PHILADELPHIA | Highrise Development Thread IX

[relnahe]

Originally Posted by Kidphilly

on 23rd at the end of Cherry gets some height...

Good luck trying to get the Logan Square NIMBys to agree on anything that isn't a townhome.

[Jayfar]

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.

The article I read stated that they had intended to retire it after Labor Day this year and NOT replace it at all.

Here:

http://articles.philly.com/2014-02-05/news/47053315_1_philadelphia-zoo-zooballoon-early-retirement

The ZooBalloon was expected to last only until Labor Day this year, which was planned to be its last flight.

There are no plans for a third balloon or another attraction. The zoo will address what to do with the space as part of a forthcoming master plan, said Amy Shearer, the zoo's chief marketing officer.

Since 2002, the balloons have taken about 228,000 people into the air.

[tsarstruck]

Originally Posted by Jayfar

Since 2002, the balloons have taken about 228,000 people into the air.]

That works out to be about a 50 people/day average. Although it's well-loved, I can certainly see why they're not interested in bringing it back.

[Outta here]

At the suggestion of someone posting here , I decided to check out last nights
10:00pm showing of "Super tall Skyscrapers " and enjoyed every minute . It
looks like a weekly event and next week will focus on the explosion in the sky
taking place in China . Don't think the series will ever include Philly but deserves
some viewing attention anyway . The video history and commentary on World
Trade Center 1 brought some small closure to my experience on 9-12-01 .
A time in my life that I will never forget .

[josef]

Originally Posted by Outta here

At the suggestion of someone posting here , I decided to check out last nights
10:00pm showing of "Super tall Skyscrapers " and enjoyed every minute . It
looks like a weekly event and next week will focus on the explosion in the sky
taking place in China . Don't think the series will ever include Philly but deserves
some viewing attention anyway . The video history and commentary on World
Trade Center 1 brought some small closure to my experience on 9-12-01 .
A time in my life that I will never forget .

I checked it out too. It seems like a lot of the things they talked about weren't necessarily unique to building that particular tower (i.e., winds up high make things hard). It'll be interesting to see what the unique aspects of each new tower they talk about are. Cool show though, it's nice to have a channel that doesn't talk to you like you're an idiot or 7 years old (*cough*History Channel*cough*)

[eliasrapp98]

So Philly is a USOC nominee along with LA, San Diego, Dallas, Boston, Atlanta, and DC.

I know this is off topic, but I think we have a good chance of winning this US nomination. LA and Atlanta recently have had olympics, San Diego and Dallas would be bad for the olympics. Boston and DC are too small and don't have the infrastructure really. Philly might have the best chance. They pick in 2016.

The reason this is interesting is because even though we would never get the actual olympics, being the USA pick would mean that we would have to release a plan for what we would do which would be amazing for us to see.

Hypothetically though, what would you think our Olympic design would be for the city?

[Parkway]

[QUOTE=eliasrapp98;6440476]So Philly is a USOC nominee along with LA, San Diego, Dallas, Boston, Atlanta, and DC.QUOTE]

I disagree about Boston and DC, they both have the infrastructure to do it however DC would make security in Sochi look like a mall cop. If we pursue this I think Boston will be our biggest competition. They have many of the same things we do and a slightly stronger global brand.

[christof]

[QUOTE=Parkway;6440524]

Originally Posted by eliasrapp98

So Philly is a USOC nominee along with LA, San Diego, Dallas, Boston, Atlanta, and DC.QUOTE]

I disagree about Boston and DC, they both have the infrastructure to do it however DC would make security in Sochi look like a mall cop. If we pursue this I think Boston will be our biggest competition. They have many of the same things we do and a slightly stronger global brand.

Five years ago, I would have been all over getting the Olympics. And that including my time and talent on the committee to get it here.

Today, I wouldn't want it. The security required is insane. It is would be like living in a police state. And that is what it is now. Imagine what it would be if Sochi gets hit be an attack.

Forget the Olympics and go after the Super Bowl.

[GarCastle]

Had another big meeting where the AVP of real estate for HUP/etc. spoke. He had some nice slides. If I can get my hands on them, I'll post them. He threw out the disclaimer about how designs can change so I'm not sure how willing he will be. Some dates might be slightly off, he rattled out too many things to remember LOL.

