Inside Schuylkill Yards’ first residential offering, Avira.
An outdoor pool on the ninth floor amenity space provides an oasis from the city below.
“What’s happening in University City is one of the most exciting real estate stories in the country,” says Jerry Sweeney, president and CEO of Brandywine Realty Trust (brandywinerealty.com). Case in point: Since the early 2000s, there’s been an abundance of evolution in the neighborhood that was once known solely for its academic residents—not only has it become a hub for life sciences, but a home to projects like Cira Centre, Cira Centre South, FMC Tower, the Schuylkill River Trail and more.
More recently, the growth of Schuylkill Yards has added to the list with over five million square feet of space master-planned just beyond 30th Street Station. “The idea is to create a whole new city along the Western Bank of the Schuylkill River and, through our collective development efforts, really start to shift the center of gravity of the city from City Hall, down to its nexus of mass transportation, 30th Street Train Station,” Sweeney explains. “Schuylkill Yards is a natural extension of that work that we’re doing right along the river’s edge.”
Yoga on the lawn is a part of life at Schuykill Yards.
Of the 14-acre Schuylkill Yards project Brandywine is developing in partnership with Drexel University, over six will be devoted to public spaces, but it’s the more recent luxury rental Avira (aviraliving.com), in partnership with New York City’s Gotham Organization (gothamorg.com), that has locals talking. Featuring 326 apartments—varying from studio to three-bedroom—Avira is situated atop Schuylkill Yard’s first ground-up, mixed-use tower located at 3025 JFK. In addition to Avira, the building features 200,000 square feet of trophy office space, a 29,000-square-foot amenity floor and 9,000 square feet of retail.
Rendering of Schuylkill Yards’ master plan
“With its luxurious residences and amenities designed to foster community, Avira represents the genesis of a vibrant residential community in the heart of Philadelphia,” explains Bryan Kelly, president of development at Gotham Organization. This is the developer’s first project in Philadelphia.
High-end finishes in the kitchen make any meal a breeze
For the interior design of the project, Brandywine and Gotham turned to CetraRuddy (cetraruddy.com) to bring their vision to life. “We wanted to create something that was very authentic. Something that really felt respectful of the historic provenance of Philly, but reinterpreted in a modern fresh way,” says Ximena Rodriguez, principal and director at interior design firm CetraRuddy. This meant incorporating metal details, brick, organic-edged tiles and darker elements to juxtapose the incredible natural light that floods the residences thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows.
The outdoor space creates an urban oasis.
Walking into either lobby (the residents and office tenants each have their own), an oasis-like aesthetic immediately greets whoever enters with warm walnut walls and bronze accents. An elevator takes you up to the ninth floor, which is entirely dedicated to amenities, accessible to both residents and commercial space users. There, a 24/7 fitness center, yoga studio, locker rooms, outdoor pool, bar, terrace, landscaped lawn with movie screen, greenery, barbecues, co-working spaces, library, conference rooms and more provide the perfect live-workplay environment for residents and commercial tenants alike. In addition, parking in the lower levels of the building provides direct, convenient access for both residents and office tenants, with EV charging stations included. Rodriguez adds, “You’re connected to the city, but at the same time, it’s like an oasis.”
All building residents and office tenants can expect to experience the ultimate array of amenities—think events like fitness, mixology and cooking classes. Avira residents also have access to hospitality style concierge services and the GothamCard perks program, which unlocks exclusive discounts to dining, entertainment and retail partners across the greater Philadelphia and New York areas.
The bedrooms are a study in luxe simplicity.
For the residential apartments—which range from studio to three-bedroom options— warmth, comfort, flexibility and an aura of timelessness were central to the theme. High-end finishes, spacious layouts and endless views of the city were also at the top of the list. In the kitchens, top-of-the-line appliances await the budding chef or host, while ceramic floor and wall tile with quartzpolished vanities transport residents to the spa from their very own bathrooms. “We also offer a collection of microunits that are equipped with a built-in Murphy bed and couch combinations, which have been hugely popular among young professionals moving to the city,” Kelly adds. For those living on the posher side of life, duplex penthouses are also available, each of which includes three bedrooms, three baths and a personal terrace.
Outside of the building, there are ample green spaces, including High Line Park, which was designed by leading landscape architecture firm SWA/Balsley, as well as Drexel Square. While the full lineup of retail tenants is still to be determined, Starbucks is moving in across the street from Avira at the soon-to-be-completed fully dedicated life sciences building, 3151 Market, and a planned food hall at the Bulletin Building.
A lounge area within the amenity floor
“There’s never been a market-rate rental project that is mixed-use this close to the West Bank of the Schuylkill River ever, and in that close proximity to the train station,” Sweeney says. “A lot of our targeted residents are folks who commute up and down the train line who want to enjoy all the benefits of living in an urban environment with the commuting ease of living in a mass transit neighborhood.”
With this in mind, Kelly concludes, “Brandywine is truly shaping the future of Philadelphia through Schuylkill Yards, and we’re very proud to be part of it.”
Photography by: Courtesy of Brandywine Trust Realty and Gotham Organization
