PHILADELPHIA | 10 Rittenhouse Square | 390 FT / 119 M | 33 FLOORS

[giovanni sasso]

Originally Posted by omp835

Actually, we're getting more than 2 A.M. Stern buildings. He's also the master planner for the redevelopment of the Philadelphia Navy Yard and has designed the first spec office building on that site. Not to mention the smaller office building that would be built next to comcast center if the demand is there.

don't forget his work at penn, either. stern's got his hands all over philly!

cheat, really cool graphic there.

[PhillyRising]

Originally Posted by giovanni sasso

don't forget his work at penn, either. stern's got his hands all over philly!

cheat, really cool graphic there.

I've gotten the impression many don't care for his work. Am i right about that?

[Jularc]

YAY!

Finally this one is going up! It has been how many years since they first announced to built a tower on that location? Like maybe a decade or so!

So what are the plans for the beautiful 'The Rittenhouse Club' that is part of the project?

[volguus zildrohar]

That will be the building's main entrance.

[Jularc]

That is cool... and I guess the top floors will be apartments.

[Eigenwelt]

Originally Posted by colemonkee

It's funny no one's mentioned that Philly will be getting two Robert A.M. Stern buildings at the same time.

Probally because as both these projects have been proposed for years, the discussion of their having a shared architect is buried in the 500+ pages of Philly IV.

These buildings have been on the docket so long, the discussion may have began in Philly III.

[volguus zildrohar]

Hehehe, Philly III is the forgotten thread. It was wiped out in that infamous forum hack in '03. We never found out who did that but I have my suspicions...

For sure, Pennsylvania Plaza/Comcast Center has been in discussion here since at least 2003 when it was still the original kasota stone 746 footer. 10 Rit floated in and out of discussion until renderings were finally released and SOS started making real noise about it, I seem to think that was about spring '04.

[PhillyRising]

Going by the renderings......I'm assuming they are using red brick on the exterior?

[buildup]

I believe that is so. Probably brick panels with the stone edging.

Those buildings are still coming down, 1/28/06

[Swinefeld]

Down they go! I got there around 2:00 today.

"Heartbreak, Heartbreak"

Missed you Swine, I was there 40mins after you

[MNMike]

Isn't anyone sad that a couple of these were pretty nice old buildings? Especially that corner building, sad to lose it

[soleri]

^my thoughts too. What makes Philadelphia wonderful is exactly these older, well-crafted buildings. Given that much of Philly is already "burned over" with parking lots or bad modern buildings, it's sad that there wouldn't be more fervor to save the very buildings which lend character and texture to the city. Rittenhouse Square, in particular, depends on these older buildings for its scale. Manhattanizing the square will only serve to rob of its intimacy. BTW, Robert AM Stern has an acute historicist sensibility, but his high-rise designs strike me as bland and forgettable. This building will be better than the utter dreck of Symphony House, but not by much.

I'm sad that they had to go down I hate losing older buildings. I'm a much bigger fan of older architecture then new, I think 90% percent of the stuff built today in the world is crap. Even when I say I like this or that new building I mean I like it compared to what is being built in todays world, but even the best stuff built today takes a backseat to the older gems.

[Swinefeld]

^ J, come to think of it, I must have just missed you because I didn't get there to about 2:30 - 2:40 Saturday.

MNMike and soleri, there are plenty of people who are sad to see those buildings go. This project was held up for a long time because of opposition to this building. I don't want to rehash to specifics of that opposition, there has been too much of that. But, the historic significance of the doomed buildings has been greatly overstated, the outcry has been vastly overdramatized and the buildings themselves have been badly mangled. There are other, and better preserved examples of vernacular style in Rittenhouse.

I have the book "Historic Rittenhouse: A Philadelphia Neighborhood" that sites all the architectural styles and significant buildings in the neighborhood, and "Rindelaub's Row" doesn't even warrent a mention, anywhere at all in this very comprehensive book.

[Palms]

Thanks for the updates guys

Originally Posted by soleri

Rittenhouse Square, in particular, depends on these older buildings for its scale. Manhattanizing the square will only serve to rob of its intimacy.

Too late. The Cheat posted a pic that illustrates what the scale is at that location.This building will blend in like a chameleon.



IMO the Ridenlaubs row storefronts that were there had no unique features whatsoever, very blase. The groundlevel architecture of the new project that will replace them will be a huge improvement. Not to mention the $200 million dollar project and all the new millionaires that will reside at this space.

The loss of the buildings may cost Philly some charm but charm hasn't really gotten Philadlephia very far in the past.

[PhillyRising]

Originally Posted by MNMike

Isn't anyone sad that a couple of these were pretty nice old buildings? Especially that corner building, sad to lose it

No. If we saved every old building in the city...nothing new would ever get built because unlike most cities....we're pretty well stocked with old buildings.

[PhillyRising]

Ok...who is going to admit to singing or at least humming the song "Na na na...na na na...hey hey hey...goodbye" while watching the demolition???

[The Cheat]

To be sure, this building is not being touched:


While these are being demolished (if they're not done already):


Nothing really worthy in the latter.