PHILADELPHIA | The Development Thread VIII

[summersm343]

Castleway Tower making it's way back?

Now Castleway wants to either sell the parcel or enter into some kind of joint venture

http://philly.curbed.com/archives/2013/0...est-vacant-lot-is-on-the-marketagain.php

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by McBane

Is that an old rendering? I ask b/c of the Apple store on the ground floor. Sidebar: did they think that Apple would end up east of Broad???

A very exciting proposal nonetheless and will add some much needed height east of Broad. Hard to believe, but at 300 feet, it would be one of the taller buildings in that part of the city and should hopefully be visible in the skyline.

No, this is actually a new render, posted on the Architects website only a couple of months ago. I think the Apple symbol is just a place holder.

[EastSideHBG]

Interesting...


Philly Council hears plan to raise revenue from nonprofits, charities

Troy Graham, Inquirer Staff Writer
Posted: Friday, January 25, 2013, 7:26 AM

After four straight years of tax hikes, and with a new property tax system coming online this year, two Philadelphia City Council members raised the prospect Thursday that the city could get new revenue from its nonprofits and charities.

Councilman Bill Green introduced a bill to give the city direction on collecting business taxes from nonprofits engaged in commercial activity outside their nonprofit missions.

And Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown called for hearings on the property tax exemption enjoyed by charities, which she said own property worth nearly 11 percent of the city's total value.

"Many of the nonprofits are doing their fair share by the services they provide," she said. "Some might argue that equals what they would pay in taxes. That might be debatable."

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/politi..._revenue_from_nonprofits__charities.html

[aro1419]

Here's the picture of the machinery at the 19th and Arch site as promised:

IMG_0450 by aro1419, on Flickr
Photo by me

This obviously is not the most impressive and promising looking action on this site, but it is (hopefully) something.

Also great news with regards to the revival in Fergie's Tower and Castleway. Those will add some great new density and height should they come to fruition!

[jn00]

I hope the walnut lot finally gets developed. Most embarrassing lot in the city IMO. Could also improve Sansom and 20th.

[volguus zildrohar]

MSN article on glass houses around the country and what house gets top billing?

QB3's Split-Level House on Poplar Street in Northern Liberties. Alright!

The New Neighborhood Watch: Urban Glass Houses


Todd Mason/Halkin Photography LLC

[Trinity2112]

Geez, Geddy's gettin' old!

[EastSideHBG]

Four new hotels heading to Philadelphia

Suzette Parmley, Inquirer Staff Writer
Posted: Sunday, January 27, 2013, 5:40 AM

Calling it a building spree might be premature, but at least four hotels are now under construction or proposed for Philadelphia, the most since such development came to a halt for several years with the recession and its accompanying lending crunch.

The newest project, not yet formally announced, is a Hotel Indigo planned for the Bailey Building at 1218 Chestnut St., less than two blocks from a proposed W/Element Hotel at 1441 Chestnut.

A representative of InterContinental Hotels Group, which owns the Indigo brand, said late Thursday that the proposed hotel was expected to have about 150 rooms and open in the first half of 2014.

Regional hospitality expert Peter Tyson, of PKF Consulting USA, said that although financing was still a challenge, the new hotels here reflect the gradual thawing of the credit markets.

These are "pent-up pipeline additions that were slowed due to the recession and the accompanying dearth of financing," Tyson said. "However, two of the four projects [the Indigo and the W/Element] have yet to be financed, so we're not out of the woods just yet."

InterContinental Hotels has developed 50 Indigo locations worldwide. It has plans to double that number in three to five years, with 50 more Indigo hotels planned for North America. Philadelphia is part of the brand's rapid expansion.

A principal in the Hotel Indigo project is Lenard Thylan, president of Thylan Associates Inc., a New York-based real estate development company.

Thylan declined to comment on the Philadelphia proposal.

Already under construction in the city are a 246-unit Home2Suites at 12th and Arch Streets and a Courtyard by Marriott at the Navy Yard with 172 rooms. Both are due to open later this year.

If all are completed, the four hotels would add a combined 1,268 rooms to the city's inventory of 11,600 - enough to support the expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center, which officials say requires about 12,500 rooms.

In addition, a new hotel tax will kick in July 1, boosting the rate to 15.5 percent from 15.2 percent, or 50 cents per room night - additional revenue that will go toward marketing the city's tourism industry.

Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20...ading_to_Philadelphia.html#ixzz2JBXYIjkg

[miesian]

Originally Posted by volguus zildrohar

MSN article on glass houses around the country and what house gets top billing?

QB3's Split-Level House on Poplar Street in Northern Liberties. Alright!

The New Neighborhood Watch: Urban Glass Houses


Todd Mason/Halkin Photography LLC

Nice view of what makes Philadelphia so attractive---old and new blending in--walkable city.

[Jelly Roll]

Originally Posted by EastSideHBG

Four new hotels heading to Philadelphia

Suzette Parmley, Inquirer Staff Writer
Posted: Sunday, January 27, 2013, 5:40 AM

Calling it a building spree might be premature, but at least four hotels are now under construction or proposed for Philadelphia, the most since such development came to a halt for several years with the recession and its accompanying lending crunch.

The newest project, not yet formally announced, is a Hotel Indigo planned for the Bailey Building at 1218 Chestnut St., less than two blocks from a proposed W/Element Hotel at 1441 Chestnut.

