There are plenty of empty lots. Very few walking distance to the station and the transit around it. In creating a neighborhood around the station, this is the opposite. Especially since it seems NYers are one of our biggest imports.
An institutional-like building with no retail to animate the streets.
An entire block! across from another institutional building. No interaction with the street.
An area that, outside of NYC, has more transit options than anywhere else in this country that I can think. A commuter-like connection to NYC.
Disappointing land use. Great, new jobs. Great growth.
It could have been more like 3025, with the base for SPARK and a residential tower above.
It looks very much like a part of an office complex off the freeway somewhere placed on a city block..

I agree with everything SEFTA is saying. The closest to a central location for a building like this might be the Pennovation area. It really belongs in the Bellweather District or the fringe parcels of the Navy Yard. Not a block from 30th Street Station. Drexel has done an outstanding job of transforming their campus, but they will ultimately regret their support for this one.

Agreed. Huge missed opportunity

You guys do know there is a 2-acre parking lot on the other side of Chestnut adjacent to this block right? I'm actually pretty baffled by this statement lol:
You're saying that the Bellweather District or the Navy Yard is better for student housing? Like what are we talking about here exactly? lol

I think they mean the Spark building going up across the street, not the Standard. I think lol

No, that is not what is being said. The series of comments was in reference to the Spark building at 30th and Chestnut. Clearly student housing does not belong in Pennovation or the Bellweather District or the Navy Yard.

I think you're right and I miss read it. SEFTA was describing Spark's manufacturing facility.

Which is an interesting point. I actually don't mind it being a commercial building without a mixed-use aspect. In a traditional sense, factories have been frowned upon in urban settings for generations due to the negative environmental effects a lot of the industry had. Idk if that's true with the new age biotech manufacturing. To me all it is, is jobs. Jobs people will have to show up to. People to fill up lunch counters, to fill trains, etc. It's economic vitality in our greater downtown area. We have plenty of housing approved to get built still, now we just need the people and jobs to come.

You're all being far too kind. It's possible to praise the density while acknowledging how bad this looks.

The Standard looks terrible, but it is what it is, however, I'm very excited for the Spark building. I think any city on Earth would kill to have a lab of this stature in their urban core.

I like this logic.

It's not apartments or a hotel, but Spark to U City is like Biogen to Cambridge. This center will be an innovation hub, employ thousands of people and bring in business connections from New York, Boston, DC, and around the world. Philadelphia needs more of this.

As for The Standard, yes, its awful looking. I saw it in person quickly Monday before I boarded by train at 30th Street. The black doesn't help IMO.

I hear what you are saying and I hope you are right. These are jobs that are performed on location - no hybrid telecommuting - which is huge today. But we have to also worry about having such a large built-for-purpose building in such a central location. What happens if Spark isn't around ten years from now? What if the building is difficult to repurpose? I love the business activity and the jobs, I just wish it was pushed a little further out.

Yeah, I really don’t get the hate for this building. Are we going to pretend that Broad and Noble, where you can clearly see the prefab panel brick cuts and messy gray paneling, is somehow better? lol

It's zoned for medium industrial use. Not sure if it's because of the parcel's past, but this is due to zoning. Medium industrial doesn't allow residential to be mixed with it

Cladding Approaches Parapet At The Standard At Philadelphia In University City

https://phillyyimby.com/wp-content/u...-1536x1152.jpg

https://phillyyimby.com/wp-content/u...2022-2-3-2.jpg

https://phillyyimby.com/wp-content/u...2022-2-3-6.jpg

Read/view more here:
https://phillyyimby.com/2023/04/clad...ladelphia.html

This may come as a shock, but it's possible for two buildings to look shitty.

For the 27th time, I thought we agreed not to respond to each other. Your condescending snark is insufferable.

That cladding is truly fcked.

Looks like a used sanding sponge

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/...,350_QL80_.jpg

I would like to see a lot of zoning be readjusted. :sly:

It looks like the back of an old building that they tried o clean up by painting gray :rolleyes: