PHILADELPHIA | Lowrise/General Developments Thread II

[TempleGuy1000]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

Under Armour seemingly going in the ex-Wawa at 12th/Market!

While nice, it unfortunately seems like a weekend long pop-up to accompany All-star weekend.

During MLB All-Star Week, Under Armour will celebrate the launch of All Lines Lead Home with a fan experience in Philadelphia at 1190 Market Street from July 11–14, bringing the Harper 11's Philadelphia-inspired story to life.

https://about.underarmour.com/en/stories...-celebrate-philadelphia-with-the-la.html

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by TempleGuy1000

While nice, it unfortunately seems like a weekend long pop-up to accompany All-star weekend.



https://about.underarmour.com/en/stories...-celebrate-philadelphia-with-the-la.html

That's a solid addition.

[PHLtoNYC]

Official Center City retail update...

Center City attracts 24 new tenants across retail, dining and wellness
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia...iladelphia-retail-shops-restaurants.html

Mostly food/drink, but some nice additions nonetheless.

[Spore415]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

Official Center City retail update...

Center City attracts 24 new tenants across retail, dining and wellness
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia...iladelphia-retail-shops-restaurants.html

Mostly food/drink, but some nice additions nonetheless.

these coffee shops opening up on the ground floor of big towers have really opened up the streetscape and made it feel so much more accessible.

examples; the Madis across from the Wells Fargo in the W/Element hotel tower really activated that corner (used to be a blank wall). Same thing with the coffee shop in the Murano next to the market street Trader Joes (used to be a bank branch). It livens things up in a good way.

[Phillymore]

Fitzwater and Passyunk Rite Aid

(July 4 and 9)





Bainbridge and Passyunk Lot

(July 4)

[PHLtoNYC]

Wonder if this was pushback from the residents of Northbank or a pivot away from multi-family due to market conditions?

Fishtown's Northbank development scraps apartments for hundreds of more townhomes
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia...own-development-apartment-townhomes.html

Plans for the second phase of Fishtown's Northbank townhome development have shifted, with a 307-unit apartment building no longer included in the project along the Delaware River.

Instead of the large multifamily building, developers D3 Development and Concordia Group are now proposing 219 additional townhomes to the overall site, according to documents submitted to the Fishtown Neighbors Association.

[mcgrath618]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

Wonder if this was pushback from the residents of Northbank or a pivot away from multi-family due to market conditions?

Fishtown's Northbank development scraps apartments for hundreds of more townhomes
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia...own-development-apartment-townhomes.html

Plans for the second phase of Fishtown's Northbank townhome development have shifted, with a 307-unit apartment building no longer included in the project along the Delaware River.

Instead of the large multifamily building, developers D3 Development and Concordia Group are now proposing 219 additional townhomes to the overall site, according to documents submitted to the Fishtown Neighbors Association.

Curious to hear 3rd and Brown's take on this.

I fear that this may be the death of any ground-floor retail in Northbank.

[William Van Alen]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

Curious to hear 3rd and Brown's take on this.

I fear that this may be the death of any ground-floor retail in Northbank.

Such a bummer. I was really hoping for a smaller grocery store to go in there, and for another mid-rise to start to connect the dots from all the new mid-rises further south.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

Curious to hear 3rd and Brown's take on this.

I fear that this may be the death of any ground-floor retail in Northbank.

Developer initiated. Not residents.

Residents in attendance were annoyed no more retail is in plan.

Developer just focused on making as much money as possible with as little effort as is possible. Gave some song and dance about market conditions for multi-family in Fishtown (though absorption city wide has been ahead of expectations). Multiple people pointed out it didn't have to be all or none. To go from a 200+ unit apartment building to just homes, could have still positioned a much smaller multifamily building at the corner with ground floor retail or even a very small pad-like retail strip to fit a few small stores.

Developer isn't interested.

Unfortunately there's nothing we can really do as the proposal conforms to existing zoning. And we fall under the Fishtown Zoning overlay and they quite frankly don't care about what happens out here on the water. There wasn't even neighbor discussion after the presentation. It was sort of presented like information only without any opportunity for input or requested changes.

The entire thing is infuriating.

[phishtown]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

Developer initiated. Not residents.

Residents in attendance were annoyed no more retail is in plan.

Developer just focused on making as much money as possible with as little effort as is possible. Gave some song and dance about market conditions for multi-family in Fishtown (though absorption city wide has been ahead of expectations). Multiple people pointed out it didn't have to be all or none. To go from a 200+ unit apartment building to just homes, could have still positioned a much smaller multifamily building at the corner with ground floor retail or even a very small pad-like retail strip to fit a few small stores.

