PHILADELPHIA | The Murano | 475 FT / 145 M | 42 FLOORS

[sharkfood]

I went by the site today. After filling in the trench that was dug last fall, it appears that they have dug another trench. The trench is deepest on the Market Street side and there are about eight or so steel beams in the ground at the deepest point. And yes, those irregular concrete supports are quite funny looking. It was a very active site.

[volguus zildrohar]

A new large sign has been erected at Market Street - just to let the folks not-in-the-know in on what's happening.

[Swinefeld]

A new large sign has been erected at Market Street - just to let the folks not-in-the-know in on what's happening.

Pssst, wanna buy a condo?
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e388/Swinefeld/Miscellanious/MuranoJuly01.jpg

This view is looking south. The heavy equipment is on where the garage is to be built.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e388/Swinefeld/Miscellanious/MuranoJuly02.jpg

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e388/Swinefeld/Miscellanious/MuranoJuly03.jpg

Looking west.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e388/Swinefeld/Miscellanious/MuranoJuly04.jpg

Looking north.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e388/Swinefeld/Miscellanious/MuranoJuly05.jpg

[hi123]

^ clearly this project is not dead! :) great update swinefeld as always!

[Swinefeld]

^ clearly this project is not dead! :)

"The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated" :haha:

[The Cheat]

That's odd, they made a big hole initially, then put the soil back in the hole, drilled and poured caissons, and then are now digging it back out again.

[volguus zildrohar]

Swiney, you craven bastard:)

http://www.pbase.com/phillytrax/image/63553376.jpg

And um, not to be assholish but how many times does it need to be said "This project isn't dead" before people start believing it? Weak rumors tend to fade quickly when faced with backhoes and cement trucks.

[Pinoy2.0]

Weak rumors tend to fade quickly when faced with backhoes and cement trucks.

hahaha.

[Palms]

Great updates guys. After Comcast this project gets me the most excited. It won't take long for this project to make its mark on the skyline.

[phillyskyline]

Yes, this building excites me much more than Ritz & 10 Rittenhouse combined!

[Wheelingman04]

^ It sure is a beauty.

[giamomj]

'Nuff said...!

Gia

:notacrook:

[russbaseball]

the hole in the foundation is getting really deep. they were at it all day pretty much..

[josef]

"The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated" :haha:

haha. Indeed.

[Lincolndrive]

For anyone that hasn't been around Murano recently, stop on by...it's quite the project. I did talk to someone on Sunday (yea they were working on Sunday) who looked like he was a Project Manager/or at least "in the know" and he confirmed that it wouldn't start rising above the street until the end of September. Just wanted to let ya'll know.

[Swinefeld]

Thanks Lincolndrive. I work at 20th & Market and I see the progress on a daily basis. I guess we're a little impatient in this town.

[PhillyRising]

I guess we're a little impatient in this town.

No way...impatient Philadelphians??? Surely you jest! ;)

[donybrx]

Thanks Lincolndrive. I work at 20th & Market and I see the progress on a daily basis. I guess we're a little impatient in this town.

Jes' plain spoiled rotten! Not so long ago, you woulda sold yer bodies for one lousy new skyscraper.....heh.....

[apetrella802]

i think one reason many people like the Murano so much is that it evokes a sense of Furturism, or how we might imagine a city of the future to look, the Kimmel also does this and I think Mandeville Place will also, anyway in a city of over 3 centuries of architecture it's a sign of confidence in the future.

[TechTalkGuy]

For anyone that hasn't been around Murano recently, stop on by...it's quite the project. I did talk to someone on Sunday (yea they were working on Sunday) who looked like he was a Project Manager/or at least "in the know" and he confirmed that it wouldn't start rising above the street until the end of September. Just wanted to let ya'll know.
By the end of September, Comcast will be closer to the Bell Atlantic's height.

By the end of the year -or better yet- as we celebrate 2007, we will have so much more to enjoy as the Mummer's come ah marchin' up Broad Street.

[russbaseball]

looks like they are pouring concreat into the foundation now.

[Cro Burnham]

There's also the beginnings of a crane installed on a base at the site.

[TechTalkGuy]

Today, I decided to visit Philly to contribute. :D

The Murano: Wednesday, July 26, 2006
http://img131.imageshack.us/img131/9602/dsc00239yj3.jpg

[phillyincambridge]

is it normal for them to excavate around the cassions like that? i can't say i've seen something like that before

[Lincolndrive]

looks like they are pouring concreat into the foundation now.

