Agree with the comments above. The fact that the Boyd facade is still a shambles doesn't help the project, including the Target. You'd think they would have at least made the facade presentable at an earlier stage of the project.

I believe they're referring to the tower's north facade, not street level.

Weren't they planning to use the Boyd as a sort of grand entrance? Maybe they're still working on the final restoration designs.

Edit: found some renderings from this year on the friends of the Byod site that are a little different but are both from this year:

http://www.friendsoftheboyd.com/wp-c...boydrender.jpg

http://www.friendsoftheboyd.com/wp-c...eRendering.jpg

Exactly. I mean, I would hope that they wouldn't have the north facade be a 200 ft. blank wall, but I have no idea, because there isn't a rendering of it.

Original rendering had the tower sprawling parralel along Chestnut + Sansom. I think the blue hairs in one of the old towers on Market St complained aboout shadows.

They then changed the tower to be perpendicular to Chestnut + Sansom. In the middle of the block between 19th + 20th.Crazy.

This tower belong fronting Chestnut. Its really unbelievable how weak the planning is in this city.

how would you force them to orient the building exactly the way you want using the zoning code?

This has nothing to do what I want.

Its common sense . Chestnut Street is a staple in which developers have been building on for centuries. Its a main east/west thorofare in which the skyline has sprawled parralel with not against.

They had it completely right with the original rendering but I believe the nimbys caused the developer to flip this thing on its side. This tower should be 32 stories fronting Chestnit Street not 24 stories stuck in the middle of 19th + 20th st.

the drop in floors has nothing to do with planning or regulations- that was a business decision. Based on this site and the fact that the theater entrance and lobby are remaning it was never going to really be a serious presence on chestnut regardless. It was always going to be set way back with the primary entrance NOT being on chestnut.

Update from Building Philly

https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...26&oe=5A94FE7A

More photos here:
https://www.facebook.com/BuildingPhilly

New plans for 19th and Chestnut site reveal shorter tower

Read more here:
https://philly.curbed.com/2017/11/30...wer-the-harper

11/30/2017

https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...f0&oe=5A9140B7

https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...db&oe=5A97850D

https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...1d&oe=5A8A9EE6

The articles on CTC say it will have 4000 people, apparently including a large fraction of new workers (they are keeping or expanding most of their existing office leases).. so even with the large number of apartments/condos coming on line right now.. it seems that there will be many new people to house in the next year or two? Keep thinking Pearl may soon regret not keeping the upper stories.

Yeah it's definitely a big eyesore - I've thought the same thing. Target and Gap both can't be super happy with their brands being right next door to this hulking, rusted out shell.

Update from Building Philly

https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...d0&oe=5A9CDEB1

https://www.facebook.com/BuildingPhilly/

According to every article I have read on this tower Nimbys and city planning dysfunction has everything to do why we are getting a generic, misplaced mid rise dorm instead of a classic art deco tower or a decent high rise.

The below tower is what Pearl wanted to build on the corner of 19th + Chestnut. Nimbys killed it. City inefficiency allowed it.


https://hiddencityphila.org/wp-conte..._rendering.jpg

Has the new render been released yet?

The most recent renders are on the first page

renderings

You folks are out of touch with reality when it comes to the actual power of the Planning Commission. The city cannot stop a developer from negotiating with neighbors- this can happen in any American city. The initial rendering was nothing more than a preliminary design exercise shown 5-6 years ago. We have no idea how far it would have gone and the fact that we are on the 4th design suggests there was very little chance the final product was ever going to match that image.

Source that this was killed by NIMBYs? I thought this was essentially a bait and switch once the Boyd was trashed. I could very well be wrong, but would like to know for sure.