Comcast To Build 1,121 Foot Tower in Phildelphia

[methodwriter85]

  Comcast has just announced plans to build a new tower in Philadelphia, which when you add the spire will become the first tower in Philly to go over 1,000 feet. It's expected to become the tallest building in the United States outside of Chicago and New York City.

   I think it's pretty exciting. Philly's skyline finally seems like it's moving ahead again. We're finally getting a supertall skyscraper!

    The backstory to this is that until 1987, there was a gentleman's agreement  that no building in Philadelphia was allowed to be taller than the 547 foot city hall, because it was believed that it'd be "bad luck" for a building to be taller than the statue of William Penn atop the skyscraper. That obviously stunted skyscraper growth in the city, but in the past 25 years, the city has really begun to get a nice skyline going. Nothing to rival Chicago or New York City, of course, but it's great to see that Philly's done a great job rebounding after the decay of the late 20th century.

[TetRefine]

New York has by and far the most impressive overall skyline, but I still maintain Philadelphia has some of the most beautiful individual buildings. Its skyline may be small by large city standards, but the big ones it does have are stunning. In my opinion, better than most buildings in New York or Chicago.

 

My favorite, One Liberty Place and Two Liberty Place. One Liberty was the tallest building in the city until the Comcast Center was finished in 2008 I believe. 

 

 

Its true that it is not as imposing or awe-inspiring, but its still a beautiful skyline. Then again I might be biased.

 

[methodwriter85]

   I really like the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Tower:

 

[MikeL]

If Comcast is responsible, I would curb my excitement.  I understand Philadelphians pride in their city's emerging skyline.  But remember, these towers are being built with the billions of hard-earned dollars Comcast has bilked from millions of customers nationwide.

[TetRefine]

If Comcast is responsible, I would curb my excitement.  I understand Philadelphians pride in their city's emerging skyline.  But remember, these towers are being built with the billions of hard-earned dollars Comcast has bilked from millions of customers nationwide.

 

Comcast has crappy service and high prices, its true. But they are responsible for a lot of good paying jobs in Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs, which is something the city didn't have much of when its was in severe decline from the 1960s to the early 1990s. So people around here kind of cut them a break. 

[MikeL]

Comcast has crappy service and high prices, its true. But they are responsible for a lot of good paying jobs in Philadelphia and the surrounding suburbs, which is something the city didn't have much of when its was in severe decline from the 1960s to the early 1990s. So people around here kind of cut them a break. 

 

So...Comcast is a modern day Robin Hood.  I guess it's good to know all that ill gotten gain benefits someone.

[TetRefine]

So...Comcast is a modern day Robin Hood. 

 

In a twisted way, yeah I guess.

 

And they have already added one very nice skyscraper to the skyline, so I'm not gonna complain if they add another.

 

   I really like the Blue Cross/Blue Shield Tower:

 

 

Ever notice how all the major buildings in Philly are glass that look tinted blue from a distance? 

[Kitt]

If I wasn't afraid of ladders and scaffolds and the like - I would want the window washing concession. One building would be a full time job for several people!

[methodwriter85]

 

Ever notice how all the major buildings in Philly are glass that look tinted blue from a distance?

 

   Yes, like the Murano:

 

 

   And the Residences At Ritz-Carlton:

 

Edited January 17, 2014 by methodwriter85

[Arpeggio]

I spent two hours on the phone with them trying to transfer my services to a new apartment thats right down the street. All they wanted to do was sell me crap. 

[wildone]

I couldn't help but notice the similarities to Telus, one of the big 3 carriers in Canada, recent announcement of building a 58 story building, 26 lower floors of office space and 32 upper space of residential units. It will come in at 216m (708) feet and will be the lastest and best technically advanced buildings in Canada.

 

[methodwriter85]

Its true that it is not as imposing or awe-inspiring, but its still a beautiful skyline. Then again I might be biased.

 

[MikeL]

If Comcast is responsible, I would curb my excitement.  I understand Philadelphians pride in their city's emerging skyline.  But remember, these towers are being built with the billions of hard-earned dollars Comcast has bilked from millions of customers nationwide.

 

Philadelphians, when the new Comcast building is finished, don't spend too much time admiring it.  You may find a new line item on your monthly Comcast bill. 

