PHILADELPHIA-CAMDEN-WILMINGTON-ATLANTIC CITY-READING | Metro Development Thread

[Jawnadelphia]

Lots of good infrastructure news... for the Delaware Memorial Bridge, Wilmington (New Castle County) airport, city parks, and bike trails.

DRBA details millions going to bridge, airport infrastructure
https://townsquaredelaware.com/drba-details-millions-going-to-bridge-airport-infrastructure/

Port of Wilmington news...

State OKs Enstructure to operate Port of Wilmington
https://townsquaredelaware.com/enstructure-to-operate-port-of-wilmington/

Weekly concert series starts Wednesday at new amphitheatre
Cool new park, amphitheater, and artist work spaces come to Wilmington's East Side (including some giant mechanical hands which are on tour and at the new amphitheater, see here - https://squonk.org/)
https://townsquaredelaware.com/weekly-concert-series-starts-wednesday-at-new-amphitheatre/



Artist Stalls (these were former Wilmington Police Department horse stables that had not been used for years and were rotting away - a beautiful restoration):



Bike Trails
And finally, building off the success of the Jack Markell Bike Trail - linking the Wilmington Riverfront to Old New Castle (https://delawaregreenways.org/trail/jack-a-markell-trail/), the County announced a new major bike trail project recently for Wilmington to Newport, DE.

https://www.wdel.com/news/23-million-in-...3988c40-1676-11ee-a334-b744484992ca.html

"This is a major step forward in connecting Wilmington to Newport and in completing the long imagined Wilmington Bike Loop," said Meyer.

[TonyTone]

Thanks Jawn, I'm glad the airport is finally successful, after many tries something finally caught wind. A update to the airport is big news, and it's well deserved now.

Also great news about the Newport Trail extension, that area is a PITA to get from points N-S without taking a major road or highway, Newport is kind of an island due to the marsh and roads.

The park & amphitheater is what I saw being worked on for a while, I was wondering what that was! Thats a perfect spot for it, and gives East Side some well needed love.

The city has been booming this year, and every event has been a hit I was pissed I missed Kem at the jazz festival I didn't even know he was gonna be there, maybe next year..

Any update on the East side of the riverfront? have they started infrastructure yet? it's been delayed for 2 years now

[Jawnadelphia]

Originally Posted by TonyTone

Any update on the East side of the riverfront? have they started infrastructure yet? it's been delayed for 2 years now

Not much new news to report - it was reported that the Riverfront Development Corp. got a lot of federal and state monies for infrastructure projects. And this article says, that the planning of the central green was set to start this year (I am assuming that means this is well underway).

"The corporation has divided the east project into three sections. It’s buying property in all three, but has focused most work on area 1, which hugs the curve of the river.

A $30 million project set to start this year will put in roads, signs, sidewalks and utilities. Moving utilities will be a massive job.

One of the key projects there will be creating a central green for that side. The two-acre park will sit in the middle of development, and the RDC hopes to get started with design this year, which cannot be paid for by DelDOT.

About a dozen investors are interested in helping develop the area, she said."
https://townsquaredelaware.com/development-corp-highlights-riverfront-in-hearing/

Article on the recent bond request - some additional info here:
https://delawarebusinesstimes.com/news/rdc-riverfront-east-bond/

"The RDC hopes to begin construction on Riverfront East in 2023. About 80% of the property in phase one has been bought by the RDC at this point."



State of Delaware 2024 Capital funds/approvals included:

“$24 million for Wilmington area projects, including the Riverfront Development Corporation, Frawley Stadium and various park and neighborhood improvements;…”
https://www.wdel.com/news/del-state-sena...09ed790-15fa-11ee-b318-9f8b1b3caaac.html
-Signed by Governor Carney, June 30. So I think Riverfront Development Corp. got everything they wanted. Hopefully we see new construction soon.

[Jawnadelphia]

A few more Wilmington updates-

Today was groundbreaking for BPG's new building at 4th and Market, designed by Philly's DIGSAU:







Lincoln Square in the background is another BPG production (now leasing apartments):



---

Over on the Brandywine - work continues on Capano's building #4 of The Falls (The Highlands - Brandywine Creek - Alapocas Run State Park):


(building on the left; sadly the walking bridge is still closed - it was badly damaged by Hurricane Ida).

