Philadelphia Apartment Building Has Dinosaurs on Its Roof

Property management company redefines bold design

Call it Jurassic Walk-in-the-Park.

Artwork in the form of life-size dinosaurs have made an unexpected appearance on the rooftop of a high-rise apartment tower in Philadelphia, the Inquirer reported.

Number of people, including former journalist Elizabeth Dobbins, and residents of Riverwalk apartments — located at 23rd and Arch Streets — asked about the sudden arrival of the 20 prehistoric creatures, which range from 5 to 20 feet in length.

Turns out the PMC Property Group, the property manager, wanted to change things up.

“We wanted to spice it up a bit and make it a little more exciting, so in came the dinosaurs,” Louise Giordano, senior vice president of the PMC, told the outlet. “So when the tenants go out and see that, it will make them chuckle a bit, or smile, or at the very least, give them something to talk about.”

Reactions among residents varied. Some were upset because the area where the dinosaurs were placed, initially advertised as a picnic spot, remained cordoned off.

The frustration stemmed from the fact that they advertised it when touring, then said ‘No you’re not allowed,’ then 18ish-months later put up dinosaurs,” one resident told the Inquirer.

However, over time, most people found the dinosaurs amusing, especially the children living in or visiting the apartments.

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PMC purchased the dinos from Best of France Antiques in Doylestown, the outlet said.

The store’s owner, Ed Crimi, who specializes in selling an array of unique antique items, obtained 100 fiberglass dinosaurs before 2020 and placed them in his store’s garden and playground.

Most of the dinos have been sold for between $1,200 and $10,000. Crimi says he has about 30 left — 10 of which are on sale for grandparents looking to entertain their grandkids or maybe enterprising property managers who want to change their properties’ aesthetics.

Guerrilla art isn’t new in Philadelphia.

Artist Rose Luardo, 50, whose preferred medium is “junk and trash,” created a “Boob Garden” out of sewn-together material, the Inquirer reported. After showing her work at Space 1026 in North Philadelphia, she took her work and placed it in a vacant lot on Washington Avenue.

“These boobs have been in my life and I wondered ‘What’s the next level, what’s the next thing?’” she told the outlet. “I thought ‘They’re nurturing, boobs are soft, they want to embrace you, let’s put them on some furniture!”’

— Ted Glanzer