PHILADELPHIA | EVO @ Cira Centre South | 407 FT | 33 FLRS | U/C - Page 33

hammersklavier · #**641** Posted **Feb 8, 2013, 3:53 PM**

Several thoughts:

Agreed the rendering is mediocre. Constraints are an issue, but IMO Erdy-McHenry's product quality has really taken a dive in the last year or so (also thinking about the lackluster PA Ballet building, which flattened a beautiful historic North Broad structure for a plaza on stretch characterized by gaptooth urbanism here).

Secondly, I have to disagree with Pennsgrant. I'm back at Temple and pass Morgan Hall regularly, and I think it's really mediocre. Better than the hulking malevolence of Weiss and Wachmann, but architectural choices (aluminum paneling, for a start) heark back to the worst of Brutalism--which is in direct contrast to Papadakis and LeBow on Drexel's campus, both of which heark to the best of Brutalism. And Morgan has a tall blank wall for its east face.

Thirdly, great views!

Insoluble · #**642** Posted **Feb 8, 2013, 4:21 PM**

It's not as exciting as what could have been, but it still looks like it could be very nice if done right. My main concern right now is how this thing meets the street. That whole area is a pedestrian disaster zone. If we are to have any hope of University City meeting up with Center City in a meaningful way, the ground floor level of this building will have to be truly enticing. It's hard to tell what the ground floor will look like in any of the renders, which makes me worry that it will be an afterthought at best. That would disappoint me more than anything else about this building.

Philly Fan · #**643** Posted **Feb 8, 2013, 4:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Insoluble

It's not as exciting as what could have been, but it still looks like it could be very nice if done right. My main concern right now is how this thing meets the street. That whole area is a pedestrian disaster zone. If we are to have any hope of University City meeting up with Center City in a meaningful way, the ground floor level of this building will have to be truly enticing. It's hard to tell what the ground floor will look like in any of the renders, which makes me worry that it will be an afterthought at best. That would disappoint me more than anything else about this building.

Not sure if you saw this, from The Daily Pennsylvanian courtesy of Brandywine Realty Trust:

http://www.thedp.com/article/2013/02...-grad-students

Given the relatively small footprint of this particular site, I'm not sure there's really much they can do with the ground floor in terms of retail, etc. I'd look for more of that in the larger Walnut tower to come. But since this site is owned by Penn, and neighborhood enhancement is one of Penn's key goals here (see the "Penn Connects" plan), I'd guess that enticing ground floor development is a priority.

christof · #**644** Posted **Feb 8, 2013, 6:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by summersm343

Render released of the Chestnut Tower. It is now officially being called the "Grove at Cira Center South"

http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelp...rest-plan.html

I'm a somewhat disappointed with the new design. I wish they kept the original.

I am shocked that this is going to be geared to students, particularly grad students. You would think, with that location, they would focus on young professionals.

Chris

MusicMan84 · #**645** Posted **Feb 9, 2013, 3:57 PM**

Meanwhile, more digging and a little more deconstruction.

SkyscraperGuru · #**646** Posted **Feb 9, 2013, 5:02 PM**

What's the height?

hammersklavier · #**647** Posted **Feb 14, 2013, 4:54 PM**

No official word, so far as I know.

Cro Burnham · #**648** Posted **Feb 14, 2013, 10:39 PM**

given that it's essentially 36 or 37 stories (incl. wedge top), you have to assume it's about 400 - 425 feet tall.

2116 Chestnut is 33 or 34 floors, and the height is 378'.

SkyscraperGuru · #**649** Posted **Feb 15, 2013, 11:37 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cro Burnham

given that it's essentially 36 or 37 stories (incl. wedge top), you have to assume it's about 400 - 425 feet tall.

2116 Chestnut is 33 or 34 floors, and the height is 378'.

Here I was thinking it was 600-700. Thanks, Cro.

Parkway · #**650** Posted **Feb 15, 2013, 1:18 PM**

The 600-700 foot figure is for the office tower on Walnut which is permitted at 47 floors.

Lincolndrive · #**651** Posted **Feb 15, 2013, 6:07 PM**

There are a few update pictures here http://buildingphilly.com/cira_centr...on_update_feb/

And interesting to see they are dumping a lot of the soil next door at the Walnut Street location it appears.

MusicMan84 · #**652** Posted **Feb 16, 2013, 8:31 PM**

They are working today, I took a few pics, but nothing too dramatically different.

Lincolndrive · #**653** Posted **Feb 17, 2013, 7:26 PM**

http://buildingphilly.com/cira-south-roof-deck-garden/

The skyline view from the top of the new Cira parking garage roof deck will be awesome. I really hope Brandywine opens it to the public from time to time. It would be a great event space.

Lincolndrive · #**654** Posted **Feb 21, 2013, 9:41 PM**

Here are a few pictures from today. Not too much to report. It almost looks like they are filling back in some of the soil that was taken to the other location on Walnut Street.

http://buildingphilly.com/the-grove-update-feb-21/

phillyskyline · #**655** Posted **Feb 24, 2013, 3:10 AM**

Does anyone know of a completion date on this project?

Philly Fan · #**656** Posted **Feb 24, 2013, 3:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by phillyskyline

Does anyone know of a completion date on this project?

The tower currently under construction is expected to be completed by Fall 2014.

phillyskyline · #**657** Posted **Feb 25, 2013, 2:47 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philly Fan

The tower currently under construction is expected to be completed by Fall 2014.

Thank you, it will be awesome to see this thing rise over the next yr!

Philly Fan · #**658** Posted **Feb 25, 2013, 3:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by phillyskyline

Thank you, it will be awesome to see this thing rise over the next yr!

Yep.

And I read somewhere that construction of the Walnut office tower may also begin by the end of the year. I suspect that there's some pressure for that from Penn's end, given that it will be occupying much of the building, and needs to free up office space and ground near the heart of campus for new projects more directly related to its core academic and research missions, such as:

http://www.thedp.com/article/2013/02...s-and-sciences

http://www.philly.com/philly/educati...and_China.html

Lincolndrive · #**659** Posted **Mar 1, 2013, 12:48 AM**

Here is an update below from today. I was actually on location this Sunday as well and they were hard at work. They may be working 7 days a week until this bad boy is finished.

http://buildingphilly.com/cira-south-update-feb-28/

Lincolndrive · #**660** Posted **Mar 9, 2013, 7:20 PM**

I took some pics today. It looks like the ground remediation for the western part of the site is finished. Not sure when we'll see steel rising though. Concrete was being poured on the eastern side.

http://buildingphilly.com/cira-south...ove-march-9th/