Trust (and Document) the Process

New Year's brings a great deal of reflection and change. For a former oil refinery in Philadelphia, the new year brings continued cleanup and rejuvenation. Under the new ownership of Hilco Redevelopment Partners (HRP), the area is transforming into the Bellwether District, a multi-use business campus.

Excavators work to demolish the former oil refinery.

This 2021 overview of the Bellwether District looks towards Center City Philadelphia.

The same view, in 2022.

2021 vs 2022

Compared to the giant storage tank it is demolishing, this excavator looks like a child’s toy.

I've been documenting the process of deconstructing and demolishing this site for some time, and I am still astounded at the scale of the entire project.

Rain, snow, or shine, the demolition must go on!

Flying my trusty drone is challenging because of the site’s proximity to the Philadelphia International Airport. Using an app linked to my drone license, I’ve been able to get official FAA permission to fly at a low altitude to capture images from the air. I’ve been using the drone software to return the exact same spot, in order to show changes over time.

The scale of the refinery is immense.

For now, we have photos of half-demolished structures, but I can’t wait to see the finished result.

Check out the Philadelphia skyline in the distance!