PHILADELPHIA | Comcast Technology Center | 1,121 FT | 60 FLOORS

[mcgrath618]

Originally Posted by wpipkins2

Pittsburgh is still home to Pennsylvania's largest skyscraper as far as occupied floors and square footage. The US Steel Tower has 64 occupied floors 2,300,000 square feet of office space. Each floor = 1 Acre and is the largest rooftop of any skyscraper do to the lack of setbacks. By comparison the new Comcast Innovation Tower has 1,399,997 square feet.

Since 1950 there has been 31 skyscrapers constructed in the US that contain 2 million or more square feet.

14 NYC

6 Chicago

1 each in Pittsburgh, Boston, Detroit, and Toronto.

That building is atrocious. Pittsburgh has some gorgeous buildings but that is not one of them IMO.

[R5Ryder]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

That building is atrocious. Pittsburgh has some gorgeous buildings but that is not one of them IMO.

Oh I disagree. I like its unique triangle shape, and it's a strong anchor for the other buildings in the point. It's basic profile enhances the designs of the buildings around it, and it just looks "tough" and appropriate for Pittsburgh.

I wouldn't want it in Philadelphia, but not every building is perfect for every city. CTC wouldn't work as well in PGH as it does here.

[1487]

Originally Posted by R5Ryder

Also with modern LEED standards, isn't it common to build with higher floors than before which would obviously cut down on occupiable space?

I dont think LEED has any real impact on building heights. It really all comes down to energy usage and environmental impact of the structure.

[mcgrath618]

Originally Posted by R5Ryder

Oh I disagree. I like its unique triangle shape, and it's a strong anchor for the other buildings in the point. It's basic profile enhances the designs of the buildings around it, and it just looks "tough" and appropriate for Pittsburgh.

I wouldn't want it in Philadelphia, but not every building is perfect for every city. CTC wouldn't work as well in PGH as it does here.

I understand your point. I just can't get past the weird iron facades

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by Gonzo the Great

THE UNITED STATES HAS ANNEXED TORONTO .......

Sorry. US should have read North America. I was taught at a young age that envy is of the devil.

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by R5Ryder

I wonder what the usable sq footage of each is, considering the CTC was designed to be very open and collaborative, while many buildings designed in the 60s-90s are typical cube farms with lots of walls, beams, etc.

US Steel was advanced for its time. Since the building has an exo skeleton most of the 1 acre floor plates are surprisingly open.

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

That building is atrocious. Pittsburgh has some gorgeous buildings but that is not one of them IMO.

That is your opinion of course. It is an architectural masterpiece.

[wpipkins2]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

I understand your point. I just can't get past the weird iron facades

non corrosive corten steel. The steel was developed in Pittsburgh by USX and does not require insulation from the elements. Instead of rusting away the building develops it own protective coating over time.

[Knight Hospitaller]

Well, getting back to the subject at hand: I don't see much action on the lantern, which wouldn't make sense. It would get in the way of lowering in the remaining HVAC units.

[wpipkins2]

Not to get too far off subject but

I have an appreciation for all skyscrapers. I love the PSFS building for its history. PSFS is considered the first modern skyscraper and came along well before the international style that was popular in the 50s and 60s. The building still looks good today.

Three Logan Square does not get the props that it deserves. It is one of my favorite skyscrapers in the US. Classic and sleek.

[allovertown]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

That building is atrocious. Pittsburgh has some gorgeous buildings but that is not one of them IMO.

You're crazy. US Steel tower is incredible. In a country full of bland similar buildings, US Steel stands apart. I wish Philly had something like US Steel.

Though I will say, bringing up occupied floors and square footage certainly does strongly suggest some skyscraper envy.

[Gonzo the Great]

Originally Posted by wpipkins2

Not to get too far off subject but

I have an appreciation for all skyscrapers. I love the PSFS building for its history. PSFS is considered the first modern skyscraper and came along well before the international style that was popular in the 50s and 60s. The building still looks good today.

Three Logan Square does not get the props that it deserves. It is one of my favorite skyscrapers in the US. Classic and sleek.

PSFS Building
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
PSFS Building
(Loews Philadelphia Hotel)


The PSFS Building, now known as the Loews Philadelphia Hotel, is a skyscraper in Center City, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. A National Historic Landmark, the building was the first International style skyscraper constructed in the United States. It was built for the Philadelphia Saving (later Savings) Fund Society in 1932 and was designed by architects William Lescaze and George Howe. The skyscraper's design was a departure from traditional bank and Philadelphia architecture, lacking features such as domes and ornamentation. Combining Lescaze's experience with European modernism, Howe's Beaux-Arts background and the desire of Society President James M. Wilcox for a forward-thinking, tall building the skyscraper incorporated the main characteristics of International style architecture.

