PHILADELPHIA | Highrise Development Thread IX - Page 426

summersm343 · #**8501** Posted **Sep 12, 2015, 4:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jsbrook

Hey, Summers. What's the factual basis for this? I've been corresponding with Mark Vergnano and others at Chemours about relocating here. I would send something along if there's something other than renders I can send (though I'm sure they already know; I think they are in discussions with the administration and developers at all of the areas they are looking at).

Those are the numbers I received. Not sure how set in stone it is but I think this is likely going to be about the height of the tower. Chemours here would be amazing. With FMC right down the street this would be two large chemical companies in close proximity. Could create a lot of synergy here. Have Chemours contact Brandywine.

Castle · #**8502** Posted **Sep 12, 2015, 7:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Outta here

Ummm , at first read , WOW .
And to answer another's question , why not taller than 725' ?
But then reality .......... Summers , you fantastic informer , I hope you are right and this is not just another case of smoke and mirrors .

Relax, my friend. You might recall Cira South was originally proposed as a 500+foot tower, increased to 650' when FMC committed as the anchor tenant, and eventually reached its current planned height of 730' once all the details were finalized. I would say there is a good chance that Cira II's planned height can rise as well, if they can garner enough interest from prospective tenants.

Also, considering this proposal's extreme proximity to the train station (along with its direct connect rail to the airport) and its advantageous location on the edge of BOTH University City and Center City, I wouldn't be surprised if this tower eventually includes a hotel portion, which could prop up the height substantially.

All that being said, I would be very happy with a 725' tower that looks like Cira II being built . I would hardly consider its presence a "shattered dream."

alasi · #**8503** Posted **Sep 12, 2015, 9:45 PM**

I agree with the sentiment that even if it's "only 725'", this would still be a great addition. Besides, this would still leave open the ultimate dream, a 1200-1300 foot tower behind PECO.

dc_denizen · #**8504** Posted **Sep 13, 2015, 12:27 AM**

great news on the divine lorraine!

hawainpanda · #**8505** Posted **Sep 13, 2015, 1:12 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by summersm343

Philadelphia is in the Northeast, not the Midwest.

This is the same developer as the one building FMC tower. I doubt they would move ahead with another tower if they didn't have something in the pipeline. FMC still has about 250,000 square feet of office space available, which is not much. University City, which is where these towers are located, has the lowest vacancy rate of the entire Philadelphia metro area. The vacancy in University City right now is about 2%. FMC is 49 floors and 730 feet and is a total square footage of 850,000 sq feet. Why would Cira II at 48 floors and 725 feet be 1 mill +? Cira II would likely be aorund 700,000-800,000 square feet. 1 mill+ is something 850-900 feet + tall.

sorry dunno y i mentioned midwest, but fmc is mixed use, so the top residential floors are much smaller floor plates, in full office towers you usually don't have a dramatically reduced floor space, so a typical 700 foot tower is around 1 million if u compare to other 700 foot towers

McBane · #**8506** Posted **Sep 13, 2015, 1:32 AM**

This is great news!!!!!!

Summers - is the graphic you sent around the actual rendering? Not too different than past renderings. Looks awesome.

Is this the location? https://goo.gl/maps/j4Fe4 https://goo.gl/maps/A0rLp

My only wish for this project is that the lead tenant is from outside of the region and the state. At minimum, outside of the city.

BenKatzPhillytoParis · #**8507** Posted **Sep 13, 2015, 9:38 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TallCoolOne

That's wild - Cira II.

So Brandywine is definitely going heavy into commercial side across the river, ...leads me to believe the recent buys on Market West will be residential then. Hoping we get a 500 footer on Market West as well.

Anyways - great, great news.

I don't necessarily interpret it that way. All the major developers (Brandywine, LPT, universities/science scenter, and why not throw in PMC at this point) are building mixed use. I think Brandywine is certainly capitalizing first on university city's amazing momentum and their Cira brand/existing developments, but they may have bought the Market West properties simply because that will be a broken link in density activity along center city's most important arterial that will be really prime to fill once the eastern edge of university city is saturated. And I could definitely see it being filled with mixed use office/residential, which would be great in all respects—continuous vibrancy, interesting urban texture, and possibility for height ;-). Let's hope that ultimately instead of being just a bookend to the center city skyline, that part of market west becomes a new peak linking UC and CC.

summersm343 · #**8508** Posted **Sep 13, 2015, 1:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by McBane

This is great news!!!!!!

