PHILADELPHIA | Highrise Development Thread IX

[Philly-Drew]

Wow, the Monongahela Tower does remind me of the Cira Center! Good on you Pittsburgh! I would think the design was at least influenced by Cesar Pelli.

[Guipos08]

How come in the Map section the Chop Schuylkill Towers, Rodin, and Museum Tower II are not proposed. They are proposed in the city database. Anyway to update this?

[Nightman]

This really bothers me. Why can't they replace it. Great view from up there. Can't imagine they were losing money at $15/person.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20140205_Snow_sends_Channel_6_ZooBalloon_to_early_retirement.html

[Mappy]

Originally Posted by Nightman

This really bothers me. Why can't they replace it. Great view from up there. Can't imagine they were losing money at $15/person.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20140205_Snow_sends_Channel_6_ZooBalloon_to_early_retirement.html

I'd like to see it replaced with a even bigger ride... The "Schuykill Gondola" which can directly connect people between the Zoo and Art Museum and give great views of center city, boathouse row, and the parkway.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1M7ORw1X9nMQWI2enc3bkpyYm8/edit?usp=sharing

[Kidphilly]

Originally Posted by Mappy

I'd like to see it replaced with a even bigger ride... The "Schuykill Gondola" which can directly connect people between the Zoo and Art Museum and give great views of center city, boathouse row, and the parkway.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1M7ORw1X9nMQWI2enc3bkpyYm8/edit?usp=sharing

Interesting, maybe extend it to PA Ave and link up with a light rail line rniing in the Pennsy cut - oh one can dream

Also maybe extend the other way to Fairmaount park closer to the Mann

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by Mappy

I'd like to see it replaced with a even bigger ride... The "Schuykill Gondola" which can directly connect people between the Zoo and Art Museum and give great views of center city, boathouse row, and the parkway.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1M7ORw1X9nMQWI2enc3bkpyYm8/edit?usp=sharing

Very cool idea.

[japmes]

Originally Posted by Mappy

I'd like to see it replaced with a even bigger ride... The "Schuykill Gondola" which can directly connect people between the Zoo and Art Museum and give great views of center city, boathouse row, and the parkway.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1M7ORw1X9nMQWI2enc3bkpyYm8/edit?usp=sharing

How expensive could a gondola be? It must be vastly cheaper than extending rail service.

[eliasrapp98]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't a gondola such the boat, nothing more? It can't be expensive at all. I'm sure someone on this board probably has the money to buy a gondola.

[ILovePhilly]

Originally Posted by eliasrapp98

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't a gondola such the boat, nothing more? It can't be expensive at all. I'm sure someone on this board probably has the money to buy a gondola.

A gondola can also be like a ski lift.

[Mappy]

Originally Posted by japmes

How expensive could a gondola be? It must be vastly cheaper than extending rail service.

My thoughts exactly...
Also the Zoo is annually one of, or the, most visited "tourist attractions" according to the stats I've seen, while the Art Museum is struggling to get people to get passed the Rocky Steps and actually go inside. I figured there could be a cooperation between the Museum and Zoo with ticketing. Maybe buy admission to one and get the other 1/2-off PLUS a free round trip on the gondola? As mentioned earlier it could also get extended up further to the Centennial park area (further ticket combos with please touch?). But I figured the Waterworks to the south end of the Zoo idea would be a very affordable project, and therefore a safer idea to float out there.

[flyflyfly]

Hey, anyone have any insight as to what will be the next major project to break ground in Philadelphia? Can't keep track of what is coming next!

[shadowbat2]

^^^^^

Ground broken for high-rise at Science Center site

Ground was broken Wednesday at the site of Philadelphia's latest high-rise rental effort - a 28-story, $110 million project at 36th and Market Streets in University City.

Called 3601 Market Street and due for delivery in spring 2015, the building will be constructed on a portion of the 17-acre University City Science Center campus that is now a parking lot.

The 364-unit, 443,000-square-foot, mixed-use structure is a joint project of the Science Center and Southern Land Co., of Nashville.

Designed by BLT Architects of Philadelphia, 3601 Market Street will have 14,600 square feet of ground-floor retail space, and parking for 200 cars and 140 bicycles.

BLT's design has among its goals LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) silver certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The designation requires that 50 to 59 points be awarded for meeting established green-building criteria.

