[PhillyGuy]

I just saw that phillyskyline.com and the Comcast Hardhat tour was just featured on 6 ABC News at 11 on the 'What's on the Net' segment. :cheers:

[k2wilde]

Sasso, Congratulations! I just saw your photos of CC on 6ABC 11:16pm. Also, your website was mentioned. Great promo, hope it sells more of your work.

Did you know about this, or do they just put it on themselves without your knowledge?

Cheers, Rob

Edit- I see I was too late for being the original poster

[Eigenwelt]

Nice. Way to go Brad. With publicity like that, maybe the billboard fund for 2007 can last longer than it did in 2006. :P

[giovanni sasso]

thanks guys. i can say with 100% honesty that i had no idea that was going to happen. my girlfriend and i were winding down with a glass of shiraz when before the commercial break, jim gardner said something about "exclusive views from the top of the new tallest building in the city." i was almost irritated for a second, but when they came back and he introduced erin o'hearn (it wasn't even one of the ugly reporters!), they gave me a credit, showed my site address and a handful of pictures. we were laughing so hard i thought i was gonna spit take my wine.

speaking of high places and comcast center, here's a blast from the past - the view from the pyramid club in october 2003. note the little old version of the mockup in the lower right.

http://phillyskyline.com/misc/wallpaper_comcast_oct03.jpg

[tower]

great work all over this thread...

man i really need to get myself downtown. school and work has me tied in scenic bucks county, pa. RISE, LORD COMCAST...RISE

that was probably a star wars reference

probably

[Daquan13]

thanks guys. i can say with 100% honesty that i had no idea that was going to happen. my girlfriend and i were winding down with a glass of shiraz when before the commercial break, jim gardner said something about "exclusive views from the top of the new tallest building in the city." i was almost irritated for a second, but when they came back and he introduced erin o'hearn (it wasn't even one of the ugly reporters!), they gave me a credit, showed my site address and a handful of pictures. we were laughing so hard i thought i was gonna spit take my wine.

speaking of high places and comcast center, here's a blast from the past - the view from the pyramid club in october 2003. note the little old version of the mockup in the lower right.

http://phillyskyline.com/misc/wallpaper_comcast_oct03.jpg



I wonder what, if anything, will be built on that vacant land next to the where those cars are parked.:shrug:

[BUILDER5000]

The glass is pretty visable coming into the city from 95 north, Very impressive!:banana:

[IngisKahn]

And they're topping off the keyhole now. Only 2 more floors to go :)

[Pinoy2.0]

They were welding when I got back at 2:23 a.m.

[DUBAI2015]

Can anyone get pictures?

[volguus zildrohar]

I caught the welding leaving the bar last night too, Pinoy, on the very top levels.

This week's PBJ features the building which contains some info:

-The building should be topped off by May and Comcast is set to move in around September.

-Design work is "underway" for what is, for now, Two Pennsylvania Plaza and hopes are high there's enough interest in the project for it to move ahead.

-For all you skylarks, the roof is officially 1,001 feet...above sea level. I've updated the front page for this.

-6ABC owes somebody a beer or an hour on Chopper 6.

-A 'surveillance camera' has been set up along the exterior at ground level along 17th Street right near Ranstead. I say 'surveillance camera' because I'm not entirely sure it isn't a prop.

-Daquan, if you're referring to the parking lot just west of the site - nobody knows though residents of the two nearby apartment buildings have vowed to fight anything being built there (as long as they want to kill PRC).

[Lecom]

Congrats on the TV plug, big man. Keep up the great work.

[DocAwesome]

Yes, I also saw welding from the wee hours of the morning to the late hours at night. Almost at all times, really, except for right now. So in the below photo, if you add sparks with your imagination, you have what it would be like!

http://i129.photobucket.com/albums/p219/KennethSchwartz/IMG_9887-1.jpg


ps congrats, yo.

