PHILADELPHIA | Comcast Center | 975 FT / 297 M | 57 FLOORS - Page 3

SouthPhilly · #41 Posted **Nov 19, 2006, 6:40 AM**

McBane, The regional rail tracks for suburban station are at least 12 wide plus platforms and New York subways are also built under the streets, not huge towers. The problem is that the core couldn't go over the tracks. The tracks would have to go around the core or through the holes of the core below ground. The core needs solid ground underneath.

The gaps don’t matter for me, because I enjoy angle shots the most for Philly, so you cant see down the streets.

The Cheat · #42 Posted **Nov 19, 2006, 8:45 AM**

The Broad Street Subway has a kink that routes it around City Hall tower, and the Market-Franford Subway also misses the tower part, since the tower is north of center. The Regional Rail tunnel actually goes under the Masonic Temple, and they had to do some special shoring-up to keep that intact while the dug the tunnel. Continuing east tunnel turns north and runs along the eastern edge of The Pearl, and if you read the architect's comments, you'll see why there's only low-rise stuff above the tunnel.

It seems some people have forgotten the huge concrete pour they did overnight for the foundation of the Comcast Center, or when the walls of the Suburban Station tunnels were visible from the outside when they dug the pit.

MJPhilly · #43 Posted **Nov 19, 2006, 2:36 PM**

A gap from one angle will look different from another, and if you move a building to close a gap, it would create a gap from the other angle. It's not something we can worry about. And it's not something developers worry about when choosing a building's position on a lot.

That's the beauty of skylines. They evolve accidentally to create something unintentionally beautiful. So let's just see what we get!

JACKinBeantown · #44 Posted **Nov 19, 2006, 3:09 PM**

Nice...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swinefeld

11/18/2006

Joey D · #45 Posted **Nov 19, 2006, 10:05 PM**

Stunning...

oreoman85 · #46 Posted **Nov 19, 2006, 11:04 PM**

To me, it has a metallic feel going for it, but im sure when its all done itll have a more conventional look.

McBane · #47 Posted **Nov 20, 2006, 2:30 AM**

the mirrored glass is great! great shots everyone.

TheOldMan · #48 Posted **Nov 20, 2006, 8:19 AM**

im really liking that Glass. very much. i cant wait to see it on the whole building. what an impact on the skyline its going to have. wow !!. better than all renderings/models that i have seen.

buildup · #49 Posted **Nov 20, 2006, 3:32 PM**

Actually that gap between Comcast Center and Mellon Bank is due to all those ugly buildings along JFK Blvd. The Penn Centers, the train station and those ugly apartment buildings are all between 25 and 30 floors and less than 350' in height. That's why I hate the idea that the second tower at CC resembles the PA Station. We don't need a poor copy. We already have an original. There second tower there should be around 500' - 600' and should be different than the other towers around it.

Late1 · #50 Posted **Nov 20, 2006, 4:13 PM**

I agree, buildup, and would like to see 2 PA Plaza as a 600-footer. If they want to mimic the massing of Suburban Station, fine, but why not then have a more slender tower rising out of that base and topping out somewhere in the 600's?

16 floors seems like an underuse for a central site where people in offices, residences, and/or hotel rooms would connect to trains and subway without ever stepping outdoors, and topping it off at 600' would still preserve the views for the upper third of Comcast Center.

Well done on the photo updates, guys - thank you.

donybrx · #51 Posted **Nov 20, 2006, 4:13 PM**

^^^Oh, well....you can always turn the clock back to 1980 when most buildings were of approximate height across the central skyline...no gap whatsoever...

I'm with MJPHilly on this one...the voice of reason and perspective....heh...(him, not me):

Quote:

A gap from one angle will look different from another, and if you move a building to close a gap, it would create a gap from the other angle. It's not something we can worry about. And it's not something developers worry about when choosing a building's position on a lot.

That's the beauty of skylines. They evolve accidentally to create something unintentionally beautiful. So let's just see what we get!

GarCastle · #52 Posted **Nov 20, 2006, 4:43 PM**

Couple quick guesses:

CC 2: They likely determined that 16 floors is the best bang for their buck. If they go too tall, they end up jacking up their cost since they would make the elevator shafts/etc. a larger percentage of each floor's footprint. So you would have to add yet more floors to gain that square footage back. And they, I believe, are limited to the square footage based on zoning and size of the lot - and CC already sucks up most of the square footage for that parcel.

