PHILADELPHIA | Highrise Development Thread IX

[miesian]

Great design by Foster...great news

[Mappy]

First: YAAAAYYYYYYYYYY!

Second: More YAAAYYYYYYY!

Third: it kinda looks like NYC World Trade center 3, no?

Forth. It looks a LOT like my mock up from November, and it is exactly the height I used. http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?p=6352047#post6352047

Fifth:..... Is it a Spire or an and Antenna??!?! (nooooooo!)

[theSisko]

The news we all have been waiting for. Fantastic as Philadelphia finally gets it's supertall. But let me put this out there: there was talk of a 2nd office tower there. Because of the design does that mean that tower has been scrapped?

[Plokoon11]

Actually when I look at it, its kind of like Commerce Square Tower's Father shape wise.

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by Mappy

Third: it kinda looks like NYC World Trade center 3, no?

Indeed it does. Very similar. I can't imagine this not being addressed by Foster at some point.

Not sure if 3 World Trade Center has open trading floors--but since the core isn't centralized, to create more open space--the exterior diagonal bracing which dominates the design concept may be a combo of form and function.

[sayitaintso]

The project will be owned by a joint venture, 80 percent owned by Comcast and 20 percent by Liberty Property Trust, and managed by Liberty. The project includes an approximately $1.2 billion private investment of which approximately $900 million will be funded by the joint venture and approximately $300 million will be tenant funded interior improvements.

While FFE is about the same as Comcast Center($275m vs $300m) For a building that is approx. the same height and sf 1.5m vs 1.4m the construction cost is a staggering 80% greater ($900m vs $500m.) Considering CC was built at the height of the RE bubble and costs were quite high, I can't imagine construction and materials costs are much great than back in '06. Hopefully this extra costs derives from the Innnovation and and Tech requirements going into the bldg.

[Mappy]

Originally Posted by Londonee

Indeed it does. Very similar. I can't imagine this not being addressed by Foster at some point.

Its got a nice overall shape to it though. Like an modernized and elongated Art Deco style





As long as they leave a place for Willy Penn on top, I dig it

[tsarstruck]

Philebrity with an important addition: there will be a slide.



http://www.philebrity.com/2014/01/15/tha...tallest-building-in-philly-at-1800-arch/

[cubanChris]

My buddy just showed me a tweet picture of the lobby that has a 3 story tubular slide.

It is hilariously awesome and looks like the one in the Tate Modern in London.

Hope it makes it to the final product!

Edit to Add: annnnnd there it is, right above this post

[Mappy]

Originally Posted by tsarstruck

Philebrity with an important addition: there will be a slide.



http://www.philebrity.com/2014/01/15/tha...tallest-building-in-philly-at-1800-arch/

Also called Summer a "Wierdo"...

[sayitaintso]

Originally Posted by tsarstruck

Philebrity with an important addition: there will be a slide.



http://www.philebrity.com/2014/01/15/tha...tallest-building-in-philly-at-1800-arch/

More importantly the bastards are starting to eat crow:

That Message Board Weirdo Was Kinda Right: Comcast To Build New Tallest-Building In Philly At 1800 Arch

http://www.philebrity.com/2014/01/15/tha...tallest-building-in-philly-at-1800-arch/

[Mappy]

I think this is the best render they put out....



But I was hoping to see them put NBC studios section at ground level and viewable from the streets, like the Today show in NYC. Doesn't look like the case.

[Late1]

Mixed feelings on this; the interior looks fantastic, and the exterior treatment looks great but the building's form is a huge disappointment. I was hoping for something whose roof surpassed the Comcast Center's by 200 or 300 feet, not one that achieves the extra height with a spire.

In other words, the building is fine in and of itself, but based on the renderings, I don't like what it's going to do to Philly's skyline.

(edited to add: This is my initial gut reaction, but considering my 100% positive first response to the announcement of the original Comcast Center's final iteration a handful of Januaries ago, I think it's an opinion that's likely to stick.)

[relnahe]

Originally Posted by tsarstruck

Philebrity with an important addition: there will be a slide.



http://www.philebrity.com/2014/01/15/tha...tallest-building-in-philly-at-1800-arch/

Ugh. The level of snark on that site is unendurable.

[McBane]

This thread is blowing up! Great news and the design is quite modern and much less conservative than the original Comcast Center. A few observations:

- While I don't doubt that the City government will make the necessary allowances, it's still very annoying that - at this location - a height variance is still needed.

- It will also be interesting to see the NIMBY reaction. Dare they attempt to sabotage the biggest private development in the history of PA and the potential for thousands of jobs because their views will be blocked, shadows, traffic, etc.? My gut feeling is that this is way too big and concrete (unlike the ACC) for them to whine about it - they will end up looking like clowns.

- The speculation about the 4 Seasons was right all along. With that location - on the top floors of the tower - they can re-stake their claim as the premier hotel in Philadelphia.

- Also, what will happen to the current 4 Seasons. Does the recently closed Best Western take it over? In all seriousness, a peruse on TripAdvisor show that the space would be well served by a 3-4 star hotel. Recent reviews reveal that the rooms are dated and not up to 5-star par.

- Related to the two previous bullets, how does this impact other hotel proposals, notably Element/W?

- Who will create a thread for this tower? And will it be called the Comcast Innovation and Technology Center? Maybe Comcast IT for short?

EDIT, a few more:

- Since the hotel will be on the top floors, I guess that the executives will remain in the original tower?

- In the nighttime rendering above, it does almost appear that the two towers are twins - the IT tower just has the spire.

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by cubanChris

My buddy just showed me a tweet picture of the lobby that has a 3 story tubular slide.

It is hilariously awesome and looks like the one in the Tate Modern in London.

Hope it makes it to the final product!

Edit to Add: annnnnd there it is, right above this post

That's not the lobby. That's office space.

You can see renders of the lobby on NBC 10s website now.

[KillerIman]

this is sweet!!

[Muji]

Congratulations, Philadelphia!

[MikeNigh]

holy shit!!

[Born Pure Philly]

First off, very excited Philly is finally getting a supertall! It's not a bad design by any means, but does leave something to be desired. It looks quite squat, and the roof seemingly doesn't eclipse Comcast Center. I would of much rather there be thinner floors going to the pinnacle (a la Center City Tower proposal from way back). We are going to get some flack for the spire being the only part that goes above 1000 feet, but who cares!

Overall, still very excited and pumped this is actually happening!