[Pinoy2.0]

VZ, glad to know someone else likes to stare at under construction skyscrapers when drunk. :)

[giamomj]

So we do really, actually, finally have a 1000-footer, now? Really? Is this official? Should we all jump for joy? I will!!! :) When I look EAST toward Liberty 1 and Comcast (still no where near topped off) - I can see it will easily overpower Lib 1 in vertical mass. Lib 1's lights are a mess again - while Lib 2's are perfect and change color every few minutes. They need to re-light the minispire on the top of Lib2 to finish it off though. I HOPE I can talk ARAMARK owners into restoring their beautiful '80s vertical turquoise neon (now with LEDs?? More cost effective over time/much more durable?) to that building - it did wonders for that part of Market street in the 80's and 90's before they turned them off for good. We should all really start a campaign with the owners, who use to be Heitman Properties - but I no longer know for sure. That strip of Market desperately NEEDS that horrible 8th and Market parking lot to become some sort of high-rise - along with 13th and Market across from the the old Wanamaker's Dept. store. Now THAT would go a long way in pulling our city together what with all of the current construction/high-rises already underway. And yes - we NEED still more light rail/underground subway or trolley transport. What the F**k is going on in Harrisburg that some 'transit visionary' just won't appropriate the funding, salvage SEPTA for "good" and improve the whole area's light rail possibilities? I guess it all comes doen to short-sighted planning and where they want to shell-out the bucks for the "good" of the masses in Philly. Philly needs to be A LOT more like Europe. IF BMV get's built, I know personally that PennPraxis plan has in its vision a new trolley line to run/interface up and down Delaware Ave. and link to the Market/Frankford subway and PATCO stops. At least that will likely happen if all goes as planned. Hope SEPTA is left out and the light rail on Delware Avenue is somehow privately run, or PATCO runs it. Such a more together public transit organization - especially when it comes to rail/subway travel. PATCO really needs to extend south in NJ- to Woodbury or even further in o Swedesboro, Wollwich Townshiop and hey maybe eve (gulp) Salem County. Tall order - but it COULD be done. The would area is boomig withh new houses (and just too many KIDS - dmen breeders!).

This Comcast building will be SO HOT when complete - can't wait for the "steel cage" at top to be finished and glassed-out. They "re-built" this city with that building. And to think: Murano, RATR, and Symphony House are really coming (!) -and 1706 likely to break ground soon. The big mess is 10 Rittenhouse. What happened?? Anybody know for sure....?

Also - Cira 2 rumors continue to circulate in West Philly/and with big-time Drexel folks that it a 'coming' thing, along with Drexel's planned multiple high-tech new buildings/rehabs and their planned 35-story convention Center on Market next to the low-rise (old Philadlephia Bulletin Building) 3201 Market.

Now, if only Mandeville really gets going.....hey Chuck - any news?!

Gia

:notacrook:

[Late1]

So we do really, actually, finally have a 1000-footer, now? Really? Is this official?...
Officially 1000+ feet above sea level, yes, but that doesn't make Comcast Center a 1000-footer. Otherwise, Denver's Republic Plaza would be a 5900-footer, and even West Chester would have a 500-footer (which of course is a silly notion).

[Cro Burnham]

Officially 1000+ feet above sea level, yes, but that doesn't make Comcast Center a 1000-footer. Otherwise, Denver's Republic Plaza would be a 5900-footer, and even West Chester would have a 500-footer (which of course is a silly notion).

Hey - quit being so negative, man - let us forumers live in La-la land if we want to.

Sike.

Gia, 10 Rittenhouse it work is in overdrive.

Is there any info about 35-story concept?

[wanderer34]

:previous: Yes, I wish that it was 1000+ feet, but other than that, I wish the PATCO system would just go to Masple Shade, Cherry Hill, Woodbury and Deptford, rather than the sole line to Lindenwold. That was what the original plans for the line was supposed to be, and I still don't understand why the line one the Phila side had to end at 15th St, but not at Rittenhouse Sq, where there's a lot of vitality and a landmark. Only in Philly would the subway suck and the commuter lines don't even take you anywhere. :(

[LostInTheZone]

^do you know anything about the history of the subway system?

oh and guess what: the answer was "bust". You can change your signature now.

[PRLJAMBLK]

Wow so if I went and stand where CC I would be 32ft tall, NOT!

[volguus zildrohar]

A) Cut the crap.

The people I'm talking to know exactly who they are.

B) To Doc Awesome and others who've managed shots of all the welding at night: Should we be thinking that this is indeed "intense welding" as compared to what has been going on before or are we just being treated to a light show because it's going on at night now? During the day I'm sure we've all seen the welders at work but now that all of that is happening up high with impending deadlines maybe we're just seeing business as usual - at unusual business hours.

