ULI Philadelphia’s 2021 Awards for Excellence finalists represent superior development projects in the greater Philadelphia region that embody the ULI mission of shaping the future of the built environment for transformative impact in communities worldwide.

Robert DiLorenzo, Senior Project Mananger at City Center Investment Corporation, developer of Five City Center, joins us for “Five Minutes with a Finalist”. Here’s what he had to say:

Can you share your favorite story behind this project?

Five City Center is the first Class A office building where we have incorporated a living wall in the building’s main lobby. Five City Center’s 600-square-foot living wall is composed of 14 plant species alongside three Ficus trees. Many people enjoy living and working in cultivated greenspaces, and most like having beautiful plants around them. We believe that by implementing greenery into the building’s interior design, it contributes to the health and wellbeing of the building’s occupants in a variety of ways. Additionally, during the steel erection of the building, I had the unique opportunity to climb the 230-foot tower crane rung by rung. I even got to sit in the crane operator’s cabin and see his perspective while picking and setting the steel columns and beams.

How have you had to respond or shift your project over the past year due to COVID-19?

Fortunately, the project broke ground at the start of 2018 and had stabilized occupancy by October of 2019.

What inspires you the most about Philadelphia and the region right now?

What inspires me the most is watching the increase in employers following their employees and relocating their offices to urban environments that have quality housing options. Like many regions across the United States, Allentown has benefitted from a strong multifamily development boom in recent years, and has been able to attract new businesses whose employees are looking for that active and engaging live-work environment.

Winners will be announced live at a virtual celebration on June 16. For more information and to register, click here.