Is this confirmed?

[russbaseball]

^^^
not confirmed but it sure looks that way from my view.. (12th floor 2000 market) even from there i cant see the bottom of that pit, but they were pouring in to it.. i should try to get a photo on here from my view..

[CondoGuru]

It sure looks as though they were pouring since there were 4 concrete trucks on-site today. I don't think they would have been there otherwise.

[PhillyJim]

i think one reason many people like the Murano so much is that it evokes a sense of Furturism, or how we might imagine a city of the future to look, the Kimmel also does this and I think Mandeville Place will also, anyway in a city of over 3 centuries of architecture it's a sign of confidence in the future.

Agreed. Cira, Comcast, Murano....and hopefully at some point Mandeville & Bridgman's View will thrust the Philadelphia skyline into the 21st Century.

Now just build more runways at PHL so I am not sitting on the taxiway for at least :30. That is a legitimate complaint!!

[TechTalkGuy]

^^^
not confirmed but it sure looks that way from my view.. (12th floor 2000 market) even from there i cant see the bottom of that pit, but they were pouring in to it.. i should try to get a photo on here from my view..

Wow, you work in Center City?

It would be exceptional if you could contribute with a photo from your unique perspective.

[Represent]

Agreed. Cira, Comcast, Murano....and hopefully at some point Mandeville & Bridgman's View will thrust the Philadelphia skyline into the 21st Century.

Now just build more runways at PHL so I am not sitting on the taxiway for at least :30. That is a legitimate complaint!!

You were on there for a half hour? :sly: We rolled out of the terminal and took off without any waiting. Strange. I was flying Northwest btw and this was recently.

[volguus zildrohar]

Concrete was indeed being poured this afternoon but I saw just a single truck when I went by.

[PhillyJim]

You were on there for a half hour? :sly: We rolled out of the terminal and took off without any waiting. Strange. I was flying Northwest btw and this was recently.

Yes, on AA this past Monday at 10:30a.m.(a supposed off peak flying time). My flight was something like #20 in line to take off and the weather was flawless.

[Swinefeld]

I saw two cement trucks around 5:00 p.m. yesterday. One was unloading cement into the pit. This baby is moving right along!

russ, I work across the street from you.

[Swinefeld]

This work site looks as busy as ever, even with the 100º temps. This morning it looked like they were assembling a giant crane arm on the site.

[Lincolndrive]

edit

[Lincolndrive]

For sure..the crain is now at least a hundred feel high (if not more) and growing. It doesn't look like it's the type of crain that grows taller but I must be missing something. Sooo pumped right now!!

[looper121]

For sure..the crain is now at least a hundred feel high (if not more) and growing. It doesn't look like it's the type of crain that grows taller but I must be missing something. Sooo pumped right now!!

I was by there today as well, lot of action to be sure...has the core foundation been poured yet? Surely it's not quite the size as Comcast's. :D

[PhillyJosh]

Can they pour concrete in this :hell: ?

[The Cheat]

Mix ice in the concrete mix, cover the concrete as it cures.

[volguus zildrohar]

The crane tower caught me by surprise. I was at 23rd & Spring Garden today leaving work and there it was.

[SouthPhilly]

OK, i never beg for pictures but...PICTURE TIME

[PhillyJosh]

About 5 floors of the core are visible from 20th and Green.....although BA tower blocks most of the western part. I am going to try and get some photos from my roof deck when all this haze clears.

[russbaseball]

Great News!!

looks like they are installing the first forms for the core rite now!!

[Dougall5505]

so much news but no pics?

[RayZ]

Walked by and saw the crane last night. It came out of nowhere.

I'm still puzzled by the configuration of the concrete footings that have been poured for the building. If you look at them from either Market, 21st, or the JFK overpass, the outer ring of these footings do not seem to form the oval or ellipse that I would expect.

Is the building going to be parallel to Market or oriented on a diagonal?

Can anybody explain the strange pattern of the footings?

[sjones]

I havent been by here in a few weeks, it sounds like a lot is going on now. Good news for sure. Perhaps within a few months something will rise out of the ground at the RAR site.