[DocAwesome]

Alright, fair. At the risk of sounding defensive, I must say though that I had never posted a "night-time spark and welding" photo into this thread.
I had taken a close-up of comcast progress at night when no welding was going on, however, and for that I'll happily apologize. I'll refrain from posting photos from here on out.
If you are referring to the other Philly thread, it was just another nighttime shot - I didn't mean to imply somehow that there was some amazing fireworks going on.

To swerve on-topic here, has anyone seen the two windows on the front of the CC that have appeared to have been "broken"? I'm still on the fence on if these are really shattered or it is some partially removed plastic coating, maybe out of wishful thinking.

[TheMeltyMan]

Can I intrude and say that the implication of nighttime welding being a fireworks show is hardly worth debating and is just as trivial as a debate over whether sea level should have an affect on building height.

[LordElPaso]

i would also like to add that people should be allowed to discuss anything regarding this project, no matter how trivial (or comical) it may seem to some...conversation shouldn't be as rigid as the construction process

[Cro Burnham]

As an aside, you'll note in the photos above the two east-west facade "bays", protrusions, whatever you want to call them, have topped out, in case you didn't already notice.

They also have cantilevered out a massive beam over the top of the "keyhole" cutout on the south facade.

Somebody needs to upload a photo of the HIDEOUS giant stainless steel bell sculptures at Domus at 34th & Chestnut. Oh my god, these things are outrageous. Is this another lame example of 1% for art, anyone know?

[volguus zildrohar]

Alright, fair. At the risk of sounding defensive, I must say though that I had never posted a "night-time spark and welding" photo into this thread.
I had taken a close-up of comcast progress at night when no welding was going on, however, and for that I'll happily apologize. I'll refrain from posting photos from here on out.
If you are referring to the other Philly thread, it was just another nighttime shot - I didn't mean to imply somehow that there was some amazing fireworks going on.


That question was just that: a question. I made an observation and was wondering if other people were thinking the same thing. If it sounded snippy or anything that wasn't my intention at all. Maybe I should eat less beef - apparently I've been coming off all wrong a lot lately.

To swerve on-topic here, has anyone seen the two windows on the front of the CC that have appeared to have been "broken"? I'm still on the fence on if these are really shattered or it is some partially removed plastic coating, maybe out of wishful thinking

I've seen that. Along with straight up cracked panes one can spot on other parts of the facade I guess they're broken. I blame the porn mags and the Gatorade.

-Melty and LEP, from chipped concrete to wavy glass to why the building is on that side of the block, we've discussed all matter of Comcast Center minutae in this thread (there will be a quiz when it tops out) and it's always been perfectly fine as long as it pertained to the project (although, yes, some issues don't warrant two pages of discussion). There's only one post on this particular page that bothered me and I don't believe it's even necessary to point it out or why it was a problem.

[TheMeltyMan]

I wasn't completely following the thread so I guess its like me walking into my parents room to see my father beating my mother but I found out later that she didn't do the dishes so it was completely justified.

[buildup]

It is odd that they are welding so late into Saturday morning. It reminds me of when they built the Citicorp building in New York and after it was complete someone realized they forgot to include a wind load in the design. They worked around the clock welding to correct the error. I hope they are just working late here.

[RadHaz75]

ya, i was on the nj transit train sat night coming back into philly from ac and as we passed through north philly you could see intense blue light coming from the top. maybe they were welding something for the elevators.

[skyscraper]

It reminds me of when they built the Citicorp building in New York and after it was complete someone realized they forgot to include a wind load in the design. They worked around the clock welding to correct the error.

the guy who realized that was a structural engineering student who asked what seemed to be a simple question of the engineer in charge of the project about the connections in the steel. after thinking about the question, the engineer said "hey, we've got a problem here!" and ordered the repairs to be done.
they worked feverishly because a hurricane was heading to nyc. it wound up taking a turn out to sea but it could have been disastrous.

[bucks native]

Tallest building on track

Comcast Center is a huge undertaking
Philadelphia Business Journal - March 23, 2007
by Natalie Kostelni
Staff Writer

Comcast Center, the new $495 million headquarters under construction in Center City, is on schedule to become Philadelphia's tallest skyscraper in May.

