Cira Centre South is finally taking shape with FMC Tower
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| Cira Centre South – 2016 |
If it was said that I haven’t wrote enough about University City over the past few years, it would be an understatement.
Well, here is some more cool news for UCity.
After much hype and debate over the last few years, coupled with a slowdown in high-rise commercial development across the city, Brandywine is now set to break ground on FMC Tower (aka FMC Tower at Cire Centre South). This will be the end cap to the Cira Centre development in University City, Philadelphia.
Here are the details:
– 650 feet tall, or 47 stories tall
– Designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli (who also designed UCity’s Cira Centre, next to 30th Street Station)
– Almost 1,000,000 sq ft of usable space (with over 60% already pre-leased to FMC & UPenn)
– FMC will have a skybridge connected to Cira Green (a new, 1-acre park on top of a parking garage)
All I can say is, awesome!
Not only for the fact that another cool, architecturally pleasing building will join the likes of Cira Centre and the upcoming Evo at Cira Centre South (formerly known as The Grove), but because another large company is putting their Global HQ in Philadelphia, while joining the likes of UPenn (Philadelphia’s largest, private employer). This type of development further justifies UCity’s place as Philadelphia’s 2nd leading center for jobs/entertainment.
All good stuff.
A few other things that make this project cool, IMHO:
– It’s Mixed-Use: FMC Tower will house FMC, UPenn, and rental housing; 3 different uses (commercial, educational, and residential), 1 building. These tenants will all be on top of the future tenants taking space in the building.
– It’s Green: FMC Tower is shooting for LEED Silver Certification, with the plan of adding a 1-acre park on top of a parking garage. This will help with stormwater management, as well as provide a new park for Philadelphians to enjoy. Also, the views will be nothing short of spectacular.
– It’s Smart: The design is great, it’s right next to 30th Street Station, it still has the option to comfortably park your car (for both travelers and suburbanites alike), and it’s building on UCity’s current momentum as a global city-within-a-city.
For further reading, check out these other helpful links:
All The Renderings: Cira Centre South’s Final Tower