New Sign for New(ish) Tenant atop Avira Schuylkill Yards
The West Tower of the complex gets an update as leasing news shows some positive signs
Doom and gloom have been tough to avoid recently when it comes to most things real estate, with everything from residential sales to industrial construction going through all sorts of turbulence. So, with that in mind, we’re going to find a slice of positivity - this one focused around the Schuylkill Yards complex/neighborhood. The focus today will be on the completed mixed-use building at 3025 JFK Blvd., home to the Avira apartments on the upper levels and office space below.
This whole area has been reimagined lately, with Avira being the largest of the new construction portions (so far) for this multi-phased mini-neighborhood developed by Brandywine Realty Trust. The building contains 326 units on the upper floors, and according to recent financial reports, is now 96% leased and close to being stabilized - a huge milestone. On the lower floors, alternative asset manager FS Investments joined the fold back in February, taking up four floors and 117K sqft of space, meaning the office space is now 80% leased.
And it appears that FS Investments wants to literally make their mark here, as a submission to the Sign Committee shows plans for a new sign along the roofline. A bold, serifed “FS” is planned for the rooftop, with lighted, white letters standing on the north side of the building - very visible from eastbound I-76.
Does FS stand for “FOR SURE” because we don’t oppose adding another landmark sign to the skyline. The look is about as unoffensive as it gets, with the conservative font selection getting resounding “OKs” of approval from the committee, as long as the sign will be centered. So, be on the lookout for a new sign as you make your way into town from the western ‘burbs.
And while we’re here, let’s not forget about 3001 JFK Blvd., another proposed tower for the complex. This would rise on the east side of the Highline Park which sits between the buildings, though we haven’t heard anything or noticed any action here. But, perhaps, given the positive leasing momentum, one will see this ruby red tower make its way into the sky next to a glowing “FS” sometime in the future.
Ground floor retail is planned for 3025 John F. Kennedy Blvd. (aka Big Brown).
The Schuylkill Yards project also includes the Bulletin Building at 3025 Market St. It is occupied by Spark Therapeutics, a CHOP spinout acquired by Swiss pharmaceutical giant Roche for $4.8 billion in 2019.
Brandywine recently completed construction on the second new Schuylkill Yards building at 3151 Market St., a 472,000-square-foot life sciences project.
Three more developments at 3001 JFK Blvd. (aka Big Red), 3051 JFK Blvd. and 3101 Market St. are targeted.
Asking about warehouses being built along South 26th St between Rt 291 and I-76. S. 26th St needs to be expanded, but are the new-build warehouses too close to the street for expansion purposes?