PHILADELPHIA | Highrise Development Thread X

[Philly-Drew]

Cool links Jayfar. I love looking at old pics of the city, and old buildings under construction.

[mcgrath618]

Originally Posted by Jayfar

That Ritz-Carlton Hotel is probably one of the most altered buildings ever, going way back. In the early 1910s its footprint was substantially enlarged on both Walnut and Broad St.

Walnut St c. 1913:
https://www.phillyhistory.org/PhotoArchive/Detail.aspx?assetId=5737

Broad St:
https://www.phillyhistory.org/PhotoArchive/Detail.aspx?assetId=5768

Completed aerial view 1914:
https://www.phillyhistory.org/PhotoArchive/Detail.aspx?assetId=5771

Are you kidding me? We lost that gorgeous roof for three horribly done floors? I am at a loss for words. How did anyone think this was ok?

[Jayfar]

Originally Posted by Philly-Drew

Cool links Jayfar. I love looking at old pics of the city, and old buildings under construction.

Check out this one from June 1913, looking north from Locust, shortly before they began additions on both the Broad and Walnut St sides of the Ritz-Carlton. The Horace Trumbauer original had only been completed in 1912, and was a mere slice of its eventual expanded form: https://www.phillyhistory.org/PhotoArchive/Detail.aspx?assetId=6974

The circa 1913-14 additions grew Ritz-Carlton's footprint from 40' to 100' on Walnut and from 120' to 138' along Broad.

And a 1917 shot in all its full-grown glory: https://www.phillyhistory.org/PhotoArchive/Detail.aspx?assetId=4028

As to the original early form, a New York Times article from Jan 11, 1911 stated that it would have a 40 x 120 footprint and be completed by September of that year. They also understated the height as 8-stories. I was going to embed the clipping, but the new design of photobucket seems to be profoundly broken; maybe the link below will work.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/a...al.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds

I imagine if I do a little digging at newspapers.com I can find a lot more from the Philly papers.

EDIT: I see the formal opening of the Ritz-Carlton was Dec 14, 1912, according to the Inquirer of Dec 15.

There was an informal opening for the press on Dec 10, 1912: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33949080/ritzcarlton_press_preview_1912/

Land acquired for addition in May 1913: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33949212/ritzcarlton_expansion_land_purchases/

More on plans for the additions were announced in June 1913: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33949134/ritzcarlton_addition_1913/

Enlarged Ritz-Carlton reopens Nov 21, 1914: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33949282/enlarged_ritzcarlton_reopens/

The Ritz-Carlton closed at midnite, June 30, 1954; to become office building: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33949479/ritzcarlton_set_to_close/
[continued]: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33949503/ritzcarlton_closing_continued/

Contents auctioned in September: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33949398/ritzcarlton_had_closed_july_1_1954/

Advert for auction: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33949433/ritzcarlton_auction_advert/

Contracts issued in Dec 1954 for office conversion; will add two floors on top, plus split ballroom into 2 floors: https://www.newspapers.com/clip/33949560/contracts_issued_for_office_conversion/

And here's what the hacked and re-skinned base looked like in 1956 after Thalheimer & Weitz had their way with it, taking off the Ritz: https://www.phillyhistory.org/PhotoArchive/Detail.aspx?assetId=39739

[jsbrook]

Originally Posted by Jayfar

That Ritz-Carlton Hotel is probably one of the most altered buildings ever, going way back. In the early 1910s its footprint was substantially enlarged on both Walnut and Broad St.

Walnut St c. 1913:
https://www.phillyhistory.org/PhotoArchive/Detail.aspx?assetId=5737

Broad St:
https://www.phillyhistory.org/PhotoArchive/Detail.aspx?assetId=5768

Completed aerial view 1914:
https://www.phillyhistory.org/PhotoArchive/Detail.aspx?assetId=5771

Walnut? The current Ritz Carlton is at Broad & Chestnut. And whoever is talking about the roof, it looks pretty good today too: https://www.google.com/maps/place/100+S+...bb9fba840!8m2!3d39.9502943!4d-75.1645249 Did it switch buildings at some point? The building you are talking about does not seem to be today's Ritz. It looks like the building you have linked is the one owned by U of Arts and where Wawa is currently the ground floor tenant. This most certainly is not the Ritz Carlton Hotel today.

[PurpleWhiteOut]

Originally Posted by Jayfar

Check out this one from June 1913, looking north from Locust, shortly before they began additions on both the Broad and Walnut St sides of the Ritz-Carlton. The Horace Trumbauer original had only been completed in 1912, and was a mere slice of its eventual expanded form: https://www.phillyhistory.org/PhotoArchive/Detail.aspx?assetId=6974

The circa 1913-14 additions grew Ritz-Carlton's footprint from 40' to 100' on Walnut and from 120' to 138' along Broad.

And a 1917 shot in all its full-grown glory: https://www.phillyhistory.org/PhotoArchive/Detail.aspx?assetId=4028

As to the original early form, a New York Times article from Jan 11, 1911 stated that it would have a 40 x 120 footprint and be completed by September of that year. They also understated the height as 8-stories. I was going to embed the clipping, but the new design of photobucket seems to be profoundly broken; maybe the link below will work.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/a...al.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds

I imagine if I do a little digging at newspapers.com I can find a lot more from the Philly papers.

EDIT: I see the formal opening of the Ritz-Carlton was Dec 14, 1912, according to the Inquirer of Dec 15.

That's so cool. I'll never be able to unsee how the broad st addition windows are unevenly spaced compared to the original though.

