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  #281  
Old Posted Jan 27, 2014, 5:36 PM
mja mja is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by McBane View Post
I am not a photoshop person, so please take this request with a grain of salt:

When making mockups of the new Comcast tower, possible to include the FMC tower, too?

Also, for what it's worth, my favorite view of the city remains the stretch of 95 southbound between the Aramingo and Girard exits. Very few photos exist for obvious reasons but if you've driven that stretch of 95 from NE or Bucks Co, you know what I'm talking about.
Having grown up in NE Philly, it is the first view that pops into my head when I think of Philly's skyline. It's a shame there aren't more pics of it, it's maybe the most impressive and you can see all of the major towers.
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  #282  
Old Posted Jan 28, 2014, 2:43 AM
buckley81 buckley81 is offline
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Hi All. I've been following this site for quite some time and am finally getting around to my first post. There are so many great projects which have come on the boards recently on which to comment but I'll save my first for the big one.

While it's understandable that so much conversation centers on how our new tallest will change the skyline, I'm surprised that there has been no discussion about how this building meets the street. Not much is detailed on the renderings aside from the grand entrance on 18th street. What I keep thinking is that there is not really a major street for this building to have a presence on. This leads me to believe that the Sterling Apartments on JFK between 18th and 19th have got to go. A building of this caliber deserves a grand public plaza. I know that it is probably not financially feasible but it just doesn't look right to have the "vertical campus" of the worlds largest cable company tucked behind a dumpy looking 1960s apartment building.
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  #283  
Old Posted Jan 28, 2014, 2:49 AM
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summersm343 summersm343 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by buckley81 View Post
Hi All. I've been following this site for quite some time and am finally getting around to my first post. There are so many great projects which have come on the boards recently on which to comment but I'll save my first for the big one.

While it's understandable that so much conversation centers on how our new tallest will change the skyline, I'm surprised that there has been no discussion about how this building meets the street. Not much is detailed on the renderings aside from the grand entrance on 18th street. What I keep thinking is that there is not really a major street for this building to have a presence on. This leads me to believe that the Sterling Apartments on JFK between 18th and 19th have got to go. A building of this caliber deserves a grand public plaza. I know that it is probably not financially feasible but it just doesn't look right to have the "vertical campus" of the worlds largest cable company tucked behind a dumpy looking 1960s apartment building.
The Sterling is undergoing complete renovations from what I understand. Whether or not this includes a new facade, I am unsure.

However, I was thinking about this too... and I'm sure Comcast did as well, and I'm really not sure it matters. The first Comcast has a grand plaza, I'm not so sure this needs one. Any future Supertalls to be built in Philly would likely be along Market Street. This one however, will actually act as a secondary tower to Comcast, even though it will be taller.
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  #284  
Old Posted Jan 28, 2014, 2:50 AM
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Even Rockefeller Center had to build around other buildings, you know.

Besides, of the commieblocks, the Sterling is by far the best-looking...and it ain't going anywhere. Far better to meet the street--and I agree it's a concern, since there's been no street-level renders so far--is active retail, like this sweet little building at 34th and 5th...
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  #285  
Old Posted Jan 28, 2014, 2:56 AM
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Diagram,anyone?!!
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  #286  
Old Posted Jan 28, 2014, 3:01 AM
buckley81 buckley81 is offline
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I didn't realize the Sterling was under renovation. I worked on a pretty big renovation there in 1996 when the name was changed from the Carlton House. That is when they uncovered the faux green marble columns out front which were hidden since the 70s.

I know the Sterling isn't going anywhere but I do think it will take away a bit from the presence of the CITC. At least at the street level.
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  #287  
Old Posted Jan 28, 2014, 3:03 AM
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Originally Posted by hammersklavier View Post
Besides, of the commieblocks, the Sterling is by far the best-looking...and it ain't going anywhere.
Yeah... the Sterling REALLY isn't that bad. Def the best of the three... and the Kennedy House, now that it put a new facade around the parking garage and retail podium at the bottom, really doesn't look that bad either.

