High rise to grace Univ. City

The new high rise that will be built in University City will bring much-needed new businesses and jobs to the area, according to University City officials. Brandywine Realty Trust, based in Newtown Square, Pa., announced plans last May to begin construction on a 32-story office building at 30th Street Station. Tenants are scheduled to move into offices when the building is completed in 2005. The high rise, called the Cira Centre, was designed by world-famous architect Cesar Pelli. Known for his work on the world's tallest buildings, the Petronas Towers in Malaysia, Pelli's angular, glass covered Cira Centre will take its place in the Philadelphia skyline. According to University City District Executive Director Eric Goldstein, the tower will be a huge benefit to the area. The University City District has been working since 1997 to revitalize the area, and Goldstein believes the new building will only help the organization's efforts. "I think it's incredible," he said, calling the project "exactly the kind of investment we're looking for in University City." "It's new jobs," he added. "New jobs mean new money, new spending on retail." "You can't win any more than with a project like that," he said. Goldstein noted that in the 1990s, University City's poor reputation would have made it impossible for any realty company to even consider building a new office building in the area. "That wouldn't even have been a pipe dream," he said. Yet, with the increasing changes to the area, including recent projects like the Baltimore and Lancaster avenues revitalization, the Cira Centre could be the start of business pushing away from Center City and towards University City. Goldstein also described those at Brandywine Realty Trust as "awesome", citing the company's "unbelievable reputation." Cira Centre will have 28 floors of office space and will also house a restaurant and a fitness center. Those who work at the new tower will have easy access to transportation, as the tenants will be connected to 30th Street Station via a covered walkway. Although the building will replace some of the parking area at the station, Amtrak intends to build a 1,500-car parking garage at the site.