I read that article and was waiting for someone to post it. Here's the thing about a downtown stadium: With the exception of your original downtown baseball fields (like Wrigley and Fenway), today's stadiums that are built downtown are usually in cities that have the open space and need the boost. Fortunately, we don't need a stadium to energize Center City nor do we have the space.
Further, I don't think you can replicate the Fenway Park or Wrigley Field experience overnight. Those neighborhoods have evolved over many many years with the stadiums and the generations of fans have grown accustomed to taking transit to games. Now contrast that with the opposition arguments noted in each of the proposals: fans didn't want to deal with the parking and congestion headaches and neighbors didn't want to deal with the noise and traffic. Philadelphians are just very accustomed to driving to games. So any stadium built near Center City will be surrounded by parking lots and garages. Instead of wondering how cool it would have been to have built Citizens Bank Park downtown, I wonder how cool would it have been if Connie Mack field had never been demolished. |
I can not believe that people are still writing and talking about a downtown stadium. It was over 10 years ago, my god get over it.
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Boxbot you are like a young Andy Warhol.
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If you want to talk downtown sporting arenas, there's really only one shot for Philly right now. The Sixers. No longer owned by Comcast Specatacor, the Sixers are tenants in the Wells Fargo Center currently and not very happy about the arrangement. Wells Fargo won't sponsor them and they actually have the Wells Fargo logo in all white text, so small you can't even see it on the court just to begrudgingly fulfill the terms of their contract that dates back to prior owners. http://content.sportslogos.net/news/...go-Court-2.png Obviously it's more economical to simply have them share the Wells Fargo Center and I'd be opposed to any significant taxpayer contribution to the project but the Sixers might just build an arena without the taxpayers. The current owners purchased the Sixers for an unbelievably low price just a few years ago below 300 Million. Already the team is estimated to be worth at least twice that despite their losing ways. And nothing adds value to a team like owning your arena as opposed to renting it. If current ownership ever wanted to sell, a privately financed arena may actually be a viable plan as the enormous boost in value may actually outweigh construction costs. Not to mention it is a lot easier to fit a basketball arena into the city grid than a baseball stadium. In fact you may even be able to squeeze an arena in at 8th and market... a man can dream at least. |
From Center City District Report: Old Family Court Building
KIMPTON HOTEL DEVELOPER: Peebles Corp. and P&A Associates LOCATION: 1801 Vine Street SIZE: 250,000 sf HOTEL ROOMS: 199 START DATE: December 2016 COMPLETION DATE: June 2018 STATUS: Announced INVESTMENT: $90 Million DESCRIPTION: The former Family Court building will be redeveloped into a hotel now that the Court has moved to its new location at 15th and Arch Streets. The building’s interior, including all 37 murals and lighting fixtures, were designated historically significant in 2011 and will remain intact. The project will include 199 rooms, a 3,500-sf ballroom, meeting and board rooms, a spa and fitness center, and a restaurant and bar. http://www.centercityphila.org/docs/...pments2016.pdf |
From Center City District Report: Reading Viaduct Rail Park
VIADUCT RAIL PARK, PHASE I DEVELOPER: Center City District LOCATION: Callowhill Street to Noble Street SIZE: 26,000 sf START DATE: 2016 COMPLETION DATE: 2017 STATUS: Announced INVESTMENT: $9.6 Million DESCRIPTION: The Viaduct Rail Park project seeks to transform the abandoned railway that slices through the area between Chinatown and Fairmount Avenue into a public park. The Center City District was drawn to the project because of the success of the High Line elevated park in New York City, and saw an opportunity to add residential and light commercial development in the expanding communities of Center City and Chinatown. With 32% of the land in the area around the Viaduct still currently vacant and undeveloped, the opportunity exists to create a unique, mixed-use, mixed-income neighborhood. Phase I of the project will involve the transformation of a 26,000-sf section of the Viaduct known as the SEPTA Spur, and will include landscaping, adding stairs that connect the railway to the street level, waterproofing the viaduct’s leaking underside, and environmental remediation. http://www.centercityphila.org/docs/...pments2016.pdf |
From Center City District Report: Spring Garden Street Connector
SPRING GARDEN STREET CONNECTOR DEVELOPER: Delaware River Waterfront Corporation LOCATION: I-95 Overpass at Spring Garden Street START DATE: 2015 COMPLETION DATE: 2016 STATUS: Under Construction INVESTMENT: $2.5 Million DESCRIPTION: As part of its connector street program, the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation is currently working with RBA group to design streetscape improvements to Spring Garden Street between Columbus Boulevard/Delaware Avenue and 2nd Street, including a new lighting and public art installation under the I-95 overpass and Spring Garden transit stop. The streetscape improvements were completed in Fall 2015 and the underpass lighting and artistic screens will be installed in Winter 2016. The artistic lighting and screens were designed by Cloud Gehshan Associates and The Lighting Practice and fabricated by Urban Sign. This project is intended to improve pedestrian and bike connections from Northern Liberties to the riverfront, increase usage of public transportation, and ultimately connect to the waterfront trail. http://www.centercityphila.org/docs/...pments2016.pdf |
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That said ... I think a new stadium is mostly a nice-to-have. It isn't like the Sixers are particularly relevant anyway. But you wanna know who else has been jonesing for a better facility for a while? The Drexel Dragons. I'm not entirely sure where they would put it (other than "somewhere next to Drexel"), but I could see a joint Sixers/Dragons arena working out. Co-brand it and stuff and Drexel could well use the opportunity to move the Dragons to the higher-profile A-10 (and become a full-time member of the Big 5) as well. Oh, and with a Sixers/Dragons partnership, you can use collegiate fundraising avenues and not try to extort tax breaks out of the city for a team whose previous ownership decimated its fanbase. It'd certainly be win-win for both the team and the school. |
I dream of the Flyers/Sixers playing at 8th and Market... It's the only place a downtown area could work, as its accessible by the MFL, Regional Rail, and PATCO so that parking requirements could be lower and the traffic effect would be minimized. Right in the middle of the touristy area is perfect too.