Liberty Property Trust, which is developing the 57-story, 1.25 million-square-foot tower for Comcast Corp., is racing toward completing the erection of the steel frame and topping off the building within the next two months. This means the building is reaching its peak in terms of the number of construction workers milling about, which is roughly 1,000, and its height, which is 975 feet.

"It's going really well," said John Gattuso, senior vice president at Liberty of Malvern.

It's a 24-hour operation and a study in logistics. Construction materials are typically hauled in at night and prepped for construction personnel arriving the next morning who at many points are doing gravity defying work on the tower.

Though expert and casual observers have doubted whether construction of the building was on schedule, Gattuso assures it is.

"There are hundreds of components to this building," Gattuso said. "Some are ahead of schedule, some are on schedule, and some are slightly behind schedule. The average person sees there is a lot to do."

The installation of a glass exterior is ahead of schedule and the first 24 floors are already outfitted with it. The concrete core, where elevator shafts and other wiring are put in, is on schedule, but the steel framing is slightly behind schedule. The sum translates into a building that is basically on target, he said.

Part of what makes it difficult to gauge progress is what is going on behind the scenes. While steel is being installed at the top of the tower and glass at the bottom, workers are toiling away in the interior, putting up dry wall on the first 15 to 20 floors, painting it and readying it for the first tenants to move in.

A relatively mild winter and other decent weather conditions have also aided construction. While rain and snow have been limited, windy days have put a hold on transporting 12-foot steel beams nearly 1,000 feet into the air by means of giant cranes for fear a beam could get caught up in a gust and go out of control, striking a nearby building or harming construction workers. Though those days have been limited, it has meant focusing on other parts of the building until winds die down.

Comcast, which has leased a little more than 1 million square feet of the building, is scheduled to begin moving in in September. Comcast's commitment to the tower became a "pleasant surprise" for Gattuso, though it meant more work for the builder. Liberty was expecting the cable company to fill just 535,000 square feet of the new tower.

"It's an additional amount of work where you have to do the planning and logistics for that," Gattuso said. "That added to the complexity of it."

Comcast is expected to move into the bottom floors of the tower while work continues in the upper tier. Its lease at Centre Square is scheduled to expire next March when its move to its new headquarters should be completed.

In all, 11 office and retail tenants have signed on for the space, making the building 91 percent leased up. That figure is expected to rise to 96 percent in the next few months, making the building basically full by the time it opens with rents in the $40 a square foot range. Design work is under way on a companion, 16-story, 250,000-square-foot building. While no time has been set for commencing construction on the baby tower, companies have shown an interest in it, Gattuso said.

Other intricacies to the construction include installing state-of-the-art light, safety and communication systems and making the building meet the highest sustainable, environmentally friendly standards inside and out.

"Making sure all of those components come together in a way that is on time, on budget in a state-of-the-art building ... it's an amazing job to stay on top of that level of detail," Gattuso said.

Aside from the office portion of the building, an 18,000-square-foot Georges Perrier restaurant will be housed in the complex along with 20,000 square feet of additional retail space. Of the retail space, roughly two-thirds is pre-leased, but Gattuso won't disclose who those tenants are for now.

Construction will continue on the building through the first quarter of next year with an official ribbon cutting expected in the spring. Before then, however, a topping off ceremony is anticipated for this May. That's when the final steel beam is put into place and signifies the building has reached its maximum height, making it 30 feet taller than One Liberty Place, which is currently the tallest tower in the city. Typically, an evergreen tree and American flag is placed on the beam, which is also signed by workers and dignitaries.

One facet of the construction of Comcast Center that isn't often talked about for superstitious reasons is this: The job has been a safe one.

"We've been fortunate that it has been free of any serious incidents," Gattuso said. He's hopeful it will continue to be so.

