Comcast Center Building

Comcast_CenterThe Comcast Center is a skyscraper located in the Center City in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At 58 stories and standing 297 meters or 974 feet tall, it is currently the tallest building in Philadelphia and the 18th tallest building in the US. The building is named after its major tenant, cable company Comcast, which also considered the building as its main headquarters.

Comcast Center History

With the demand for class A office space increasing in Philadelphia, plans to build a new tower begin to surface. Developer Liberty Property Trust decided on a location at 1701 John F. Kennedy Blvd., Philadelphia was chosen. The developer initially planned the new skyscraper as One Pennsylvania Plaza. It was to be a 52-story tower made out of kesota stone, the same material used for the Philadelphia Museum of Art.

At around the same time, cable company Comcast was looking for a new office location to accommodate its expanding workforce. Lease on its previous headquarters was expiring and was looking into various options. Discussions between Comcast and Liberty Property Trust led to a redesign of the One Pennsylvania Plaza, which now makes it into a 58-story, 297-meter or 975-feet tower. Prior to construction, the developer signed a 15.5-year lease with Comcast that starts upon its completion. The developer also unveiled the new name of the skyscraper, Comcast Center. Construction of the building started with a groundbreaking ceremony on March 31, 2005. By June 18, 2007, the skyscraper was topped out. It was eventually completed on March 2008.

Comcast Center Features

The Comcast Center was designed by architectural firm Robert A. M. Stern Architects. The structure is made up of a central concrete core with each floor made out of steel frames. The tower features an exterior that tapers inwards as it moves towards the top. There are two cutouts on the exterior near the top of the building on the north and south sides.

The skyscraper also features an exterior made of lightly tinted, non-reflective, low-emissivity glass curtain wall. This helps block 60 percent of the heat while also allowing 70 percent of sunlight into the building. The building was also designed to use 40 percent less water than a typical office building. Because of this, Comcast Center was awarded a Gold LEED rating for energy efficiency.
