The previous site of the convention center in U City was no longer workable by the 1970s, and it made sense to bring it to center city as a revitalization tactic. Clearing out the porno theaters and strip clubs along Arch/Race wasn’t going to elicit much pushback. The landmarking of the Reading train shed also meant something had to be done with the hulking structure. Whether the final design has served its purpose is another question.