[Jayfar]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

Since I've never seen anyone talk about it on here, can we talk about the terrible quality overbuild?
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9497332,-75.1647005,122a,35y,135.17h,44.89t/data=!3m1!1e3

This is abysmal, but I've never actually noticed from ground level. When was it added?

Originally Posted by jsbrook

Walnut? The current Ritz Carlton is at Broad & Chestnut. And whoever is talking about the roof, it looks pretty good today too: https://www.google.com/maps/place/100+S+...bb9fba840!8m2!3d39.9502943!4d-75.1645249 Did it switch buildings at some point? The building you are talking about does not seem to be today's Ritz. It looks like the building you have linked is the one owned by U of Arts and where Wawa is currently the ground floor tenant. This most certainly is not the Ritz Carlton Hotel today.

Yes, but mcgrath618 was talking about the very first Ritz-Carlton in Philly (1912-54), per the google map he linked.

After an absence of about 36 years, the Ritz-Carlton the Ritz-Carlton brand made its triumphant return in 1990 as part of Two Liberty Place. In 1999 they decided not to renew their lease there and announced a move to Broad & Chestnut, where they opened in 2000.

Here's a more colorful history of the Broad & Walnut Ritz-Carlton by GroJlart:

http://philaphilia.blogspot.com/2011/08/old-ass-building-of-week-august-15th.html

[wanderer34]

Originally Posted by Larry King

So of the region's fortune 500 companies, we have 3 of them and one is leaving soon. The suburbs are really crushing us, still.

Which one is leaving Philadelphia?

[PHL10]

Originally Posted by wanderer34

Which one is leaving Philadelphia?

I assume they mean Crown Cork & Seal.

[Milksteak]

Originally Posted by PHL10

I assume they mean Crown Cork & Seal.

They've already bounced and are located here:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Crown+...ea543f282!8m2!3d40.2226163!4d-74.8833322

I believe the talk is that they're turning the old HQ in the Northeast into a charter school.

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by Milksteak

They've already bounced and are located here:

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Crown+...ea543f282!8m2!3d40.2226163!4d-74.8833322

I believe the talk is that they're turning the old HQ in the Northeast into a charter school.

I know beggars can't be choosers but their blue collar business isn't really super conducive to the benefits that the city has to offer - it frankly makes more sense to be located where they are now. They were already located in the far NE, kinda out of sight out of mind, frankly.

[Milksteak]

Originally Posted by Londonee

I know beggars can't be choosers but their blue collar business isn't really super conducive to the benefits that the city has to offer - it frankly makes more sense to be located where they are now. They were already located in the far NE, kinda out of sight out of mind, frankly.

Yeah their old HQ building was essentially a suburban style office building in the middle of the field, I'm guessing a majority of their employees lived in the burbs already....so switching out and paying the lower tax makes sense for them. They aren't a swanky downtown skyscraper kind of company.

[iheartphilly]

R.I.P.

Cira Center was his design.

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia...li-architect-who-elevated-glass-and.html

[Jayfar]

Originally Posted by iheartphilly

R.I.P.

Cira Center was his design.

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia...li-architect-who-elevated-glass-and.html

…and FMC Tower as well. And the latest CHOP buildings.

Buerger Center for Advanced Pediatric Care / Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects | ArchDaily.com

[iheartphilly]

Originally Posted by Jayfar

…and FMC Tower as well. And the latest CHOP buildings.

Buerger Center for Advanced Pediatric Care / Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects | ArchDaily.com

Indeed. He made an impact on our skyline. And, quite the world too.

[Jayfar]

Originally Posted by Jayfar

I was going to embed the clipping, but the new design of photobucket seems to be profoundly broken; maybe the link below will work.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/a...al.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds

Oh! Photobucket doth say unto me:

ATTENTION!
Your account is over the free limit.

The photos you are sharing on Facebook, forums, blogs and other websites are nearing the maximum allowed bandwidth that your account level allows. Free accounts are limited to 25MB of bandwidth per month.

To continue sharing your photos without interruption, you must purchase one of our unlimited hosting plans, starting at $6.29 per month.

So what's the best free alternative to Photobucket these days?

[Boku]

Originally Posted by Jayfar

So what's the best free alternative to Photobucket these days?

Imgur

[iheartphilly]

Originally Posted by Jayfar

Oh! Photobucket doth say unto me:

ATTENTION!
Your account is over the free limit.

The photos you are sharing on Facebook, forums, blogs and other websites are nearing the maximum allowed bandwidth that your account level allows. Free accounts are limited to 25MB of bandwidth per month.

To continue sharing your photos without interruption, you must purchase one of our unlimited hosting plans, starting at $6.29 per month.

So what's the best free alternative to Photobucket these days?

I like and use Flickr.

[jsbrook]

Originally Posted by Jayfar

Oh! Photobucket doth say unto me:

ATTENTION!
Your account is over the free limit.

The photos you are sharing on Facebook, forums, blogs and other websites are nearing the maximum allowed bandwidth that your account level allows. Free accounts are limited to 25MB of bandwidth per month.

To continue sharing your photos without interruption, you must purchase one of our unlimited hosting plans, starting at $6.29 per month.

So what's the best free alternative to Photobucket these days?

Image Shack is good.

https://imageshack.com/

Not actually sure it is free. I vaguely remember paying something when signing up. But it wasn't expensive, and it is a one-time fee. There is no monthly.

[cardeza]

good news

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia...phila-milestone-commongrounds-lease.html

[summersm343]

CDR submissions are up for August.