Wanamaker Building plans include over 600 apartments, a rooftop pool and retail spaces on lower floors

Philadelphia approved zoning permits for the Wanamaker Building, offering a first glimpse into the historic site's next chapter.

Plans are set to include hundreds of new apartments, rooftop decks and multiple retail spaces. 

Following the closure of the Macy's in March, TF Cornerstone completed the purchase of the entire building.

Philadelphia Business Journal reported in early June that the developer planned to convert it into a mixed-use site, with construction projected to start in the beginning of 2026 and take around two years. 

Philly-based JKRP Architects designed the blueprints, which received approval from the city's Department of Licenses and Inspections last week.

The Wanamaker Building will feature over 600 residential units on the top six floors, with 13 planned to be converted to bi-level loft apartments with mezzanine features. The lowest three floors will continue to be used as retail space, but rather than one department store tenant occupying that entire area, the new plan is for multiple businesses to operate there.

Two rooftop decks are also included in the plans, one with an elevated swimming pool overlooking City Hall. Jonathan Broh, associate managing principal at JKRP, said these amenities are would be exclusively intended for residents of the building. 

The Practice for Architecture and Urbanism, a New York-based firm, will design the general concept for the ground floors. No specific tenants have been disclosed yet, but "high-end retailers and entertainment" users are being sought, Broh said. 

"Obviously, the Macy's space and the Grand Court have the most historic value," Broh said. "It'll be (important) for the design to both incorporate and pay homage to the existing fabric while working with the tenant requirements." 

There is also a desire to keep the Grand Court of the former Macy's store as a publicly accessible space.

Previous reports from the Philadelphia Business Journal revealed the team was looking into incorporating the skylight that existed prior to the a 1990 renovation – a feature that's reflected in the approved plans. 

Developers also plan to remove the the ninth-floor courtyard directly above the ceiling of the retail floors, which would allow light to shine all the way through the building. 

As a condition of the permit's approval, the city requires that construction begins within three years, but there are still a few more hoops to jump through before that happens. By the end of the year, the development team is hoping to apply for a construction permit geared toward the residential levels, which, due to the historic nature of the building, will need to receive more approvals from the city.