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  #1  
Old Posted Apr 28, 2014, 6:20 PM
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summersm343 summersm343 is offline
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PHILADELPHIA | The Harper | 272 FT | 24 FLOORS

Title: The Harper
Project: Residential, office/commercial, retail
Architect: Cecil Baker
Developer: Pearl Properties
Location: 1900 block Chestnut to Sansom, Philadelphia, PA
Neighborhood: Rittenhouse Square
District: Center City
Floors: 24 floors
Height: 272 feet


dixon-271471-e-wp-content-uploads-2017-11-924764_298b19242d51512-e1511981945733 by Mr. Summers, on Flickr


dixon-271471-f-wp-content-uploads-2017-11-924728_ca5cfb4bb6541ba-1-e1511982326606-1200x800 (1) by Mr. Summers, on Flickr

Boyd Theatre site apartment plan scaled back amid Philly rental-unit surge

Quote:
Pearl Properties is scaling down its apartment tower project on the Rittenhouse Square-area property where the Boyd Theatre’s ornate auditorium once stood, as Center City faces an abundance of high-end rental housing that landlords may struggle to fill.

Pearl is building a 24-story, 183-unit tower at 1910 Chestnut St., according to a zoning permit issued Tuesday to the Philadelphia-based developer. That’s instead of the 32-story, 250-unit structure that it presented during the project’s permitting process.

Site work on the tower, which Pearl is calling the Harper, began in August, capping a development saga that began in 2014 when a previous owner tussled with preservationists and film-house buffs over plans to demolish the cavernous art-deco auditorium of the Boyd – known as the Sameric in its most recent incarnation – to make room for modern multiplex screening rooms.

Pearl jettisoned the multiplex plan after acquiring the theater and some adjacent buildings the following year and had the auditorium razed to make way for a residential tower. Plans for the parcels’ Chestnut Street frontage — which now include a Target store, offices including Pearl’s own, and upscale Spanish eatery Tatel behind the Boyd’s restored façade — were approved that June.
http://www.philly.com/philly/busines...-20171129.html

Last edited by summersm343; Nov 29, 2017 at 8:49 PM.
     
     
  #2  
Old Posted Apr 28, 2014, 7:59 PM
Pennsgrant Pennsgrant is offline
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What is the zoning issue here?

Digging the throwback design as the new developments in philly were/are getting a little glass happy.
     
     
  #3  
Old Posted Apr 28, 2014, 9:03 PM
Philly Fan Philly Fan is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pennsgrant View Post
What is the zoning issue here?
Per the article to which summers linked:

Quote:
The current zoning of the site would not allow a building of this size to be constructed, according to people familiar with the situation. The developer is seeking to more than double the amount of space current zoning allows.

The physical dividing line between what the developer wants to build and what is allowed is fine. The area east of 19 th Street would allow a taller building with more square footage. The area west of that has zoning allowing only about half of the size that Pearl is proposing, said people familiar with the property. This parcel falls in the east.

To increase the size of development there, the developer is reportedly drafting legislation to rezone the assemblage of parcels it wants to develop upon. By going that route and eventually presenting the legislation before council rather than before the zoning board, the developer can secure the proper approvals without lengthy debate and possibly circumvent uncertainty the zoning process may present.
http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelp...stnut-but.html
     
     
  #4  
Old Posted Apr 28, 2014, 9:50 PM
JustSomeGuyWho JustSomeGuyWho is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pennsgrant View Post
Digging the throwback design as the new developments in philly were/are getting a little glass happy.
Agreed. Really like this design and it screams Philadelphia to me. I like the base and it fits in well with area. 19th and Chestnut is an area with a lot of little store fronts and foot traffic and I think it is important to maintain that. The base does a decent job even though I always feel like there are missed opportunities. This area is very walkable and it is part of what makes downtown Philly great. Towers are great but how it relates to the pedestrian is highly important. West Market street for all its towers is not very walkable IMO ... it feels cold and impersonal.

My opinion of the tower could change depending on the quality of the materials but based on this simple rendering it looks like a winner to me.
     
     
  #5  
Old Posted Apr 29, 2014, 12:16 AM
Johnland Johnland is offline
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I like this one too. The retro style is good. I think it'll go great with the glassy new 21 what's it Chestnut a block or two away. Mixed styles add to the urban texture.
     
     
  #6  
Old Posted Apr 29, 2014, 1:26 AM
christof christof is offline
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Originally Posted by Johnland View Post
I like this one too. The retro style is good. I think it'll go great with the glassy new 21 what's it Chestnut a block or two away. Mixed styles add to the urban texture.
The aqua green color is what makes the design look special.
     
