Tallest skyscraper wins preliminary City Council vote
Inquirer staff writer Jeff Shields writes:
Tallest skyscraper wins preliminary City Council vote
Inquirer staff writer Jeff Shields writes:
A zoning change that would allow the tallest building in Philadelphia to rise next door to the Comcast Tower gained unanimous approval at a City Council committee this morning.
The Council’s Committee on Rules approved a zoning change that would allow the American Commerce Center, a 1,500 foot tower above office space, a hotel and retail, to rise at the block bordered by Arch, Cuthbert, 18th and 19th streets.
Over strong opposition by residents of the neighborhing Kennedy House, who said the zoning allows for a much more intense development than was intended for the area, the committee voted 9-0 to recommend the change to full Council, which could give final approval Dec. 11.
City Councilman Darrell Clarke said the project would have to submit a plan of development to the Planning Commission and return to Council for final approval
Read more breaking news in our From The Source blog.
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Isaac, I was half joking. You make some good points but otherwise you are coming off like someone who is rather uninformed about urban development (for your claims) or in denial about how speculative office buildings get "done." Either way, this isn't the best forum for the ideological taxation argument. If they think they can get jobs in to that tower without changes to the tax code, more power to them...— FMT
I think this is great for the city. It places it with other international cities vying for business. It will be the third tallest in the US. If people want to take this city seriously then build it!!!— cange30- Comment removed.
- AS a construction work who is currently out of work because of the economy im all for it. build, build, build. We need the work. dont just stop there build more skyrises in my opinion. keep me working till retirement.— jacksoncage
- Good deal. I hope it receives full approval on December 11.— Christine Summers
- I'm a college student, geography major, with little business knowledge. I went to RCHS in center city, and had business courses there, and I've been saying the best way to get this city out of its misery is to create as many jobs as possible. This will be great for the city and especially for job creation. This will really put Philly's economy in a great place, and this will also put us on the map and out of the shadows of NYC and Washington. The Cira building has been attracting companies that would been in New York. This will raise the standards of living in Philadelphia, bring back a lot of people in the City, and most of all it is taking us out of a dying Rust belt city and into a White Collar Economy.— flyersphan731
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- I love it, now let's get rid of the unions.— Modiano
This is great news- lots of new jobs. Aside from the current downturn - the city has been coming through with surplus after surplus - and lowering wage taxes (among other taxes). The number of new restaurants and bars in center city is staggering - obviously the convention center helps a lot - but there are plenty of big and small businesses, as well as new residents that are making center city jumpin' It's pretty easy to cast stones when you live in a cave in the suburbs about the city - but living and working here - I know different.- Sound: I completely agree with you. I grew up in Juniata, and moved out to the burbs. Going to school in Center City, I have personally seen how the area has transformed over the past 6 years. From growing up here, a few years ago, I wanted nothing to do with Philadelphia, besides rooting for the sports teams, and wanted to live in another major metropolitan area in the country. If the city keeps up with what they are doing, I would love to live in Center City because of the safe diversity and business that has flourished over the past years.— flyersphan731
- FMT, As you know, speculative office buildings are very rare lately unless you can fund the construction and permanent financing yourself. With this credit crunch, I would think that any lender would require upwards of 80% of the space to be pre-leased vs. maybe 40-50% normally. If the developer of this project can get it built in this environment, as you say, more power to them.— Issac
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