PHILADELPHIA-CAMDEN-WILMINGTON-ATLANTIC CITY-READING | Metro Development Thread

[Nova08]

Penn Medicine clears hurdle for $200M project on the Main Line

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...roject-on.html

The health system received preliminary land development approval from Radnor officials and anticipates returning for final approval late spring, which would clear the way for construction to begin this fall. Its plans involve developing a 250,000-square-foot building and 1,000-vehicle garage that will house a variety of medical operations on half of the property and selling the other half to a developer that will then build a hotel and office building. That developer has 225,000 square feet that it can use between the two projects.

Demolition of an existing structure is underway and site work is scheduled to begin this spring. If all goes according to schedule, the project is anticipated to be completed by early 2020.

[Urbanthusiat]

Originally Posted by AbortedWalrus

Yikes those developments in Phoenixville are horrible. The whole reason the town has charm is because the main streets are somewhat urban, and they are essentially approving more suburban style development.

Agree with FrontSt. The first two projects are pretty decently urban and are the only ones in the walkable part of town. The rest are more on the outskirts of town. That’s an additional 400 units and retail downtown, which would have a very positive impact, and another 500 elsewhere. Plus there is really nothing on the project sites that contribute to the charm of town, so I think these projects only add density instead of taking anything away. But I’m from there so I’m biased!

[Nomad9]

Originally Posted by jonesrmj

Wait, does this mean that Dupont could leave Delaware??

And I hope Corteva will plan a downtown headquarters in Wilmington.

I don’t think so. Pretty funny that there was this big deal about the merger and “Dow-DuPont,” new HQs, etc, and now there’s no real obvious difference from the outside. DuPont is still in Delaware and it still has the same name.

On a separate topic, I’ve been reading up a lot recently on road design. They’ve made me really think that downtown Wilmington could use some road diets. Especially 52 and Hwy 13. 3+ lanes of one-way, high speed roads through the middle of downtown are not good for pedestrian or bike traffic. I’d like to see them narrowed to 2 lanes with separate biking lanes and slower speed limits. All the suburban commuters would whine about it but road diets rarely increase traffic congestion because people adjust to the change.

[Jawnadelphia]

Looking forward to the completion of BPG's - The Residences at Mid-town Park. Downtown Wilmington is still way too empty on the weekends. Walking around Sunday, mid-day, and virtually every store on Market Street was closed, and few people on the street. But this project should help. And the new brewery opening next weekend (Stitch House) -- the owners of the brewery said they will be open 7 days a week until 1AM, come hell or high water, I hope so.
Downtown has some really great old architecture--I think it's only a matter of time now-- perhaps Mid-town Park will be the tipping point.

BPG has done a terrific job on Market Street, I lost count of all the "MKT" signs (newly renovated buildings/apartments on Market St.). The Queen Theater looks great, and the Grand Opera house is a little treasure. The Merchant Bar, and La Fia Bistro have been terrific additions as well (Merchant Bar, and La Fia are owned and operated by Chef Bryan Sikora, more commonly known for leading Talula's Table in Kennett, and a.kitchen, and Django in Philly.

[jslice]

[QUOTE=TallCoolOne;8107733]Looking forward to the completion of BPG's - The Residences at Mid-town Park. Downtown Wilmington is still way too empty on the weekends. Walking around Sunday, mid-day, and virtually every store on Market Street was closed, and few people on the street. But this project should help. And the new brewery opening next weekend (Stitch House) -- the owners of the brewery said they will be open 7 days a week until 1AM, come hell or high water, I hope so.
Downtown has some really great old architecture--I think it's only a matter of time now-- perhaps Mid-town Park will be the tipping point."

