Planning Commission gives nod to medical office tower atop garage at 8th and Walnut

The Philadelphia City Planning Commission this week gave its approval to two zoning bills that would allow a medical office tower to rise from a parking garage at 8th and Walnut streets.

The entirety of the 12-story, 153,000 square foot office building would be used by Pennsylvania Hospital, which is part of Penn Medicine.

Opponents to the Liberty Property Trust project, to be called Liberty Property Tower, said it would create traffic problems, suck up too much of the existing parking at the garage, and hurt the quality of life of residents of the St. James Tower.

Watch the testimony and discussion

Planning commissioners said that the top of the garage has been destined for this tower since the project was planned in the 1980s. Chairman and Deputy Mayor Alan Greenberger told the developer it would be a good thing to “do what you can do to cut the noise” from the cooling tower. But he indicated the development was a reasonable one considering “this is the city.”

The bills, introduced by First District Councilman Frank DiCicco, now head to city council.

See previous coverage.

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