It will look like building #2 when completed - seen here:

[TonyTone]

Hey Jawn, if im looking at those plans correctly for River East is the Shop rite complex being torn down or staying?

Also they are moving fast on that Humble Park build, they are not playing around on Market St, I'm sure after this project is completed a supermarket will occupy the that building on Market.

Another thing Wilmington is sorely missing is a Wawa, specifically around the Delaware Ave Market st area.

Enough with the games of putting things on the border of the city it isn't 1950 anymore, Royal Farms & Tacobell on the outskirts is sad, but a good change for the area.

Also thanks for the continued updates, I really plan to get out to the city , and get some updates, just been super busy.

[Jawnadelphia]

Originally Posted by TonyTone

Hey Jawn, if im looking at those plans correctly for River East is the Shop rite complex being torn down or staying?

Also they are moving fast on that Humble Park build, they are not playing around on Market St, I'm sure after this project is completed a supermarket will occupy the that building on Market.

Another thing Wilmington is sorely missing is a Wawa, specifically around the Delaware Ave Market st area.

Enough with the games of putting things on the border of the city it isn't 1950 anymore, Royal Farms & Tacobell on the outskirts is sad, but a good change for the area.

Also thanks for the continued updates, I really plan to get out to the city , and get some updates, just been super busy.

ShopRite is staying put, or at minimal should be there for a long time, since RDC and BPG and the City seemed focused on Area 1 and the infrastructure projects (Riverwalk, storm water, new streets, etc.) - and everything else--Areas 2-3 seem many years in the making. Although, the Luxor... see below.

Here are more updates from the Luxor - which looking at the Riverfront East map above falls under Area 3 (W-X).

https://www.instagram.com/p/CuzlDpYOchx/?img_index=1

https://www.instagram.com/p/CvKw8aDx0S4/

[iamdjmichael]

Hate that Luxor was allowed to build with parking facing Market, it should have been pedestrian-friendly based on the master plan

[EastSideHBG]

Huge New Apartment Complex, Development Approved In Willow Grove

The massive new development would bring 260 multifamily units and 20,000 square feet for new restaurants and businesses.

By Justin Heinze, Patch Staff
Jul 28, 2023 3:51 pm EDT


The new expansion, located at 122 Park Avenue by the intersection of Easton and York roads, will be home to 260 multifamily units and some 20,000 squre feet for retail and a parking garage.
https://patch.com/pennsylvania/uppermore...lex-development-approved-in-willow-grove

[PHLtoNYC]

Originally Posted by EastSideHBG

Huge New Apartment Complex, Development Approved In Willow Grove

The massive new development would bring 260 multifamily units and 20,000 square feet for new restaurants and businesses.

By Justin Heinze, Patch Staff
Jul 28, 2023 3:51 pm EDT


The new expansion, located at 122 Park Avenue by the intersection of Easton and York roads, will be home to 260 multifamily units and some 20,000 squre feet for retail and a parking garage.
https://patch.com/pennsylvania/uppermore...lex-development-approved-in-willow-grove

Love seeing Willow Grove densify.

There are plans to add more multi-family buildings around the mall (sea of parking).

[UrbanRevival]

Just wanted to share some fascinating economic news that really does seem to be flying under-the-radar in the Philly region: incredible job growth!

The latest metro area numbers were released today, and job growth in the region now reached 3.6% (+108,500) annually, and 3.9% (+37,700) annually in the Philadelphia Division of the metro:

https://www.bls.gov/news.release/metro.t03.htm
https://www.bls.gov/news.release/metro.t04.htm

For comparison, this is the highest growth rate of any sizable metro area on the Eastern Seaboard, Midwest or West Coast, or even cities like Denver, Atlanta, and Phoenix.

Essentially only the big Texas cities, Charlotte, Tampa and Nashville are growing faster in terms of jobs. To say this is an unprecedented trend for Philly is an understatement!

[PHLtoNYC]

Campbells relocating/adding 330 jobs to Camden HQ from other areas.