Appreciate the updates and definitely agree with your assessment. The infrastructure is there just need the people. I think the residences and the addition of Stitch house will be great for market street. I think a brewpub assuming it is good is just what the area needs. A younger non white table cloth place for younger generation to hang out is key. That with the food hall coming should be big additions. Here's a great update on the riverfront. The addition of a bistro, something a bit more romantic, food focused and less kitschy i think will be nice for the area.
https://www.delawareonline.com/story...hop/380766002/

[Jawnadelphia]

Speaking of Wilmington, and BPG's endless projects in the city (and burbs) -- looks like the new hotel project for the Riverfront is good to-go.


https://www.instagram.com/p/Bf86VqYn...s_construction

"BPGS Construction is proud to announce their next project on the Wilmington Riverfront sure to bring additional business, jobs and tourism to the First State. A 120-room extended stay suite hotel, Homewood Suites Wilmington located at 824 S. Justison Street! The project is expected to be completed in the Summer of 2019!"

[jonesrmj]

Originally Posted by TallCoolOne

Speaking of Wilmington, and BPG's endless projects in the city (and burbs) -- looks like the new hotel project for the Riverfront is good to-go.


https://www.instagram.com/p/Bf86VqYn...s_construction

"BPGS Construction is proud to announce their next project on the Wilmington Riverfront sure to bring additional business, jobs and tourism to the First State. A 120-room extended stay suite hotel, Homewood Suites Wilmington located at 824 S. Justison Street! The project is expected to be completed in the Summer of 2019!"

Just wondering, why are most hotels going up in the riverfront instead of downtown when downtown is where all of the offices are?

[jsbrook]

Originally Posted by jonesrmj

Just wondering, why are most hotels going up in the riverfront instead of downtown when downtown is where all of the offices are?

Barclays is on the riverfront. So is Navient in the Star Building, which is otherwise fully occupied. But I think it's a combination of space and ease of construction (Riverfront has lots of vacant lots) and them really wanting to build that area up. And downtown already has a Doubletree and Sheraton, and others. Of course, Hotel DuPont, which is the middle of great renovations.

[jslice]

Originally Posted by jsbrook

Barclays is on the riverfront. So is Navient in the Star Building, which is otherwise fully occupied. But I think it's a combination of space and ease of construction (Riverfront has lots of vacant lots) and them really wanting to build that area up. And downtown already has a Doubletree and Sheraton, and others. Of course, Hotel DuPont, which is the middle of great renovations.

Also there is a belief that the Chase center would get more conventions if there were more rooms in the vicinity beyond the Westin. Additionally, if you think about the 76ers new fieldhouse going up i think that is going to be geared towards hosting many youth athletic competitions which would require more rooms, especially family focused rooms like the homewood suites would provide.

[jsbrook]

Originally Posted by jslice

Also there is a belief that the Chase center would get more conventions if there were more rooms in the vicinity beyond the Westin. Additionally, if you think about the 76ers new fieldhouse going up i think that is going to be geared towards hosting many youth athletic competitions which would require more rooms, especially family focused rooms like the homewood suites would provide.

Good point re the Chase center and athletic events.

[shadowbat2]

Hard Rock Atlantic City rolling toward summer opening



http://www.phillyvoice.com/hard-rock...ummer-opening/

To answer the obvious first question, an opening date has not yet been fixed. All Harkness would say is that the doors to the adult playpen will swing open sometime this summer. But, he promised, when that happens, visitors will find few reminders of what was, for more than two decades, the flagship of Donald Trump’s Atlantic City gambling empire.

“Every inch of the building is going to be completely redone,” said Harkness, who spent 15 years working as a Trump executive in A.C. (including a stint as the CEO of Trump Plaza).

“We're going all the way down to the concrete-- in the hotel rooms, the casino floor, the restaurants. It's a complete transformation of the property, including the exterior. People won't recognize the look of the place.

As such, it’s not surprising that entertainment will play a huge role at Hard Rock Atlantic City. Speaking to city residents at a recent town-hall-style gathering, Jim Allen, CEO of corporate parent Hard Rock International, boasted that the casino will host 200 shows annually.

To that end, Harkness noted that the casino’s two main venues, the Mark G. Etess Arena and Xanadu, a much smaller space, are undergoing major makeovers. This is especially good news to those of us who remember the former as a concrete-and-steel acoustical nightmare.

According to Harkness, the Etess Arena — so named by Trump in honor of the Taj Mahal CEO who died in a helicopter crash some six months before the mega-casino opened in April 1990 — will be “a spectacular venue. It's being redone. We've added more seats [1,800, bringing capacity to 7,000). It will be a completely different experience from the moment you walk in.”

