It's been less than 30 years since One Liberty Place overtook William Penn's statue atop City Hall as the highest point above Philadelphia. Our city has seen its fair share of high-rise development since the mid-1980s, but imagine how it would look if zoning issues, financing woes, and a sputtering economy were never factors in the skyline's evolution.
There are certainly a few honorable mentions, like the originally-planned twin to accompany the G. Fred DiBona Jr. Building (IBX Tower), the super-ambitious Philadelphia River City, and 205 Race Street, but feel free to sound off with your own suggestions in the comments.
This 75-story supertall would have risen 1,050 feet above City Hall in the space now occupied by the Residences at The Ritz-Carlton. Rumor has it that Comcast was considering this proposal for their Philadelphia headquarters, but ultimately shifted their focus to 17th & JFK.
Arguably Philadelphia's most well-known cancelled project, the ACC would have transformed the skyline with a 1,510 spire and brought 63 floors of offices, retail, hotels, and even a skygarden around the 500-foot mark. This project cleared all zoning hurdles but inevitably fell apart alongside the economic downturn of 2008.
A project reminiscent of 1706 Rittenhouse (but way bigger), Mandeville Place would have featured just 45 luxury condos over 43 floors. The heartbreaker here is that the project was fully approved with construction slated for early 2008. Chalk this one up as another victim of the burst housing bubble.
This long-rumored 670-footer would have risen 58 floors at the vacant lot directly behind the Residences at The Ritz-Carlton. Roughly 130 luxury condos were planned on top of several hotel floors, but the project was put on a permanent hold in mid-2008.
This residential 525-footer would have towered over Rittenhouse Square on a much-talked-about vacant lot that still exists today. Sadly, a lethal combination of zoning and economic woes ultimately killed this project.
Originally planned for a late 2009 groundbreaking, this project would have restored the Boyd Theatre and added a 28-story hotel with a concave eastern face. Unfortunately, the project fizzled out after the death of developer Hal Wheeler in 2010.
Presented in 2006 as a residential tower to accompany the Barnes Foundation, this proposal would have replaced the Best Western at 21st & Hamilton. Ultimately, the project was yet another victim of the economic collapse.
This 46-story tower would have been one of the tallest buildings north of the Comcast Center and offered residences, hotels, and ground-floor retail. The design was decent enough, but this one bit the dust when funding couldn't be secured.
Perhaps a bit too ambitious, this mixed-use project could have potentially ushered in a revival of the underwhelming area at Broad & Washington. Unfortunately, the lot remains vacant as the surrounding blocks beg for redevelopment.
One of many failed riverfront projects, this tower comprised of 230 residential units would have risen 438 feet in the footprint of the fatal Pier 34 collapse in 2000. It's no surprise that this never got off the ground given its location.
This extravagant concept was never really taken seriously, as it featured a rather significant high-rise, several mid-rises, and a cap over I-95. Total cost of the project? $1 billion.
The design wasn't anything earth-shattering, but this billion dollar project was ready for construction in 2006 until City Council approved a new 65-foot height limit on buildings around Old City; an ordinance that was repealed just four years later. The lot remains mostly vacant today.
An undeniable game changer for Philly's skyline, this largely residential 66-story tower would have risen 915 feet over the waterfront north of the Ben Franklin Bridge. Groundbreaking was set for late 2007, but the economic collapse of 2008 effectively killed it off.
Possibly the most uninspired design on the list, the 45-story Trump Tower would have brought roughly 260 condo units to the narrow pier just south of Waterfront Square. Again, the 2008 crash killed this one off. Nobody seemed to mind.
Just three of the five buildings planned for Waterfront Square were ever built, with The Horizon and The Tides falling victim to a poor economy. This complex was intended to be the residential anchor for the area's redevelopment, but the cancellation of nearly every proposal nearby has left it isolated and out of place.
This 75-story supertall would have risen 1,050 feet above City Hall in the space now occupied by the Residences at The Ritz-Carlton. Rumor has it that Comcast was considering this proposal for their Philadelphia headquarters, but ultimately shifted their focus to 17th & JFK.