 

Seriously, Comcast has scored another money-looting coup.  Netflix has reached an agreement with Comcast where Comcast will give Netflix streams priority over other internet traffic ensuring the best quality reception of its programming.  How much Netflix will pay Comcast for this service has not been disclosed.  When Netflix subsequently raises its prices to cover the cost, non-Comcast customers will still be enriching the broadband giant.  Come to think of it, Comcast customers will be paying a hidden price increase to Comcast if they also subscribe to Netflix service.  I wouldn't be surprised if Comcast charges its customers a surcharge for receiving Netflix programs.

 

USA Today article

[methodwriter85]

   And that's why I didn't subscribe to the notion of not getting DVD's in favor of just only using Netflix.

[methodwriter85]

First Look At The Plans for the Restaurant Atop New Comcast Tower

 

    There's never been a restaurant at 900 feet in the air before...pretty cool.

[MikeL]

First Look At The Plans for the Restaurant Atop New Comcast Tower

 

    There's never been a restaurant at 900 feet in the air before...pretty cool.

 

Almost certainly the most expensive restaurant in Philly.  Most of the price of a meal will go to pay the rent.

[W_L]

When did you guys turn into size queens?

 

Boston has a few sky scrapers, but mostly under 30 stories.

[George Richard]

First Look At The Plans for the Restaurant Atop New Comcast Tower

 

There's never been a restaurant at 900 feet in the air before...pretty cool.

maybe not in Philadelphia, but there are in lots of other places. Edited March 5, 2014 by George Richard

[methodwriter85]

I meant in Philadelphia. Of course there'd be ones in other places.

 

Philadelphia doesn't have as many skyscapers as other cities...it had the Gentlement's Agreement until the 1980's, the city size wise is actually pretty large for an East Coast city (152 square miles), and of course the whole economic crash did a lot to halt skyscaper construction here. It's nice to see that they're playing catch-up. It'll never be Manhatten, but that might be a good thing.

 

When did you guys turn into size queens?

Boston has a few sky scrapers, but mostly under 30 stories

 

Like I said, Philly's only recently started building tall skyscapers again- there was a rush in the 1980's/early 1990's, then there was some activity again the early/mid-2000's, but the economic crash really halted it. (There was once a plan to build a 1,500 feet tall skyscaper here.) It's a sign that the city's moving up again.

Edited March 6, 2014 by methodwriter85

[methodwriter85]

Here's another nice photo of the Philly skyline, this time looking at City Hall, which was the highest point in the city until 1987.

 

[Astro]

The Philly city hall is really cool. Much better than Boston's I think lol

 

 

Here's another nice photo of the Philly skyline, this time looking at City Hall, which was the highest point in the city until 1987.

 

[Phantom]

New York has by and far the most impressive overall skyline, but I still maintain Philadelphia has some of the most beautiful individual buildings. Its skyline may be small by large city standards, but the big ones it does have are stunning. In my opinion, better than most buildings in New York or Chicago.

 

My favorite, One Liberty Place and Two Liberty Place. One Liberty was the tallest building in the city until the Comcast Center was finished in 2008 I believe. 

 

 

Its true that it is not as imposing or awe-inspiring, but its still a beautiful skyline. Then again I might be biased.

 

I may be biased a little bit but I love Two Liberty place only because it has two of my favorite places in it. One is a the location where I work in the city and the other is a restaurant called R2L which has not only some pretty good food but has a breath taking view of the city with windows looking out all over the place. My plan is that when I go on a first date with someone it will be there because it's such a memorable experience.

 

On the subject of another comcast tower in the city I have mixed feelings. As much as I love an ever changing skyline, I don't want it to become a skyline of that like New York City because then, in my personal opinion, it'll start to loose it mystique and general feel of what it is to be a Phillyite.

The Philly city hall is really cool. Much better than Boston's I think lol

Just so you know it was intentionally built to be imposing with the Gothic architecture. Also if you pass through the building there is a hole in there that allows you to see the corner stone of the building.

[TetRefine]

So I'm wondering what they are going to name the new building? Are they going to do One Comcast Center and Two Comcast Center like they did with the Liberty Place buildings? They are being built right next to each other after all.

[methodwriter85]

I think it's being called "Comcast Innovation and Technology Center."

[Phantom]

Why not call it what it is... 'The reason why your cable bill is going up even more now building'