Called the United States' first modern skyscraper, and one of the most important skyscrapers built in the country in the first half of the 20th century, the building featured an innovative and effective design of a T-shaped tower that allowed the maximum amount of natural light and rentable space. The tower sat on a base with a polished marble facade. The first floor of the base contained space for retail, while the second floor featured the banking hall, bank offices and associated facilities. The Philadelphia Saving Fund Society's offices and banking hall featured custom-designed furniture, including custom Cartier clocks on every floor. The top of the skyscraper featured the bank's boardroom and other facilities for the board of directors. Office tenants were attracted to the tower by modern facilities such as radio receivers, and the building was also the second high-rise in the U.S. to be equipped with air conditioning. The skyscraper is topped by a red neon sign with the Philadelphia Saving Fund Society's initials (PSFS) on it. Visible for 20 miles (32 km), the sign has become a Philadelphia icon. Next to the sign is a television tower erected in 1948.

In the 1980s, the Philadelphia Savings Fund Society began expanding into other financial services, but lost millions in its new business ventures. In 1992 the bank and its building were seized by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). That same year the skyscraper was 85 percent vacant, with most business attracted to the larger, more modern office space built in the city in the 1980s. The FDIC auctioned the building off, and it was bought by developers to turn into a Loews Hotel. The Pennsylvania Convention Center opened in 1993 a block away from the skyscraper, and the city was promoting the creation of enough hotel space to host a political convention in 2000. Conversion into a hotel began in 1998, and the Loews Philadelphia Hotel opened in April 2000, in time for the 2000 Republican National Convention.



............... FAAAANTASTIC ...........................

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by wpipkins2

Pittsburgh is still home to Pennsylvania's largest skyscraper as far as occupied floors and square footage. The US Steel Tower has 64 occupied floors 2,300,000 square feet of office space. Each floor = 1 Acre and is the largest rooftop of any skyscraper do to the lack of setbacks. By comparison the new Comcast Innovation Tower has 1,399,997 square feet.

Since 1950 there has been 31 skyscrapers constructed in the US that contain 2 million or more square feet.

14 NYC

6 Chicago

1 each in Pittsburgh, Boston, Detroit, and Toronto.

Sure, but modern LEED standards are what account for the taller building despite less floors. I think office floor heights are 13 feet now, to allow for taller windows.... and sometimes taller than 13 feet.

If built today, US Steel tower would certainly be taller, and likely made of glass

Also, Comcast Technology Center is 1.8 Million square feet in total. 1.3 million is just the office space. There is also hotel, retail, etc.

[The Best Forumer]

Originally Posted by wpipkins2

That is your opinion of course. It is an architectural masterpiece.

It is indeed nice... not sure how nice... but nice still.

[Mr Saturn64]

Originally Posted by wpipkins2

Three Logan Square does not get the props that it deserves. It is one of my favorite skyscrapers in the US. Classic and sleek.

This. Three Logan Square is my favorite skyscraper in Philly, and certainly one of my favorites overall.

With CTC, is doesn't have that "Foster" feel that many, if not most, of Norman Foster's buildings do. I know that the bracing on the building's west and east sides are a Foster signature, but it feels more like the ones on the John Hancock Center than it does the Hearst Tower in NYC, two of my favorite skyscrapers. Even still, it's a fantastic building, and I'm hoping the spire holds its end of the bargain.

[JohnIII]

Life is funny. Just as artwork is in the eye of the beholder so are skyscrapers.

US Steel in Pittsburgh is a product of its time; at the time it reflected the value of steel in the industry and business which in those day had an austere look to it; the International Style.

I can't speak for everybody but I remember at time when they built US Steel those of us who liked skyscrapers; we didn't have social media but if you knew someone personally who liked skyscrapers the topic would come up and we were so frustrated back then because Pittsburgh was getting this really tall skyscraper which at the time was seen as being really sharp and nice and we didn't have anything close to being as tall. You see back in the early 1970's the only tall buildings that stood out of City Hall which was French Second Empire; and the PFSF which was and always will be magnificent and maybe 3 others which were about the same height.

Downtowns were different then than they are now; downtown Philly had theaters you would take a date to; a bowling alley, a lot of steak shops; and of course the peep shows if you were into that kind of stuff which I wasn't.

My point is that when we see the US Steel Building judge it by the city its in and what was going on at the time it was built; things were different back then; you don't miss what you never had. Back then we never dreamed of Comcast IT; heck we never dreamed of Liberty One! We wished for it but wow; never dreamed of it. US Steel was rational; it was good at the time.

[JohnIII]

Slightly different note:

Has anyone heard anything new on Comcast III! A few people I know were asking about that this week outside of social media.

[Knight Hospitaller]

Originally Posted by JohnIII

Slightly different note:

Has anyone heard anything new on Comcast III! A few people I know were asking about that this week outside of social media.

It's a while off. Probably on the block to the NW of 19th & Arch, where Liberty is assembling parcels (and has already demolished a low-rise). It will likely be more than one building and a step down in height from its siblings.

[Knight Hospitaller]

I really want to see something built at 18th & JFK, which was in the original Comcast tower renderings.

[Elevator1]

HVAC units going in this morning on the webcam.