Philadelphia has long been the East Coast’s number one port for perishables. Earlier this year, the old, outdated Columbus Boulevard warehouse where fruits and vegetables were unloaded and readied for sale was superseded by a new facility. Located just behind the airport, the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market is arguably the largest refrigerated structure in the world.

700,000 square feet of space is outfitted with state of the art cooling systems, assuring that produce on its way from shipping containers to our markets and restaurants does not have to get warm as it awaits transfer. This means less spoilage, better efficiency and better flavor for almost every type of veggie or fruit that crosses our palates.

The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority and O’Neill Properties Group collaborated on the project, and built a structure that would be sustainable and not wasteful. However, they also made sure that the building was aesthetically pleasing, and to this end, Major Industries was contracted to build a huge skylight. The large, overhead glass ceiling allows natural light to shine throughout most of the enormous hallways of the facility.

We were recently contracted to photograph this skylight, and shot it both from the ground and via helicopter (chartered from Independence Helicopters, who employ skilled pilots). It was a fun flight, and Mark was pleased with his results.