Does anyone know what they're doing to JFK Blvd near 30th street station?

If you mean across the bridge toward Center City, they're reconstructing all of the bridges that cross the numbered streets, currently just doing the westbound side.

From PlanPhilly last year:
Office conversion of Corn Exchange / Real World house in Old City edging forward | PlanPhilly.com

I was thinking a little bit about the Thomas Jefferson-PhilaU merger, and I was thinking about how great it might be if some of our smaller universities in the city would all merge into one, city-wide university. Specifically, Thomas Jefferson-PhilaU, the University of the Arts, and the University of the Sciences. I would think that together they could offer a truly comprehensive program and benefit greatly from operational efficiencies, expanding offerings, and more widespread recognition. I looked a little into each's offerings, and it doesn't seem to me like there is a ton of overlap. Other universities (e.g. King's College London) have been successful in having several different specialized campuses throughout a city and running shuttles between them (though they are already relatively accessibly to each other via SEPTA). They'd able to market themselves are a "whole city" university, and that is attractive to a lot of people.

I can think of some great synergies that could exist between these schools, and each brings something unique. Thomas Jefferson's medical school, and PhilaU's textiles programs can collaborate in integrating health devices into clothing. USciences pharmacology, life sciences, and healthcare management programs could work well with Jefferson's medical school as well. You've got PhilaU adding a business school and an architecture school that could probably benefit from the design programs at UArts. UArts is the cherry on top to offer liberal arts programs to make a truly comprehensive University where students can explore their creativity and passions. Where there is overlap that causes certain programs to be eliminated at a specific location, the University could use that extra space for new programs, like computer and materials science at USciences' campus, or city planning at PhilaU, for example. I would think such a university would add greatly to the "Eds and Meds" thing we've got going for us, and could compete more on the level of Temple and Drexel.

Thoughts? Can anybody tell me why this wouldn't work or wouldn't be a great idea?

NPHS bankruptcy jeopardizes Project HOME development
Updated: MAY 26, 2017 — 3:27 PM EDT
http://www.philly.com/philly/busines...-20170526.html

North Philadelphia Health System’s bankruptcy has put a nearly $13 million LGBTQ-friendly affordable housing project planned by Project HOME near Girard Medical Center in jeopardy, Project HOME officials said.

Project HOME, a nonprofit led by Sister Mary Scullion that has developed 714 units of housing for people who have been homeless or are at risk of homelessness, had agreements to buy five pieces of land from NPHS before the bankruptcy filing on Dec. 31. The bankruptcy froze those deals. As the clock ticks, Project Home is in danger of losing $11 million in construction financing.

To go through with the sales for $1.75 million or even to reject the agreements, NPHS needs permission from U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Magdeline D. Coleman. NPHS wants to do neither. It wants to wait, arguing in a court filing last week that it “should be afforded maximum flexibility to deal with its financial affairs in this large and complex Chapter 11 proceeding.”

Lincoln Square - Broad and Washington - Luxury apartments/retail - 9 floors

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...7f&oe=59A80EA8

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...77&oe=59B94077

218 Arch - luxury apartments/retail - 10 floors

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...4e&oe=59B66D53

Hanover North Broad - Broad and Callowhill - luxury apartments/retail - two 6 floor buildings

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...25&oe=59A42301

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...0f&oe=59A8D34C

Penn Perelman Center for Political Science and Economics - 36th and Sansom - 7 floors

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...f0&oe=59E77BB9

Aramark HQ - 2400 Market - office/retail - 10 floors

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...39&oe=59E7E47D

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...2b&oe=59ACB664

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...c3&oe=59B0C84B

2110 Walnut - condos/retail - 9 floors

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...a4&oe=59A71DE9

Walnut Estates - 22nd and Walnut - condos/retail - 6 floors

https://scontent-lga3-1.xx.fbcdn.net...14&oe=59E5B589

From Penn's Instagram account--the view from Sansom Row of the new Perelman Center for Political Science and Economics:

http://i.imgur.com/thMNbQ7.jpg

https://www.instagram.com/p/BUksbhSl...ken-by=uofpenn

^^^

Is that Gene Kelly?:D

That guy is neither singing NOR dancing in the rain. :rolleyes:

Roman Catholic breaks ground on first phase of major expansion

http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelp...road-vine.html

Does anybody have info on this? Article is behind paywall.

I have been thinking about this question a lot lately, and I was wondering if anyone else feels the same. Does anyone believe that Nicetown-Tioga could be Philly's next hot neighborhood? Maybe not during this cycle, but possibly the next? For a few reasons, I certainly do.

1.) Nicetown-Tioga is transit-rich. With Wayne Junction, the Hunting Park and Erie (which boasts local, express, and Ridge-Spur service) stops on the BSL, and the 24/7 Route 23 (among other Night Owl routes), the neighborhood is well-connected to the city and surrounding suburbs. An express ride on the BSL is similar to a ride from East Kensington to Center City, time-wise.

2.) A brief spurt of revitalization already occurred in the mid-2000s. Before the Great Recession of 2008, some projects were undertaken near Wayne Junction. Now that the Beury Building on Broad and Erie will be rehabbed, another corner of the neighborhood will be revitalized.

3.) The real estate in that submarket seems underpriced. This even rings true for properties close to transit.

4.) Many of the homes in that neighborhood are beautiful, sturdily-built brick rowhomes. The numbered streets follow the pattern of having three-story rowhomes as typically seen in North Philly.

5.) It is accessible to all colleges and universities in the city, and almost all in the PA suburbs.

I would love to hear some opinions on this! I will be graduating from college next May, and I am taking the necessary steps to get into real estate development. With a lot of transactions occurring in the neighborhoods that investors are confident will be "next" (Norris Square, Belmont, deeper areas of Kensington, etc.), I am looking for neighborhoods that have markets that lack the high barriers of entry that more established markets have.

Gene Kelly, walking in the rain, with a backpack and a ladies umbrella.

I think eventually. Not yet. I think neighborhoods adjacent to Cedar Park and other West Philly and South Philly neighborhoods will first. In North Philly, I see the cheaper parts of Brewerytown (they still exist) and other more Southern neighborhoods gentrifying before anything in the Badlands or that far north. If the open air drug markets in parts of the Badlands relocate, I think we'll start to see a lot more traction in North Philly.

Roman Catholic breaks ground on first phase of major expansion
http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelp...road-vine.html