PHILADELPHIA | The Development Thread VIII - Page 448

duffey · #**8941** Posted **Sep 9, 2013, 7:28 PM**

you can also see them behind the skyline when crossing into philly from the ben franklin and even the walt whitman bridges, and other VERY far places.

japmes · #**8942** Posted **Sep 9, 2013, 7:53 PM**

To the originator(s) of the Comcast/NBC rumor: do you still stand behind your claim to a Tuesday announcement or do you want to hedge and try to save your credibility if Tuesday comes and goes with no major news?

PhiLaw · #**8943** Posted **Sep 9, 2013, 8:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by japmes

To the originator(s) of the Comcast/NBC rumor: do you still stand behind your claim to a Tuesday announcement or do you want to hedge and try to save your credibility if Tuesday comes and goes with no major news?

Aside from the fact that there has been no announcement that there will be a press conference tomorrow, do you know something we don't re this rumor?

japmes · #**8944** Posted **Sep 9, 2013, 8:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhiLaw

Aside from the fact that there has been no announcement that there will be a press conference tomorrow, do you know something we don't re this rumor?

I know nothing, except, as you said, Comcast has not given any indications of an announcement coming tomorrow. I guess they wouldn't tip their hand if it involves sensitive employee announcements in the morning but it seems like there would be more chatter coming from within NBC if a big announcement was imminent. I want to believe but remain skeptical.

sayitaintso · #**8945** Posted **Sep 9, 2013, 8:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by japmes

I know nothing, except, as you said, Comcast has not given any indications of an announcement coming tomorrow. I guess they wouldn't tip their hand if it involves sensitive employee announcements in the morning but it seems like there would be more chatter coming from within NBC if a big announcement was imminent. I want to believe but remain skeptical.

The only thing I'll say is that I got my info from someone who has a reason to know and has no reason to lie or exaggerate. Someone who is actually very conservative and a bit of a pessimist. If it comes and goes I'll be a little surprised, but not disappointed because I am 99.99999% sure that there is a lot of truth in what I was told. If it's not announced tomorrow Im very sure something is going to be happening even if nothing is ever "announced"

PhiLaw · #**8946** Posted **Sep 9, 2013, 8:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by japmes

I know nothing, except, as you said, Comcast has not given any indications of an announcement coming tomorrow. I guess they wouldn't tip their hand if it involves sensitive employee announcements in the morning but it seems like there would be more chatter coming from within NBC if a big announcement was imminent. I want to believe but remain skeptical.

My fingers remained crossed.

sayitaintso · #**8947** Posted **Sep 9, 2013, 8:58 PM**

Looks like NYC is a bit sensitive to all this news about losing jobs to Philly

http://nypost.com/2013/09/09/nbc-spreads-its-wings-on-sixth-avenue/

The 95,000 sf they reportedly "just" signed is a non issue. Actually its more like a rounding error. Remember it's going to take a couple of years to get the towers built. We know they are growing and they need some placeholders in the meantime.

And oh yeah I can count the number of contiguous blocks of 100,000 sf in the same building in CC on one hand. In NYC there are plenty to choose from. So from an availability standpoint this makes perfect sense.

Me thinks we're ruffling some feathers up there.

japmes · #**8948** Posted **Sep 9, 2013, 9:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sayitaintso

The only thing I'll say is that I got my info from someone who has a reason to know and has no reason to lie or exaggerate. Someone who is actually very conservative and a bit of a pessimist. If it comes and goes I'll be a little surprised, but not disappointed because I am 99.99999% sure that there is a lot of truth in what I was told. If it's not announced tomorrow Im very sure something is going to be happening even if nothing is ever "announced"

The thing is, why would they need to announce anything about moving back office jobs? It will be at least a few years before anything is built. If they do intend to move some jobs it seems they could do it quietly over a 3-5 year period without any fanfare. If anything happens tomorrow I bet it is about construction plans for Comcast growth and not about NBC moving jobs from NYC.

sayitaintso · #**8949** Posted **Sep 9, 2013, 9:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by japmes

The thing is, why would they need to announce anything about moving back office jobs? It will be at least a few years before anything is built. If they do intend to move some jobs it seems they could do it quietly over a 3-5 year period without any fanfare. If anything happens tomorrow I bet it is about construction plans for Comcast growth and not about NBC moving jobs from NYC.

A rose by any other name is still a rose. I don't care how they do it as long as 5 years from now they've built a couple of towers and we have 4 or 5 k new jobs.

ILovePhilly · #**8950** Posted **Sep 9, 2013, 9:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by japmes

The thing is, why would they need to announce anything about moving back office jobs? It will be at least a few years before anything is built. If they do intend to move some jobs it seems they could do it quietly over a 3-5 year period without any fanfare. If anything happens tomorrow I bet it is about construction plans for Comcast growth and not about NBC moving jobs from NYC.

Because if they want nice fancy tax cuts or gap financing or grants or permit expediting or any of the other things that make the wheels go round in development they'll need to make the big announcement so the Mayor and Councilpeople and State Legislators and Congresspeople have a podium to stand next to and a news reporter to gush about NBC and Comcast and Liberty to.

