PHILADELPHIA | Highrise Development Thread IX - Page 86

br323206 · #**1701** Posted **Mar 6, 2014, 2:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by iamrobk

I always thought of Fairmount as the neighborhood north of Fairmount Ave but below Girard, and the Art Museum as the area between Fairmount Ave and Spring Garden.

That's correct. Fairmount is technically Fairmount to Girard. Spring Garden or Art Museum, if you prefer, is Spring Garden to Fairmount. Sometimes the whole area is referred to generally as Fairmount though, and sometimes Art Museum is used generically to refer to the parts of any of these neighborhoods closest to the art museum.

Confusing, but that's the Philly way. Like that there is an Old Kensington, , West Kensington, Kensington, etc. with different overlapping boundaries--and Kensington can be used to refer to the area as a whole, including Harrowgate and (some would say) Port Richmond. But is Fishtown a part of Greater Kensington? Not really, but historically it was--and you can still find churches and such branded with Kensington in Fishtown.

Kidphilly · #**1702** Posted **Mar 6, 2014, 4:04 PM**

this is some dialogue from another site but thought it relevant - names are the same - surprise surprise

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsarstruck

Yeah, exactly. A friend's comment yesterday: "Columbia Heights meets South Philly. Now they're going to come up with some stupid name to rebrand the intersection. BroWash?"

After initially hating it (and still wishing it included residential), let's look on the bright side:

* the surrounding neighborhoods will get some fairly decent amenities
* supermarket will (hopefully) drive out that absolutely awful Save-a-Lot (the one and only time I went in, I was told they didn't have salt. SALT!) and maybe open up that parcel for development
* a good chance having this many retail amenities will eventually convince the PIDC to give up on their industrial use pipe dreams, buy up the easement splitting the lot across the street in two, and open it up to a true mixed use or purely residential use
* decent chance this drives other surrounding projects both large (the proposed project at 718 Motoring on S Broad, projects on Washington Ave West, etc.) and small (increasing re-habbing on S 15th St)
* If there is a large amount of excess parking, residents can probably rent spaces and the NIMBYs will have one less thing to block nearby projects for
* While this project as proposed does no favors to Carpenter Street, it's not like CAPA, with its strip of street parking, is doing good either. And there will be plenty of activity on it, which will at least make it safer
* There's still the adjoining lot to develop, which this project doesn't touch...

All and all, my longtime position has been that even a semi-decent project is better than waiting another decade (or two) for the "perfect" project. This one is probably better than decent, and has serious multiplier potential. Do I wish there was residential? Sure. Do I have questions about what kind of drecky restaurants are going to want to be on the second floor with a balcony overlooking the Rock School? Absolutely. Do I have some doubts that this much retail can be filled (and that the underground space and parking is likely the first thing on the chopping block)? Yes. But look at it this way: this is a BIG, BIG bet on South Philly's longterm spending power. So all and all, if this is it, so be it.

and this

Quote:

Originally Posted by kidphilly

Love the BroWash...

And actually have similar feelings - my initial reaction was puke but also reconsider my position and agree with your assesment

I live on the 1000 block of Carpenter so this is close

on the Carpenter frontage for the loading dock and parking entry in the plans is it just me or does this not make sense - the one way is the wrong way from Broad - would it not make sense to have the docks and entry along 13th to come right off Washington?

Also and just a thought but with that could this not sort of retro-fit residential along Carpenter in a thin wall along the frontage - think about the sorround of the new Morman as sort of proxy - think retail is less viable on the frontage here anyway so more townhouse - short apts would work without taking much space in the desiagn (and could also afford one curb cut for parking (potentially the exit with the entrance on 13th) and moving the loading docks to 13th

Lastly that would seem more amenable to the School on the other side of Carpenter.

On the whole this could work, add residential and be a plus even with minimal changes

Just one mans thoughts but your reaction and reconsideration felt familiar to me

Still not sure 1,000 parking spaces are needed

FWIW would love a PCLB super store here too....

summersm343 · #**1703** Posted **Mar 6, 2014, 4:08 PM**

Demo of the existing structure to make way for the Museum of the American Revolution begins today

http://citypaper.net/article.php?New-Mus...ution-site-prep-kicks-off-tomorrow-19752

Kidphilly · #**1704** Posted **Mar 6, 2014, 4:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by summersm343

Demo of the existing structure to make way for the Museum of the American Revolution begins today

http://citypaper.net/article.php?New-Mus...ution-site-prep-kicks-off-tomorrow-19752

lets hope constructions includes some redesign elements that were just recently added

PhiLaw · #**1705** Posted **Mar 6, 2014, 4:14 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kidphilly

lets hope constructions includes some redesign elements that were just recently added

They will, they made that clear today on NPR.

tsarstruck · #**1706** Posted **Mar 6, 2014, 4:43 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kidphilly

this is some dialogue from another site but thought it relevant - names are the same - surprise surprise

Imposter!

Kidphilly · #**1707** Posted **Mar 6, 2014, 5:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by tsarstruck

Imposter!

nah Reposter!

techchallenger · #**1708** Posted **Mar 6, 2014, 6:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by br323206

That term has been used for a while to refer to the western parts Spring Garden and the southwestern parts of Fairmount.

