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

[EastSideHBG]

Plymouth Meeting Mall To Be Sold, Transformed Into Town Center: Report

While detailed plans for how the transformation of the property will proceed have not yet been determined, the report did add that the mall's anchoring tenants, including Boscov’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Dave and Buster’s and Burlington, will all stay.
https://patch.com/pennsylvania/plymouthw...l-be-sold-transformed-town-center-report

[chris08876]

Was in the area yesterday.

Blayr Apartments u/c. On a side note, a lot of activity over in Conshohocken along the river.



This also looks like it was somewhat recently completed. Or new. Right before you get onto the highway (I-76). Forget the street name.

[PhilliesPhan]

Originally Posted by chris08876

Was in the area yesterday.

Blayr Apartments u/c. On a side note, a lot of activity over in Conshohocken along the river.



This also looks like it was somewhat recently completed. Or new. Right before you get onto the highway (I-76). Forget the street name.

That's Belmont Avenue, which turns into Green Lane upon entering Manayunk. That building in the second picture was completed around 2021. On a side note, I'm liking the uptick of apartment construction on and around the Main Line!

[UrbanRevival]

Originally Posted by PhilliesPhan

On a side note, I'm liking the uptick of apartment construction on and around the Main Line!

For sure--it's been a long time coming. I remember looking for apartments in Ardmore 15 years ago, and pickins were absurdly slim and dated. The fiercest and irrational NIMBYs are finally losing their grip.

There's still tons of great redevelopment opportunities adjacent to SEPTA stations, so I see this trend lasting for a while.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by UrbanRevival

For sure--it's been a long time coming. I remember looking for apartments in Ardmore 15 years ago, and pickins were absurdly slim and dated. The fiercest and irrational NIMBYs are finally losing their grip.

There's still tons of great redevelopment opportunities adjacent to SEPTA stations, so I see this trend lasting for a while.

I think this is by and large generational and tied to general perceptions of Philadelphia specifically, and urban living, generally.

Anyone below roughly the age of 45 in this region harbors positive views of Philadelphia and city living, generally. I would say many more people above that age are Negadelphians, specifically, and are more likely to harbor negative views of city living. Hence, the ability to proceed as the latter group ages out and younger folk take over municipal leadership positions.

[EastSideHBG]

Plan for the recently closed hotel in Plymouth Meeting is a residential use


https://morethanthecurve.com/plan-for-th...n-plymouth-meeting-is-a-residential-use/

On November 25th, the Philadelphia Business Journal first reported that the DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Hotel Philadelphia West, located at 640 Fountain Road in Plymouth Meeting (Plymouth Township), had closed.

After aggregating the article, MoreThanTheCurve.com was contacted by Tony Re, the president of Kingsbury Financial, the owner of the hotel property, and received the following statement: “We are writing to share that we have closed the building for the winter in order to commence renovations ahead of its intended conversion to a residential use.”

[PhillyRising]

Originally Posted by EastSideHBG

Plymouth Meeting Mall To Be Sold, Transformed Into Town Center: Report

While detailed plans for how the transformation of the property will proceed have not yet been determined, the report did add that the mall's anchoring tenants, including Boscov’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Dave and Buster’s and Burlington, will all stay.
https://patch.com/pennsylvania/plymouthw...l-be-sold-transformed-town-center-report

The Plymouth Meeting Mall was THE mall and THE place to be in the mid 1970's. Friday nights were wall to wall people. The original anchors were Strawbridge and Clothier and Lit Brothers.

But starting with Lits closing in 1977...the mall took punches that made it decline earlier than every other mall.

After Lits closed...that end of the mall (Lits was where Boscovs is now) got real quiet. Stores on the mall didn't fare as well as stores up by S&C. Hess's moved in the early 80's but the mall didn't bounce back to it's 1970's zenith.

That was because in 1977...Montgomery Mall opened and people in that area had no reason to travel to Plymouth Meeting any longer.

In 1980..The Court in King of Prussia opened and that drew a lot of people away to the more upscale stores that had zero presence in the Philadelphia area.

The in 1982, Willow Grove Park Mall opened and took more shoppers away.

Plymouth Meeting just muddled along for years. Hess's closed and Boscov's took over the spot.

Even Ikea opening in 1985 didn't help a lot. People just went to Ikea and not the mall.

It's a shame...it was a really cool mall back in the day.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by PhillyRising

It's a shame...it was a really cool mall back in the day.

I will never feel nostalgia for the death of a mall.

All of those malls sapped energy and life from our Main Streets and walkable towns and cities.