Summers - is the graphic you sent around the actual rendering? Not too different than past renderings. Looks awesome.

Is this the location? https://goo.gl/maps/j4Fe4 https://goo.gl/maps/A0rLp

My only wish for this project is that the lead tenant is from outside of the region and the state. At minimum, outside of the city.

Yes, that's the location. And this is a model, not a rendering yet but I believe this is the final design.

summersm343 · #**8509** Posted **Sep 13, 2015, 1:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hawainpanda

sorry dunno y i mentioned midwest, but fmc is mixed use, so the top residential floors are much smaller floor plates, in full office towers you usually don't have a dramatically reduced floor space, so a typical 700 foot tower is around 1 million if u compare to other 700 foot towers

You're right as I looked up the square footage for Three Logan Square which is 739 feet and around 1 mill square feet however, Cira II looks like it will be much narrower than Three Logan and the base of FMC. I would be surprised if this was over 850,000 square feet of office space.

Philly Fan · #**8510** Posted **Sep 13, 2015, 3:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by summersm343

Yes, that's the location. And this is a model, not a rendering yet but I believe this is the final design.

Are you sure that's a model? Those look more like photo-realistic renderings to me, but if it's a model, it's incredibly detailed with amazing lighting effects. If it's a model, it must have cost a small fortune!

cubanChris · #**8511** Posted **Sep 13, 2015, 3:20 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by summersm343

You're right as I looked up the square footage for Three Logan Square which is 739 feet and around 1 mill square feet however, Cira II looks like it will be much narrower than Three Logan and the base of FMC. I would be surprised if this was over 850,000 square feet of office space.

Three Logan is also around 55 floors right? If Cira II is 725 with 48 floors that explains a fair amount right there – wouldn't doubt it considering how new office buildings tend to have higher floor heights.

skyscraper · #**8512** Posted **Sep 13, 2015, 3:23 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philly Fan

Are you sure that's a model? Those look more like photo-realistic renderings to me, but if it's a model, it's incredibly detailed with amazing lighting effects. If it's a model, it must have cost a small fortune!

Yes, that's the model on display inside BRT's Cira Center office. It's incredible.

Philly Fan · #**8513** Posted **Sep 13, 2015, 3:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by skyscraper

Yes, that's the model on display inside BRT's Cira Center office. It's incredible.

Indeed!

summersm343 · #**8514** Posted **Sep 13, 2015, 3:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by skyscraper

Yes, that's the model on display inside BRT's Cira Center office. It's incredible.

No, it's a different model than that. This is the model inside BRT's office:

https://philadelphiaheights.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/img_1169.jpg

This, is a different model. I'm thinking it may be a new model for pitches to tenants:

Philly Fan · #**8515** Posted **Sep 13, 2015, 4:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by summersm343

No, it's a different model than that.

If you can say, where is this model located?

summersm343 · #**8516** Posted **Sep 13, 2015, 4:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philly Fan

If you can say, where is this model located?

Not sure, but I know it's nowhere for public view currently.

Philly Fan · #**8517** Posted **Sep 13, 2015, 5:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by summersm343

Not sure, but I know it's nowhere for public view currently.

So someone sent you the photos? [No need to reveal sources and methods, as we say in the CIA.

]

summersm343 · #**8518** Posted **Sep 13, 2015, 6:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philly Fan

So someone sent you the photos? [No need to reveal sources and methods, as we say in the CIA.

]

Yes haha. Someone emailed me the photos

Eigenwelt · #**8519** Posted **Sep 13, 2015, 6:24 PM**

Awhile back, someone (FlyersFan, maybe?) did a mock up of Cira 2 using one of the FMC promotional images. I went looking through the threads for it but I couldn't find it, so I threw together another version of his idea.

I used one of Pelli's similar towers from Madrid because none of the existing Cira 2 images were at an appropriate angle. Height is based of the Verizon's 739' so it's approximate, but should be pretty close.

And I threw in CITC so we'd have a better idea of the future postcard angle I'm sure we'll be seeing on calendars and wikipedia in a few years.

summersm343 · #**8520** Posted **Sep 13, 2015, 6:39 PM**

Damn! What a skyline that would be. Thanks for this!