On the Presbyterian campus (and near it), the Penn presence in 3737 Market street building may grow by a floor or two of occupancy. It was either 6 or 8 floors they already agreed to lease previously. Meanwhile the Trauma center expansion is going quickly. The plan is to start moving people in around Feb '15. HUP's trauma department will be vacating much needed space which may then go to more patient areas. Note: Penn Medicine can never have enough space, that's all they keep saying so their construction has no foreseeable end LOL.

Meanwhile over at HUP, they still plan to VACATE the Penn Tower building by summer of 2015. The construction of the "South Pavilion" on the river side of the Perelman horseshoe building was supposed to enable them to move everyone out of Penn Tower. Well it seems like they might be back in the situation where they don't have enough space to empty the building. So while the South Pavilion of the Perelman complex has 4 above ground floors for the 180 patient exam rooms, etc. and 2+ sub-floors, the "med school" floors on top of it that are tapered in seemed to be more than the planned 4 when I walked by it the other day.

Well apparently there will be 1-2 mechanical floors on top of the 4 med school floors on top of the 4 (numbered) floors of the South Pavilion. What the Associate VP showed, was another 7 floors on top of that.
Floor 1-4: "South Pavilion".
Floor 5-6 & 1/2 of 7: med school area, and will have an outside area that can view across the river, etc. The non-river side will have all glass and will have views into and over the Atrium and other glass areas of the main Perelman building. The interior slides he showed were really nice (hopefully I'll get a copy to share).
Other 1/2 of Floor 7 & Floor 8: faculty offices (not sure if he meant health system doctors or perhaps school of medicine - often the same thing anyway).
Floors 9 & 10 looked to be mechanical and set in even farther than 5-8.

Then the surprise "proposal" not yet approved by the board was:
Floors 11-15 tapered back out to line up with floors 5-8.
Floors 16-17 tapered in again (or partial mechanical area).

I might be off by a floor somewhere in there but the big mock-up showed the "south" (AKA river-side) matching up with the height of the (white) Smilow tower that sits next to the new CHOP ambulatory building-under-construction. A few floors would have glass bridges to connect Smilow to the new upper floors. It was unclear if these additional floors would be essential to get everyone out of Penn Tower in time or not. If so, they would have to move REALLY fast on it, so I guess we'll see what happens.

Then another thing came up. I had mentioned before that they had a requirement to build more parking spaces when they demo'd the old civic center. So before they can tear down Penn Tower's garage, they need to build a 1,500 parking spot garage (6 stories) between the CHOP Colket tower and the existing parking garage. Apparently there is already a bit of a hole there (though I never have a reason to walk down that far). The garage will only take up about 2/3's of the lot. The 1/3 facing the street & HUP & CHOP's main buildings will be a "non-clinical" building that he foresees being 20-22 stories, and would be built after the garage. Sounds like I would move there once done (years from now).

If I can get illustrations of the 20-22 non-clinical building or the extension on top of the med school (and the internal mock-ups), then I'll start a couple proposal threads with them.

Cheers,
G.

[GarCastle]

Another quick comment he made also, was that there are quite a few utilities under the street between Perelman and Penn Tower so it is more likely that they will keep the road where it is and build multiple stories of bridges to connect to the new hospital after Penn Tower is gone. That would also enable them to allow for more covered walkways from the University City train station. Not sure what he meant by that since I would think they could have a covered walkway with the road where it is or if they moved it closer to the Penn Museum. Either way I'm glad they are planning that in though.

Cheers,
G.

[Salonica city]

I think Philly would be the best choice for 2024 Olympics !!! It would be the best bet from a safety point of view why would anyone even Target philadelphia for terrorism we have never even been close to having anything bad happen here. And for good reasons we don't attract that kind of international attention. Comcast NBC should be able to put there weight behind this as did coke for Atlanta. From a financial point it could be risky, I speak from experience my country of origance the birth place of the games moved heaven and earth to make it happen and it was great for Athens but bad for the rest of the country. And since I am from the north it cost us alot but we didn't get anything from it. But this would not be the case here because Philly would shine and almost everything would be able to take place here. And the set up we already have in south Philly would be great. I can also imagine an Olympic village would fit perfect between the sports complex and the airport. Philadelphia would end up looking completely different we would be the best location period with the mist to gain from this event. I can already picture it!! What do you say folks?

