Residences At The Curtis To Be "Central Hub" For Washington Square

The redevelopment of the Curtis Center, the newly-named Residences at the Curtis, remains right on schedule, with DAS Architects recently releasing its plans for the 12-story building. Plans call for the conversion of approximately 90,000 square feet of office space on the 2nd through 11th floors of the building into 57 residences. Rooftop penthouse units will also feature terraces overlooking Independence Hall Park (take that, 500 Walnut). Construction is scheduled to begin this summer.

The Curtis Center, built in 1910 to house the headquarters of the The Curtis Publishing Company, was designed by Edgar Viguers Seeler in the Beaux Arts Style. The full-block building was bought last year by Keystone Property Group and Mack-Cali Realty Corporation for $125 million. In addition to residences, the new iteration of the 12-story building will house offices, retail space, and a large space on the ground floor on the Sixth Street corner that will be offered for lease as a restaurant. The 100,000-piece Tiffany Studios mosaic, The Dream Garden, will remain in the lobby.

"We want to create a vibrant pedestrian experience … a 24-hour destination," said Jennifer Cooperman, development director for Keystone, who want to see the 880,000 square-foot building become a "central hub" for Washington Square.

In addition to the generously-sized living units, residents will enjoy exclusive access to the 9,000-square-foot amenity space on the 11th floor (rendering above), including a first-class fitness facility, yoga studio, virtual golf, private screening room, catering kitchen, large lounge and meeting space, all overlooking The Curtis's atrium.
"We don't simply design buildings. We create experiences," DAS Architects co-founder Susan Davidson explains. "For the Residences at The Curtis, truly spectacular amenity space factors hugely into that equation."

· Redevelopment of Curtis Center Slated for Spring [Curbed Philly]
· DAS Architects