Arguably Philadelphia's most well-known cancelled project, the ACC would have transformed the skyline with a 1,510 spire and brought 63 floors of offices, retail, hotels, and even a skygarden around the 500-foot mark. This project cleared all zoning hurdles but inevitably fell apart alongside the economic downturn of 2008.
A project reminiscent of 1706 Rittenhouse (but way bigger), Mandeville Place would have featured just 45 luxury condos over 43 floors. The heartbreaker here is that the project was fully approved with construction slated for early 2008. Chalk this one up as another victim of the burst housing bubble.
This long-rumored 670-footer would have risen 58 floors at the vacant lot directly behind the Residences at The Ritz-Carlton. Roughly 130 luxury condos were planned on top of several hotel floors, but the project was put on a permanent hold in mid-2008.
This residential 525-footer would have towered over Rittenhouse Square on a much-talked-about vacant lot that still exists today. Sadly, a lethal combination of zoning and economic woes ultimately killed this project.
Originally planned for a late 2009 groundbreaking, this project would have restored the Boyd Theatre and added a 28-story hotel with a concave eastern face. Unfortunately, the project fizzled out after the death of developer Hal Wheeler in 2010.
Presented in 2006 as a residential tower to accompany the Barnes Foundation, this proposal would have replaced the Best Western at 21st & Hamilton. Ultimately, the project was yet another victim of the economic collapse.
This 46-story tower would have been one of the tallest buildings north of the Comcast Center and offered residences, hotels, and ground-floor retail. The design was decent enough, but this one bit the dust when funding couldn't be secured.
Perhaps a bit too ambitious, this mixed-use project could have potentially ushered in a revival of the underwhelming area at Broad & Washington. Unfortunately, the lot remains vacant as the surrounding blocks beg for redevelopment.
One of many failed riverfront projects, this tower comprised of 230 residential units would have risen 438 feet in the footprint of the fatal Pier 34 collapse in 2000. It's no surprise that this never got off the ground given its location.
This extravagant concept was never really taken seriously, as it featured a rather significant high-rise, several mid-rises, and a cap over I-95. Total cost of the project? $1 billion.
The design wasn't anything earth-shattering, but this billion dollar project was ready for construction in 2006 until City Council approved a new 65-foot height limit on buildings around Old City; an ordinance that was repealed just four years later. The lot remains mostly vacant today.
An undeniable game changer for Philly's skyline, this largely residential 66-story tower would have risen 915 feet over the waterfront north of the Ben Franklin Bridge. Groundbreaking was set for late 2007, but the economic collapse of 2008 effectively killed it off.
Possibly the most uninspired design on the list, the 45-story Trump Tower would have brought roughly 260 condo units to the narrow pier just south of Waterfront Square. Again, the 2008 crash killed this one off. Nobody seemed to mind.
Just three of the five buildings planned for Waterfront Square were ever built, with The Horizon and The Tides falling victim to a poor economy. This complex was intended to be the residential anchor for the area's redevelopment, but the cancellation of nearly every proposal nearby has left it isolated and out of place.
:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/48086805/ACC_phillyskyline.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62504892/CenterCityTower.0.0.png)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62504893/AmericanCommerceCenter.0.0.png)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62504894/MandevillePlace.0.0.png)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62504895/WaldorfAstoria.0.0.png)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62504896/CastlewayTower.0.0.png)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62504897/KimptonMonacoBoyd.0.0.png)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62504898/Parkway22.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62504899/1601Vine.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62504900/GatewayCenterSouth.0.0.png)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62504901/PennsLandingTower.0.0.png)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62504902/PennsLandingAtlantis.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62504903/WorldTradeSquare.0.0.png)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62504904/Bridgmans_20Tower_20no_20Bridge.0.0.png)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62504905/TrumpTower.0.0.jpg)
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62504906/HorizonTides.0.0.jpg)
Loading comments...