PHILADELPHIA | W Hotel & Element by Westin | 617 FT | 51 FLOORS

[Zapatan]

Waldorf Astoria really does have a reputation of awesome proposals then cancelling in the US (Here, Chicago etc.). City Center Tower was pretty cool too.

The new W hotel looks cool though, can't complain.

[josef]

Mr. GroJLart had a good post on this address back in 2011.

http://philaphilia.blogspot.com/2011...july-14th.html

[Philly-Drew]

Awesome info people! Thanks!

[MikeNigh]

One thing I am wondering is if a building at this lot should incorporate bay windows. The view might be a little brutal on some higher floors since there are relatively tall buildings in short distance from most sides.

[techchallenger]

Originally Posted by Philly-Drew

Anyway , old pics of the Meridian would be cool. I wish we had some pics of the meridian getting demoed too. It would be interesting to see how that building was taken down.

The Meridian was taken down floor-by-floor due to its proximity to the Girard Trust Building (now the Ritz Carlton). I remember watching the demo during the summer of 1999 when I was employed on the Ritz conversion job site.

The new W looks fantastic - can't wait to see it go up, although I still mourn for that Center City One supertall design.

[philatonian]

Are these renderings for real? I mean I like them, but I feel like the same W Hotel rendering (which was simple) is just getting updated - like Marge Simpson's Chanel dress. It seems like the W Hotel could afford to offer something new, at least a new angle.

[Philly-Drew]

philatonian, I'm not sure what you mean. The latest proposal looks absolutely fantastic in my opinion, and it looks like an original design to me.

It seems like you are saying that the current design looks like a recycle of a previous design?

Maybe I misunderstand what you're saying above?

[PHL10]

I think I am getting Philatonian's point. A serious rendering will show you several realistic detailed views where this just looks like a cartoonish massing study.

[Insoluble]

I suspect that it is because this is not an official promotional rendering. It was taken from a pdf BLenfest shared with us that was most likely more for internal use. I'm guessing that when they chose to release something official it will have more varied views and look more like what we're used to.

[philatonian]

Originally Posted by Philly-Drew

philatonian, I'm not sure what you mean. The latest proposal looks absolutely fantastic in my opinion, and it looks like an original design to me.

It seems like you are saying that the current design looks like a recycle of a previous design?

Maybe I misunderstand what you're saying above?

I think the concept looks good. I was asking if the redo was real, or a user's updated vision. It's the same as the original elevation with some stepped cubes at the top. I just wasn't sure if that update came from Lenfest, W, or someone was just having fun with the picture.

Either way, I love it. I'm anxious to see an actual site rendering of it.

[Flyers2001]

Originally Posted by philatonian

I think the concept looks good. I was asking if the redo was real, or a user's updated vision. It's the same as the original elevation with some stepped cubes at the top. I just wasn't sure if that update came from Lenfest, W, or someone was just having fun with the picture.

Either way, I love it. I'm anxious to see an actual site rendering of it.

The latest redo that was shared with us is real enough that it was included in the CCD rundown of Phila Developments. I believe it is what they plan to build. I am anxious to see if/how they incorporate LED lights. I think the city needs more of them.

[philatonian]

Originally Posted by Flyers2001

The latest redo that was shared with us is real enough that it was included in the CCD rundown of Phila Developments. I believe it is what they plan to build. I am anxious to see if/how they incorporate LED lights. I think the city needs more of them.

Agreed. I'd really like to see a site rendering of the redo. I can't picture exactly how it will look with the updated cubes at the top. It seems like it will look really cool with a lighting scheme at the top.

[MetroSplash]

I had a front row seat watching the RATR go up and I still live right across the street. I be posting lots of pictures once the W starts going up.

(I don't care for early morning construction noise, but it will be worth it!)

[MetroSplash]

Even older shot of the sight February 2003

[Philly-Drew]

Metro splash, OMG!! awesome pics! Love them. Looking forward to (hope to) see some great pics of the W under construction

[josef]

Originally Posted by MetroSplash

I had a front row seat watching the RATR go up and I still live right across the street. I be posting lots of pictures once the W starts going up.

(I don't care for early morning construction noise, but it will be worth it!)

Nice. You can get the southwest side, I'll get the east side (I work in 1 South Broad) and my window faces west.

[jn00]

Any updates on the timeline for this? Would be great if this gets going by the time the new dilworth park opens.

[Jawnadelphia]

Originally Posted by jn00

Any updates on the timeline for this? Would be great if this gets going by the time the new dilworth park opens.

I was wondering the same thing.., especially after the SLS news yesterday. I walked pass the Dilworth construction yesterday... hoping it's finished by the fall?

One question though, do you think the City (police) will patrol the new Dilworth Plaza regularly? There's so many homeless and well generally "undesirables" hanging out across the street from the Dilworth construction site and at Love Park on a daily basis. I imagine when Dilworth re-opens those folks will migrate across the street to it. I guess not much can be done on that front?

[Kidphilly]

Originally Posted by TallCoolOne

I was wondering the same thing.., especially after the SLS news yesterday. I walked pass the Dilworth construction yesterday... hoping it's finished by the fall?

One question though, do you think the City (police) will patrol the new Dilworth Plaza regularly? There's so many homeless and well generally "undesirables" hanging out across the street from the Dilworth construction site and at Love Park on a daily basis. I imagine when Dilworth re-opens those folks will migrate across the street to it. I guess not much can be done on that front?

Lighten up baby I'm in love with you...


I am very curious actually on how this turns out. I think there will be a movement to keep this patrolled well. I saw a crane in Dilworth this week - seems like is really coming together

[Ritz48]

Originally Posted by Kidphilly

Lighten up baby I'm in love with you...


I am very curious actually on how this turns out. I think there will be a movement to keep this patrolled well. I saw a crane in Dilworth this week - seems like is really coming together

The CCD has told the RARC that the CCD will be executing security on the plaza and point to the Sister City's Park as an example of what they can do. While they have maintained the Sister City's Park well, it is prbably 1/10th the size. In all the renderings there does not seem to be any actual seating for the homeless other than at the cafe.

It is actually starting to come together and they have started errecting the glass enclosures to the stairwells to the subway. I am starting to think that the plaza will be more specacular from the surrounding building than on the ground.

They are making huge progress daily. Since the beginning of the project I have never seen as many workers on the site as they have lately. They are saying it will be done before Labor Day. Based on the daily progress I would guess sooner.