Building over tracks: NYC real estate is on a different scale of value. Adding any complexity to construction costs here in Philly is usually just avoided in lieu of another piece of land that does not have such issues. Once all those barren parking lots are actually built up, I would think developers will have to get more creative and they would be more willing to endure more expensive or complex site plans.

omp835 · #53 Posted **Nov 20, 2006, 4:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swinefeld

It looks like something is growing in the city.

IngisKahn · #54 Posted **Nov 20, 2006, 4:54 PM**

Gar hit the nail on the head: Sure you could build over the tracks, it'll just cost a hell of a lot more.

BTW, it's gonna get harder to tell when they're pouring via the web cam. The angle is getting pretty extreme; I wish they could put one on one of the taller neighbors.

omp835 · #55 Posted **Nov 20, 2006, 5:13 PM**

Guys,
I just want to clear up on a couple of things I read here. My information is based on the presentation I attended by Liberty Property, so it is straight from the horse's mouth.
Glass: The glass is not mirrored. The glass is 100% clear. Cira centre has mirrored glass. When Comcast Center is completed it will NOT have the same refective properties as Cira.
With an unlimited supply of money and unlimited time, You can build ANYTHING YOU WANT. That being said...
Phase 2: 2 Pennsylvainia Plaza will be built on EXISTING columns and foundations. They can only build what the existing infrastructure can support.

donybrx · #56 Posted **Nov 20, 2006, 5:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by omp835

Guys,
I just want to clear up on a couple of things I read here. My information is based on the presentation I attended by Liberty Property, so it is straight from the horse's mouth.
Glass: The glass is not mirrored. The glass is 100% clear. Cira centre has mirrored glass. When Comcast Center is completed it will NOT have the same refective properties as Cira.

Hmmmmp. Curiouser and curiouser.......intereresting input OMP.
This squares with my perception that it'll end up like the Park Ave. Plaza tower in NYC shimmering--- 'reflecting' and transparent at the same time....nice. I can live with that....thanks for 'clarifying', so to speak

.

Awkab · #57 Posted **Nov 20, 2006, 8:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by omp835

Guys,
I just want to clear up on a couple of things I read here. My information is based on the presentation I attended by Liberty Property, so it is straight from the horse's mouth.
Glass: The glass is not mirrored. The glass is 100% clear. Cira centre has mirrored glass. When Comcast Center is completed it will NOT have the same refective properties as Cira.

Hey OMP, I don't doubt what you heard at the presentation, but when you look at this photo below that Swinefeld posted, it is obvious that the glass has reflective properties. The first floor panes are 100% clear with little tint, while the floors above all have the reflective properties. I think when the sun shines directly on the glass it will loose much of its reflectiveness, but that doesn't mean it's 100% clear either.

There is a difference in the corners though...you can see that the glass of the 'inner cube' does not cast reflections as much as the glass on the four outer sides.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swinefeld

MJPhilly · #58 Posted **Nov 21, 2006, 2:21 AM**

Updates from today.

They were, of course, installing glass (in particular near the nw corner) and pouring concrete near the southwest sid, though I couldn't see for what.

All glass, even if it's 100% clear, is reflective to some degree from certain angles and in certain light conditions.

Awkab · #59 Posted **Nov 21, 2006, 2:54 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJPhilly

They were, of course, installing glass (in particular near the nw corner) and pouring concrete near the southwest sid, though I couldn't see for what.

All glass, even if it's 100% clear, is reflective to some degree from certain angles and in certain light conditions.

Beautiful photos MJ!

Though you are right that all glass will reflect given certain angles and lighting conditions, there is obviously a difference between the first floor 100% clear glass on the Comcast Center, and the reflective glass being installed on the floors above.

This photo below shows it most clearly. If all the glass was 100% clear, then all the panels would be as transparent as the glass on the first floor, as in this picture they are all subject to the same light conditions and angle.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJPhilly

Nevertheless...I love the look...I think this building is going to look beautiful when finished.

gbayard · #60 Posted **Nov 21, 2006, 3:52 AM**

Liberty hasn't started or announced a plan start of Two Penn Plaza yet, therefore it is not safe to assume anything about what the building might look like or when it might be constructed. If the city can create some jobs, the condo conversions have eaten enough office space to present the opportunity for new office construction, more demand than I think Liberty expected would be around after completion of Comcast Center and Cira.