The Philadelphia Schuylkill Yards is a multi-billion dollar development project by Brandywine Realty Trust and Drexel University. The project was first announced to the public in 2016 and groundbreaking began in 2017. Since then, the question still remains: how far has the project grown within these five years of COVID-19 and other challenges posed by an ambitious project in the middle of a major American city?
This project is planned to be built on fourteen acres of land between Drexel’s campus and 30th Street Station. According to Brandywine Realty and Trust, it will include luxury residences along with office, medical, and communal spaces. It will be a place to build “connectivity, productivity, and happiness.”
So far, 3025 John F. Kennedy Boulevard is nearing halfway to completion according to a site visit by Philadelphia YIMBY. This building will be a 361-foot tall mixed-use tower, and its 28 floors will include residences, laboratories, and commercial spaces. According to the Schuylkill Yards website, 3025 JFK has a delivery date of Quarter 3 of 2023.
A completed building in the project is the “Bulletin Building” located at 3025 Market Street. However, the new building certainly does not have new roots. The structure was originally the home to the Philadelphia Bulletin, a newspaper company from 1847-1982, once the largest evening newspaper in the country. The building, now fully renovated, boasts an intriguing window grid design.
In front of the Bulletin Building, Brandywine developed a 1.3-acre community park. According to the Schuylkill Yards website, “It is a gathering space for thousands of residents, students, workers, and travelers in University City. A breath of fresh air nestled in the cityscape, a place to pause and feel the sunshine on your face. Come here to connect, to disconnect, to do whatever is needed to make the day a great one.”
However, Schuylkill Yards is not just limited to students in University City, but also to students of Haverford. Students may be able to complete summer internships and senior projects with companies that lease at Schuylkill Yards. With these opportunities, students can create partnerships and relationships with companies and careers they may be interested in.
The Schuylkill Yards project has gone a long way since when it was first proposed. From a developer’s concept to having multiple parts already finished with many more buildings expected to rise in the upcoming years, Schuylkill Yards has steadily continued on with their timeline to hopefully make the wait well worth it.
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