Screw them. I'm glad we've evolved beyond malls, for the most part. They're a collosal waste of space and resources.

[DeltaNerd]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

I will never feel nostalgia for the death of a mall.

All of those malls sapped energy and life from our Main Streets and walkable towns and cities.

Screw them. I'm glad we've evolved beyond malls, for the most part. They're a collosal waste of space and resources.

Walmarts and Targets needs blame as well. I really wished walkable main streets would get a massive movement. But that requires the suburbs to not build everything around the car

[UrbanRevival]

I don't think this kind of data has been shared in a while, but the YardiMatrix report has shown remarkable consistency for Philadelphia being in the top 5 or 6 of the 30 largest markets for rent growth over the past couple of years.

The latest report for November indicates that rent growth is definitely beginning to slow or reverse in a lot more of the US since the current period of housing weakness began. This includes what they use as a catch-all for the "New Jersey" market (North Jersey, I'm presuming), Boston, and DC. So the weakening is going far beyond the typical bust areas of the Sun Belt.

Just another data point to show that Philly is still holding its own for the moment as far as stability and decent growth, as evidenced by two high-profile (and pretty high-end) rental projects gaining traction: the Harper high-rise and the Piazza expansion. I believe the Post Brothers are actively looking into starting the second phase of their 1001 S. Broad mega-project, as well.

Link to the report.

[PHLtoNYC]

I'm still bitter this nice plot of open land in Glen Mills will be developed...

Giant to anchor new Delaware County shopping center after years of delays
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia...-grocery-glen-mills-delaware-county.html

Developer Retail Sites has secured Giant Co. as an anchor tenant for its planned 155,000-square-foot shopping center in Glen Mills, moving the Delaware County site closer to groundbreaking after years of stalled efforts.

The grocer has agreed to take 53,000 square feet at the Shoppes at Concord, set to be built on a 25.5-acre plot at the corner of Route 202 and Ridge Road in Concord Township. With the deal in place, Retail Sites has leases or letters of intent for 74% of the project, according to CEO Robert Hill.

Moorestown-based Retail Sites recently signed leases at the planned center with LA Fitness' Club Studio concept, Discount Tire's America's Tire brand and a Flagship Carwash. Hill said there is also a letter of intent from a regional dining chain, which he declined to identify, for a breakfast and lunch concept.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

I'm still bitter this nice plot of open land in Glen Mills will be developed...

Giant to anchor new Delaware County shopping center after years of delays
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia...-grocery-glen-mills-delaware-county.html

Developer Retail Sites has secured Giant Co. as an anchor tenant for its planned 155,000-square-foot shopping center in Glen Mills, moving the Delaware County site closer to groundbreaking after years of stalled efforts.

The grocer has agreed to take 53,000 square feet at the Shoppes at Concord, set to be built on a 25.5-acre plot at the corner of Route 202 and Ridge Road in Concord Township. With the deal in place, Retail Sites has leases or letters of intent for 74% of the project, according to CEO Robert Hill.

Moorestown-based Retail Sites recently signed leases at the planned center with LA Fitness' Club Studio concept, Discount Tire's America's Tire brand and a Flagship Carwash. Hill said there is also a letter of intent from a regional dining chain, which he declined to identify, for a breakfast and lunch concept.

Yeah. Total bummer. I'm surprised the Brandywine River Conservancy or some other land conservation group hadn't stepped in to take the land. I also suspect that geography played a little bit of a role in this. That site is Concord Township but physically feels like Chadds Ford (Township). And the people most impacted live in Chadds Ford which is just over the line there. In short, no residents in Concord Township are impacted but Concord Township has jurisdiction over the site. Now that I think about it, I don't think there are any surrounding homes even in Concord Township so no township residents to complain.

[PHLtoNYC]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

Yeah. Total bummer. I'm surprised the Brandywine River Conservancy or some other land conservation group hadn't stepped in to take the land. I also suspect that geography played a little bit of a role in this. That site is Concord Township but physically feels like Chadds Ford (Township). And the people most impacted live in Chadds Ford which is just over the line there. In short, no residents in Concord Township are impacted but Concord Township has jurisdiction over the site. Now that I think about it, I don't think there are any surrounding homes even in Concord Township so no township residents to complain.

Yea, the plot is flanked by 202 and retail on 3 sides. There are homes West of the site, but the woods are a buffer. Unlike the failed Credbilly Farm proposal, which created an uproar (and a lot of zoning issues).

