Comcast Center

Location Philadelphia, PA

Client Liberty Property Trust

Services Estimating & Cost Management, Project Management

Project Value $600 million

Hill provided project management services on the Comcast Center, at the time of construction, the tallest LEED-certified building in the U.S. Services included design review, document control, cost estimating, scheduling, and overall project management with the use of BIM technology.

The 58-story skyscraper, designed by Robert A.M. Stern, includes 1.25 million SF of Class AA office space and 40,000 SF of retail space. Located in Center City Philadelphia, PA, Comcast Center features a dramatic 110 foot high winter garden, 2-story glass cafe, 15 atrium floors, and a 4-story sky garden located 735 feet above a public plaza. The Comcast Center is 975 feet tall and was the tallest building in Philadelphia, as well as the tallest building between New York City and Chicago, prior to the construction of its successor, the Comcast Technology Center. 

Comcast Center is the worldwide corporate headquarters of Comcast Corporation, one of the leading providers of cable, entertainment, and communication services in the world. Comcast occupies 39 of the building’s 58 floors, or nearly 70% of the total square footage of the building.

The building was designed to meet stringent environmental standards and is LEED Gold certified by the U.S. Green Building Council. The Comcast Center’s responsible urban planning enhances downtown Philadelphia by locating its entire 52,000 SF parking facility underground, which keeps Philadelphia cooler by limiting hardscape surfaces exposed to the sun. In addition, the Comcast Center is located less than half a mile from mass transportation. By limiting on-site parking to only 1.5 percent of its occupants, the Center discourages commuting by car, and provides electric car charging stations to encourage the use of low-emission alternative vehicles. Occupants’ extensive use of mass transit has the potential to reduce carbon emissions by as much as 50 percent. The Comcast Center is also committed to sustainable waste management and recycling. Even before construction began, the Center recycled over 75 percent of the waste from demolishing the previous building, diverting it from a landfill. 

In addition to its distinction as an environmentally sustainable building, the Comcast Center has won several national and regional industry awards. The project was named a “Best Private Project Over $10 Million” by CMAA, and the “Best Office Project of 2008” by McGraw-Hill Construction.

“I wanted to let you know how pleased we are with the progress on our Comcast Center project and to thank you for the efforts of your team in making it a complete success. The Liberty Property Trust is very proud of the Comcast Center project and its LEED certification.” -John G. Spitz, Vice President, Liberty Property Trust