Now this piece of shit:
http://goo.gl/maps/I5OJH
Penn Center House... this garbage either needs a recladding or needs to be demolished and replaced all together.
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  #288  
Old Posted Jan 28, 2014, 3:04 AM
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Originally Posted by buckley81 View Post
I didn't realize the Sterling was under renovation. I worked on a pretty big renovation there in 1996 when the name was changed from the Carlton House. That is when they uncovered the faux green marble columns out front which were hidden since the 70s.

I know the Sterling isn't going anywhere but I do think it will take away a bit from the presence of the CITC. At least at the street level.
If Comcast goes ahead with their plans to build the 300 footer at the corner of 18th and JFK where the garden is now on the plaza of Comcast Center, then yeah, the Sterling will REALLY hide CITC... as of right now, I think it will have a commanding presence, even from JFK.

Think, anyone walking in this area will see CITC soaring into the air...http://goo.gl/maps/KF0JY
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  #289  
Old Posted Jan 28, 2014, 3:31 AM
buckley81 buckley81 is offline
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Originally Posted by summersm343 View Post
If Comcast goes ahead with their plans to build the 300 footer at the corner of 18th and JFK where the garden is now on the plaza of Comcast Center, then yeah, the Sterling will REALLY hide CITC... as of right now, I think it will have a commanding presence, even from JFK.

Think, anyone walking in this area will see CITC soaring into the air...http://goo.gl/maps/KF0JY
You make a good point with that street view. I guess my concerns about this block stem from the ACC proposal which I really felt just didn't fit right at that location. Not that I wouldn't want to see the ACC resurrected elsewhere. Perhaps the lot east of the PECO tower?
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  #290  
Old Posted Jan 28, 2014, 3:37 AM
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volguus zildrohar volguus zildrohar is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flyflyfly View Post
I know I have posted this question before, and I'm not sure if it is simply too early to know the answer but I am very curious: will the Bell Atlantic Tower still be visible from the South Street Bridge?
Short answer: No. CITC will stand right in front of it from this vantage point.



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  #291  
Old Posted Jan 28, 2014, 3:07 PM
JawKneeQuest JawKneeQuest is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by flyflyfly View Post
I know I have posted this question before, and I'm not sure if it is simply too early to know the answer but I am very curious: will the Bell Atlantic Tower still be visible from the South Street Bridge?
Posted this a few pages back. Short Answer no... But still a great view!

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  #292  
Old Posted Jan 28, 2014, 3:28 PM
Flyers2001 Flyers2001 is offline
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The view coming down 95 right after Girard is awesome. Full skyline ahead, Temple to the right, waterfront to the left. CITC will not block anything that's already blocked from that view. The Liberties will still hold strong from that vantage point.
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  #293  
Old Posted Jan 28, 2014, 3:43 PM
McBane McBane is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by buckley81 View Post
Hi All. I've been following this site for quite some time and am finally getting around to my first post. There are so many great projects which have come on the boards recently on which to comment but I'll save my first for the big one.

While it's understandable that so much conversation centers on how our new tallest will change the skyline, I'm surprised that there has been no discussion about how this building meets the street. Not much is detailed on the renderings aside from the grand entrance on 18th street. What I keep thinking is that there is not really a major street for this building to have a presence on. This leads me to believe that the Sterling Apartments on JFK between 18th and 19th have got to go. A building of this caliber deserves a grand public plaza. I know that it is probably not financially feasible but it just doesn't look right to have the "vertical campus" of the worlds largest cable company tucked behind a dumpy looking 1960s apartment building.
Welcome. I too am interested in how it meets the street, but unfortunately, I couldn't disagree with you more regarding a public plaza. Philly has enough of these and I really dislike the setback from the street and the wasted space. I MUCH prefer a building with an entrance right on the sidewalk + retail (or some other street level activity). The link posted by Hammer above is a great example. And most of Philly's older office buildings, too.