Up and up

Comcast Center going up in Center City
No. of Stories: 57
Height: 975 feet above street level; 1,001 feet above sea level
Workers: Currently 565 but will grow to 1,000
Concrete: 45,000 cubic yards
Steel: 13,000 tons
Granite: 15,000 square feet
Glass: 698,000 square feet
Typical floor size: 23,000 square feet
No. of elevators: 35
Source: Liberty Property Trust


nkostelni@bizjournals.com | 215-238-5139

[giovanni sasso]

i love natalie kostelni. pretty much everything she writes is on point, and with very little fluff.

love those night shots, doc awesome. that first one was really great.

some shots from the weekend from some new places ... i tried like hell to get the exposures right but the sky was really weird and the sun & clouds weren't showing the skyline any love in my travels.

mount moriah cemetery, southwest philly:
http://phillyskyline.com/bldgs/comcast/comcast_uc1169.jpg
this one, for example, was a 1/1600 and it still didn't show any sky detail. feh.

monsignor bonner HS, upper darby:
http://phillyskyline.com/bldgs/comcast/comcast_uc1171.jpg

the spring gardens:
http://phillyskyline.com/bldgs/comcast/comcast_uc1176.jpg

and one familiar view ...
http://phillyskyline.com/bldgs/comcast/comcast_uc1177.jpg


PS: thanks to everyone who sent congrats for the channel 6 action news thing in this thread and in philly VI.

[GarCastle]

Definitely relating to CC in this flaky weather, An excerpt from a UPHS newsletter referring to the CAM building:

"For example, concrete needs above-freezing temperatures when it's mixed (in plunging temps, they make it with hot water and additives), poured, and setting. And, the receiving surface requires these 'higher' temps as well. That's where the white tarps you've seen on CAM come in. We put the tarps around the floor below where the concrete will be poured. Then we heat the enclosed area with propane heaters so the surface above, which has metal decking, warms up...

...The workers also tent areas that will be sprayed with fireproofing because this solution is water-based as well. Masonry is affected as well. Mortar needs above-freezing temperatures."

[Eigenwelt]

I agree, I liked Doc and Gbay's photos of the late night welding. I also don't mind the discussion about why they are doing it. My assumption is what the article above alluded to; that someone is getting the site ready for the day shift workers. I noticed some welding the night I took the pics on page one of this thread, so it is not something new. I'm guessing they are adding the saftey rails to the newly built floors which is something they're supposed to do before anyone is allowed on that level.

Meltyman: Great metaphor. Discussing something which bores you, for example night welding, is exactly like domestic abuse. I am sure everyone who has had the unfortunate luck of experiencing it really appreciates the trivialization of the subject. :tup:

Gio: Monsignor bonner hs es muy bien! Love that angle.

Channel 6 and the PlanPhilly feature... you're on a roll boy-o. :cheers:

*edit* I meant day shift workers, not day shit workers. Really. I swear!

[BonnerHighGuy]

I smell B-O-N-N-E-R!:tup:

[McBane]

Great news about PA Plaza II but frankly I'm dissapointed in the height. No, its not because its not going to be supertall, but at 16 floors/250 ft, it's just SO ordinary and completely blends in with the surrounding towers. And not blend in in a good way, but come on, being the same exact height as Suburban Station, the building to the immediate west and whatever building is to the immediate east of the CC, it just looks bad.

I understand that whole thing about what's going on underground, but still, it's dissapointing. The only way to redeem itself is by a nice, pedestrian engaging ground floor (which I think will happen since the building won't hide behind a plaza) and a visually striking design (which I don't think will happen; we've seen the design - whatever they are working on now, is probably just tweaking).

Hey, I guess I can be like some other people, always shortchanging Philly, never thinking our city can do better: "It's better then an empty lot."

Thanks for the article (bastards at Philly Biz News aren't free anymore) and the great pics.

[buildup]

I agree McBane. It's bad enough that the height is going to be the same as every other building on that side of JFK Blvd., but making it resemble PA Station is even worse. I don't care how old or historic PA Station is and we certainly don't need another one. I'd rather it be a "mini-me" version of CC #1.

[MJPhilly]

With this awesome weather, I'll be surprised if I was the only one out at the Comcast Center tonight.

When this glass is done it's going to blow people away.

Here's my set from tonight (21 photos):

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-04.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-06.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-07.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-05.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-08.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-23.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-10.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-09.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-12.jpg

One of the corners panels is lit (8th story, NE corner).
http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-22.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-13.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-21.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-14.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-24.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-15.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-16.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-17.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-19.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-20.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-11.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-18.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/sig.jpg (http://www.skyscrapersunset.com)

[rdm]

very nice MJ. lovin' that winter garden at night.

[Pinoy2.0]

http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/6634/dsc03372gz1.jpg

[philliesphinest]

Awesome photos!!!! Can't wait to see this building displayed on Monday Night Football all lit up in Eagles Green!! Hopefully by then the lights on Lib 1 will be working as well.

