Please tell me that this is a facetious statement.

I hear Independence Mall has some prime real estate for the pickin'

just checking-----do you also pass as Ori Feibush in another setting?
What would you suggest we do with City Hall, after all it's just a big pile of stone?

:previous: Please refrain from taking my words out of context.
Your question makes as much logical sense as replacing Independence Hall for a skyscraper.

How is that out of context? The context the statement was made in was as a reply to a post mentioning that the historic Boyd theater was lost to make way for this generic box. Other folks are rightly calling you out on that. The Boyd is gone and there's nothing that can be done about that now, but that doesn't mean that we can't lament the fact that a unique historic building was lost here or that we should pretend that the bland-ass building being constructed it is a worthy replacement. You can disagree, but people will call you out on it. Maybe some posters were being a bit snarky in the way they expressed that, but it's nothing personal.

:previous: When you’re ready to post about The Harper, go right ahead.

You can like/dislike any opinion without offending anyone.

I guarantee that if this conversation were in person, there would (most likely) be no misunderstandings & everyone will be smiling. ;)

Try it, you might like it. :)

^That perspective really highlights how underwhelming this is going to be. Ugh....it's prime real estate.

^ Underhwleming based on what? The design that no one is sure about or the height, despite it's not yet topped out? I don't love this building - indeed the last renderings we saw were not great at all. But just trying to get a better read on your comment. It looks like it will be the tallest building in the immediate vicinity (until the Laurel is built).

Underwhelming based on every rendering I've seen (bar maybe the very first rendering from ages ago), I'm under the impression that what we have on the first page is what we're getting. It's fine, I don't hate it....but they've slashed the height significantly, and if we are truly getting a 272 footer here, I think this area deserves more. It is right smack dab in the middle of center city.

Exactly. Will it change the skyline? No. Will it be taller or on par with it's neighbors? Yes.

Depending upon their materials, should be decent infill.

Really good perspective here! :tup:

Now that I finally see its proximity to the central core, my opinion is that this was clearly a missed opportunity!! :rolleyes:

Face it folks:

• Average Design
• Short Height

The real missed opportunity with this building was not being able to put the main mass along Chestnut. It's a bummer. Once the Laurel gets built, that stretch of Sansom will be cold, cold, cold, the way Wall Street is.

Other than that, the building is similar to East Market and it's surrounded by similarly dense apartment buildings. What we need is to get the parking lots in the area also filled by such buildings.

Agreed.

This bit I don't get? The renderings for the Harper show a grocery store along Sansom, replacing the blank rear wall of the old Boyd (may she rest in peace). On the other side the Laurel has a half block of retail as well, replacing a parking lot.

It seems like this would suggest a more active streetscape than what is/was there. Am I missing something?

Maybe it's not going to be a tall tower, but it will be seen from a few Market Street locations.

http:////c1.staticflickr.com/2/1731/...a6f3f11d_b.jpg

Also, when 1911 Walnut - Laurel gets built - it will dwarf the Harper building, and basically steal the show - visually speaking. This building will be nice infill, nothing wrong with that.

Yes, the very first rendering would have fit perfectly in this hole. It would have been a great pairing with The Laurel. Now, it will depend on the finish materials. It still makes a respectable showing. 24 stories it says on page 1.

Yes agreed. Who's idea was that and why? Chestnut is not the narrow, one-lane street that would be overwhelmed by height. Frankly, it will look idiotic.

I think he's saying the towers will overwhelm such a tiny street and also block all the light (if that'snot what he's saying, I'm not sure what the point is supposed to be). I don't think they will, though. The tower portion does not front much of Sansom. Much of the construction is just two stories. Similarly, the tower portion of the Laurel does not abut Sansom at all. It's all the lowrise retail portion of the building that abuts Sansom and the tower is set back on Walnut to Moravian.

Harper rising on lower left:

https://scontent-lga3-1.cdninstagram...50361600_n.jpg
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bj5C5oEh...adam_englehart