Cira Center South: Philadelphia Begins Fulfilling Its Dreams

In the last few weeks a quiet surge has occurred in the real estate-development market in Philadelphia; the University of Pennsylvania and Brandywine Real Estate have combined to build a mixed-used office complex called Cira Center South.

Cira Center South is seen by some to be the continuation of the Cira Center at 30th and Arch Streets which was designed by Pelli and Associates. The original Cira Center stands as a crystal like structure which defines the current western edge of Philadelphia's growing skyline. However Cira Center South is not simply the continuation of the Cira Center complex but it is a fulfillment of many years of planning. Such a development as the proposed Bridgemenview Condo or Mandeville Place Condo are especially key to Philadelphia growth.

For many years the Philadelphia City Planning Commission has made plans to build offices and mixed used towers west of the Schuylkill River; some of these plans date as far back as the 1920's and 30's when Amtrak Station was build; the railroad station was actually apart of this early plans. Other generations have since made plans to build west of the Schuylkill River as well and such plans can be seen from the 1960's to the late 1980s. Often plans are made for development in the City of Philadelphia and they never come to be build which is is why the original Cira Center was important.