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Old Posted Oct 19, 2018, 3:51 PM
McBane McBane is offline
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Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Philadelphia
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Quote:
Originally Posted by allovertown View Post
I also agree with Parkway's point, but I don't see how you take that statement and then jump to the idea that no parking garage should ever be preserved. This building fits in well within basically any urban enviroment. It has street facing retail on all sides and it is a very striking building. It is indistinguishable as parking garage. It succeeds as a building regardless of use, and the use no matter how humble is still useful. I am no defender of the car or the right to parking spaces, but the simple reality is they are in demand in this city. Demolishing this garage, only discourages the demolition of other nearby garages that are all inferior by making their parking spaces more valuable.

I remember in the early 2000s, riding the bus down chestnut freequently, and this building always caught my eye, I never would have guessed it was a garage.

All of that said. I don't think it is worthy of historic preservation. As unique and interesting as this building is, it's not important enough to say it should remain forever, especially considering it is not in great repair. But it's unique, it's interesting, it's useful, it's (ironically) pedestrian friendly. If it's going to be torn down, it should be torn down for something, it shouldn't just be torn down so they can keep their options open and prevent historic preservation down the line. The future is a fickle place, and as great as the Market East development looks, there's no telling what will happen in the future. If they tear this down and plan to build something in 5 years, everyone on this board should be well aware at this point that major projects planned numerous years down the line, have a a low probability of ever being built.

So I'm fine with knocking it down, but it should be to build something as soon as they finished knocking it down. I'm no fan of looking at an empty lot instead of a handsome building, while they wait for the right market conditions to build the next phase.
As far as garages go, yes this one is one of the better designed ones, no one is arguing that. But at the end of the day, it's still a building used to house parked vehicles. It's not really any different than a starchitect designed Wendy's or a historically significant gas station - there's better ways to utilize Center City land that adds energy to the street, revenue in the city's coffers, and people to patronize local businesses. So yes, I stand by my statement that no parking garage should ever be preserved.

The second point you make is something no one here disagrees with. No building, not even a lowly parking garage, should ever be demolished before financing is in place and the next project is ready to proceed. This dynamic is unfortunately the product of overly aggressive NIMBYs and preservationists, so it's hard to argue with a developer who wants to eliminate that risk as soon as he or she is legally permitted to do so. I do wish there was a way to eliminate the risk of a demo permit being revoked at the behest of preservationists, while ensuring the city isn't left with a gaping hole in the ground while the developer sorts out approvals and financing.

Two other points I'd like to add:

1) Looking at this garage from street level, yes it's nice with the retail but it's still a mammoth, monolithic building; the plans to create two towers bisected by a pedestrian walkway will be a much better pedestrian experience.

2) All this chatter about historic preservation - there's still no evidence that anyone is seeking to preserve it. Although it would be still be nice to have concrete plans before the parking garage is demo'd. But again, I'd have to think that with all the income that this garage and retails spaces generate, the developer will wait until the project is truly shovel ready before proceeding.