Incredible drone photos capture Comcast Tower, East Market, and more

Get super up close and personal to these major developments around Philly

By Melissa Romero May 16, 2017, 10:30am EDT

All images credit of Christopher Kao, Phillybydrone.com

While most of Philly was still in bed, a drone was flying up and around the city Sunday morning, snapping these amazing views of major developments under construction throughout Center City and University City.

Christopher Kao is an FAA Part 107 certified commercial drone pilot and flies a DJI Phantom 4 around Philly, offering views of the city that a majority of us would never be able to see under normal circumstances. On Sunday, May 14, Kao rose bright and early at 5 a.m. to take his drone on a ride past the Comcast Technology Center, East Market, 1213 Walnut, and East Market.

He shared his images with Curbed Philly (you can download them over at his website Phillybydrone.com, too) to offer a birds’ eye view of these major developments.

Comcast Technology Center

When we last caught aerial views of the Comcast Technology Center, its core was still in plain view. Not any more! This immense 60-story, 1,121-foot tower designed by Foster + Partners will be home to a Four Seasons Hotel, the new headquarters for the company’s technologists, engineers, software architects, and home to the CEO’s 45th-floor home. Here’s a peek inside the actual tower, too. It broke ground in summer 2014 and is expected to be complete—as the tallest tower in the city—in early 2018.

1213 Walnut (the Fergie Tower)

The tallest tower in the Washington Square West neighborhood has been topped out since January of this year, while work continues on building out its 322 luxury units. These drone photos offer close-ups of the 26-story building’s roof deck at the top, which will no doubt offer some pretty incredible views of toward the Delaware River, South Philly, and Center City.

East Market

Not far from 1213 Walnut, the $600 million East Market development project is well underway. The first apartment and retail tower, 1100 Ludlow, topped out long ago, while the second tower’s two-story, retail podium base is quickly rising.

Vue32

Over in University City, the residential development Vue32 is nearing completion and is currently leasing its apartments. At 16 stories, it’s by no means the tallest tower in West Philly (that honor goes to the FMC Tower), but it still stands out at its location at 32nd and Race streets.