1911). The Lemon Hill Observatory stood until scrapped in 1899.

[TK2001]

Thank you for bringing THAT up. Imagine a 1,000 foot tall observation tower standing on Lemon Hill today. Those views would have been phenomenal!

[bdurk]

Why does every cool thing Philadelphia ever proposed never come to fruition

[Late1]

So Philly proposes something that looks like a giant oil derrick, and Paris gets an Eiffel Tower out of it.

That’s about par for the course lol