Campbell Soup Co. strikes deal to acquire Rao's pasta sauce maker Sovos Brands for $2.7B
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia...p-acquiring-sovos-brands-27-billion.html

Campbell is also working on a $50 million renovation of its Camden campus. Updates to the campus are being done to accommodate the consolidation of the Fortune 500 company's snacks division offices in Camden; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Norwalk, Connecticut, into one location at the New Jersey base. Norwalk is the home of Pepperidge Farm.

All employees at these offices are being offered their positions in Camden. The move is expected to add 330 jobs at the food and beverage manufacturer's headquarters, where it has been located since 1957.

[PHLtoNYC]

Interesting article about the PA suburban housing market and how competitive the market has become and how outrageous the prices are in some areas.

I understand pushback developing bucolic stretches of Chester County, but the intense pushback in Swarthmore, Ardmore, Media, Plymouth Meeting, etc., is ridiculous, and only adds to the increasing housing prices.

Houses in the Philly suburbs are still in high demand, but developers aren’t building there
https://www.inquirer.com/real-estate/com...delphia-housing-apartments-20230808.html

[EastSideHBG]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

Interesting article about the PA suburban housing market and how competitive the market has become and how outrageous the prices are in some areas.

I understand pushback developing bucolic stretches of Chester County, but the intense pushback in Swarthmore, Ardmore, Media, Plymouth Meeting, etc., is ridiculous, and only adds to the increasing housing prices.

Houses in the Philly suburbs are still in high demand, but developers aren’t building there
https://www.inquirer.com/real-estate/com...delphia-housing-apartments-20230808.html

And what is being built in PM/the immediate area are mansions, some gigantic. And a few look out of place in comparison to the houses and neighborhoods around them. There's a clear push to keep some of the upscale momentum going.

This is a disastrous situation with lots of downstream effects.

[summersm343]

King of Prussia is packing in business tenants, and it's working to lure even more companies

The combined occupancy of commercial, industrial and retail space in King of Prussia is currently near its highest point since 2010, when the King of Prussia District began tracking the statistic.

Eric Goldstein, CEO of King of Prussia District, attributes the success in attracting business tenants to the area's increasing mix of land uses, making King of Prussia more than just a place to show up for work. Coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic, Goldstein believes the Montgomery County destination has a bright future because of the collection of offerings it has assembled.

“There are places to eat at, places to shop at, things to do in and around your workday that make King of Prussia a really great location,” Goldstein said.

Goldstein highlighted the opening of Topgolf as a recent example of the growing entertainment options. According to anonymized cell phone data from Placer.ai, Saturday and Sunday visits to King of Prussia in 2023 are up 8% and 15%, respectively, from the same six-month period in 2019.

Since 2015, about 4,000 new residential units have been built in King of Prussia. The boom came after decades of little new housing in the district. Meanwhile, employment swelled from 43,000 to 63,000, Goldstein said. More housing close to job centers makes for easier commutes.

Goldstein has heard feedback from business leaders that King of Prussia’s accessibility via highways and attractive amenities make it a desirable location.

The occupancy of office space surprised Goldstein, who leads the business improvement district. In Class A office space, the vacancy rate in the second quarter was 10%. In Class B and C office space, the vacancy rate was 11.5% and 7.6%, respectively.

King of Prussia’s 6.3 million square feet of retail space, across 191 properties, has a vacancy rate of 3.2%, according to CoStar. That’s remained steady for several years, which Goldstein viewed as a sign of strength while retail centers in other suburban areas are dealing with challenges and have been forced to reposition themselves.

Six and a half million square feet of industrial space was 2.7% vacant in the second quarter. Several new medical centers and life sciences labs have also opened in recent years. Those are industries that were much less prevalent in the past.

“These are all things that make the community much more well-rounded, certainly more than it was before,” Goldstein said.

The district is also pushing its HQ KOP marketing campaign aimed at attracting companies to locate their headquarters in King of Prussia.

Article behind paywall here:
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia...ussia-district-businesses-amenities.html

[cardeza]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

Interesting article about the PA suburban housing market and how competitive the market has become and how outrageous the prices are in some areas.

I understand pushback developing bucolic stretches of Chester County, but the intense pushback in Swarthmore, Ardmore, Media, Plymouth Meeting, etc., is ridiculous, and only adds to the increasing housing prices.

