"We keep walking from room to room," Hibbs said. "It's like looking at a series of pictures that keep changing."
Though unimpeded views from every direction are what they paid big bucks for, that wasn't the only thing that brought these couples, and thousands of others, to Center City.
The Mileses and the Needlemans are retired empty-nesters. They wanted to be able to walk everywhere, have a large choice of cultural offerings and restaurants, and not worry "about taking care of a big house," Jane Miles said.
They also wanted to be close to friends who had made the same choice.
"It's like a fraternity," Needleman said. "I walk out the door, and I always bump into someone I know and we start talking."
For younger buyers like Hibbs and O'Brien, it's all that and more.
Amid the renovations, "I took the workers out to lunch the other day," O'Brien said. "And as we were walking back across the square, we saw Liz in the window of the penthouse.
"We waved to her, and she waved back."
See video of the city from the 27th floor as one owner talks about "living on the outskirts of heaven." Go to
Contact real estate writer Alan J. Heavens at 215-854-2472 or aheavens@phillynews.com.
