The Philadelphia Art Commission granted its final approval on Wednesday morning to two significant Broad Street projects situated just a few miles from each other.

Architects from Gensler, who first appeared before the Commission in January, returned to provide more details on planned improvements at Lincoln Financial Field.

Specifically, they addressed Commission concerns on how three infill projects aimed at adding approximately 1,650 new seats to the stadium will echo or complement the existing stands. They also satisfactorily addressed concerns previously voiced by Commissioner Emmanuel Kelly about whether the first insertion, which includes bridges and what seemed to be the bulk of the additional seating, would appear too solid and obscure the views of the city skyline.  

In a third presentation before the Commission, artist Lajos Heder came armed with samples and further drawings pertaining to the work, "LightPlay," that he and Mags Harries will create for Carl Dranoff's Southstar Loft. The building, to go up at South and Broad Streets, will break ground on March 20.

The One Percent for Art project involves a lighted canopy over the current South Street subway entrance, as well as a vertical lighting installation along the corner of the building's facade. Heder provided more details on how the canopy will drain, and passed around a sample of the prismatic material that will be used for both pieces of the installation.

Heder also brought along a sample of the lighting fixture itself, jury-rigged so that only its red and blue bulbs lit up. When a few commissioners asked if he could turn on the green ones, as well, he demurred, saying he was going to "exercise some artistic license" since the piece is not intended to have any green coloration.

Both projects received unanimous approval, and the meeting wrapped up in just over a half hour.