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From Center City District Report: 1524 South St.
ROYAL THEATER DEVELOPER: Dranoff Properties and Universal Companies LOCATION: 1524-1534 South Street SIZE: 65,000 sf RESIDENTIAL UNITS: 52 START DATE: July 2016 COMPLETION DATE: Q3 2017 STATUS: Announced INVESTMENT: $20 Million DESCRIPTION: Plans call for the redevelopment of the historic Royal Theater into a mixed-use development with 52 high-end rental apartment units, 7,000 sf of retail space on the ground floor, and 20 below-grade parking spaces. The Royal’s façade will be preserved and amenities will include a fitness center and roof deck. http://www.centercityphila.org/docs/...pments2016.pdf |
I wonder if the ballpark had been built at Broad and Spring Garden whether we would be talking about how we regret putting it there?
I'm thinking about all the development going on in that area and wondering how many of those parking lots would have stayed parking lots if their revenues were higher. |
From the Center City District Report:
218 ARCH STREET DEVELOPER: PMC Property Group LOCATION: 218 Arch Street SIZE: 140,000 sf RESIDENTIAL UNITS: 116 START DATE: Spring 2016 COMPLETION DATE: Summer 2017 STATUS: Announced INVESTMENT: $58 Million DESCRIPTION: PMC Property Group and Varenhorst will construct a 10-story, mixed-use building on a surface parking lot near 2nd and Arch in Old City. The project sits on the historic cobblestone lane, Little Boys Court, and will have 116 rental units and ground-floor retail along Arch Street. http://www.centercityphila.org/docs/...pments2016.pdf |
From Center City District Report:
ONE FRANKLIN TOWER DEVELOPER: PMC Property Group and Lubert-Adler LOCATION: 200 North 16th Street SIZE: 607,471 sf RESIDENTIAL UNITS: 325 START DATE: April 2016 COMPLETION DATE: Spring 2017 STATUS: Announced DESCRIPTION: In partnership with Lubert-Adler Real Estate Fund, PMC Property Group has purchased One Franklin Plaza, the former North American headquarters for GlaxoSmithKline, with plans to redevelop the property, which has been renamed One Franklin Tower. The 24-story, 607,471-sf building, originally built in 1980, will be fully converted to a premier mixed-use property consisting of first-class office space and luxury apartments. The property’s office component will feature floor-to-ceiling glass windows with natural light, eight corner offices, and its own dedicated contemporary elevator lobby. The apartments will offer generously-sized floor plans, luxury finishes, and a full complement of modern amenities. The property shares a two-level parking garage with 450 spaces with the Sheraton Convention Hotel. http://www.centercityphila.org/docs/...pments2016.pdf |
From Center City District Report:
THE NATIONAL DEVELOPER: The Buccini/Pollin Group LOCATION: 115 North 2nd Street SIZE: 204,235 sf RESIDENTIAL UNITS: 192 START DATE: Spring 2016 COMPLETION DATE: 2017 STATUS: Announced INVESTMENT: $23 Million DESCRIPTION: The former National Products building will be redeveloped into a 192-unit apartment building with 3,000 sf of ground floor retail and underground parking. The iconic façade will be dismantled and rebuilt. http://www.centercityphila.org/docs/...pments2016.pdf |
From Center City District Report:
900-934 CALLOWHILL DEVELOPER: Wing Lee Investment, L.P. LOCATION: 900-934 Callowhill Street SIZE: 173,913 sf RESIDENTIAL UNITS: 146 START DATE: Spring 2016 COMPLETION DATE: 2019 STATUS: Announced INVESTMENT: $20 Million DESCRIPTION: Designed by T.C. Lei Architect & Associates, the proposed project will sit on a rectangular parcel of what is now a mix of warehouses and industrial space, a lumberyard and vacant lots at 900–934 Callowhill Street. The area is bounded by Carlton Street, North 9th Street, Callowhill Street and Ridge Avenue. Existing structures will be razed. The design features four independent buildings: two seven-story apartment towers and two five-story buildings with apartments above and a total of 12 new commercial spaces fronting Callowhill Street on the first floor. All residential units will be market-rate, two-bedroom rentals of about 880 sf. An open-air cruciform courtyard and central elevator/stairwell tower will complete the interior of the site, which is being designed with an estimated $20 million total budget. The development will include approximately 14,000 sf of commercial space and more than 135,000 sf dedicated to residential use. |
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Hammer makes a great point about Drexel and Sixers being logical partners, though i doubt Drexel would want their arena across the city. Center City at 8th and Market would be amazing but University City is a nice consolation. If near 30th street it would be nearly as accessible as 8th and Market. |
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It's interesting to note that the WF Center is now 20 years old. The Spectrum lasted about the same number of seasons before talks and work began on the WF center in the early 90s. I feel like the WF Center opened yesterday, time flies. |
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