Philadelphia's big developments to watch in 2025
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The newest addition to Philly's skyline is an 18-story building from insurance giant Chubb. Photo: Courtesy of Chubb
Philadelphia's building boom marches on this year.
Why it matters: Rising towers are changing the city's skyline and fueling investments into more neighborhoods.
Zoom in: While most aren't slated to open this year, some major development projects are making strides in 2025.
- Others are up in the air.
Here's what we're watching:
In progress
💼 Chubb's new HQ
🔎 Details: Chubb's 18-story office building is the latest high-rise to join Philly's skyline (its signage was recently placed atop the tower).
- Spanning 438,000 square feet, it will be the insurance giant's new headquarters.
- Chubb expects more than 3,000 employees will work in the Center City HQ once it's completed in 2026 — including more than 1,200 new jobs it's bringing to the city.
💰 Price: $430 million
📍 Location: 2000 Arch St.
🔁 Office-to-apartment transformation
🔎 Details: 17 Market West is an 18-story former office tower in Center City that's being converted into apartments and ground-floor retail along busy Market Street.
- The 299-unit project from Alterra Property Group, slated to open later this year, will be the city's largest conversion post-pandemic.
- Amenities include a rooftop saltwater pool and cabanas, pickleball courts, a golf simulator, cold plunge pools and a yoga studio.
💰 Cost: A spokesperson for Alterra Property Group declined to say.
📍 Location: 1701 Market St.
💸 Needle tower in Rittenhouse
🔎 Details: Pearl Properties' Harper Square will add around 50 stories and up to 215 residential units in ritzy Rittenhouse. Demolition began last year but there's no ETA on a groundbreaking yet.
- The slim tower will complement the developer's nearby 24-story Harper building, which includes apartments, Goldie and Federal Donuts.
- The project is slated to be completed in 2027.
💰 Cost: Unknown. A spokesperson for Pearl Properties didn't return Axios' request for comment.
📍 Location: 113–19 S. 19th St.
📦 South Philly revival
🔎 Details: Counted among Philly's largest developments, the Bellwether District is eyeing the completion of its first industrial-sized warehouse in the coming weeks and another slated for the end of the year.
- The warehouses are a small part of Hilco Redevelopment Partners' vision to transform 1,300 acres of a former oil refinery site into an industrial and life-sciences hub.
💰 Cost: $4 billion over 10–15 years
📍 Location: South and Southwest Philly
🔑 Navy Yard apartments
🔎 Details: The two-building apartment complex is bringing 614 units and new retail space to the Navy Yard, with completion set for September.
- Amenities include game rooms, a theater, work pods, an outdoor pool, a music studio, bike lounge and golf simulator.
- These buildings are part of a $6.2 billion plan to transform part of the former military base into a new neighborhood filled with housing, restaurants, a hotel and offices.
💰 Cost: $285 million
📍 Location: 1200 Normandy Place and 1225 Constitution Ave.
Pending
🏗️ Penn's Landing megaproject
🔎 Details: The project spans 12 towers that will bring thousands of residential units, offices, retail and a hotel to the Delaware River waterfront.
- Yes, but: The development from New York-based Durst Organization, which broke ground in 2022, has been stalled for more than two years.
💰 Cost: $2.2 billion
📍 Location: 12 acres between Vine and Callowhill streets on Christopher Columbus Boulevard
❓ Wanamaker Building's future
🔎 Details: With the loss of the flagship Macy's store this year, the office portion of the historic building is expected to be converted into apartments.
- Yes, but: No ETA on the conversion as foreclosure proceedings remain ongoing.
💰 Cost: Undetermined
📍 Location: 100 E. Penn Square
🏀 76ers arena
🔎 Details: The Sixers and Comcast Spectacor — the owner of the Wells Fargo Center — are plotting a new arena in the existing South Philly sports complex after the team ditched plans to build a $1.3 billion arena in Center City early this year.
- The plan is in early stages, but we could learn more details this year as the 76ers restart negotiations with the city on new tax payment plans, a community benefit agreement and more.
💰 Cost: Undetermined. Before the announcement, Comcast Spectacor had been planning a $2.5 billion redevelopment of the South Philly sports complex.
📍 Location: South Philly