PHILADELPHIA | Highrise Development Thread X

[PHL10]

Originally Posted by Redddog

Right!

Del Ave is absolutely BOOMING. It makes no sense that the only stretch that isn't is between Spring Garden and Race Street.

It is weird - sort of like Broad Street between South and Carpenter., which is also a head scratcher.

[mcgrath618]

Originally Posted by PHL10

It is weird - sort of like Broad Street between South and Carpenter., which is also a head scratcher.

I think Delaware between Spring Garden and Race makes a lot more sense. One of the larger parcels is owned by a do-nothing developer and is just sitting fallow. South of Race it's really cut off from the rest of the city and even the waterfront, something that I don't think will change much even if the Durst plan ever materializes.

Broad between South and Carpenter is mind-boggling. The subway is right there! That stretch should be lined with midrises and highrises all the way to Washington.

[BroadandMarket]

This will help at Broad and Carpenter:
https://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-philly/g...nter-look-great-but-coulda-been-greater/

Unfortunately it seems like the Broad and Christian lot will sit until Kenneth Gamble dies. He basically doesn't develop any lots he owns. He's 82 for what it's worth. He and Kenyatta had some shady business before.

I assume the Five Below is dead for the old Rite Aid?

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by Redddog

Right!

Del Ave is absolutely BOOMING. It makes no sense that the only stretch that isn't is between Spring Garden and Race Street.

I'm on Delaware Avenue every day.

It has never been talked about before, but the southbound side of Delaware Avenue (west side of street) is an amazing candidate for a road diet. If you ever pay attention to southbound traffic on Delaware Avenue, effectively 50%+ of it turns off/dissipates by Palmer Street southbound. From there, you could effectively eliminate the western most lane (right lane southbound) and make a super wide, pedestrian friendly sidewalk (and bike lane) that goes all the way to Frankford, if not Spring Garden Street. It would enable so much space for sidewalk cafes and street programming on all of those ground floor retail spaces that now exist but are empty. It would also bridge the mental gap to crossing Delaware to get to the river.

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

I'm on Delaware Avenue every day.

It has never been talked about before, but the southbound side of Delaware Avenue (west side of street) is an amazing candidate for a road diet. If you ever pay attention to southbound traffic on Delaware Avenue, effectively 50%+ of it turns off/dissipates by Palmer Street southbound. From there, you could effectively eliminate the western most lane (right lane southbound) and make a super wide, pedestrian friendly sidewalk (and bike lane) that goes all the way to Frankford, if not Spring Garden Street. It would enable so much space for sidewalk cafes and street programming on all of those ground floor retail spaces that now exist but are empty. It would also bridge the mental gap to crossing Delaware to get to the river.

I'm all for a road diet both ways from Girard to Washington. It amazes me how there aren't more accidents on that road with the way people drive on that stretch. Even some traffic cams would help.

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by PHL10

It is weird - sort of like Broad Street between South and Carpenter., which is also a head scratcher.

Kind of - I think Kenny Gamble owns a bunch of the properties and Ken "Disneyhole Forever" Goldenberg owns the massive lot at South + Broad - that's explains a lot. Once those Boomers die, those properties will be developed in immediately.

[mcgrath618]

Originally Posted by Londonee

Kind of - I think Kenny Gamble owns a bunch of the properties and Ken "Disneyhole Forever" Goldenberg owns the massive lot at South + Broad - that's explains a lot. Once those Boomers die, those properties will be developed in immediately.

Didn't realize until now that Goldenberg also owns the empty grass lot at Broad and Master.

Both of these guys are crumb bums.

[Raja]

Originally Posted by Redddog

I'm all for a road diet both ways from Girard to Washington. It amazes me how there aren't more accidents on that road with the way people drive on that stretch. Even some traffic cams would help.

I'm also a daily Delaware Avenue user. Literally the only stretch where it actually needs to be three lanes each direction is between the 95 off-ramp (just south of Washington) and the 95 on-ramp (just north of Queen Street). The rest of it can be a four-lane road.