A representative of InterContinental Hotels Group, which owns the Indigo brand, said late Thursday that the proposed hotel was expected to have about 150 rooms and open in the first half of 2014.

Regional hospitality expert Peter Tyson, of PKF Consulting USA, said that although financing was still a challenge, the new hotels here reflect the gradual thawing of the credit markets.

These are "pent-up pipeline additions that were slowed due to the recession and the accompanying dearth of financing," Tyson said. "However, two of the four projects [the Indigo and the W/Element] have yet to be financed, so we're not out of the woods just yet."

InterContinental Hotels has developed 50 Indigo locations worldwide. It has plans to double that number in three to five years, with 50 more Indigo hotels planned for North America. Philadelphia is part of the brand's rapid expansion.

A principal in the Hotel Indigo project is Lenard Thylan, president of Thylan Associates Inc., a New York-based real estate development company.

Thylan declined to comment on the Philadelphia proposal.

Already under construction in the city are a 246-unit Home2Suites at 12th and Arch Streets and a Courtyard by Marriott at the Navy Yard with 172 rooms. Both are due to open later this year.

If all are completed, the four hotels would add a combined 1,268 rooms to the city's inventory of 11,600 - enough to support the expanded Pennsylvania Convention Center, which officials say requires about 12,500 rooms.

In addition, a new hotel tax will kick in July 1, boosting the rate to 15.5 percent from 15.2 percent, or 50 cents per room night - additional revenue that will go toward marketing the city's tourism industry.

Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20...ading_to_Philadelphia.html#ixzz2JBXYIjkg

This shows how important having a viable downtown and business districts are to the city. The more investment that is made in these big projects the better is will be for the whole region.

[Aaamazarite]

Originally Posted by Jelly Roll

This shows how important having a viable downtown and business districts are to the city. The more investment that is made in these big projects the better is will be for the whole region.

Agreed--- however, if you check out the comments on that article, you see part of the problem in getting things done in this city. There's still a lot of folks in the burbs that think they'll get shot the moment the enter the city limits.

[Jelly Roll]

Originally Posted by Aaamazarite

There's still a lot of folks in the burbs that think they'll get shot the moment the enter the city limits.

I always see those comments but I have yet to meet people that live in the suburbs that actually believe that about Center City.

[PhiLaw]

Originally Posted by Jelly Roll

I always see those comments but I have yet to meet people that live in the suburbs that actually believe that about Center City.

Agreed. I have lots of friends and family in the Burbs, who all say frequently that they just love coming into the city on a saturday night, and would like to live in the city one day. I will say that behind this outward expression is a bit of tempered worry: memories of the 80s and 90s crack era are still vivid, and they still think of a move to Philly as a leap of faith.

Also, if you try to capture public attitudes in our society by using internet comment threads as a gauge, you would think we're a bunch of racist, sexist anarchists with shoudenfreudian rage. DONT FEED THE TROLLS.

[relnahe]

Originally Posted by Aaamazarite

Agreed--- however, if you check out the comments on that article, you see part of the problem in getting things done in this city. There's still a lot of folks in the burbs that think they'll get shot the moment the enter the city limits.

So a few totally anonymous internet trolls who probably have never been in the city are gonna make or break a project from happening? Ha! Do you know how ridiculous that sounds?

[SkyscraperGuru]

Originally Posted by relnahe

So a few totally anonymous internet trolls who probably have never been in the city are gonna make or break a project from happening? Ha! Do you know how ridiculous that sounds?

I don't think he was implying THAT...

[Aaamazarite]

Originally Posted by SkyscraperGuru

I don't think he was implying THAT...

You're right, I wasn't. I was just trying to say that the city still has an image problem to some people on the outside-- all of which are potential customers and tourists.

I have some co-workers who live in the "Great" Northeast and think Center City is full of bums and thugs who'll rob and kill them. They think flash mobs happen every night. Ridiculous, I know, but there are people thinking like this nonetheless.

[Larry King]

Originally Posted by Aaamazarite

You're right, I wasn't. I was just trying to say that the city still has an image problem to some people on the outside-- all of which are potential customers and tourists.

I have some co-workers who live in the "Great" Northeast and think Center City is full of bums and thugs who'll rob and kill them. They think flash mobs happen every night. Ridiculous, I know, but there are people thinking like this nonetheless.

Those aren't the type of people I want in center city anyway... They should hear what I say about the northeast...

People that are cultured understand center city is the best... People that aren't can spend their weekends at parx and xfinity live... And that's ok

Edit: not that there's anything wrong with xfinity live, I like it... Just saying different demos like different stuff

[hammersklavier]

Originally Posted by Aaamazarite

You're right, I wasn't. I was just trying to say that the city still has an image problem to some people on the outside-- all of which are potential customers and tourists.

I have some co-workers who live in the "Great" Northeast and think Center City is full of bums and thugs who'll rob and kill them. They think flash mobs happen every night. Ridiculous, I know, but there are people thinking like this nonetheless.

Don't you work somewhere in SW Philly? That just does make the irony rich, doesn't it?

[palvar]

Neighbors try to extort developer for $225k. Despicable.

http://nakedphilly.com/rittenhouse/ssw-nimby/

[Jelly Roll]

Originally Posted by palvar

Neighbors try to extort developer for $225k. Despicable.

http://nakedphilly.com/rittenhouse/ssw-nimby/

That whole area needs to be massively up-zoned