The all-wood construction at 401 Race just looks odd.

Last I saw it was still in the overall master plan, but no individual updates on it in some time. I'd love to see that baby get built, it was a really good fit for the neighborhood while being quite unique as well.

Hopefully. The 400 blocks of both Race and Arch are an urban disaster. Could the Mint be any worse in that regard?

The Mint certainly kills things in that area, but there are a few other blocks nearby (5th between Race and Market isn't exactly welcoming either) that negatively impact the urban experience just west of Old City proper. That said, 401 Race is going to have a big impact by car coming east on Race (and going over the BFB) and by foot coming from the river and heading west. Franklin Square will feel much more connected to Old City once this is completed.

Now if only some of the traffic modulating measures could get moving on Race, this area will feel significantly more welcoming and less like an on-ramp (especially if/when the Equal Justice Center and the Police offices at 8th and Race get moving).

Arch, Race, 5th, and 6th Streets all need drastic road diets. That area would be a lot more welcoming if crossing the street doesn't translate to a life-or-death situation, taking the size of the roadways into consideration. All of those apartments will certainly liven up the area, but a true road diet (along with a reopened Franklin Square stop on PATCO) would do wonders.

The same thing could be said about JFK, Arch, 15th, and 16th. The front entrance to Suburban Station would receive a MUCH greater level of patronage if the roads were not only narrowed, but the sidewalks were also widened.

New Philly Pod Hotel to give visitors a (very) little space to themselves | Philly.com

For Philadelphia hotels, small might be the next big thing.

Crews are scheduled to begin work this spring near the southeast corner of 19th and Ludlow Streets in Center City on an outpost of the Pod Hotels chain, part of a growing hospitality genre known as microhotels. They’re defined by tiny rooms, trendy design flourishes, and lively on-site restaurants and bars.

When the 11-story Pod Philly property has its opening, anticipated in September 2019, its 252 guest rooms, including bathroom, will average 170 square feet — smaller than two 2018 Toyota Corollas parked side-by-side. By contrast, guest rooms in an average, full-service city center hotel average 350 square feet, according to commercial real estate firm JLL.

“The room is a comfortable bed; it’s a big TV; it’s a high-design bath,” said Confrad Cafritz, whose Washington D.C.-based Cafritz Interests is parent to Modus Hotels, one of Pod Philly’s developers. “It’s everything you want or need in a room and nothing you don’t need, which is extra space.”

[snip]

Budget construction for budget architecture. I know this is kind of a difficult location, but it's still disappointing. More so after being teased with the hotel.

https://nyocommercialobserver.files....018/03/pod.png
From the CO article.

The POD hotel render looks better than the Cambria, but we'll have to see more of it and how it shakes out in person.

I've been in some hotel rooms in NYC that were basically pods - a bed that there wasn't enough space to walk around, a closet and a bathroom.

I forget the name of he place but it wasn't that bad. I bet this catches on in a bigger way.

Reminds me a little of this building. Just need to do the entrance like the rendering and you have a copycat.

https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9596...7i13312!8i6656

Hmm Arch in that area has the same amount of lanes it does in Chinatown, though. Though two through lanes is probably one too many. Race around Franklin Square presents a serious problem: it's the only access the VSE has to the BFB. If we can get that bypassed, a road diet becomes more likely. 5th and 6th really can be significantly narrowed from Chestnut to Race, though; the sections between Chestnut and Walnut work just fine without feeling stroady.

I've heard around the rumor mill that PATCO is "studying" reopening Franklin Square (the expensive bit here's probably an elevator down to the concourse), while I ran into the Sic Transit Philadelphia guy the other day and was informed that the City's going to be putting in protected cycle tracks on JFK and Market just west of City Hall (which in his opinion is about the absolute least the city could do).

There was a good article from PlanPhilly about a year ago that addresses some of the challenges of realigning traffic along 6th Street at Franklin Square approaching the Ben Franklin Bridge: http://planphilly.com/articles/2017/...s-at-the-start

I definitely like the PHS plan. It seems that they need a more concrete plan to get the Port Authority on board. I hope they're still working on this with PennDot.

Overall, Race and, to a lesser extent Arch are probably the worst, anti-urban streets in Center City. Except for their stretches in Old City and Chinatown, those streets are very forgettable. JFK and Market are much too wide and I've said it for years - I'd like to see a nice tree lined median, perhaps with a bike path.

I like to refer to this rendering. The greening of Market and JFK would be a big transition and appropriate for the new Philadelphia. I like the emphasis on bike lanes. I do wonder what lies beneath all those beautiful green trees along Market? Trains? 'cause I don't like the planters. but I do like this rendering as a good direction.

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/874/3...988a0d1b_k.jpgStation+Plaza+View+from+East

http://www.phillyvoice.com/fire-dama...et-demolition/

239 Chestnut is to be demolished... however...

Edit:
More informative article here: http://planphilly.com/articles/2018/...gutted-by-fire

Was it the Hudson, Central Park South?

Spent a night there a few weeks back and man it was tiny. It was functional and served its purpose but it was tight.

I figured I should probably share some development updates in Manayunk/Roxborough, since there's not much reported here. But don't be fooled, TONS of building going on here, mostly townhomes but also larger projects:

Construction started on Mitchell Street across the dog park. I don't have info but recall that it was a decent sized project as tall as its neighbors (5 floors). They appear to be a digging a foundation, which usually doesn't happen with townhomes.

A fairly large building is nearing completion on Terrace Street. Four floors but it's quite big.

Progress being made on this project on Main Street.

Sorry no pictures to share.

The project on Venice Island is on the April CDR schedule: http://www.phila.gov/CityPlanning/pr...al_reduced.pdf

Hale Building update:
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/789/4...0f241d24_c.jpgHale Building 3/28/2018 by shad obat, on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/798/2...70f30c80_c.jpgHale Building 3/28/2018 by shad obat, on Flickr

Wonder if they're gonna move this light??
https://farm1.staticflickr.com/810/2...a74b0863_c.jpgHale Building 3/28/2018 by shad obat, on Flickr

https://farm1.staticflickr.com/791/2...9158e634_c.jpgHale Building 3/28/2018 by shad obat, on Flickr