[apetrella802]

the foundation footprint could be rectangular and the building above ground could be elliptical or cylindrical or triangular. The winter garden of the Comcast Center extends above ground beyound the foundation footprint but is structuraly tied back to it with the steel framing.

[looper121]

About 5 floors of the core are visible from 20th and Green.....although BA tower blocks most of the western part. I am going to try and get some photos from my roof deck when all this haze clears.

Huh? Are you talking about another construction?

[PhillyJosh]

My bad.......I thought I was still on the CC site........my apologies guys.

[volguus zildrohar]

so much news but no pics?

I'll be by to grab photos tomorrow if not before. This isn't a photo mill; we produce when we can.

Ray, the building is actually a bit bullet-shaped - flat on the east end, rounded on the west, running parallel to Market Street. I agree the caissons appear oddly oriented but we're seeing it with layman's eyes.

[Dougall5505]

^sorry but all this progress is so exciting

[giovanni sasso]

with apologies to volguus and appreciation of his ambition, here's my hunna-degree efforts from around noon today. my clothes were soaked through (but i didn't stink because i use mitchum mountain air©!

http://phillyskyline.com/bldgs/murano/murano_uc013.jpg

http://phillyskyline.com/bldgs/murano/murano_uc014.jpg

http://phillyskyline.com/bldgs/murano/murano_uc016.jpg

i turned the corner around the back and ...
http://phillyskyline.com/bldgs/murano/murano_uc017.jpg

had the pleasure of watching the assembly of another segment of the crane's arm from the trader joe's parking lot. i followed this series by purchasing a buffalo chicken wrap and a wedge of triple creme brie.

http://phillyskyline.com/bldgs/murano/murano_uc018_craneassembly.jpg

[Dougall5505]

kewl

[volguus zildrohar]

Screw all y'all.:)

[The Cheat]

More cranes, please!

[volguus zildrohar]

August 4:

None of youse deserve this...

http://www.pbase.com/phillytrax/image/64618912.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/phillytrax/image/64618923.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/phillytrax/image/64618924.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/phillytrax/image/64618927.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/phillytrax/image/64618928.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/phillytrax/image/64618929.jpg

http://www.pbase.com/phillytrax/image/64618930.jpg

[Late1]

with apologies to volguus and appreciation of his ambition, here's my hunna-degree efforts from around noon today. my clothes were soaked through (but i didn't stink because i use mitchum mountain air©!...
Everything's so commerical these days!



Thanks for the spiffy updates, all of youse - the photos don't stink either.

[Lincolndrive]

I saw a huge truckload of re-bar getting unloaded this morning on site. You can also see the concrete coming out of the pit from the sidewalk on JKF now. This development is getting much more interesting. So glad those nasty rumors were just that.

[phillyincambridge]

yeah, who was the guy that said this development was "definatley" dead. wonder what his inside source is saying now

[Palms]

Couple of quick shots from yesterday 8-12-06

http://home.comcast.net/~greendrake9/HPIM174881206.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~greendrake9/81206onarum.jpg

[russbaseball]

center part of the foundation looks complete.. Now there working on the market street side of it..

[buildup]

I saw this crane for the first time and few evenings ago from the Schuylkill Expressway. This tower is going to fill in that hole in the skyline when viewed from the Schuylkill coming south. I also like this building because it is not a box. I think it is the only one in the skyline that is signifigant in height.

[sjones]

It will be nice when we can see some steel and concrete rising from this hole. This is one of the tallest of the new buildings but I think RAR is taller. Of course this will stick out more because of it's location.

[GarCastle]

Pretty soon the Murano will make me want to walk 20 blocks over to get on my train at Suburban just so I can get some shots of it on the way over.

[Swinefeld]

I just took a walk over there. For the first time, construction has risen above street level. This is very exciting!

[phillyskyline]

Of course this will stick out more because of it's location.

This is my favorite condo project under construction or proposed (Except Mandeville), even more than RATR. I think you hit right on the head that this highrise is gonna stick out bigtime bc of its location.

That area of Center City is dying for some development and this project will def give it some life. I was around the site in mid-July & I could not believe how dead the area was, especially with Commerce Sq allowing no interaction for predestrains along 20th street (just a solid wall running down 20th st). As sad as I am to say it, the forum diagnolly across the street should prolly be removed and maybe some retail or another highrise would improve the vitality of the area.

[LostInTheZone]

forgive my ignorance but I was never clear on this.... which way is the curved end supposed to face?

