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Philly got major props when Comcast completed the nation's tallest green building, Comcast Center. All that recognition will be marred once the city's gas guzzling Pennsylvania Convention Center expansion project is complete, designed by a quilt of architects including the Vitetta Group and Kelly/Maiello. Bringing the total footprint to a massive three blocks it appears to be competing for the national title of "Biggest Waste of Space" as the Pennsylvania Convention Center's reputation for its overpriced and notoriously lazy union staff deters many vendors from ever returning. As for it's friendliness towards Mother Earth, well with Mayor Nutter and the state's reputation as Official Bitch, I doubt we'll be seeing waterless urinals given the mafia - um, I mean, union - opposition to "less maintenance" when Comcast demanded them. Needless to say the prospect of a green roof is probably a concept the developers have never even heard of. We'll also receive an additional exhaust tunnel on 13th Street for idling busses chartered to take conventioneers as close as the Sheraton at 12th and Arch, and the Hampton Inn at 13th and Arch. Way to go Philly.
What I've noticed lately when passing the construction site is that all of the renderings seem to exaggerate the width of Broad Street. They also seem to somehow underscore how tall the building actually is. In other words, this is a massive building on a relatively narrow street. I have no problem with density but this isn't a series of structures making up a block, they tore those down. The is one structure a full block long. I think that one of the other two designs would be more appropriate for the relationship between the structure and the sidewalk. The horizontal lines on the above rendering will carry the eye across and already long structure and cause a dizzying effect from the sidewalk in relation to the height. The more compartmentalized designs below as well as the lighter shade of the finish would be more appropriate for a relatively narrow street scape.
Unfortunately very few renderings were ever offered of this project. The only other perspective seemed to highlight the existing high rise and demolished facades more than the actual bulk of the construction. It will be interesting to see how this stadium-size building will play out two blocks from City Hall. One thing we certainly need to watch out for is the inevitable reclamation of surrounding property for more surface lots.
