The office buildings facing the most vexing challenges are those with the lowest occupancy and highest debt. In Philadelphia, a prime example is the hulking Wanamaker Building, just east of City Hall. The office portion of this historic building is only 23% occupied and has been in receivership since September. Its historic status restricts renovation… Read more »
Seeking a new design for its office, architecture firm Ballinger is relocating from its 21-year home in Washington Square West to a new location just south of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway. Currently occupying 44,000 square feet at 833 Chestnut St., Ballinger plans to move to 46,500 square feet at 1650 Arch St. in May 2025…. Read more »
Philadelphia developers Lubert-Adler Real Estate Funds and Keystone Development and Investment are finalizing a deal to purchase the Bourse building and 400 Market St., according to multiple industry sources. The joint venture plans to convert these Old City properties to new uses. This purchase marks Lubert-Adler’s latest investment in converting historic properties during the office… Read more »
While office values plummet and vacancy rates reach record highs, developer Ori Feibush sees the buyer’s market as “the best real estate opportunities we’ve seen in our professional lives.” To demonstrate this, he recently acquired a five-story Old City building that’s 30% occupied, with plans to keep it as office space. Feibush, president of OCF… Read more »
The former GlaxoSmithKline office building at the Navy Yard failed to sell at a sheriff’s sale on Tuesday, adding another layer to its ongoing foreclosure saga. The 207,779-square-foot property at 5 Crescent Drive was put up for public auction on the Bid4Assets platform to satisfy a foreclosure judgment against owner Korea Investment Management Co. Ltd…. Read more »
Hamilton Lane will soon expand its presence by opening a Center City office at One Logan Square, complementing its relatively new headquarters in Conshohocken. The investment firm has secured an eight-and-a-half-year lease for 7,981 square feet on the 24th floor of the Brandywine Realty Trust-owned building at 130 N. 18th St. The move is scheduled… Read more »
An increasingly pressing question looms over older office buildings in Center City: What fate awaits them? Some local developers speculate that aging, lower-quality high-rises might vanish from Philadelphia’s skyline. While demolition is a typical aspect of the real estate cycle, the prospect of dismantling 30-story office towers is both rare and striking. However, extreme situations… Read more »
A five-story Center City West office building is for sale, offering conversion potential in a rapidly developing area of Philadelphia. Owned by the American Red Cross, the 52,676-square-foot building at 2221 Chestnut St. includes 20 underground parking spaces and is situated between the central business district, Rittenhouse Square, and University City. Recently assessed at $12.2… Read more »
Mayor Cherelle Parker announced on Monday that she is mandating all city employees to resume in-person work five days a week. This new directive will take effect on July 15, requiring over 25,000 city workers to return to their job sites full-time. It echoes Mayor Parker’s earlier encouragements to employers throughout Philadelphia to increase the… Read more »
A two-story office building in Center City, located at 2042-2048 Arch St. in Logan Square, is now available for purchase, presenting a prime redevelopment opportunity. Positioned between two notable projects, the property spans 17,940 square feet and sits on the southeast corner of 21st and Arch streets. Adjacent to the east, Parkway Corp. is underway… Read more »