[TK2001]

Genuine question. When the hell was the Pavillion at Penn renamed The Clifton Center?? I saw an article from 2022 stated that name...yet I do not recall hearing about it at all. Even the Foster and Partners website calls it The Clifton Center

[PurpleWhiteOut]

Originally Posted by TK2001

Genuine question. When the hell was the Pavillion at Penn renamed The Clifton Center?? I saw an article from 2022 stated that name...yet I do not recall hearing about it at all. Even the Foster and Partners website calls it The Clifton Center

The naming rights came with a gift a little over a year ago iirc. Signage has been up inside since then but they're doing exterior ground signage now

[Knight Hospitaller]

Originally Posted by TK2001

Genuine question. When the hell was the Pavillion at Penn renamed The Clifton Center?? I saw an article from 2022 stated that name...yet I do not recall hearing about it at all. Even the Foster and Partners website calls it The Clifton Center

I didn't realize it until the name started showing up on my credit card for my wife's cafe purchases there!

[TK2001]

Man I guess I've been a little too out of it. Thanks guys

[TK2001]

The Two Liberty Place Instagram account has confirmed that 2 LP is getting a lighting upgrade. I absolutely hope they light up the stubby spire again...it hasn't been lit up since 2004

[PHLtoNYC]

I really hope Extell plans a hotel at 436 Walnut.

Keystone plans over 200 apartments for its next Old City office conversion
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia...ington-office-conversion-apartments.html

Keystone plans to build more than 200 apartments at the Washington, the Old City office tower that provides a backdrop to Independence Hall.

The partial redevelopment of the 508-532 Walnut St. property was made possible when insurance giant Chubb gave up about 150,000 square feet of office space at the Washington as part of the firm’s move to its new headquarters at 2000 Arch St.

[PHLtoNYC]

Former proposal is no more.

Prime Market East development site next to City Hall lists for $27.5M
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia...-east-sale-center-city-philadelphia.html

The 0.78-acre property, a surface parking lot at 1301 Market St., has been listed for sale for $27.5 million by the estate of real estate investor and speculator Samuel Rappaport.

[PurpleWhiteOut]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

Former proposal is no more.

Prime Market East development site next to City Hall lists for $27.5M
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia...-east-sale-center-city-philadelphia.html

The 0.78-acre property, a surface parking lot at 1301 Market St., has been listed for sale for $27.5 million by the estate of real estate investor and speculator Samuel Rappaport.

Huge news though, getting this property out of the Rappaport slumlord estate will make a project much more likely

[PHLtoNYC]

Originally Posted by PurpleWhiteOut

Huge news though, getting this property out of the Rappaport slumlord estate will make a project much more likely

Agree, still big news.

It's unlikely, but I still think an office component would be the best fit for this plot. There are 3 adjacent hotels and 600+ apartments in the works across the street. I am all in for a new high-end hotel, just not this plot.

Since Jeffrey Young is so interested in speculative office development (i.e., Hahnemann site), he should market the heck out of this plot for a mix of unique office tenants.

[mcgrath618]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

Agree, still big news.

It's unlikely, but I still think an office component would be the best fit for this plot. There are 3 adjacent hotels and 600+ apartments in the works across the street. I am all in for a new high-end hotel, just not this plot.

Since Jeffrey Young is so interested in speculative office development (i.e., Hahnemann site), he should market the heck out of this plot for a mix of unique office tenants.

Getting an office component here would be a tall order, as much as I agree with you. The Philly developers are very bearish on it at the moment given the insane glut of lab space currently on the market.

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

Getting an office component here would be a tall order, as much as I agree with you. The Philly developers are very bearish on it at the moment given the insane glut of lab space currently on the market.

Anthropic just gobbled up 500,000sf of space in Manhattan. If our City Council had an ounce of creativity they’d vocally brand us as an AI Hub - and give insane tax incentives to lure AI-based companies here. Love it or hate it, it’s the most explosive industry on the planet and it’s still in its infancy - not EVERYTHING has to be in NYC.

[mcgrath618]

Originally Posted by Londonee

Anthropic just gobbled up 500,000sf of space in Manhattan. If our City Council had an ounce of creativity they’d vocally brand us as an AI Hub - and give insane tax incentives to lure AI-based companies here. Love it or hate it, it’s the most explosive industry on the planet and it’s still in its infancy - not EVERYTHING has to be in NYC.

We can build a monorail while we're at it! It did wonders for North Haverbrook!

Or maybe that's more of a Shelbyville idea...