[Eigenwelt]

Towards the Schuylkill Litz. With the flat side flush against Commerce Sq, and the rounded side towards the river, this will visually cap the skyscraper wall along Market.

[jrdizzy]

Above ground already? I guess I've just been paying attention to comcast.

[LostInTheZone]

Towards the Schuylkill Litz. With the flat side flush against Commerce Sq, and the rounded side towards the river, this will visually cap the skyscraper wall along Market.

but wait- it can't sit flush with Commerce Square, which is across the street, meaning that the rounded end would butt up against the Trader Joe's building, if it faced toward the river. Seems sort of backwards to me.

[slow-v6]

As sad as I am to say it, the forum diagnolly across the street should prolly be removed and maybe some retail or another highrise would improve the vitality of the area.

Isnt that a porn store or XXX place across the street? Yeah they really need to start to build up this end of the skyline. I agree with you that this project will start some developments.. ( fingers crossed)

[buildup]

I didn't realize the Murano had a flat side! I thought is was an elliptical shape all the way around.

[Eigenwelt]

Sorry. Not "flush" but the flat side is on the east, parallel to Commerce Sq. I misused the word flush as the buildings will obviously not touch given that 21st street will lie between them.

Think of it this way, when you stand on the Market St. bridge and look east towards City Hall, the rounded side of the Murano will face you.

Yes, you are right that the rounded side of the building (at the lower levels) will face against the building directly to the west. But if you look at the rendering below, you can see they have placed a mid-block street (extension of Van Pelt?) so again the Murano will not touch either of it's neighbors.

http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/605/1366584954508ge.jpg

[Eigenwelt]

I went and found an old rendering I did (based on a Sasso photo) which shows the building is slightly better context then any of the official renderings. I suspect they aren't showing wide angle views because they don't want to emphasize that this building will look relatively short because of the buildings to its east.

http://home.comcast.net/~sodanod/wsb/media/348086/site1084.JPG

As you can see the round side is facing towards the Schuylkill. A curved side along 21st street would be a waste. With Commerce so close you'd lose almost any ability to appreciate the curve. The west view is protected because of the lowrise nature of the TJ's building.

(and pardon the crappy nature of the CC and Mandeville renderings. I made this about a year and a half ago. The Murano should be fairly accurate, if a tad high.)

[ltsmotorsport]

Philly's got it goin' on. Havn't really followed this project in the past, but definatly will now.

[russbaseball]

they started putting the forms together for the second level below ground.. they are really moving along now!!!

[Pinoy2.0]

I wonder if the side facing commerce will be windows or big blank cement wall like beaumont to piss me off. :)

But seriously, I guess we're just to expect it'll be the same design wrapped around that side? ...assuming...

[litty]

The side facing commerce square will not be a blank wall. Blank walls are used when a building is built right against a common property line. Since there is a street between Murano and Commerce Square, there is no reason to not have windows.

[giovanni sasso]

yes indeedy ... soon enough, you'll have a lot of early risers reporting to work in one commerce square! :awesome:

chug chug chug ...

http://phillyskyline.com/bldgs/murano/murano_uc022.jpg

[volguus zildrohar]

Yep, caught the forms this evening passing by.

Wow! I guess those rumors that Murano wasn't being builted weren't true! I'm sooo glad!!!:tup: :tup: :) :notacrook: :yes:

[Eigenwelt]

I told you they weren't not gonna built it. SO... whats the chance they might surprise us and add some height at the top?

This location would be sweet for a thousand footer!!!!!1!oneeleventy

I smell spire... ;)

[sjones]

The article in today's paper says the building is almost 40% sold. That really isnt much considering how long they have been advertising for this project. Maybe things will pick up now that construction is underway. I know the developers have to be happy that other projects that were announced aren't going forward, especially 1919 market.

[The Cheat]

Once this building breaks the skyline, people will get more interested and they'll probably sell out.

[16520Man]

Anyone read the 8/31 blog?

http://www.changingskyline.blogspot.com/

[sciguy0504]

Please.

[stampy88]

Anyone been by lately to snap a couple of shots?

[16520Man]

I was there this weekend; there's some aboveground steel sticking up. I'll be taking photos and posting them next weekend.

[GarCastle]

I usually catch a half second view of it (through rusting Septa-scape) as my train passes by. It looked like it had a substantial amount of above-ground rebar situated for more pouring. Once that concrete is poured, we might get some more noticeable activity.