[shadowbat2]

At 'probably the most historic place for recorded music in the world,' developer hopes to honor Camden's musical past

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/ne...-20180308.html

A developer has purchased one of the last remaining buildings from the sprawling complex near the Delaware River where phonograph recordings were made by the likes of Fats Waller, Enrico Caruso, and Camden’s Russ Columbo, and where Frank Sinatra signed his first contract with Victor Studios.

Millennial Partners wants to transform the eight-story building at Front and Cooper Streets into commercial office space with a taste of its past as an early leader in the music business, memorialized by the image of the dog Nipper listening to “His Master’s Voice.”

Most of the building, near the city’s prime real estate on the river, would be leased for offices, said Chris DiGeorge, managing partner for Millennial, based in Camden. The top two floors would be converted for entertainment uses, he said.

The preliminary plans, which could take several years to carry out, call for bringing back the eighth-floor recording studio and stage where legendary artists recorded and live orchestra performances were given, DiGeorge said. A TV studio and other media operations may be added, he said.

DiGeorge said the seventh floor, well preserved in its original condition, includes an ornate boardroom where giants like Sinatra and Woody Guthrie signed contracts with Victor and would likely be left intact. Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong, Tommy Dorsey, Duke Ellington, and Billie Holiday also recorded for the label. Andy Warhol drew album covers at the location, too, Perks said.

[Mr Saturn64]

Originally Posted by shadowbat2

Hard Rock Atlantic City rolling toward summer opening



http://www.phillyvoice.com/hard-rock...ummer-opening/

I'm really hoping this turns out well. I see a combination of things working in Atlantic City's favor. First off, this. I trust Hard Rock with their live performances and putting less of an emphasis on gambling over someone who actually would strive to have the casino as the main attraction. The second is Stockton University. Bringing students into the city and the jobs required for the University can only do good for AC. The third is the new Gordon Ramsey steakhouse that's opening at Harrah's. I recall reading that the one in Vegas that opened last year has a waiting list that's still going on. I doubt it'll be that big, but I could still see it being a draw. I don't know how the Ocean Resort at the Revel is going to do, but I hope it does well because that's one hell of a building, and I'd like to see it get as much attention as possible.

[Slyfox]

Originally Posted by summersm343

New ING Direct Campus for Wilmington?

3 years ago, there were posts showing artists renderings for development across from the riverfront (essentially mirroring each other so you'd have apartments, offices and restaurants on both sides of the Christiana River) Sadly, those photos aren't showing anymore (as you can see above) does anyone have those pictures anymore? It gives me hope to look at them that they will continue to expand the riverfront.

[Slyfox]

Any updates on the First State Crossing/First State Transit Hub..... the last articles via web sources are from 2015....

[jonesrmj]

Originally Posted by Nomad9

...On a separate topic, I’ve been reading up a lot recently on road design. They’ve made me really think that downtown Wilmington could use some road diets. Especially 52 and Hwy 13. 3+ lanes of one-way, high speed roads through the middle of downtown are not good for pedestrian or bike traffic. I’d like to see them narrowed to 2 lanes with separate biking lanes and slower speed limits. All the suburban commuters would whine about it but road diets rarely increase traffic congestion because people adjust to the change.

I don't know about this idea, because I could see both sides of the argument. When I drive on DE-52, the split near the WSFS Building and Brandywine Building can get clogged up with traffic during rush hour so two lanes there would be a nightmare during rush hour. Suburban commuters would also say that Wilmington does not have a lot of street life either. But I can also see how this would help the city once it does get a dramatic increase in population.

[Nomad9]

Originally Posted by jonesrmj

I don't know about this idea, because I could see both sides of the argument. When I drive on DE-52, the split near the WSFS Building and Brandywine Building can get clogged up with traffic during rush hour so two lanes there would be a nightmare during rush hour. Suburban commuters would also say that Wilmington does not have a lot of street life either. But I can also see how this would help the city once it does get a dramatic increase in population.

