Buildings and architecture of Philadelphia
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The buildings and architecture of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania combine historic and modern styles that reflect the changing city.
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[edit] Urban fabric
Most residential buildings in the city are two or three story rowhouses. Along with Boston, Massachusetts and Baltimore, Maryland, Philadelphia is noted for streets lined with this type of attached, single-family brick structure. In outer neighborhoods, rowhouses commonly have front porches, while in neighborhoods closer to Center City, they are more likely to meet the sidewalk with nothing more than a "stoop."
Another style common in Northeast Philadelphia is known as the airlite home. It is a later modification of the rowhouse where the rooms are configured differently so as to provide more light to the interior.
In the Far West, Northwest and Northeast sections of the city, twin homes (duplexes), detached homes, and even houses with garages are common.
Other than the few remaining public housing project towers scattered around the city, almost all of the city's high-rises are located in Center City.
[edit] Skyline
The former headquarters of the Philadelphia Savings Fund Society (PSFS), at the corner of 12th and Market Streets, erected in 1932, is widely considered the nation's first International Modernist skyscraper. The building was designed by Swiss-American architect William Lescaze and his partner George Howe. The building is a National Historic Landmark. In 1997, the building was purchased by the Loews Corporation, and in April 2000 it reopened as the Loews Philadelphia Hotel. The signature PSFS sign, however, is considered an integral part of the historic architectural design and remains atop the building.[citation needed]
Until 1987, a statue of William Penn, atop Philadelphia City Hall crowned the skyline due to an unwritten rule prescribing that no building could be taller than the hat atop this statue. City Hall was surpassed in that year by One Liberty Place, which has since been the tallest building in Philadelphia. The Curse of Billy Penn, by which no major league Philadelphia sports team has won a national championship since 1983, is said to be a result of the breaking of this agreement. The Manhattanization of the city that followed in the early 90s produced many of the taller buildings that define today's skyline, as Philadelphia had long lived history as a low-rise city of density without height.
Currently, thirteen skyrises, residential and commercial, are under construction, six have begun prep work, and seventeen are still in planning. Also nine skyrises are currently under renovation, and seven more are still in planning. Many of these projects will include multiple skyrises, adding to the number of actual buildings. Another seven cultural and commercial projects have begun, which consist of a slot facility, turning the Philadelphia Naval Yard into a suburban style business park with urban amenities, new parks, educational towers, state of the art schools, and others. Another ten are in planning.[citation needed]
[edit] Demolition and Vacancy
Notable historic structures demolished in recent years include the Philadelphia Civic Center and Philadelphia Naval Hospital (both commonly regarded as masterpieces of 1930s Art Deco architecture), JFK Stadium, a historic 1920s era athletic venue, and the Philadelphia Commercial Museum, an 1890s neoclassical exhibit hall. Other important buildings have undergone significant renovation. Several buildings by prominent nineteenth century architect Frank Furness, including the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and the Fine Arts library at the University of Pennsylvania, were restored. A complete exterior cleaning of City Hall is nearing completion, and renovations, expansion and repairs are planned at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The city's famous early nineteenth-century Waterworks was also recently renovated.
Urban abandonment in the central city and extensive sprawl in the suburbs has been a serious problem since the 1970s. By the 1990s there were an estimated 40,000 vacant properties in the city [1]. Since then organizations and city agencies have been working to reverse this trend. Recently the city and several non-profit organizations put together an international competition, called LandVISIONS seeking solutions to the vacancy problem.
[edit] Skyscrapers
[edit] Tallest completed buildings (approx 150m/492ft or greater)
| Height | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Name | (ft) | (m) | Floors | Year |
| 1 | One Liberty Place | 945 | 288 | 61 | 1987 |
| 2 | Two Liberty Place | 848 | 258 | 58 | 1990 |
| 3 | Mellon Bank Center | 792 | 241 | 54 | 1990 |
| 4 | Bell Atlantic Tower (Verizon Tower) | 739 | 225 | 55 | 1991 |
| 5 | Blue Cross Tower (G. Fred DiBona Jr. Building) | 625 | 191 | 45 | 1990 |
| 6 | One Commerce Square | 565 | 172 | 41 | 1987 |
| 7 | Two Commerce Square | 565 | 172 | 41 | 1992 |
| 8 | Philadelphia City Hall | 548 | 167 | 9 | 1901 |
| 9 | 1818 Market Street | 500 | 152 | 40 | 1974 |
| 10 | The St. James | 498 | 152 | 45 | 2004 |
| 11 | Loews Philadelphia Hotel (old PSFS Building) | 492 | 150 | 36 | 1932 |
| 12 | PNC Bank Building | 491 | 150 | 40 | 1983 |
| 13 | Centre Square II | 490 | 149 | 40 | 1973 |
| 14 | Five Penn Center | 490 | 149 | 36 | 1970 |
[edit] Under construction
(includes some notable projects under the 150m/492ft threshold)
- Comcast Center (Pennsylvania Plaza) - 57-story, 975-ft tower will overtake One Liberty Place as the tallest in Pennsylvania when completed in 2007. Includes an overhaul of Suburban Station, a major regional rail hub and underground complex that serves Center City.
- Residences at the Ritz-Carlton - 48-story, 518-ft residential tower just south of City Hall and north of proposed "1441 Chestnut St" residential tower.
- The Murano - 42-story, 475-ft residential tower due for completion in early 2008.
- Waterfront Square - 5 residential buildings, ranging from 249 ft to 410 ft, within an upscale gated community along the Delaware River in the Northern Liberties section.
- Symphony House - 31-story, 350-ft residential tower on Broad Street in the Avenue of the Arts district. The project includes a theater.
[edit] In planning
(includes some notable projects under the 150m/492ft threshold)
- Bridgman's View Tower - 66-story, 915-ft residential/hotel tower announced March 27, 2006; would rise at Delaware Ave & Poplar St and would be the tallest residential or mixed-use tower in Philadelphia. Groundbreaking is scheduled for Autumn 2007.[2] (note that the 950' height quoted in the source article is likely incorrect; development plans show a proposed height of 915')
- 1441 Chestnut Street - This 58-story, 670-ft residential tower may include a hotel component. Groundbreaking originally planned by early 2007, this project is now in jeopardy because the developer has put the parcel up for sale.
- Mandeville Place - 43-story, 608-ft residential tower at former Rosenbluth International site.
- Trump Tower Philadelphia - 45-story, 528-ft residential tower on Penn Street near the Delaware waterfront. Donald Trump announced plans on January 23, 2006, with completion due in mid-2008.[3]
- Barnes Tower - A 47-story, 501-ft residential tower would replace the Best Western Motel at 22nd & Spring Garden Streets, possibly later accompanied by an approximately 18-story residential tower of less than 200 ft (the 2nd tower would stand within the height-limited proximity of the Ben Franklin Parkway).
- 1919 Market St - 37-story, 460-ft residential tower.
- 10 Rittenhouse Square - 33-story, 390-ft residential tower on Rittenhouse Square.
- Marina View Towers - ON HOLD - The first of 3 planned towers would rise 30 stories and 345 ft just north of the Ben Franklin Bridge in the Old City neighborhood.
[edit] Other buildings
- The Ben Franklin House (The Ben) an apartment complex in the city center.
