Philadelphia's skyline is in the midst of a development boom, and several tall new projects are currently under construction in the city. Today we're counting down the five tallest buildings under construction in the City of Brotherly Love, starting with the soon-to-be tallest building in the city.

5. The Buerger Centre for Advanced Paediatric Care

The Buerger Centre for Advanced Paediatric Care, image via Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects

The Buerger Centre for Advanced Paediatric Care is an expansion of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. The 13-storey building was designed to ease stress by streamlining outpatient care in multiple medical disciplines. Waiting rooms are filled with natural light and equipped with developmental "Wait. Play. Learn" areas for children, and motifs depicting the theme "children in motion" are displayed on the walls throughout the building, adding an element of excitement and life to the building. The winding lobby ramp is meant to resemble the boundless hope of a child and the journey towards good health. Each floor is sub-themed with a type of motion such as "run," "climb," or "fly." These playful motifs along with flourishing green spaces surrounding the buildings make for an uplifting environment for the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Designed by Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects and FKP Architects, the building's first phase opened in 2015, with additional construction ongoing until 2017. 

4. One Water Street

One Water Street, image via PMC Property Group

One Water Street is a residential apartment complex standing 198 feet tall and offering 16 livable floors. Located at 230 North Columbus Boulevard, this highrise is almost move-in ready, with construction set to be complete this year. The building was designed by Varenhorst, with one taller structure and a shorter structure connected. Developer PMC Property Group promised 25 affordable housing units incorporated into the building in exchange for permission to build higher than zoning in the area would have permitted, but they have not come through on their promise, which is delaying the resident move-ins. The Department of Licenses and Inspections in Philadelphia has stated that the developers could be excused from the low-income housing deal if it could provide public amenities of equal value, such as retail space and public art spaces. 

3. 700 Schuylkill Avenue, CHOP

CHOP @ 700 Schuylkill Avenue, image via Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects

The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia is also in the midst of an expansion at 700 Schuylkill Avenue near the Schuylkill River. The 8.4-acre site of development will consist of 466,000 square feet of clinical research facilities and office spaces. It stands 23 floors above ground at 375 feet, and is expected to open in 2017. Pelli Clarke Pelli Architects designed the structure, with public green spaces surrounding it at ground level and a blue-glass curtain wall up the length of the building, which overlooks the river. This is the first phase in a bigger master plan detailing four phases of future expansions for the CHOP.

2. The W and Element Philadelphia

The W and Element Philadelphia, image via Brook Lenfest

The W and Element Philadelphia is a dual-brand hotel currently being built on the site of an old parking lot. The 617-foot 51-storey building will house 295 W Philadelphia hotel rooms and 460 Element Philadelphia hotel rooms. Located at 1441 Chestnut Street, the construction on this building began in 2015 and is set to be completed in 2018. This double hotel was designed by Cope Linder Architects and developed by Brook Lenfest, the son of the former Inquirer and Daily News owner, H.F. Lenfest. The blue glass building rises up like a standard skyscraper, until the middle and top floors of the building where rectangular blocks of glass seem to be pushing out from the rectilinear structure itself. Then, at the very top we see an increase in the frequency of these blocks, making it look as if the building is melting away in the sun.

1. The Comcast Innovation and Technology Center

The Comcast Innovation and Technology Center, image via Comcast

The Comcast Innovation and Technology Center is currently under construction at 1800 Arch Street in Philadelphia. Located in a cultural and social hub between Rittenhouse Square and Ben Franklin parkway, the CITC will stand at 1,121 feet to the tip and will house 49 floors of hotel and office space. The developers for the project are Liberty Property 18th & Arch L.P. and Liberty Property Trust, with architectural firm Foster + Partners designing the iconic structure. It houses television studios for NBC at its base and 12 floors of hotel space above. Exterior glass elevators provide a city view and thirteen sky gardens adorned with vegetation will make the CITC a skyline icon upon its completion in 2018.

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