It's just funny because the Art Museum is actually built atop Fairmount (hill). Now, Fairmount (neighborhood) doesn't even include the hill it is named after and according to the referenced map of neighborhoods doesn't even exist anymore...

<-- emoticon directed at the map, not you, br

omp835 · #**1709** Posted **Mar 6, 2014, 8:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by techchallenger

It's just funny because the Art Museum is actually built atop Fairmount (hill). Now, Fairmount (neighborhood) doesn't even include the hill it is named after and according to the referenced map of neighborhoods doesn't even exist anymore...

<-- emoticon directed at the map, not you, br

I don't think this is correct. The Art Museum is not built on Fairmount Hill. I believe Fairmount Hill is Fairmount Av with the summit (high point) right in front of Eastern State's main gate.

MetaldDeth81 · #**1710** Posted **Mar 6, 2014, 8:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by omp835

I don't think this is correct. The Art Museum is not built on Fairmount Hill. I believe Fairmount Hill is Fairmount Av with the summit (high point) right in front of Eastern State's main gate.

The Water Works initially consisted of a 3 million gallon (11,350,000 L) earthen reservoir atop Faire Mount (now site of the Philadelphia Museum of Art)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairmount_Reservoir

PhiLaw · #**1711** Posted **Mar 6, 2014, 8:52 PM**

Obama Budget Provides $35 million for Delaware River Dredging:

http://www.philly.com/philly/business/ho...res_Delaware_dredging_will_continue.html

It won't pass, but you could see it in any subsequent omnibus bills.

PhiLaw · #**1712** Posted **Mar 6, 2014, 9:06 PM**

New Center for Rare Disease in the pipeline for Chop/Penn. Can't tell whether this will be subsumed within an existing location or a new structure will be built.

http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/.../03/chop-penn-get-3-million-gift-to.html

Philly Fan · #**1713** Posted **Mar 6, 2014, 9:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhiLaw

New Center for Rare Disease in the pipeline for Chop/Penn. Can't tell whether this will be subsumed within an existing location or a new structure will be built.

http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/.../03/chop-penn-get-3-million-gift-to.html

I doubt a new structure will be built for this--sounds like it's just funding research within the infrastructure already built, under construction, or planned (which, of course, is already quite substantial).

GarCastle · #**1714** Posted **Mar 6, 2014, 11:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhiLaw

Obama Budget Provides $35 million for Delaware River Dredging:

http://www.philly.com/philly/business/ho...res_Delaware_dredging_will_continue.html

It won't pass, but you could see it in any subsequent omnibus bills.

If I'm reading that article correctly, Congress can only approve the overall budget that the Army Corps of Engineers gets and then the Corps goes by the President's recommendations. So that sounds like they will get money to do it period, though that amount could shrink if the overall budget shrinks?

Cheers,
G.

shakman · #**1715** Posted **Mar 7, 2014, 12:19 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by summersm343

Demo of the existing structure to make way for the Museum of the American Revolution begins today

http://citypaper.net/article.php?New-Mus...ution-site-prep-kicks-off-tomorrow-19752

VERY GOOD!!!

Question: What is there to demo? Isn't this location an empty lot behind Carpenter's Hall?

aro1419 · #**1716** Posted **Mar 7, 2014, 1:21 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by shakman

VERY GOOD!!!

Question: What is there to demo? Isn't this location an empty lot behind Carpenter's Hall?

The National Park Service Building is actually being demolished for this museum. You can see it if you click on this link:

https://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&ll=39...YS-MeMQTyw8mSIhw&cbp=12,106.36,,0,-10.31

gttx · #**1717** Posted **Mar 7, 2014, 4:20 AM**

Has anyone heard any recent news on the Drexel/Amtrak/Brandywine planning effort around 30th Street Station? I have heard some rumblings that a selection of the design team is imminent...

tsarstruck · #**1718** Posted **Mar 7, 2014, 2:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by gttx

Has anyone heard any recent news on the Drexel/Amtrak/Brandywine planning effort around 30th Street Station? I have heard some rumblings that a selection of the design team is imminent...

Ha. How many times is this rumor going to get beaten back here? The selection of a team for a feasibility study of development around there and over the railyard is imminent.

Mappy · #**1719** Posted **Mar 7, 2014, 2:41 PM**

Philadelphia Neighborhoods Map recently made publicly available from Azavea...
I believe these were constructed from public input, have people draw their own neighborhood and least-squares fitting all the responses.

http://maps.google.com/gallery/details?id=zAx3TsrBMXdM.kl8wG3KOBVeM&hl=en

tsarstruck · #**1720** Posted **Mar 7, 2014, 3:12 PM**

I think this really speaks to both how undervalued our market has been until very recently, and how hot it's getting. Charter Court in East Falls sold 18 months ago for $30MM. The company put in about $5MM in improvements, and just sold it for $47.3MM. Nice 30%+ return in 18 months. And while East Falls is very nice, it's not exactly a prime area. The kicker: the buying company plans to be spend another $7MM+ renovating the units.

East Falls Complex Sells for $47.3MM