Penn Center, Philadelphia


Penn Center is the heart of Philadelphia's central business district. It takes its name from the nearly five million square foot office and retail complex it contains. It lies between 15th and 19th Streets, and between John F. Kennedy Boulevard and Market Street. It is credited with bringing Philadelphia into the era of modern office buildings.

History

In 1881, the Pennsylvania Railroad brought passenger service into the center of the city, and constructed the first Broad Street Station just west of City Hall. The sea of iron pillars holding up the PRR's elevated trackbed was replaced in the 1890s by a 10-block stone viaduct to the Schuylkill River. This created a block-wide barrier known as The Chinese Wall, cutting the western portion of the city in half and discouraging development there.
At the time, most commercial activity in Center City was east of Broad Street, which is why the SEPTA Market-Frankford Line has no stops between 30th Street Station and 15th Street.
In 1925, the Pennsylvania Railroad announced its intention to leave Broad Street Station, freeing the land for redevelopment. The railroad, which had both outgrown the station and was operationally burdened by its stub-end nature, would move its operations to the newly constructed 30th Street Station and Suburban Station. Those stations were completed and in operation by 1933, but a number of factors, including the Great Depression which stalled the planned redevelopment, forced the railroad to continue utilizing Broad Street Station for certain types of trains for nearly two more decades. Broad Street Station was not completely vacated until 1952, during the term of Mayor Joseph S. Clark. Plans for the demolition of the Chinese Wall and accompanying train station were finalized and both were razed in 1953.
Ed Bacon, executive director of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission, came up with a master plan for a four-block area to be cleared. Bacon named the new site Penn Center with the hopes that it would become a business center and model for future development. His plan for the redevelopment of the site included three large office towers, a pedestrian mall, and an underground concourse where retail and business was to be located. He picked architect Vincent Kling to design most of the buildings over Louis Kahn, another possible contender. The Pennsylvania Railroad wanted to sell the land off in smaller lots for piecemeal development, but Mayor Clark used his political clout to see that Bacon's plan was realized. The plan was implemented with public support, but it would come into criticism later from urban planners, and notable journalist Jane Jacobs for placing vibrant urban activity underground leaving no use for the above ground promenade, and failing to account for actual human usage of the space.
Throughout the mid- to late 20th century, the city's office sector began to move west into the Penn Center area, thanks to planning efforts. As the office-working population became more suburbanized, convenient access to Suburban Station began to take precedence to city planners over local city transit access.
Today, the Penn Center name is officially attached to 11 mid- and highrise office buildings.
Most of the buildings of the complex are connected to the Suburban Station retail concourse and by extension the Center City Concourse. The buildings share a loading and delivery entrance on Commerce Street which connects to all the buildings underground. Although not part of Penn Center, the Comcast Center connects to the concourse; such an option was also examined for the canceled American Commerce Center.

Buildings

The numbers of the Penn Center buildings generally radiate clockwise around One Penn Center, the oldest building. John F. Kennedy Boulevard, on which many Penn Center buildings front, was known as Pennsylvania Boulevard until 1964, after the assassination of John F. Kennedy.
NameAddressHeight
Feet 		FloorsYearNotes
One Penn Center 1617 JFK Boulevard330 feet 20 floors1929Originally Broad Street Suburban Station; headquarters of the Pennsylvania Railroad 1930–1957, known as the Transportation Building. Office building completely renovated by Richard I. Rubin & Co. in 1983.
Two Penn Center1500 JFK Boulevard271 feet 20 floors1958
Three Penn Center1515 Market Street270 feet 20 floors1953Currently known as 1515 Market Street, this was the first of the modern Penn Center buildings.
Four Penn Center1600 JFK Boulevard275 feet 20 floors1964Completely renovated in 2001.
Five Penn Center1601 Market Street490 feet 36 floors1970Tallest Penn Center building before the completion of the Mellon Bank Center.
Six Penn Center1701 Market Street248 feet 18 floors1957Now known as The Morgan, Lewis & Bockius Building. Headquarters of the PRR 1957–1968, Penn Central 1968–1976, and Conrail 1976–1991. Completely renovated in 1999.
Seven Penn Center1635 Market Street269 feet 21 floors1966
Eight Penn Center1628 JFK Boulevard284 feet 23 floors1982Site was originally an ice skating rink.
Nine Penn Center 1735 Market Street792 feet 54 floors1990Site was originally Greyhound Bus Terminal.
Ten Penn Center1801 Market Street306 feet 28 floors1980Lobby completely renovated in 2000.
Eleven Penn Center1835 Market Street425 feet 29 floors1986An unusual hexagonally shaped building with mansard roof.
Sheraton Hotel27 floors1957Demolished; former site of the Public Defender Building and current site of Comcast Center.
Penn Center Inn22 floors1958Demolished in 1990 to make way for the second IBX Tower, which was never built. Site remained undeveloped until construction of a residential tower in 2016.

Geographic location