Developer isn't interested.

Unfortunately there's nothing we can really do as the proposal conforms to existing zoning. And we fall under the Fishtown Zoning overlay and they quite frankly don't care about what happens out here on the water. There wasn't even neighbor discussion after the presentation. It was sort of presented like information only without any opportunity for input or requested changes.

The entire thing is infuriating.

Such a wasted opportunity, and total lack of creativity. The view from the corner next to the water is fantastic and would be great for a quiet upscale restaurant or something, but no, need it unobstructed for the 50 people with houses on the edge.

Honestly I was briefly considering buying here but it's such desolate island with nothing to walk to, and I wouldn't have the patience to wait 10-15 years for that to change.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by phishtown

Such a wasted opportunity, and total lack of creativity. The view from the corner next to the water is fantastic and would be great for a quiet upscale restaurant or something, but no, need it unobstructed for the 50 people with houses on the edge.

Honestly I was briefly considering buying here but it's such desolate island with nothing to walk to, and I wouldn't have the patience to wait 10-15 years for that to change.

I don't disagree. There could have been a single retail space facing the water to accomodate a nice all day cafe or a Lucky Duck situation. In a few years, the trail will be connected and it would be very appealing to bike riders and pedestrians to just stop and linger for a while with insane views.

What started out seemingly as an interesting experiment in place making has turned into a completely banal cookie cutter reality. It will improve over time but I'm infuriated tbh.

[mcgrath618]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

I don't disagree. There could have been a single retail space facing the water to accomodate a nice all day cafe or a Lucky Duck situation. In a few years, the trail will be connected and it would be very appealing to bike riders and pedestrians to just stop and linger for a while with insane views.

What started out seemingly as an interesting experiment in place making has turned into a completely banal cookie cutter reality. It will improve over time but I'm infuriated tbh.

How has turnover rate been, anecdotally? Are people staying in the neighborhood or moving elsewhere?

[blart]

7/13
Front & Jefferson in Fishtown

[blart]

7/13
Demolition of back of old theater building at Front & Girard

[PHLtoNYC]

^ Front & Jefferson in Fishtown

I can't quite figure out why I don't like how this turned out... I was expecting a higher-end Old City-esque design (at least on Jefferson St), and it looks like a school or something... Maybe it's the cheap white windows or the seams in the paneling?

Anyways, I appreciate the high ground floor (great for restaurants), and the attempt at a nicer design, just didn't land as well as I had hoped. And of course the majority of the facade is flat as a pancake, but that was to be expected based on the plans.

[William Van Alen]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

^ Front & Jefferson in Fishtown

Anyways, I appreciate the high ground floor (great for restaurants), and the attempt at a nicer design, just didn't land as well as I had hoped. And of course the majority of the facade is flat as a pancake, but that was to be expected based on the plans.

The lack of depth on the facades of new buildings is such a bad trend. It makes everything look so cheap and contributes to the "market rate housing = bad because developers just want to extract maximum profit" arguments. It's hard to argue against that sometimes when the quality of new architecture is so low.

[mcgrath618]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

^ Front & Jefferson in Fishtown

I can't quite figure out why I don't like how this turned out... I was expecting a higher-end Old City-esque design (at least on Jefferson St), and it looks like a school or something... Maybe it's the cheap white windows or the seams in the paneling?

Anyways, I appreciate the high ground floor (great for restaurants), and the attempt at a nicer design, just didn't land as well as I had hoped. And of course the majority of the facade is flat as a pancake, but that was to be expected based on the plans.

Little details and the way that light plays with depth matters...
It's part of the reason that older windows appear so much better than modern vinyl windows.

[Knight Hospitaller]

deleted.

[PurpleWhiteOut]

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia...ical-senses-center-lease-relocation.html

With the Monell senses center moving to One uCity, their buildings at 3500-3518 are going up for sale for a combined ~20,000 sqft lot, if a redevelopment ends up on the table. Would be in need of TLC otherwise

[Justin7]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

^ Front & Jefferson in Fishtown

I can't quite figure out why I don't like how this turned out... I was expecting a higher-end Old City-esque design (at least on Jefferson St), and it looks like a school or something... Maybe it's the cheap white windows or the seams in the paneling?

Anyways, I appreciate the high ground floor (great for restaurants), and the attempt at a nicer design, just didn't land as well as I had hoped. And of course the majority of the facade is flat as a pancake, but that was to be expected based on the plans.

Yeah, for me it's just materials. If I squint and imagine the facade is stone and the windows are higher quality with wooden muntins it looks mostly nice.

Also the roof line looks (and hopefully is) unfinished and I'm not a fan of the street level window design.