Tallest skyscraper wins preliminary City Council vote
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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.
Comments (44)
Good news! During the construction (assuming final approvals) the bad days of the economy will long be gone!— bird-dog- Who would want to open a business in Corrupt Taxadelphia? Who will fill all this new office space?— Issac
- In case they want to use the eco-friendly flushless urinals, let's not forget our poor union plumbers. Hopefully there will be miles and miles of useless pipe they can install (like the Comcast center) to guarantee pointless busy-work jobs.— JF
- The city needs to do anything possible to make itself attractive to corporations. Even if it's big gaudy buildings. Good work by the City Counsil to keep this project going...— MVKrum
- "The city needs to do anything possible to make itself attractive to corporations..." Well how about reducing their budget so taxes (including nuissance taxes)can be significantly lower, elimininating union harassment, punitive regulations, massive corruption and featherbedding in city government. This is what other cities have done to "attract corporations." Status quo and lip service to these business disincentives will continue the downward spiral. Phila. is corrupt and doesn't seem to realize that it will lead to the death of a once great city.— Issac
- If they want to do this, that's fine. Just make sure they get another William Penn statue. Seriously.— hunsinator
- So this would be the secondest tallest building in the world? Is this right? That would be pretty cool. I say build it!!!!— stevewnj1
- If you build it, they will come.— stevewnj1
- Isaac if you lived here you would have noticed that Center City is booming despite taxes, and people are moving back in from places with lower taxes. And the most successful cities in the world ALL have high taxes and corruption. New York? Moscow? London? And let's not forget that at least three of the most corrupt "city" agencies, SEPTA, DRPA, and the Parking Authority, are actually state agencies under mostly suburban control. Your tired "Taxadelphia" argument is just plain dumb.— js5180
- This is great for the city, if the Kennedy House residents do not like it they should have thought about the possibility of living next to a skyscaper when they moved into one of the most built up parts of town.— BucksDem
Comment removed.- Comment removed.
- So this would be the secondest tallest building in the world? Is this right? That would be pretty cool. I say build it!!!! WRONG!!! No the tallest building/free standing structure resides in Dubai. When the ACC is complete it would be the thrid largest bulding in the United States, behind the 2nd largest Freedom Tower of NYC and then First tallest Chicago Spiral.— Flyers2001
- js5180, you really need to learn some math. Philly has been loosing jobs for 50 years. Fast Eddy Rendell caused a 2-3 year pause, but he never addressed the issues. The wage tax is only ONE tax business has to deal with. There is the privledge tax, the gros receipts tax, school taxes, plus all of the official fees and un-offcial ones. The unions drive costs through the roof (i.e. convension center) compared to outside in the burbs. The roads are overloaded, SEPTA is still a mess, the education and skills base is not competative, and there are the law suits. HOWEVER, NYC business costs are much higher and there is a real chance to steal alot of jobs from the big rotten apple over the next few years. If Nutter were smart, he should degree that every business new to the city gets 2 years tax free, the wage taxes from new jobvs should be used to cut the wage tax rates for everyone, and there should be an honest assessment of job skills required to attract business.— dutchman
- js5180, I lived in Phila. for 10+ years. I've brought millions of dollars of outside capital into the City for new developments, spent years on them to make them successful and was financially abused and treated like dirt by the RDA (a city agency). Their attitude: "You'll be back, you all come back..." Well, ten years later, the City hasn't changed and I still have no desire to go back (nor do several other entreneurs I keep in touch with). I can do better, faster, less expensive, projects in dozens of cities around the country who are greatful for new developments and capital coming into their towns. Capital is portable and Phila., which I love dearly, will not attract much as it is currently governed. Not an opinion but a fact. Seen New York State's budget recently? California's debt is now lower rated than Latvia's. Better government = less spending = lower taxes = growth and prosperity. Those governments who fail to understand that will go the way of Bear Stearns & GM. It's not sustainable. It's not a personal piggybank.— Issac
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