Center City Landmark's New Look Illuminates The Night
By Ian Bush
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- A Center City landmark has gotten a whole new look, after dark.
The Lit Brothers Building, now called the Lits Building, is lighting up 7th to 8th and Market Streets.
"The majority of the time, you'll see kind of a classic candlelit facade, which will cast some shadows onto the facade and allow people to view this architectural icon at night," says Mark Merlini.
Merlini, with co-owner Brickstone Realty, says 484 color-changing LEDs illuminate the hundreds of windows, while 19 spotlights provide the columns with a gradient fill. It's brighter by the street, dimmer near the giant digital screens mounted along the roofline.
If things go as planned, the Lits Building will be all decked out for the Pope this weekend.
"We hope to use the facade lighting package that includes the Vatican colors of yellow and white," Merlini explained.
The big screens will stream video of the Pope's speech at Independence Hall, the Festival of Families, and the Mass.