     
  #7  
Old Posted Apr 29, 2014, 2:37 AM
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summersm343 summersm343 is offline
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Article on this from Naked Philly

http://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-phill...-19th-chestnut
     
     
  #8  
Old Posted Apr 29, 2014, 2:40 PM
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I agree that materials could be a deal breaker but Pearl has a good track record so far, if it ends up being anything like the Grainary I will be happy.
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Last edited by Parkway; May 1, 2014 at 2:35 PM. Reason: "grain" has an i in it
     
     
  #9  
Old Posted May 1, 2014, 12:35 PM
Flyers2001 Flyers2001 is offline
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Any word on how the 4/29 meeting went?
     
     
  #10  
Old Posted May 2, 2014, 1:29 PM
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Originally Posted by Flyers2001 View Post
Any word on how the 4/29 meeting went?
Seems like it went well despite the usual parking and view blocking complaints.

http://www.phillyliving.com/blog/201...-ccra-meeting/
     
     
  #11  
Old Posted May 2, 2014, 1:47 PM
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Originally Posted by PHL10 View Post
Seems like it went well despite the usual parking and view blocking complaints.

http://www.phillyliving.com/blog/201...-ccra-meeting/
And the wind. Can't forget about the wind.

[Gotta love NIMBY's who seem to forget that they live in the DOWNTOWN OF A MAJOR CITY. ]
     
     
  #12  
Old Posted May 2, 2014, 2:46 PM
Pennsgrant Pennsgrant is offline
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And the wind. Can't forget about the wind.
Heaven forbid the added congestion smack dab in the middle of Center City.: 100 new residences/ zero parking/multiple bike racks/sleek design :
What I would tell that nimby is to Stop Complaining and go live in Chadds Ford.

As noted previously Pearl doesnt mess around. You have your tire kickers,dreamers and procrastinators and then you have a developer who get things done. Thats Pearl Properties.

Just stay out their way nimbys.


The developers say that they have financing to build the entire project and that they intend on starting construction this fall, with completion set for April of 2016
     
     
  #13  
Old Posted May 2, 2014, 2:57 PM
Pennsgrant Pennsgrant is offline
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The nimbys living in this commie box albatross are complaining about the new modern tower blocking their sunlight,adding congestion,and wind resistance.

Does this happen in other cities or is this a Philadlephia thing??





     
     
  #14  
Old Posted May 2, 2014, 3:06 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pennsgrant View Post
this commie box albatross
One thing I love about this forum are the new architectural terms I constantly learn here.


     
     
  #15  
Old Posted May 2, 2014, 3:17 PM
MikeNigh MikeNigh is offline
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Wouldn't this building improve their view?
     
     
  #16  
Old Posted May 2, 2014, 3:24 PM
Baconboy007 Baconboy007 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MikeNigh View Post
Wouldn't this building improve their view?
I'd rather live in the commie box and look at this building than live in the Pearl building with a view of the commie box.
     
     
  #17  
Old Posted May 2, 2014, 3:26 PM
Kidphilly Kidphilly is offline
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  #18  
Old Posted May 2, 2014, 5:48 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pennsgrant View Post
The nimbys living in this commie box albatross are complaining about the new modern tower blocking their sunlight,adding congestion,and wind resistance.

Does this happen in other cities or is this a Philadlephia thing??
Oh this most definitely is NOT just a Philly thing and happens almost everywhere (including NYC of all places). There is even a new forum thread dedicated to this in city discussions.

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=211090

My understanding is that Philly NIMBYS are actually relatively tame compared to those of San Francisco.

ETA: Interestingly enough, from reading the article it seems as though the main NIMBY contingent isn't from the commie box across the street but from the rather handsome 1920 Chestnut:

(This photo from the article doesn't do it justice)

So the people complaining about this tall building with no parking live in... you guessed it, a tall building with no parking.

Last edited by Insoluble; May 2, 2014 at 5:57 PM. Reason: add comment
     
     
  #19  
Old Posted May 2, 2014, 6:40 PM
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Originally Posted by Insoluble View Post
So the people complaining about this tall building with no parking live in... you guessed it, a tall building with no parking.
Didn't you know?

Video Link
     
     
  #20  
Old Posted May 2, 2014, 6:52 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Insoluble View Post
ETA: Interestingly enough, from reading the article it seems as though the main NIMBY contingent isn't from the commie box across the street but from the rather handsome 1920 Chestnut
It is a handsome building, but the rest of that side of the block ain't exactly Park Avenue:

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9519...ndY1FlbpcQ!2e0

Are some of these people so frickin' shortsighted that they can't see how a new building like this--and the relatively affluent residents it will bring to their block--will significantly enhance their little fiefdom? I guess we all know the answer to that.
     
     
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