PHILADELPHIA, PA —A fund sponsored by CBRE Global Investors has acquired United Plaza and 1650 Arch, two recently renovated class A buildings in Center City Philadelphia.

The 20-story, 617,476 square foot United Plaza, at 30 S. 17th Street, and the 27-story, 553,349 square foot 1650 Arch are both 94 percent leased. The buildings, which are located in the Market Street West office corridor, were constructed to above-market standards as corporate headquarters and have been extensively renovated and maintained. They feature highly efficient floorplates with minimal columns and excellent multi-tenant elevator exposure.

The team's capital plan includes implementation of CBRE Global Investors' proprietary 5-Star Worldwide service and amenity program in both buildings to further enhance their appeal. The 5-Star program will enhance the work environment for tenants by offering high-quality and service-oriented property management, concierge services and a video-linked conference center.

The team intends to pursue LEED certification and completion of base building systems upgrades and cosmetic work. CBRE Global Investors intends to engage best-in-class leasing and management teams.

“Philadelphia is a focus market for us and is projected to be a top 10 rent growth market over the next five years,” says Vance Maddocks of CBRE Global Investors. “These buildings are high-quality properties in a market that is in high demand. With class A vacancy at 9.1 percent and limited new supply coming into the market, we believe these properties will appeal to a wide range of tenants.”

NOT FOR REPRINT

© 2025 ALM Global, LLC, All Rights Reserved. Request academic re-use from www.copyright.com. All other uses, submit a request to [email protected]. For more information visit Asset & Logo Licensing.

Steve Lubetkin

Steve Lubetkin is the New Jersey and Philadelphia editor for GlobeSt.com. He is currently filling in covering Chicago and Midwest markets until a new permanent editor is named. He previously filled in covering Atlanta. Steve’s journalism background includes print and broadcast reporting for NJ news organizations. His audio and video work for GlobeSt.com has been honored by the Garden State Journalists Association, and he has also been recognized for video by the New Jersey Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. He has produced audio podcasts on CRE topics for the NAR Commercial Division and the CCIM Institute. Steve has also served (from August 2017 to March 2018) as national broadcast news correspondent for CEOReport.com, a news website focused on practical advice for senior executives in small- and medium-sized companies. Steve also reports on-camera and covers conferences for NJSpotlight.com, a public policy news coverage website focused on New Jersey government and industry; and for clients of StateBroadcastNews.com, a division of The Lubetkin Media Companies LLC. Steve has been the computer columnist for the Jewish Community Voice of Southern New Jersey, since 1996. Steve is co-author, with Toronto-based podcasting pioneer Donna Papacosta, of the book, The Business of Podcasting: How to Take Your Podcasting Passion from the Personal to the Professional. You can email Steve at [email protected].