Michael Prifti, a BLT principal, said the firm's aim was to make the building practical and appealing, and called the project the first residential component in the Science Center's 50-year history.

Southern Land chief executive Tim Downey said 3601 was his company's effort to shape the development of the University City neighborhood, calling the project "a modern jewel" for West Philadelphia.

Science Center CEO and president Stephen S. Tang called the project pivotal to the center's efforts to become a 24/7 "innovation community."

Carl Dranoff, who led the way in building market-rate residential units in University City 12 years ago with the Left Bank, called 3601 Market another vindication of the vision University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University officials had from the start.

"It is now clear after more than a decade that University City is its own vibrant economic hub and neighborhood, with vitality and growth matching Center City, that can support these new projects," Dranoff said.

Rents for the units - studios, one- and two-bedrooms, and penthouses - will range from $1,300 to $4,500 a month, a spokeswoman said.

The building will target young professionals, hospital and university employees, and graduate students, and will be under the city's 10-year tax-abatement program, she said.

Dranoff cited more examples of University City's growth, such as the 31-story Evo student residential tower and the 47-story FMC tower at Cira Centre South.

"It's a real win for Philadelphia," he said, "and a case study on how 'eds and meds' can change blight into prosperity when the right leaders and policies coincide over an extended period."

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/business/20...ence_Center_site.html#MI4hBQvHHgJKLsVC.9

[jakel]

I've created massings for most of the announced projects in the city. Any views you want to see?

[Salonica city]

The tower in Pittsburgh does look alot like the Cira center. Also I know a distant member of the burns and scalo family and I think they are the builder not the architect they are like turner and brandywine if I am not mistaken.

[Kidphilly]

Originally Posted by jakel

I've created massings for most of the announced projects in the city. Any views you want to see?

Wouldnt Mandeville fit perfectly there

Also wouldnt a tall say 600+footer (800 ft even better) look nice on the lot between 22nd and 23rd on Market in thi image and when the ;ot on 23rd at the end of Cherry gets some height...

[looper121]

Originally Posted by Nightman

This really bothers me. Why can't they replace it. Great view from up there. Can't imagine they were losing money at $15/person.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20140205_Snow_sends_Channel_6_ZooBalloon_to_early_retirement.html

Sure, but the thing rarely ever flew. Even the slightest breeze, they would keep it grounded. I can't imagine even at $15/ride, that this thing would break even for years.

[ILovePhilly]

Originally Posted by Nightman

This really bothers me. Why can't they replace it. Great view from up there. Can't imagine they were losing money at $15/person.

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20140205_Snow_sends_Channel_6_ZooBalloon_to_early_retirement.html

The article I read said that the balloon was in it's last year anyway as they only have a 5-7 year use expectancy and that they were going to order another one for the 2015 season at the end of this year. With this one being down they won't be able to order a new one in time for 2014. No worries. I keep seeing people being so glum about the balloon but there isn't any thing to fret about; it's just one year! Some of the news outlets were being so sensationalist about it they didn't actually report the full story.

[Baconboy007]

Originally Posted by jakel

I've created massings for most of the announced projects in the city. Any views you want to see?

Could you add a super tall at the corner of 13th and market and show what that would look like from this view? Also the view from the WW bridge or from Girard and 95 would be neat. Thanks

[mmikeyphilly]

Originally Posted by jakel

I've created massings for most of the announced projects in the city. Any views you want to see?

When I first saw this view of FMC's New Headquarters on Pelli Clarke Pelli's website, it was love at first sight!
The thought that came to my mind: People(skyscraper enthusiasts, me included) driving on the Schuylkill Expressway are not going to be able to keep their eyes on the road! It will be very distracting, to say the least.
THIS can be dangerous!...Oh, but what a way to go, if you're gonna go.

[Nightman]

Originally Posted by ILovePhilly

The article I read said that the balloon was in it's last year anyway as they only have a 5-7 year use expectancy and that they were going to order another one for the 2015 season at the end of this year. With this one being down they won't be able to order a new one in time for 2014. No worries. I keep seeing people being so glum about the balloon but there isn't any thing to fret about; it's just one year! Some of the news outlets were being so sensationalist about it they didn't actually report the full story.

This is from the zoo website, the balloon is not coming back.

http://www.philadelphiazoo.org/Explore/Attractions/ZooBalloon.htm