PECO Building explained

PECO Building
Location:2301 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
Coordinates:39.9545°N -75.1787°W
Map Type:Philadelphia#Pennsylvania#USA
Building Type:office
Roof:384feet
Floor Count:27
Start Date:1916
Completion Date:1970
Architect:Harbeson, Hough, Livingston & Larson
Owner:PECO Energy Company

The PECO Building is a modernist office highrise in Center City Philadelphia. The building is the current headquarters of the PECO Energy Company, formerly the Philadelphia Energy Company (PECo), and one of the companies that merged to form the Exelon Corporation. The building lies adjacent to the Schuylkill River, extends 27 stories tall,[1] and has the address of 2301 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103.

Overview

The Building consists of two conjoined buildings designed by architects Harbeson, Hough, Livingston & Larson.[2] The North building has a height of 96 feet and a length of 380 feet and a width of 196 feet. The south has a height of 384 feet and a length of 165 and a width of 67 feet. The North building was built in 1916 and the South building was completed in 1970. The PECO Building is notable for its electronic display, formally called the, which displays news and a variety of other community messages.

Crown Lights

The Crown Lights have been displaying messages atop the structure since July 4, 1976.[3] The original electronic message board consisted of a total of 2,600 individual amber-colored bulbs which displayed scrolling text around the top of the building. At midnight on January 1, 2009, the lights were shut down and replaced with a more energy efficient and full color LED-based system which went live on July 4, 2009.[4] In November 2020 the lights were upgraded once more, after being dark for four months. The new display's pixel density was improved from 25 to 39 pixels per inch.[5] The display is 38 feet high, 148 feet long along the North and South side of the building, and 71 feet long along the East and West side.

References

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Jenkins . Kristina . A New Nightly Crown Lights Show Atop The PECO Building Marks Pope Francis' Visit Through Sunday, September 27 . uwishunu . 16 September 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170620040412/https://www.uwishunu.com/2015/09/a-new-nightly-crown-lights-show-atop-the-peco-building-marks-pope-francis-visit-through-sunday-september-27/ . 20 June 2017 . 22 September 2015 . live.
  2. Book: Edward Teitelman . Richard W. Longstreth . Architecture in Philadelphia: A Guide . 1974 . Cambridge: MIT Press . 9780262700214 . 105.
  3. Engel . Cathy . Philadelphia Skyline at 23rd & Market To Go Dark . Business Wire . 16 September 2019.
  4. Web site: December 24, 2008 . Peco to revamp tower message board . Matt . Katz . The Philadelphia Inquirer . 2008-12-24 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081225090009/http://www.philly.com/philly/hp/news_update/20081224_Peco_to_revamp_tower_message_board.html . December 25, 2008 .
  5. News: Tanenbaum . Michael . PECO building crown lights return to Philly skyline with brighter, sharper display . 9 March 2021 . PhillyVoice . 10 November 2020 . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20201201210407/https://www.phillyvoice.com/peco-building-lights-philly-skyline-upgrade-brighter-sharper-display/ . 1 December 2020.