[skyscraper]

Anyone read the 8/31 blog?

http://www.changingskyline.blogspot.com/
She's such a moron. She is a displaced New Yorker dispatched here to convince us that smaller is always better for Philadelphia. She hates all development here, certainly anything that would take away from the 17th Century cityscape that is scaled for pedestrians and possibly horses-n-carriages, but anything scaled for the 21st Century, anything big, is a sin to her. At least, anything big in Philadelphia. She wants us to retain our quaint little Quaker village, and leave anything big, bold, modern, contemporary, innovative, or 21st Century for New York.
F Inga.

[16520Man]

She's such a moron...

Thanks for the perspective, sky.

/still learning

[skyscraper]

Thanks for the perspective, sky.

/still learning
whatever.
she talks about a "nuanced" downturn in the condo market. I don't know what that means, exactly, but she wouldn't know nuance if it bludgeoned her in the head.

[CondoGuru]

She's such a moron. She is a displaced New Yorker dispatched here to convince us that smaller is always better for Philadelphia. She hates all development here, certainly anything that would take away from the 17th Century cityscape that is scaled for pedestrians and possibly horses-n-carriages, but anything scaled for the 21st Century, anything big, is a sin to her. At least, anything big in Philadelphia. She wants us to retain our quaint little Quaker village, and leave anything big, bold, modern, contemporary, innovative, or 21st Century for New York.
F Inga.

Too funny. She's also a friend of Laurie Phillips' who is trying to sell the Ayer. You know, the deco building on Washington Square where "sales are brisk" according to Inga! Yeah right, starting at $850K for a 1BR sounds great! Gimme a break lady. They're not selling anything, so they gotta trash everything else to make themselves look like they're the only option. Yeah, good luck with that.

[PhillyJim]

She's such a moron. She is a displaced New Yorker dispatched here to convince us that smaller is always better for Philadelphia. She hates all development here, certainly anything that would take away from the 17th Century cityscape that is scaled for pedestrians and possibly horses-n-carriages, but anything scaled for the 21st Century, anything big, is a sin to her. At least, anything big in Philadelphia. She wants us to retain our quaint little Quaker village, and leave anything big, bold, modern, contemporary, innovative, or 21st Century for New York.
F Inga.

I agree, but why give this princess (and we know what kind) any more time than she deserves(?) Move on!!

[Edan]

What kind of princess is Inga? What are you insinuating?

[Edan]

I don't understand why some readers think Inga is ANTI development. What has she ever written that would make you think that? She is pro development - as long as it is done in a manner that respects the home city.

If you were to develop a project in Houston, you would have a much different set of criteria than if that project was being developed in Philly.

While I agree that the demolished structures on Sansom Street weren't A1 architecture, they did remind passersby of early Philadelphia. An astute, compassionate developer could have developed these buildings into a goldmine. A juvenile, small-minded developer would have envisioned a parking garage; across the street from an existing parking garage.

I have a sneaking suspicion that you anti-Inga folks are high-schoolers. This isn't a knock on you - rather I say it because I understand that you want to be surrounded by skyscrapers, they look cool and give you a sense of power. But when you finally realize what makes a city AMAZING - you'll realize that skyscrapers, while very cool, ain't it.

Dallas is loaded w/skyscrapers as is Calgary. But, with all due respect, who would choose to live in either place? Barcelona has 1 or 2 skyscrapers and, for my money, is an infinitely cooler place to live than just about any place in the world.

Visit a real city (most likely somewhere in Europe) and you'll come back here trying to preserve what's already been built and wishing for skyscrapers in the most opportune places, such as:

* surface parking lots
* parking garage locations (after we demolish all garages)
* on top of rail yards
* on top of ugly 1-story strip mall looking places (ex: Market St. between 8-12)

But stop the Inga ranting. Those of us who've been around the block a few times realize she has the best interests of Philadelphia in mind and isn't trying to block development. You Inga haters come off as ignorant and uninformed about basic urban planning.

[Eigenwelt]

I agree, you're moving into territory you shouldn't PhillyJim. Drop it now.

[Cro Burnham]

I agree, but why give this princess (and we know what kind) any more time than she deserves(?) Move on!!

