Penn Center

Penn Center

Type	Commercial District
Location	Center City
ZIP code(s)	19102, 19103
Boundaries	Roughly Market Street to JFK Boulevard, 15th Street to 18th Street
Adjacent	Logan Square, Rittenhouse Square, Market East
Major streets	Market Street, JFK Boulevard, 16th Street
Transit	All SEPTA Regional Rail lines (Suburban Station), Broad Street Line, trolleys
Landmarks	Suburban Station, LOVE Park, Comcast Center, One and Two Liberty Place

Penn Center is a commercial district in Center City Philadelphia built on the site of the former Pennsylvania Railroad's Broad Street Station and elevated rail line (the "Chinese Wall"). The area contains major office towers, Suburban Station, and serves as a central transit hub.

History

Chinese Wall

For decades, an elevated railroad viaduct called the "Chinese Wall" divided Center City. When demolished in the 1950s, it opened prime real estate for development.

Urban Renewal

Penn Center was Philadelphia's major urban renewal project of the 1950s-60s:

• Modernist office towers replaced rail infrastructure
• Underground concourses for pedestrians
• Suburban Station as transit hub
• One of America's first modern mixed-use developments

Major Buildings

Comcast Center

• Philadelphia's tallest building (until Comcast Technology Center)
• Comcast Corporation headquarters
• Modern glass tower (2008)

Liberty Place

• One Liberty Place (1987) - broke City Hall height limit
• Two Liberty Place (1990)
• Shops at Liberty Place
• Transformed Philadelphia's skyline

Suburban Station

• All Regional Rail lines
• Underground station
• Commuter hub
• Concourse retail

Character

• Corporate headquarters
• Office workers
• Commuter traffic
• Underground concourses
• Limited street-level activity after hours

Getting There

• SEPTA Regional Rail: Suburban Station (all lines)
• Broad Street Line: City Hall Station
• SEPTA trolleys: Underground concourse
• Walking: Central Center City

See Also

• Center City
• Logan Square
• SEPTA