[PRLJAMBLK]

MJ...by far the most impressive of CC photos yet. Just awesome.

[MayDay]

Does anyone have a ballpark idea of when CC will be 949 feet? There are a few people who need to be told they can drop the "tallest between NYC and Chicago" crap. :D

[Eigenwelt]

Great collection MJ! I really like the looks of that spandrel lighting. It shows just how much of a second rate job was done on Cira compared to what is possible.

[donybrx]

never mind.

Scusi, froggy......

[ZZ-II]

wow, awesome update!

[BINARY SYSTEM]

Nice facade, it's on par with the Trump in Chi-Town!...Philly really needed this new scraper!

[Goody]

Its really getting up there, shes going to look awesome once all her glass is put on

[volguus zildrohar]

Well done Mr. Johnson, well done.

[tower]

excellent page. i was at that highschool in upper darby yesterday but it was too dark to take a decent photo :(

i should be back in that area shortly though

[tower]

3/28/07

Kensington:
http://upload.pbase.com/image/76321480/original.jpg

Torresdale:
http://upload.pbase.com/two1five/image/76321482/original.jpg

[Lecom]

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-20.jpg
sick

[tower]

i just now noticed the reflections. that is killer to see reflections on comcast when it's dark outside.

[Pinoy2.0]

That last shot that was quoted reminds me of predator. You can see it, but it's like it's not really there.

[MJPhilly]

Thanks for the compliments on last night's set, everyone. Here's another (slightly blurry) set from my balcony this morning and tonight:

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-27.jpg

I can definitely see the sun reflecting off of a few floors of glass above the Cigna Annex now.
http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-25.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-26.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-28.jpg

[Muji]

Wow, beautiful shots guys. I probably won't be taking the train into the city for a bit but I can't wait to get up close to CC again.

[Complex01]

Nice pics. I walked right by the building yesterday. Its coming along very nicely. A very nice project...


:yes:

[MJPhilly]

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-29.jpg

[IngisKahn]

Woot, from the webcam we can see they put up the first vertical piece of steel for the final 2 floors (on the south side). And in a few days we won't be able to see the core any longer.

[TheOldMan]

beautiful Shot MJ, nice work. it looks like comast should be on pace to top out by late spring/early summer. things are lookin good....

[Daquan13]

With this awesome weather, I'll be surprised if I was the only one out at the Comcast Center tonight.

When this glass is done it's going to blow people away.

Here's my set from tonight (21 photos):


http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-10.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-09.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-12.jpg

One of the corners panels is lit (8th story, NE corner).
http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-22.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-13.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-21.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-14.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-24.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-15.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-16.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-17.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-19.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-20.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-11.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/projects/construction/comcast/images/0703-18.jpg

http://www.skyscrapersunset.com/sig.jpg (http://www.skyscrapersunset.com)



These up-close pics make the tower look as though it is about 100 stories tall!! Great pics, BTW!!!

[phillyskyline]

I can't wait for this sucker to top out, the suspense is killing me to see its final impact on the skyline.

[carfreak01]

Wow, those lit up corner panels are going to look amazing. SO much better than Cira Center's dissapointment.

A little off-topic but, do we really have to quote entire posts full of 11 photos to say one thing? It's more than a little irritating.

[KevinFromTexas]

This whole thread !!!

Philly's lucky to have such a group of folks showing it off.

Thanks.

[Daquan13]

Sorry, but I was getting mixed up on which ones to delete in order to get the ones that I wanted to repost of the tower up close.

I just deleted some of them.

[GarCastle]

Some shots from Friday afternoon from the Penn garage. So far I'm liking the 10x optical zoom on the Nikon S10 I just got Friday. Last shot was mainly for reflections off Cira Center and IBC.
http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/2056/dscn0003sl8.jpg

http://img111.imageshack.us/img111/6461/dscn0004hx3.jpg

http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/7730/dscn0006yg4.jpg

http://img105.imageshack.us/img105/8546/dscn0007in7.jpg

[volguus zildrohar]

Nice stuff, Garby Gar, nice.

[blart]

From Monday, April 2:

http://www.benjaminlong.com/images/comcast.jpg

[Pinoy2.0]

Welcome Blart! Thanks for the contribution.

[blart]

Thanks, Pinoy2.0; finally got around to signing up!