"Move on!!" - funny, PhillyJim, I was thinking the same thing about you. I'm sure there are plenty of more appropriate skinhead blogs you can bleat away on. Why SSP? I thought this was for skyscraper fans, not racist dorks.

[CondoGuru]

I don't understand why some readers think Inga is ANTI development. What has she ever written that would make you think that? She is pro development - as long as it is done in a manner that respects the home city.

If you were to develop a project in Houston, you would have a much different set of criteria than if that project was being developed in Philly.

While I agree that the demolished structures on Sansom Street weren't A1 architecture, they did remind passersby of early Philadelphia. An astute, compassionate developer could have developed these buildings into a goldmine. A juvenile, small-minded developer would have envisioned a parking garage; across the street from an existing parking garage.

I have a sneaking suspicion that you anti-Inga folks are high-schoolers. This isn't a knock on you - rather I say it because I understand that you want to be surrounded by skyscrapers, they look cool and give you a sense of power. But when you finally realize what makes a city AMAZING - you'll realize that skyscrapers, while very cool, ain't it.

Dallas is loaded w/skyscrapers as is Calgary. But, with all due respect, who would choose to live in either place? Barcelona has 1 or 2 skyscrapers and, for my money, is an infinitely cooler place to live than just about any place in the world.

Visit a real city (most likely somewhere in Europe) and you'll come back here trying to preserve what's already been built and wishing for skyscrapers in the most opportune places, such as:

* surface parking lots
* parking garage locations (after we demolish all garages)
* on top of rail yards
* on top of ugly 1-story strip mall looking places (ex: Market St. between 8-12)

But stop the Inga ranting. Those of us who've been around the block a few times realize she has the best interests of Philadelphia in mind and isn't trying to block development. You Inga haters come off as ignorant and uninformed about basic urban planning.


I agree that this discussion needs to get back to construction. However, I believe that the frustration with Inga lies in the fact that for someone who supposedly has the best interests of Philadelphia in mind, SHE is the one who is remarkably uninformed. Did you read her blog and the posted comments? One of the Murano developers actually responded to set her straight. You know it's bad when someone of her stature and influence is spreading rumors that prompt a developer to respond to a puny blog. Personally, I wouldn't give a crap what she says, but that's just me.

[skyscraper]

I have a sneaking suspicion that you anti-Inga folks are high-schoolers.
No, I am a 37-year old architect (well I will be when I take the exam) with two bachelor's degrees; one in Architecture, from Drexel, and one in Communications from La Salle (long, boring, irrelavent story there.)

[sciguy0504]

I don't understand why some readers think Inga is ANTI development. What has she ever written that would make you think that? She is pro development - as long as it is done in a manner that respects the home city.

If you were to develop a project in Houston, you would have a much different set of criteria than if that project was being developed in Philly.

While I agree that the demolished structures on Sansom Street weren't A1 architecture, they did remind passersby of early Philadelphia. An astute, compassionate developer could have developed these buildings into a goldmine. A juvenile, small-minded developer would have envisioned a parking garage; across the street from an existing parking garage.

I have a sneaking suspicion that you anti-Inga folks are high-schoolers. This isn't a knock on you - rather I say it because I understand that you want to be surrounded by skyscrapers, they look cool and give you a sense of power. But when you finally realize what makes a city AMAZING - you'll realize that skyscrapers, while very cool, ain't it.

Dallas is loaded w/skyscrapers as is Calgary. But, with all due respect, who would choose to live in either place? Barcelona has 1 or 2 skyscrapers and, for my money, is an infinitely cooler place to live than just about any place in the world.

Visit a real city (most likely somewhere in Europe) and you'll come back here trying to preserve what's already been built and wishing for skyscrapers in the most opportune places, such as:

* surface parking lots
* parking garage locations (after we demolish all garages)
* on top of rail yards
* on top of ugly 1-story strip mall looking places (ex: Market St. between 8-12)

But stop the Inga ranting. Those of us who've been around the block a few times realize she has the best interests of Philadelphia in mind and isn't trying to block development. You Inga haters come off as ignorant and uninformed about basic urban planning.

Well, considering the Murano site was a surface parking lot and the building itself is beautiful but Inga feels the need to spread rumors, what's your beef? Judging by what others have said on this thread, it seems Inga has the interests of her developer friends ahead of Philadelphia's. The Murano is an infinitely better building than Ayer.

LOL @ PhillyJim. Not everyone on here is uptight.