PHILADELPHIA | Highrise Development Thread IX

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by Parkway

I believe that pano is from the top of Wiess Hall at Temple.

Yeah it has to be. It's from 2010. Morgan Hall wasn't even under construction yet.

[PhiLaw]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Yeah it has to be. It's from 2010. Morgan Hall wasn't even under construction yet.

Very nice, but hope they do another one in late 2016! From on top of Lincoln Financial Field. That would give you a view of everything, and zoomed out enough to provide perspective.

[Jelly Roll]

Shirt Corner Buildings Now Gone

Last month, we told you that the old Shirt Corner buildings at 3rd & Market would be demolished. This represented a significant change of course from the original plan for this site, which was to retain and restore the original historic buildings. But structural defects, previously hidden behind drywall, made the demolition of these buildings a sad necessity.

Will a revised project, constructed from the ground up, be able to capture the same feel as the old buildings we've lost? Unfortunately, we will never know.

http://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-philly/old-city/shirt-corner-buildings-now-gone

I figured I would post this here. I heard a rumor this building might end up in the 12-14 floor range now. According to the zoning map it is a CMX-3 zone which doesn't have heigh limits but I am not sure if it would allow for that type of FAR.

[Nightman]

Originally Posted by summersm343

I believe the carport will also be access-way to Fergie's Pub which will remain located BEHIND this building.

H&G Bistro how clever.

[Jonboy1983]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Fairmount never really went downhill. The entire area has been on an upswing from it's low point for decades. Surrounding neighborhoods like Spring Garden, Brewerytown, and Francisville are seeing rapid gentrification and redevelopment. Spring Garden is practically there, but in Brewerytown and Francisville, entire neighborhoods are being rebuilt. Fairmount is already pretty much an exciting area. It has been a highly desirable neighborhood for decades, and continues to be so.

That's good to know. At some point, could these townhomes be worth some $700k?

I imagine that if they do something with the Vine Expressway, like perhaps cap the damned thing, this area would become even more desirable than it is already. That would make for one heck of a long park-like setting extending from the Art Museum to at least Chinatown and almost all the way to Old City...

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by Jonboy1983

That's good to know. At some point, could these townhomes be worth some $700k?

I imagine that if they do something with the Vine Expressway, like perhaps cap the damned thing, this area would become even more desirable than it is already. That would make for one heck of a long park-like setting extending from the Art Museum to at least Chinatown and almost all the way to Old City...

There are already houses reaching over $700k in Fairmount, ESPECIALLY closer to the Parkway, and a bunch more down around the $600k range.

http://www.trulia.com/for_sale/5785_nh/price;d_sort/

The Parkway already acts as "sort of" a cap over Vine Street, and acts as a nice connector to Center City, which is why I imagine this neighborhood was able to prosper and do so well, while all other neighborhoods north of the Vine Street expressway that were cut off to Center City by it's construction, did not do so hot.

The neighborhood just to the north of the the Expressway and just to the West of the Parkway, which people call by multiple names (Logan Square, or Franklintown or simply the Art Museum area), has a lot of new highrise proposals on those hideous massive surface parking lots. This will help connect Center City and Fairmount/Spring Garden/Brewerytown/Francisville even better.

Now if the Vine Street Expressway was capped from 10th Street to 23rd Street, I think that would be miraculous! It would increase demand for ALL neighborhoods north of the expressway, and probably breathe new life into the Loft District. It would also connect Fairmount Park, The Parkway and Logan Square to the proposed Reading Viaduct Park. That would be a long stretch of green space!

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by Jelly Roll

http://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-philly/old-city/shirt-corner-buildings-now-gone

I figured I would post this here. I heard a rumor this building might end up in the 12-14 floor range now. According to the zoning map it is a CMX-3 zone which doesn't have heigh limits but I am not sure if it would allow for that type of FAR.

That would be very interesting! Haven't heard anything on this yet, but if I do I'll make sure to get some renderings!

So glad there is no more Old City NIMBY Association to nag developers to death and kill all projects over 4 floors tall.

[MusicMan84]

Regarding capping the Vine St expressway...

I certainly appreciate the thought. It would be nice. I don't think, however, the vine Street expressway is all that awful though. Given that it is sunken below grade, crossing is really as easy as crossing any major Street. I live in Spring Garden area, so I often walk it.

What I think is more intimidating and disconnecting are the huge ugly paring lots and garages you pass in the corridor between vine and spring garden or so. Thankfully... Many of these are headed for development. I think... If this area was more developed, people will think little of crossing vine, because there will be welcoming things greeting them on the other side.

Also, further development would likely bring more advocates and stakeholders to advocate for improvements to the vine St expressway... Whether that is capping or some other enhancements.