[bellabeagle]

Anybody know when they are installing the liquid tuned mass damper?

[IngisKahn]

Well that's it. You can no longer see the core from the webcam :)

[MJPhilly]

Good shot, blart. That's a great way to come into the forum, too... contributing something!

[GarCastle]

Some shots from this morning and this afternoon:
http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/1772/dscn0148ek5.jpg

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/2633/dscn0154ic3.jpg

http://img403.imageshack.us/img403/7127/dscn0156ki7.jpg

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/3818/dscn0160qv4.jpg

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/1101/dscn0162et8.jpg

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/7439/dscn0163lr6.jpg

I wasn't the only one taking shots of the Comcast Center today:
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/5069/dscn0172sc7.jpg

Then I noticed they were still working away at 4pm:
http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/3005/dscn0176zc9.jpg

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/144/dscn0177hk8.jpg

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/5931/dscn0180yk4.jpg

[Lecom]

http://img267.imageshack.us/img267/1101/dscn0162et8.jpg
Nice shot, makes the tower look very slender from this angle. I don't think it ever looked so thin before.

[LordElPaso]

^^^ i've been waiting to see a shot where i can really "feel" the height of CC - that shot does it - bravo!

[StatenIslander237]

Insane pics GarCastle. I'm getting chills...

[JMininger]

Well that's it. You can no longer see the core from the webcam :)

Noticed that. Also noticed that the glass should be coming into view very soon.

[blart]

Seen Thurs. April 5-

From the el, north of Girard:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w59/blart215/com1.jpg

By city hall:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w59/blart215/com2.jpg

A quickie composite:
http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w59/blart215/com3.jpg

[cactus22minus1]

UMMmmm :slob: That last photo(the composite) almost doesn't even look real! I can't even imagine how that looks and feels in real life.

[simpfan742]

Whoo-whee! Grab your sunglasses! The glass on the CC continues to rocket upwards. I'm excited to see this tower topped out, but I also look forward to the western elevator being removed so the rest of the glass can be installed.

I was treated to a brief, but intense, sunset tonight. Photos from 05 April 2007:

The shining beauty:
http://www.andrewrugge.com/comcast/23.jpg

Cira Centre prepares to light up the night:
http://www.andrewrugge.com/comcast/24.jpg

The cutout feature is also visible from the east and west. In this photo, you can see steel missing from both the left and right sides, near the top floors:

http://www.andrewrugge.com/comcast/22.jpg

[PhillyDi]

phillydi.smugmug.com/photos/141431623-s.jpgMy husband took this picture on Tues. night from the top floor.

[brenster]

as much as the cira center is a shape shifter depending on where you look at the building, the comcast tower, depending on when you look at it will change throughout the day.,,, kind of like a mood ring.. amazing.. great shot btw

[SaxySteve29]

Those shots during the sunset are amazing, nice job simpfan742. I also can't wait to see that whole side with the glass on it. I'll finally be back in the Philly area in three weeks once school is done, so this will definitely be quite a treat for me. I have a question that may have been asked before, though. Why are the cutouts different sizes?

[IngisKahn]

Why not? :p
I tell you, I wouldn't mind having an apartment on the edge of one of those cutouts... Windows on 3 sides :)

[Eigenwelt]

Blart and Simpfan... great shots. Take new construction photos but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold.

Original image shamelessly stolen from GarCastle.
Shitty photoshopping courtesy of my insomnia.

http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k287/Eigenwelt/Misc/ComcastMod.jpg

[k2wilde]

These are from Sunday 24March 07 around 6:15- 6:30pm.
The moon was out and is in all 3 panos, but I forgot to zoom in and get a nice one separately. Doh. Next time,
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w3/k2wilde/Stitched_002resiaed_24Mar07.jpg http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w3/k2wilde/Stitched_003.jpg http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w3/k2wilde/Stitched_003resized_17ArchCornerMoo.jpg

This last one I had my father take a bunch of shots while I was driving, I think this came out best. It has been cropped.
http://i172.photobucket.com/albums/w3/k2wilde/24Mar07_SchuylkillSkylineCroppedRes.jpg

After I resize my photos, they don't come out as sharp as the originals. I still don;t know why yet. I'm still learning digi-photos.