That intersection is a nightmare, but I don't think those concerns are ultimately merited because:

1. Wilmington does have a lot of street life during the work day, which happens to be when the traffic is busiest.

2. The problem with wide, fast roads is that they are sort of a perverse incentive for even bigger, faster roads and more traffic. The cycle goes something like this: people want faster access to downtown by car --> roads are widened/sped up and it's now easier to get from A to B by car from further distances --> people move further away from downtown/employment centers --> traffic gets worse --> demand increases roads widened again --> downtown becomes less pedestrian friendly, encouraging more people with resources to move away --> repeat cycle... I.e., catering to car-dependency instead of pedestrian friendliness and street life makes street life AND traffic worse. It helps no one. I'm not saying that those roads should all be substantially narrowed at the same time, but I think it is a good idea to gradually re-design those roads over a few years. That gives traffic time to adjust while eventually reducing the mental and physical barriers of such wide, fast roads. It's also sort of a "build it and they will come" philosophy--if downtown is a human-scaled, pleasant environment, people and businesses will want to be there.

[Philly-Drew]

Originally Posted by Nomad9

2. The problem with wide, fast roads is that they are sort of a perverse incentive for even bigger, faster roads and more traffic. The cycle goes something like this: people want faster access to downtown by car --> roads are widened/sped up and it's now easier to get from A to B by car from further distances --> people move further away from downtown/employment centers --> traffic gets worse --> demand increases roads widened again --> downtown becomes less pedestrian friendly, encouraging more people with resources to move away --> repeat cycle... I.e., catering to car-dependency instead of pedestrian friendliness and street life makes street life AND traffic worse. It helps no one. I'm not saying that those roads should all be substantially narrowed at the same time, but I think it is a good idea to gradually re-design those roads over a few years. That gives traffic time to adjust while eventually reducing the mental and physical barriers of such wide, fast roads. It's also sort of a "build it and they will come" philosophy--if downtown is a human-scaled, pleasant environment, people and businesses will want to be there.

Yes, yes and yes. Reading that made me think of Conshohocken.

Once the big, fast wide roads are in place, you can’t hardly get them out, and it stifles pedestrian traffic.

[Urbanthusiat]

245-unit KoP apartment project gets $14.5M

The developer of an apartment complex called Skye 750 has lined up $14.5 million in preferred equity for the project and its 245 units off 750 Moore Road in King of Prussia. Holliday Fenoglio Fowler secured the funds with Parse Capital, a Scottsdale, Ariz., company that invests in multifamily projects. The project is being developed by LeCesse Development Corp., an apartment developer from Altamonte Springs, Fla. The development site had been owned and taken through the approval process by O’Neill Properties Group. The project involves a five-story building in which units will average 1,000 square feet. It is expected to be completed in early 2020. Gregg Shapiro and Ryan Ade of HFF represented the developer in the transaction.

From: https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...ets-14-5m.html



Site: https://www.google.com/maps/place/75...!4d-75.4108256

[Urbanthusiat]

[Pottstown] Riverfront development plan would add $10M to tax coffers

POTTSTOWN >> Plans for the redevelopment of 255 acres along the Schuylkill River in Pottstown and West Pottsgrove that could generate nearly $10 million in new tax revenues were unveiled recently to borough council.

According to the presentation put together by officials from the Montgomery County Planning Commission in concert with Pottstown and West Pottsgrove officials, the concept calls for a mix of development including residential, described as “high-end apartments,” and non-residential uses, which include industrial, office and research and development.

“This is a concept to give a developer some ideas,” said Peggy Lee-Clark, director of Pottstown Area Industrial Development.

Interim Borough Manager Justin Keller said the development will be “market driven, with design standards to ensure quality,” and will also include the long-awaited extension of Keystone Boulevard to connect with Grosstown Road in Stowe, making for easy access to Route 422.

More: http://www.pottsmerc.com/general-new...to-tax-coffers




...

Looks like a decent plan to me. Several boroughs along the Schuylkill River have been successful in redeveloping their derelict industrial waterfront properties. A tried and true method of revitalization.