It's not as if Philly's existing plazas are overpopulated. Even with the add'l employees, another plaza will cannibalize from the nearby spaces in Comcast I, the Verizon Building, and Love Park.
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  #294  
Old Posted Jan 28, 2014, 4:25 PM
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We were checking out houses in South NJ last night, and coming down Branch rd in Pine hill there is a pretty big hill you are on. It has a great view of the skyline from the top of it. I would say its about 20 miles from Comcast center to Pine hill. Such a cool view. This new tower would look really good from there.
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  #295  
Old Posted Jan 28, 2014, 6:06 PM
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Possible Comcast Time Warner merger...see link:

The Comcast cable empire is looking to grow...

http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelp...ner-cable.html

Could this mean a revision to the CITC to get it taller or construction of other buildings in Center City to house some Time Warner employees?
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  #296  
Old Posted Jan 28, 2014, 7:00 PM
skyscraper skyscraper is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iheartphilly View Post
Possible Comcast Time Warner merger...see link:

The Comcast cable empire is looking to grow...

http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelp...ner-cable.html

Could this mean a revision to the CITC to get it taller or construction of other buildings in Center City to house some Time Warner employees?
I doubt it would affect the CITC. They are supposed to start construction this summer, whereas this deal is not going to go through for some time if at all. Even if the shareholders agree, there will be years of regulatory hurdles from the FCC to get through.
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  #297  
Old Posted Jan 30, 2014, 5:29 PM
apetrella802 apetrella802 is offline
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New Four Seasons(FS) atop CITC

The current FS hotel on Logan SQ is a exceptional building. It uses rich woods, marbles and other stone and carpets to create a restrained modernist design that extends horizontally throughout the public spaces. Of course the location is also exceptional facing the Swan Fountain. I always get the feeling that I'm in a very high end resort hotel rather than a hotel in an urban center serving mostly business people.

Anyway my concern is two fold. Firstly I can only imagine that the glass and steel CITC tower(which I love for the Comcast uses) will dictate a hotel that lacks the character of the old FS. If the same aesthetic of glass and steel is carried through the new FS I think it will be feel cold and impersonal. I hope I'm wrong.

The other concern is whether or not the new hotel to be operated in the old(current) FS hotel will be as upscale as the current FS. Since Marriott corp owns the building I read that they might put a "J. W. Marriot" in the current building. This would be a disappointment to me.

An analog to this concern is the following:

A number of art museums have added additions to their landmark original buildings, i.e., Kimbell by Lou Kahn, Art institute in Chicago and Richmon Va. For the most part they are cold glass , steel on the outside and large white black walls on the inside. This does work to focus your attention of the art work but has a monotonous feeling as you proress through the buildings. The Barnes Foundation on the other hand uses rich wood, Limestone from the Negev desert honed in a variety of ways and with different colors, a woven fabric on the walls creating a visually engaging experience. So like the current FS it is in a minimalist aesthetic but enhances the overall visual experience with rich materials.

The PSFS building, IMO, is the quintessential modernist(international style) building. Everything about it is abstract and minimalist but because it uses expensive rich materials it is an icon of modernism.

Options
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  #298  
Old Posted Jan 30, 2014, 5:44 PM
Baconboy007 Baconboy007 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by apetrella802 View Post
New Four Seasons(FS) atop CITC


A number of art museums have added additions to their landmark original buildings, i.e., Kimbell by Lou Kahn, Art institute in Chicago and Richmon Va. For the most part they are cold glass , steel on the outside and large white black walls on the inside. This does work to focus your attention of the art work but has a monotonous feeling as you proress through the buildings. The Barnes Foundation on the other hand uses rich wood, Limestone from the Negev desert honed in a variety of ways and with different colors, a woven fabric on the walls creating a visually engaging experience. So like the current FS it is in a minimalist aesthetic but enhances the overall visual experience with rich materials.


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Not sure what you are getting at with the Art museum reference. Most art museums or galleries have large white walls to not distract from the art and bring the work that they pay to showcase to the forefront. The Barnes is a collection from a specific collector and one of his things was that he arranged them in a specific way. He also never wanted his collection to end up on the Parkway. I like what they did at the Barnes museum but the wood and interior design is in a sense paying respect for the collection and home he originally housed them in.
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  #299  
Old Posted Jan 31, 2014, 8:48 PM
Mappy Mappy is offline
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Originally Posted by supertallchaser View Post
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There a diagram now!
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  #300  
Old Posted Feb 1, 2014, 12:58 AM
apetrella802 apetrella802 is offline
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I would have liked the roof of CITC to be higher than Comcast I but the highest occupied floor of CITC is taller than the highest occupied floor of Comcast I.

I believe the highest occupied floor of the Sears(Willis) tower is higher than that for 1 World Trade Center
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