Philadelphia’s premier multiuse
multifamily midrise is providing an
urban luxe environment with a twist of
eco-conscious green living.
By Dani Smith
The 18,835 square foot lot that
is now Philadelphia’s premier
five-story multi use midrise
built and owned by Dranoff
Properties, was once the
property of the Philadelphia
Redevelopment Authority. According to Carl
Dranoff, president of Dranoff Properties, the
space had been vacant for over a decade taking
over a long stretch of unoccupied and decaying
row homes and was intermittently a homeless
destination. A company committed to creating
unparalleled residential destinations that
transform the urban core of Philadelphia—with
concentration on South Broad, otherwise known
as the Avenue of the Arts, in particular—it was
only a matter of time before Dranoff Properties
acquired the location of 777 South Broad. Situated
right along the said avenue, was the perfect
location for Carl’s newest vision of luxury green
living. “Avenue of the Arts is the city’s only 24-
seven street where residents and visitors alike
can experience the best of the city’s culture in
the many arts, entertainment and restaurant
venues lining the street. 777 South Broad makes
the southern end of the Avenue of the Arts much
more attractive in promoting future investment,”
said Dranoff.
Funded by a construction loan of 64.5 million
dollars, the completed multi-use midrise brings
a fusion of sophistication and communal feeling
to the once abandoned and decaying 2.2-acre
lot. “Accented by a dramatically lit beacon in the
center of its façade, its cutting edge glass and brick
exterior is set back 28 feet from the street, creating
wide Parisian-like sidewalks conducive to sidewalk
café’s and pedestrian friendly activities,” explained
Dranoff. Contemporary and fresh, the building is
home to 146 luxury residential units above 19,000
square feet of retail space on the ground floor
and a 191-space gated parking lot. Though today,
777 South Broad stands as a testament to the up
and coming city transformation the Avenue of
the Arts is undergoing with the help of Dranoff
Properties, there were some construction
challenges along the way.
The building’s size make a great place to put 146
units above 19,000 square feet of retail space, but
made for difficult construction. “The size of the
building created a constraint. Using wood frame
construction — or Type 3B — has a significantly
lower allowable floor area and even with the
allowances for a fully automatic sprinkler, the
cumulative building was too large,” expressed
Dranoff. In order to make the building feasible,
Dranoff properties opted to utilize wood framing
construction for the residential floors, rather than
concrete plank and steel. The building is four
stories of wood construction over a concrete deck
with steel beams and columns on the ground level.
This enabled the builder to meet code requirements
by differentiating the building into two separate
horizontal zones — one being residential lobby
and ground floor retail and the rest, residential—by
creating a three-hour fire separation between the
two different types of construction. He went on to
mention that in order to keep the building the same
size, the residential building (floors two through
five) had to be split into two different vertical
zones. The residential sections were split on the
South side of the elevator lobby with a two-hour
rated wall that extends from the concrete deck to
the roof, so 777 South Broad is actually considered
three separate buildings under one roof.
While the exterior of the community makes
for an interesting piece of architecture, it is
what the community offers its residents in terms
of living space and extra features that really
makes it a stand out community. Unlike any of
its neighboring residences and facilities, 777
South Broad is a LEED Silver certified luxury
apartment community—a first for the city.
Featuring low-flow plumbing and water fixtures,
bamboo flooring, locally produced materials
and recycled products, the project made a
commitment to maintaining an eco-conscious
lifestyle for residents. Also conveniently located
next to Philadelphia’s mass transit system,
residents can help cut down carbon emissions
by taking advantage of the neighboring mass
transit. The community also hosts Philadelphia’s
first electric car charging station. Cutting edge in
both architectural design as well as sustainable
features, this mixed-use community has set
the standard for communities in Philadelphia
to promote sustainability. “777 South Broad
represents the best in sustainable urban
living in this blossoming new neighborhood…
It proudly represents Philadelphia’s first
LEED Silver certified multifamily building,”
mentioned Dranoff.
With a targeted renter of graduate students,
young professionals and professional athletes,
Dranoff Properties went to
great lengths to ensure that
the amenities 777 South Broad
offered were features that
directly spoke to the targeted
Gen-Y renter. The midrise
building offers the same
amenities as most multifamily
complexes: state-of-the-art
gym, pool, clubrooms, 24-hour
concierge, hospitality suites
and conference rooms.owever,
Dranoff Properties went to great
lengths to go above and beyond
what other communities are
doing and funneled in on exactly what they knew
their residents want in a community within a
community. The outdoor sky deck with décor that
parallels a lounge-type atmosphere, is designed for
outdoor entertaining and relaxation. A gorgeous
city view of Avenue of the Arts and the Philadelphia
skyline, a fireplace with surrounding seating area,
dining area with high top seating, outdoor stainless
steel grills and an eight to12 person hot tub, make
the sky deck a popular attraction among both
residents and guests. The Fitzwater Pub located
inside the complex is another selling point the
community has to offer. Featuring beverages on
tap, pool tables, dartboards and multiple flat screen
TV’s, it’s the perfect gathering place for sporting
events, laid-back weekends at home and meeting
neighbors. According to Dranoff, the idea behind
such amenities was that regardless of the renter’s
apartment size, they could share in the benefits and
amenities offered to all residents.
While features and amenities are important to
any multifamily complex, it’s the actual unit that
the resident spends the most time in, and 777
South Broad’s interiors are just as fully equipped
as the rest of the complex. Available in oneand
two- bedroom floor plans with layouts that
range from 800 square feet to 1,400 square feet,
the units also feature 10-inch ceilings, floor to
ceiling window walls and full-size balconies or
bay windows keep each unit well lit with natural
sunlight and moonlight. The windows and inlet
of light to each unit added to the sustainability of
the project, generating LEED points because units
will conserve energy by offering more natural
light during the day. Capitalizing on the height of
the midrise, each unit also has an unobstructed
view of the city, giving residents the full effect of
urban living.
The kitchen was a major priority for the builder,
as it is a huge focus in the home and was given
special attention to during the development
process, so that 777 South Broad residents could
live in it without complications, that would only be
seen after it was built. “We made a couple mistakes
(in kitchens) in prior projects and wanted to get
it right,” explained Dranoff. “We did everything:
the flooring, backsplashes, countertops, internet
connections. Some of the biggest mistakes are made
in the lay out in kitchens, but by creating a mockup
we were able to avoid making any (mistakes)
because the contractors and subcontractors could
see a real-life version of the kitchen and made
the necessary corrections ... Good planning pays
off.” The perfectly planned kitchens in every unit
are spacious and come with granite countertops,
breakfast bars and stainless steel appliances as well
as built-in computer nooks and are a major beauty
point in the apartments.
Bringing luxe green living to an area that was
once vacant and unproductive, 777 South Broad
has set the bar for communities to come for the
city of Philadelphia.
“What we did was a first in the region. We
delivered a rental community with the same quality
of living as a luxury condo,“ said Dranoff.
Dani Smith is an assistant editor at Builder
and Developer. She may be contacted at
dsmith@penpubinc.com.
