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PHILADELPHIA | One Cathedral Square | 245 FT | 24 FLOORS

Title: One Cathedral Square - Cathedral Square Phase I
Project: Residential, retail
Architect: SCB Architects
Developer: Exeter Property Group & The Archdiocese of Philadelphia
Location: 17th and Race Streets, Philadelphia, PA
Neighborhood: Logan Square
District: Center City
Floors: 24 floors
Height: 245 feet

Cash-strapped Archdiocese sees high-rise towers for Cathedral campus

https://phillyyimby.com/wp-content/u...nz-777x628.jpg

https://phillyyimby.com/wp-content/u...1-1024x658.jpg

https://phillyyimby.com/wp-content/u...well_Buenz.jpg

Quote:

The Archdiocese of Philadelphia envisions hundreds of new dwellings - including one for the archbishop - around its Center City cathedral.

The new housing is part of an ambitious proposal to transform acres of underused land around the historic Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter & Paul into an inviting enclave of high-rise buildings, verdant gardens, and pedestrian walkways.

Early conceptual plans call for the demolition of the three 20th-century buildings on the proposed development site to make way for two new mostly residential high-rises along landscaped paths.

The new building to the north, which appears as a 44-story tower in renderings presented to the neighborhood group, would feature ground-floor retail and restaurant space.

The second tower to the east, presented as a 33-story building, would accommodate on its lower floors administrative offices that are currently housed in a campus headquarters building Croke said is in need of millions of dollars of maintenance.

Also in that new building, the use of which would be guaranteed to the Archdiocese as part of the ground-lease negotiations, would be the cathedral's convent and social-service annex, both now in buildings also proposed for demolition.

Another component of the plan is the re-establishment of the campus' rectory, south of the cathedral, as the archbishop's residence for the first time since 1935, when Cardinal Dennis Dougherty moved into the then-new City Avenue mansion.

This is great but still conceptual, right?

The height and floor counts and design are based on the conceptual renderings. The Diocese has to come to an agreement with a developer who in turn would engage with an architect and come up with their own plans.

The more money the Diocese wants for its lease, the more number of units a developer will need to make it work. 44 and 33 stories would be awesome!

^^Yes, I mean overall height could change, but gives us a nice idea of what they are shooting for.

I believe something to the renderings effects will happen. The heights may have to be adjusted, but it seems as long as the neighborhood association is kept in the loop this has great potential.

Perhaps future renderings will be different, but that does not fit in its context in the slightest. They look like they should be in San Diego, not Philadelphia. While they're not necessarily poorly designed, or really bad buildings for that matter, they do not blend well with the Basilica at all. That's my two cents, at least.

Also, I notice a small glass building directly touching the Cathedral's north side. What could that be?

^^It's obviously an early rendering, but I think the design of these towers could looks superb. I like the curves in the buildings, which I don't think Philadelphia has a lot of. Also, if the towers had a very reflective glass facade, you will see reflections of the Cathedral in the towers, which would be amazing.

Between this proposal, the Mormon Temple, 1601 Vine, the One Franklin Plaza conversion, the proposed Family Court hotel conversion, the small cap in Logan Circle, and all of the construction in the Art Museum/Fairmount/Spring Garden neighborhoods, the scar of the Vine Street Expressway is slowly being mended shut west of Broad!

Vine Street will be exciting to watch in the upcoming years with the Reading Viaduct and Chinatown Eastern Tower finally happening, along with the nightclub and 1201 Vine!

When I took the Mormon Temple tour they mentioned that one of the benefits of the location was being able to look out at the cathedral and other grand parkway buildings. This proposal seems to do away with that view. While I don't think the proposal should be discouraged to protect the mormons' view I wonder if a really tall building on the 18th street side would loom over Logan Square to the detriment of the parkway. That side is definitely where the architecture/height should be most scrutinized. Also isn't there some parkway overlay that would influence this development? I would love to see Mayor Kenney's reaction if Chaput comes begging for a variance/legislative change considering the ill words they've spoken of each other.

Quote:

Originally Posted by eixample (Post 7606042)

Both towers are massed on 17th not 18th so it shouldn't really encroach on the Parkway.

Two towers proposed for archdiocese’s Logan Square campus

http://philly.curbed.com/2016/10/28/...ighrise-towers

Quote:

Originally Posted by summersm343 (Post 7605788)

Definitely agreed on the reflections. Sure, the Basilica is rather unassuming from the exterior, but buildings reflected off of other buildings is always wonderful. For instance, Mellon Bank Center reflected off of the Blue Cross Tower.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Parkway (Post 7606138)

Both towers are massed on 17th not 18th so it shouldn't really encroach on the Parkway.

Thanks for the correction. I am all for tall buildings on 17th side. For what it's worth, I looked it up and this building is not in the Parkway overlay but is in the Parkway "buffer" area. Basically there is something like a 250 foot height limit within 200 feet of 18th Street but 17th side is okay.

Aerial stock photo - courtesy: me

[IMG]https://c5.staticflickr.com/6/5249/2...a0ea2d9e_b.jpg Untitled

Quote:

Originally Posted by eixample (Post 7606862)

Basically there is something like a 250 foot height limit within 200 feet of 18th Street but 17th side is okay.

Which is good for not having this thing cast enormous shadows on Logan Square. As wonderful as skyscrapers are, no one wants to go to a park that's mostly covered in darkness. Also, that will prevent it from looming too high over the Basilica, the way the Olympia Tower in NY towers over St. Patrick's. (Which is to be expected of New York, anyway)

From LSNA January 2017 Zoning Report

Quote:

Cathedral Block Master Plan-LSNA Board meeting/near neighbor meeting was held on October 24, 2016 at 7:00 pm. The Zoning Committee will be working with Council President Clarke’s office and the attorney for the Archdiocese regarding the rezoning request.

https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&p...TU2NGY2ZGViM2I

I would be very excited if this got built. That building that would be demolished is an eyesore.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgrath618 (Post 7711734)

I would be very excited if this got built. That building that would be demolished is an eyesore.

The only buildings of architectural value on the entire block are the Cathedral and adjoining Rectory. Everything else is 50s/60s institutional schlock.

Agreed. The Cathedral is magnificent, but is surrounded in its block by empty parking lots and one lone box that really should be demolished as soon as possible. This complex would do great things for this place. Two new skyscrapers would be great, and, of course, a new addition to Philly's growing skyline.

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