OT, since this plot will become stores, when will Western Delco / Chesco get an Apple store? The high-end demographics are a perfect fit. The nearest stores are KoP and Christiana, both a hike.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

Yea, the plot is flanked by 202 and retail on 3 sides. There are homes West of the site, but the woods are a buffer. Unlike the failed Credbilly Farm proposal, which created an uproar (and a lot of zoning issues).

OT, since this plot will become stores, when will Western Delco / Chesco get an Apple store? The high-end demographics are a perfect fit. The nearest stores are KoP and Christiana, both a hike.

Yeah. I just looked up the outline of Concord Township in google maps and this is a triangular parcel that is entirely in Concord Township (it's the far western boundary of the township) and everything surrounding it is Chadds Ford Township except the portion of Glen Eagle Square directly across the road with the Whole Foods. The NW and NE corners of 202 and Ridge Road there are Chadds Ford Township. Due west of this plot is Chadds Ford Township. There are no homes on this side of 202 within Concord Township. The homes immediately abutting the site (albeit a bit far away) are Chadds Ford Township.

Anways, what this stretch does not need is another super market, and a Giant at that. There is a Whole Foods directly across the street and a Wegmans at the very next intersection north of here.

And yes, the area is under retailed but I don't know how you change that without a block buster high end center (or a proper town center for smaller retail shops) and I also don't see anyone letting either of those things happen. That whole area loves sprawl. Remember, Middletown Township fought retail with apartments above at Franklin Station because it was "the city".

[Knight Hospitaller]

Give me a Publix instead of another (yawn) Giant and then you can bulldoze away.

[EastSideHBG]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

Anways, what this stretch does not need is another super market, and a Giant at that. There is a Whole Foods directly across the street and a Wegmans at the very next intersection north of here.

Whole Foods and Wegmans are not grocery stores for the average person so I can see why Giant would want to move into this spot.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by EastSideHBG

Whole Foods and Wegmans are not grocery stores for the average person so I can see why Giant would want to move into this spot.

There's another Giant about 3 miles north directly on 202. So what's that, a 5 minute drive?

There's a Shop Rite about 3 miles south directly over the line in Delaware. There's a Sprouts across the street from that.

Also, Giant is more expensive than Wegmans. Saying Wegmans is not for the average person is like saying Acme is, when Acme is far and away the most expensive grocery store in our region.

[EastSideHBG]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

Also, Giant is more expensive than Wegmans. Saying Wegmans is not for the average person is like saying Acme is, when Acme is far and away the most expensive grocery store in our region.

Wegmans is only cheaper than Giant if your purchase contains a majority of Wegmans brand items, step outside of that and you will be surprised. Giant also offers more coupons and deals than Wegmans, it's not even close...and Giant offers points for purchases that add up quickly. If you are even a semi-strategic shopper there's not a comparison.

[chris08876]

Weis is pretty good for general food and just general items. They have a lot of non-brand items that its pretty much the same item but without paying dumb prices. Toilet paper, paper towels, local milk, e.g.. If they have it in your area.

Wegmans is generally overpriced. They have good selections though and better prices in PA vs the NJ locations. Back when I was in NJ, Costco was great.

Giant is good too for the deals and yes, points. Most of the stuff these days is overpriced and overinflated so shopping locally sometimes might be the best bet for better deals vs wegmans which is like a diet Whole Foods.

I noticed since living in PA that in PA, local places tend to be better for prices. When I was living in NJ, Costco was the way to go, well... before the plague and the over inflated crap that came from it!

I think there's a Weis around King of Prussia if I recall. Could of swore I drove past one not too long ago. They are okay.

[EastSideHBG]

Originally Posted by chris08876

Weis is pretty good for general food and just general items. They have a lot of non-brand items that its pretty much the same item but without paying dumb prices. Toilet paper, paper towels, local milk, e.g.. If they have it in your area.

Wegmans is generally overpriced. They have good selections though and better prices in PA vs the NJ locations. Back when I was in NJ, Costco was great.

Giant is good too for the deals and yes, points. Most of the stuff these days is overpriced and overinflated so shopping locally sometimes might be the best bet for better deals vs wegmans which is like a diet Whole Foods.

I noticed since living in PA that in PA, local places tend to be better for prices. When I was living in NJ, Costco was the way to go, well... before the plague and the over inflated crap that came from it!

I think there's a Weis around King of Prussia if I recall. Could of swore I drove past one not too long ago. They are okay.

Weis isn't in KOP yet but is in Norristown, Conshy, Lansdale... They took over a lot of the Genuardi's spots. Weis was a major player where I grew up in Harrisburg and I am just not a fan and the store closest to me is already not in the best shape (but some of that is due to the crime and they had to redo the entrances/exits recently to try to help cut back on some of the shoplifting).