Cheers, Rob

[blart]

k2wilde and Eigenwelt... nice pics. And despite your humble opinion I don't think your Photoshopping is s****y at all; excellent job!

[LostInTheZone]

great shots everyone. simpfan, I'm going to miss seeing the contrast between those glassy strips and the solid steel, but this tower still gets better every day.

eigenwelt, your photoshop still beats the pants off the renderings the developers put out. Not crappy at all, IMO.

Could you pretty please indulge me and stick the antenna from the Conde Nast building on top of it? I don't know if this tower will ever look "finished" to me.

[GarCastle]

A couple shots where I was just playing around with the reflection of "the shaft" off the cira centre and CC popping over 30th st station.
http://img462.imageshack.us/img462/6861/dscn0190to8.jpg

http://img292.imageshack.us/img292/2901/dscn0191hy9.jpg

[bryson662001]

k2wilde and Eigenwelt... nice pics. And despite your humble opinion I don't think your Photoshopping is s****y at all; excellent job!

I tried to do somthing with this picture too but finally gave up in frustration. Eigenwelt got much further then I did on it.

[Eigenwelt]

Sorry about the bug screen blur. Nothing I could do to avoid it.

Center City and our new tallest from somewhere almost exactly 19 miles to the northeast and 15 floors up. Smell of old folks not included.
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k287/Eigenwelt/Comcast%20Center/DSC02582smallsquare.jpg

[tower]

eigenwelt, where was that shot taken? i've been wanting to find skyline points in bucks county. i remember some guy in this thread said the skyline is visible at some point on oxford valley road before it intersects with route 1, and i pass through there all the time and have definitely never seen it

some from yesterday taken out the window of someones car on route 1, looking over north philly:

http://www.pbase.com/image/76836891.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/two1five/image/76836338.jpg

[LostInTheZone]

Tower: I keep saying it, but no one ever listens, there's a fabulous skyline vantage from a bluff over the Delaware in Neshaminy State Park in Bensalem. My camera doesn't have the zoom to show it off right.

map, showing sightline (http://local.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=40.073343~-74.915514&style=a&lvl=14&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=7112974&sp=Point.qpc5f08rq31b_bluff___~Polyline.qns6cs8r311n_qpc3kp8rq10h_qpc45b8rq1d3_sightline____%230000FF_%23008000_2pt_Single_Solid_qp24zn8rd113&encType=1)

edit: heh, that map confirms what I always suspected: it's the Tacony-Palmyra bridge you see in the foreground of the view. The sightline passes directly through it.

[phillyskyline]

Tower, how did you manage to great such a great shot while on that location? There's no shoulder to stop & take a pic & the traffic moves so quick on that stretch of Route 1 - you did a great job!

[tower]

Tower, how did you manage to great such a great shot while on that location? There's no shoulder to stop & take a pic & the traffic moves so quick on that stretch of Route 1 - you did a great job!

as i was passing by the view, i knew what had to be done. i've been looking over at that skyline view for years, but either never had a camera with me or was stuck in a vehicle in the wrong lane or in mass traffic. so this time i whipped out my canon, and turned it on, only to find that the battery power insignia was flashing red and was closing in on shutdown. when this happens my digital screen goes out. i've always had great timing in taking photos, and a good steady hand, so i looked through the viewfinder at the skyline and snapped a few photos down pat, and then chugged 10 beers, made love with 13 supermodels and then ate a healthy serving of b loves chili. all while sitting in the passenger side.

:cheers:

[giantSwan]

Something about the Comcast tower being positioned higher that Liberty 1 makes me like Liberty 1 even better. I'm not sure how to explain it, but I feel like it accents Lib 1.

[kenratboy]

This building has got to be the best addition to a skyline I have ever seen.

Perfect height, location, and design (I know its not done yet).

[volguus zildrohar]

simpfan, I see the building from my way at 63rd Street. Had I a real camera the sunsets I've seen off that building are awe-inspiring already.

Since Thursday...

http://www.pbase.com/phillytrax/image/76886186.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/phillytrax/image/76886187.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/phillytrax/image/76886191.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/phillytrax/image/76886188.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/phillytrax/image/76886192/original.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/phillytrax/image/76886189/original.jpg

[TheMeltyMan]

Nice pics. The first couple took me a couple seconds to figure out. I'm like a cat that attacks itself in the mirror. Reflections will always confuse me.