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On a site that has lain dormant for 14 years, Brown Hill Development is building Bridge, a 17-storey rental tower designed by Gluck+ to form a link between the heart of Philadelphia's Old Town to the banks of the Delaware River, all of which will be framed by the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. Thus forming a "bridge," the 146-unit apartment tower, which will include 15 affordable housing units and 14,000 square feet of ground floor retail, will serve to connect the old and the new, fostering a relationship between the well-established Old Town and the up-and-coming Waterfront district.
Recent images from the build site highlight the progress that has been made over the 15 months since the ground breaking ceremony last summer. The recently topped-off tower is now well into the cladding and glazing stage. To eventually be covered in a series of sporadic three-dimensional grey panels, the otherwise floor-to-ceiling glass cladding will be punctuated at random across most of the building's upper level.
Rising partially from atop a series of columns that are visible from the street, the bulk of the tower rests upon a four-storey podium that was designed to be more in line with the neighbouring historic streetscape. The visual break between the podium and tower serves to divide up and thus reduce the tower's impact upon the street.
The sizeable gap provided by this design decision has made space for a massive outdoor terrace. The 12,000-square-foot fifth floor amenity space will be home to a large green space, with ample room left aside for an outdoor lounge, workspace, and barbecue area.
Slated for completion in early 2017, Bridge will bring approximately 650 new residents to the area. With market-rate rents ranging from $1,900 to $3,500 per month, the new development represents the upward ascent of Philadelphia's long-beleaguered inner city and the downtown renaissance that the city has been enjoying over the last five years.
SkyriseCities will be sure to return to this project as progress continues. For more information, check out the associated Database file and Forum thread, and as always, feel free to join the conversation in the comments section below.