Houses in the Philly suburbs are still in high demand, but developers aren’t building there
https://www.inquirer.com/real-estate/com...delphia-housing-apartments-20230808.html

overall this is not good, but it is good for the prospects of continuing to see NC townhomes in Philly for the foreseeable future. I would really like to see more NC in NW philly outside of roxborough- it's a viable area

[202_Cyclist]

Avelo announced today it is starting Wilmington - San Juan service. The airline also recently announced it will be flying from New Haven - San Juan.

Avelo Airlines Announces Historic Expansion at Greater Philly's Wilmington Airport to San Juan, Puerto Rico and Sarasota-Bradenton, Fla.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases...nd-sarasota-bradenton-fla-301897937.html

[Aether]

ok found this really interesting article that i think everyone in the city should ready on minneapolis-St Paul
https://fortune.com/2023/08/09/minneapol...-estate-inflation-yimby-nimby-minnesota/

Essentially because of zoning changes, rent assistance, and city backed subsidies the city has managed to build more housing then is demanded keeping prices lower then most other cities its size and also keeping prices from rising too!
Philly is basically gonna experience it for the next year or because of the rush for development over the the course of the pandemic and ending of the abatement, but this basically serves to prove to the city and the collar counties that more housing helps keep housing costs down, unlike they believe for some reason

[jonesrmj]

Originally Posted by 202_Cyclist

Avelo announced today it is starting Wilmington - San Juan service. The airline also recently announced it will be flying from New Haven - San Juan.

Avelo Airlines Announces Historic Expansion at Greater Philly's Wilmington Airport to San Juan, Puerto Rico and Sarasota-Bradenton, Fla.

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases...nd-sarasota-bradenton-fla-301897937.html

Wow! Sounds like Avelo is doing very well at Wilmington Airport (unlike Frontier) to be constantly expanding like this! It's also great to hear ILG get its first destination outside of the continental US! Makes me happy to hear that the airport succeeding so far!

Now that there are 15 destinations out of ILG, which means sometimes more than 1 aircraft being parked at the terminal at a time, I wonder if ILG will be expanding soon since it currently has only 1 gate and 1 security checkpoint? As more flights simultaneously take off at the airport, they are likely going to have to add more gates and security checkpoints to handle the increase in passengers passing through. It also would be great if they add some shops post security and jetways for easier boarding.

[202_Cyclist]

Originally Posted by jonesrmj

Wow! Sounds like Avelo is doing very well at Wilmington Airport (unlike Frontier) to be constantly expanding like this! It's also great to hear ILG get its first destination outside of the continental US! Makes me happy to hear that the airport succeeding so far!

Now that there are 15 destinations out of ILG, which means sometimes more than 1 aircraft being parked at the terminal at a time, I wonder if ILG will be expanding soon since it currently has only 1 gate and 1 security checkpoint? As more flights simultaneously take off at the airport, they are likely going to have to add more gates and security checkpoints to handle the increase in passengers passing through. It also would be great if they add some shops post security and jetways for easier boarding.

At New Haven, which is also a focus city for Avelo, the terminal there is about three gates and two trailers duct taped together. I usually arrive around 7:15 for an 8 AM flight and I could probably arrive 10 - 15 minutes later.

[PHLtoNYC]

Originally Posted by Aether

ok found this really interesting article that i think everyone in the city should ready on minneapolis-St Paul
https://fortune.com/2023/08/09/minneapol...-estate-inflation-yimby-nimby-minnesota/

Essentially because of zoning changes, rent assistance, and city backed subsidies the city has managed to build more housing then is demanded keeping prices lower then most other cities its size and also keeping prices from rising too!
Philly is basically gonna experience it for the next year or because of the rush for development over the the course of the pandemic and ending of the abatement, but this basically serves to prove to the city and the collar counties that more housing helps keep housing costs down, unlike they believe for some reason

So you're telling me that Darrel Clarke downzoning Girard Avenue was a bad idea?
(sarcasm )

Agree, odd that some people are against more and denser housing and then complain/wonder why prices keep going up (specifically in the burbs).
It appears Philadelphia isn't having the same issues as the PA burbs in terms of housing shortages and increased pricing though.