from here:
http://philadelphia.bizjournals.com/...wscolumn3.html
Making some progress
Walnut Street Capital, which proposed a giant skyscraper at 18th and Arch streets in Center City, is making headway on its plans in what may be a new model of how development projects get done.
With Mayor Michael Nutter's edict to empower the planning commission to help shape the city's future and vision, Walnut Street has attempted to veer from the old way of getting projects out of the ground. Since March, it has engaged the neighborhood, City Council, the mayor and planning commission on the project called American Commerce Center. The old way of doing things had developers hashing out plans with the community and then seeking Council approval with little regard to how a project fit in.
Legislation was introduced last week that would re-zone the site, lift the height limit and approve the proposed density. The developer still plans to meet with community groups and planners to work out any issues in hopes the commission will recommend the project for approval, said Peter Kelsen, Walnut Street's lawyer. Best-case scenario has Council approving the legislation next autumn with a ground breaking when a lead tenant has signed on.