[shadowbat2]

So this will be gaining extra floors?


I was figuring something like that would occur just by looking at the situation now. The steel clearly appears like it would bear additional weight, and that Smillow wall (the section behind the crane) looks like it was designed where a new wing would join it in the future.

Then another thing came up. I had mentioned before that they had a requirement to build more parking spaces when they demo'd the old civic center. So before they can tear down Penn Tower's garage, they need to build a 1,500 parking spot garage (6 stories) between the CHOP Colket tower and the existing parking garage. Apparently there is already a bit of a hole there (though I never have a reason to walk down that far). The garage will only take up about 2/3's of the lot. The 1/3 facing the street & HUP & CHOP's main buildings will be a "non-clinical" building that he foresees being 20-22 stories, and would be built after the garage. Sounds like I would move there once done (years from now).

There is a hole there (about 30 feet give or take)

Also is it true the Penn Tower was built in a rush for the Bicentennial with a short "design life"? I remember reading something about that here, and having been in the garage portion, it does has a "slapped up" feel to it....


I'm guessing those metal pieces at the top of the garage wall were added as reinforcement at some time yes?

Anyways, defiantly looking forward to any images if you can get them


P.S. Nice little snow hill you guys made there

[Flyers2001]

The "hole" in reference is going to be used for an underground parking garage with a "tower" rising above.

In Philly.com Inga reviews SLS International.

http://www.philly.com/philly/home/201402...off_continues_to_transform_S__Broad.html

[Larry King]

Originally Posted by Flyers2001

The "hole" in reference is going to be used for an underground parking garage with a "tower" rising above.

In Philly.com Inga reviews SLS International.

http://www.philly.com/philly/home/201402...off_continues_to_transform_S__Broad.html

Even in a positive review she manages to be rude

[summersm343]

Reduce city wage tax to 2.09% over ten years? Please happen for the sake of all Philadelphia business.

http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/.../02/councilman-reduce-city-wage-tax.html

[PhiLaw]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Reduce city wage tax to 2.09% over ten years? Please happen for the sake of all Philadelphia business.

http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/.../02/councilman-reduce-city-wage-tax.html

That would be a great development. But not until 2025? Am i missing something here?

[AbortedWalrus]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Reduce city wage tax to 2.09% over ten years? Please happen for the sake of all Philadelphia business.

http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/.../02/councilman-reduce-city-wage-tax.html

If you were doing it to attract more business it would be wiser to cut taxes on businesses. This is an individual income tax cut, and doesn't really do a ton for businesses. You can make the argument that the wage tax increases the amount employers have to pay employees to make up for the amount taken by the tax, but a 1.5% change in the pay rate isn't going to do much to spur business growth. How about instead of this the BPT is completely eliminated? That would make a hell of a lot more sense and be better for spurring business growth.

This just seems like Oh pandering to his own popularity.

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by GarCastle

Another quick comment he made also, was that there are quite a few utilities under the street between Perelman and Penn Tower so it is more likely that they will keep the road where it is and build multiple stories of bridges to connect to the new hospital after Penn Tower is gone. That would also enable them to allow for more covered walkways from the University City train station. Not sure what he meant by that since I would think they could have a covered walkway with the road where it is or if they moved it closer to the Penn Museum. Either way I'm glad they are planning that in though.

Cheers,
G.

Penn Hospital's whole progression seems at best short-sighted and at worst: slapdash, not to mention architecturally deficient. Every new building that goes up is immediately 100% leased --and each time they seem to get caught off guard by that.

Was this posted somewhere else? Not really sure what it means, but it's nice press nonetheless:
http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2013/1...A_Philadelphia_%28Yes%2C_Philadelphia%29

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by PhiLaw

That would be a great development. But not until 2025? Am i missing something here?

They would gradually reduce it over 10 years until it reaches 2.09% in 2025

[summersm343]

New Pharma Company Eyeing Philadelphia?

There are rumblings that a growing biopharmaceutical company is considering locating operations in Philadelphia — or at least expanding its presence in the area.
OPKO Health Inc., which is based in Miami, Fla., is reportedly looking at not only the Philadelphia area but also Northern New Jersey and Palm Beach, Fla. It needs about 85,000 square feet of space, according to people familiar with the situation. A call to the company wasn’t immediately returned.

http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/...-pharma-company-eyeing-philadelphia.html