2-4 towers and multiple thousands of jobs, even at a trickle and not for a few years, is definite podium material.

phillyskyline · #**8951** Posted **Sep 10, 2013, 3:18 AM**

[\QUOTE]=ILovePhilly;But I think it's worth noting that the Roxborough towers are iconic to many in their own right. The towers are visible to many up in Montco and from planes and along the Schuylkill and Route 1. We always knew we were close to home when the towers appeared on the horizon.[/QUOTE]

I've seen those towers from as far as Chalfont out in Bucks County.

Plokoon11 · #**8952** Posted **Sep 10, 2013, 2:08 PM**

The day is here to find out about this mysterious proposal. Anyone want to guess when these things usually happen?

Jayfar · #**8953** Posted **Sep 10, 2013, 2:17 PM**

I'm surprised no one has linked Brad Maule's Hidden City post here yet, which goes a long way toward confirming something serious is coming up. Norman Foster anyone?

http://hiddencityphila.org/2013/09/a-foster-for-philadelphia/

Plokoon11 · #**8954** Posted **Sep 10, 2013, 2:57 PM**

So its not if its true, its when I'm guessing.

japmes · #**8955** Posted **Sep 10, 2013, 3:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plokoon11

So its not if its true, its when I'm guessing.

And what "it" is. Is it a new building(s) to house Comcast growth or is it a major shift of NBC jobs to Philly or both? Both are good for Philly but establishing a major NBC presence in Philly would be the so-called "game-changer."

Jelly Roll · #**8956** Posted **Sep 10, 2013, 4:06 PM**

PHA director: Queen Lane Apartments may not be torn down after all

Quote:

The Philadelphia Housing Authority's plans to redevelop the site of a shuttered high-rise in Germantown have reached a tipping point.

It's been more than two years since PHA first presented its intent to demolish Queen Lane Apartments on the neighborhood's west side and replace it with a 55-unit, low-density development.

Minimal agreement dashed

With the start of construction potentially another year away, the agency's top official is now saying it's "seriously considering" gutting and revamping the existing 16-story property instead.

"We've spent hundreds of thousands of dollars and we're nowhere closer to where we were," said Kelvin Jeremiah, PHA's executive director.

PHA director: Queen Lane Apartments may not be torn down after all

wondertwinalpha · #**8957** Posted **Sep 10, 2013, 4:48 PM**

"Residents of 2200 Arch Street are encouraged to attend the next meeting of the Logan Square Neighborhood Association this Tuesday, September 10th, 7:00 PM, at the Franklin Institute, where the owner of the parking lot parcel between 23rd Street and the Schuylkill River – directly across the street from 2200 Arch Street – will be presenting their new development plans for the site.

The developer will be asking for near neighbor input to their project, which proposes a mixed-use residential / commercial development with density greater than allowed by current zoning. Questions, comments, and concerns raised at this meeting will inform and guide LSNA’s position on the proposal, which in turn can influence whether the City grants any zoning variances requested by the developer.

The meeting will take place at 7:00 PM, this Tuesday, September 10th, in the Franklin Institute’s 5th floor conference room, accessed via the Institute’s 20th Street business entrance just north of the grand staircase."

http://www.lsnaphilly.org/announcements/lsnaseptemberboardmeeting

summersm343 · #**8958** Posted **Sep 10, 2013, 4:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wondertwinalpha

"Residents of 2200 Arch Street are encouraged to attend the next meeting of the Logan Square Neighborhood Association this Tuesday, September 10th, 7:00 PM, at the Franklin Institute, where the owner of the parking lot parcel between 23rd Street and the Schuylkill River – directly across the street from 2200 Arch Street – will be presenting their new development plans for the site.

The developer will be asking for near neighbor input to their project, which proposes a mixed-use residential / commercial development with density greater than allowed by current zoning. Questions, comments, and concerns raised at this meeting will inform and guide LSNA’s position on the proposal, which in turn can influence whether the City grants any zoning variances requested by the developer.

The meeting will take place at 7:00 PM, this Tuesday, September 10th, in the Franklin Institute’s 5th floor conference room, accessed via the Institute’s 20th Street business entrance just north of the grand staircase."

http://www.lsnaphilly.org/announcements/lsnaseptemberboardmeeting

Very nice! Thanks for this! My company has actually been in talks with the development manager for this project. It's a large development.

summersm343 · #**8959** Posted **Sep 10, 2013, 5:02 PM**

You guys act like they're going to announce a new development and start building today

Chill out. These things take time. I confirmed directly with a project manager at Liberty Property Trust that something is indeed happening. Be patient! I cannot confirm if the rumors are true about an announcement from Comcast but IDK why they would announce anything.

Also, I just found out the "fourth" potential office tower is something for Penn Medicine, completely unrelated to Comcast.

DIESELPOLO · #**8960** Posted **Sep 10, 2013, 5:18 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by sayitaintso

The only thing I'll say is that I got my info from someone who has a reason to know and has no reason to lie or exaggerate. Someone who is actually very conservative and a bit of a pessimist. If it comes and goes I'll be a little surprised, but not disappointed because I am 99.99999% sure that there is a lot of truth in what I was told. If it's not announced tomorrow Im very sure something is going to be happening even if nothing is ever "announced"

Alright then. Seems like things are starting to support your previous mention of this! And now, Norman Foster's name is unexpectedly thrown into the mix (thanks for the heads up @Jayfar with the Hidden City post)...