My 2 cents...

[Kidphilly]

Originally Posted by MusicMan84

Regarding capping the Vine St expressway...

I certainly appreciate the thought. It would be nice. I don't think, however, the vine Street expressway is all that awful though. Given that it is sunken below grade, crossing is really as easy as crossing any major Street. I live in Spring Garden area, so I often walk it.

What I think is more intimidating and disconnecting are the huge ugly paring lots and garages you pass in the corridor between vine and spring garden or so. Thankfully... Many of these are headed for development. I think... If this area was more developed, people will think little of crossing vine, because there will be welcoming things greeting them on the other side.

Also, further development would likely bring more advocates and stakeholders to advocate for improvements to the vine St expressway... Whether that is capping or some other enhancements.

My 2 cents...

agree

[PhiLaw]

Well since it's so quiet today, here's an Onion article glorifying Philadelphia's urban design at the expense of...Iowa...

Got it from Barstool (yea, I know)

http://philly.barstoolsports.com/around-...w-much-better-philadelphia-is-than-iowa/

[iheartphilly]

http://planphilly.com/eyesonthestreet/20...for-22nd-and-market-memorial-park-design

[iheartphilly]

22nd and Market Streets Memorial park article:

http://planphilly.com/eyesonthestreet/20...for-22nd-and-market-memorial-park-design

It's not a very inspiring design to honor the fallen.

[summersm343]

The park will only take up a small sliver of the lot. I'm okay with that. As long as the rest of the block stretching from 21st to 22nd becomes a highrise or two!

[EastSideHBG]

NY landlord 'dominates' S. Philly after $93M deal
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/inq-p...-after-93M-deal.html#YPjhBqiYgXv5fGd4.99

[shadowbat2]

^I'm in that area all the time and I've been daydreaming about how that could be redone into a walkable community....23rd and Shunk Streets could be redone, Porter Street could be cut back through again to better integrate with the Girard Estates neighborhood, pedestrian connections could be improved. New stores would face the streets with apartments/offices above, all that fun stuff....

Every time I'm doing errands there I am walking across those seas of parking lots and I sometimes think about what it could be. Really is a jumbled mess and Quartermaster Plaza is certainly not better.

Don't think my personal vision is shared by those at Cedar though

[PhiLaw]

We're still growing, albeit at a slower clip. This disappoints, if true

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/252462521.html?google_editors_picks=true

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by PhiLaw

We're still growing, albeit at a slower clip. This disappoints, if true

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/breaking/252462521.html?google_editors_picks=true

I would hardly trust Philly.com as a credible source. However, the city needs job growth if the population growth is to continue. Without job growth, Philly is doomed. It's about time someone woke up in City Council. We all know that won't happen though.

[ILovePhilly]

Originally Posted by summersm343

I would hardly trust Philly.com as a credible source. However, the city needs job growth if the population growth is to continue. Without job growth, Philly is doomed. It's about time someone woke up in City Council. We all know that won't happen though.

I agree that Philly.com is normal — for credibility but the census figures were unembargoed to the media earlier this week and will be available to the general public next week. These numbers, though disappointing, are credible.

Of course they are 1-year estimates with a rather large margin of error.

[Kidphilly]

Originally Posted by ILovePhilly

I agree that Philly.com is normal — for credibility but the census figures were unembargoed to the media earlier this week and will be available to the general public next week. These numbers, though disappointing, are credible.

Of course they are 1-year estimates with a rather large margin of error.

Agreed - one year is what it is - I think low and steady growth will continue.

Job creation is important to sustain this.

I dont see this as bad or good - more probably what is expected

with error on these estimates they get further and further from reality the further from the decennial census

Interesting to me is the strength of the city city continued relative to suburban counties. As a metro we need more job growth both in the city and region

[PhiLaw]

Originally Posted by Kidphilly

Agreed - one year is what it is - I think low and steady growth will continue.

Job creation is important to sustain this.

I dont see this as bad or good - more probably what is expected

with error on these estimates they get further and further from reality the further from the decennial census

Interesting to me is the strength of the city city continued relative to suburban counties. As a metro we need more job growth both in the city and region

This also doesn't segment the demographics - particularly by socio-economic status. Many middle-low to low income people are moving out of the city (mainly to DelCo, and some down south), so I'd like the see the proportion of the gentrification crowd that moved into the city - which I'm assuming is higher than the net increase released by the Census Bureau.

North Philly and Southwest Philly are losing population, so that will temper growth. As long as the areas associated with positive progress continue to grow (Center city, neighborhoods adjacent), a generalized net-inflow statistic will never reflect the positive reality here in the city.