PHILADELPHIA | Highrise Development Thread IX - Page 133

McBane · #**2641** Posted **Apr 28, 2014, 12:29 PM**

The concept of that 19th and Chestnut tower is great, but I just can't seem to stress this enough: with today's cost of labor and materials, it's just not feasible for today's developers to accurately mimic historic building design*. Even with a different color scheme, the SymPHONY house isn't fooling anyone. 10 Rittenhouse was built with a much higher budget and doesn't have the offensive color and it still looks fake. And there are countless awful faux historic townhouse and low-rise buildings throughout the city - not one looks real. This is all the more obvious because our city is blessed with loads of actual historic buildings that make the replicas look even worse. I really do hope Pearl is going to spring for real limestone and not faux limestone panels but I won't hold my breath.

*Unless you're financially backed by the Mormons

PhiLaw · #**2642** Posted **Apr 28, 2014, 12:45 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by McBane

The concept of that 19th and Chestnut tower is great, but I just can't seem to stress this enough: with today's cost of labor and materials, it's just not feasible for today's developers to accurately mimic historic building design*. Even with a different color scheme, the SymPHONY house isn't fooling anyone. 10 Rittenhouse was built with a much higher budget and doesn't have the offensive color and it still looks fake. And there are countless awful faux historic townhouse and low-rise buildings throughout the city - not one looks real. This is all the more obvious because our city is blessed with loads of actual historic buildings that make the replicas look even worse. I really do hope Pearl is going to spring for real limestone and not faux limestone panels but I won't hold my breath.

*Unless you're financially backed by the Mormons

Agreed. Art Deco was great because it looked organic. Faux art deco, not so much. I'd rather have a Murano-looking building than a Symphony House-looking building. Between two evils, I choose glass!

Philly Fan · #**2643** Posted **Apr 28, 2014, 1:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PhiLaw

Agreed. Art Deco was great because it looked organic. Faux art deco, not so much. I'd rather have a Murano-looking building than a Symphony House-looking building. Between two evils, I choose glass!

It doesn't have to be either/or. We don't live in a binary world--especially when it comes to the aesthetics of building design. There are lots of nuance, details, and gradations involved in the style of how a particular building is designed, and I think we should judge each design individually on its own merits, rather than with a broad-brush approach based on the broad category into which we think a building's design falls.

There's room in the skyline of a major city for a wide variety of styles of high-rises, and I'd hate to see the new growth in our skyline be restricted to just various shapes of glass towers (not that you were proposing that

). For example, I think that Bell Atlantic and BNY Mellon are two examples of "nostalgic" designs that work quite well, and add much to the skyline. And given that we already do have all-glass buildings like Comcast, Murano, and Cira, with more like CITC and FMC to come, I think a few designs like this one for 19th and Chestnut will help to create and maintain some desirable variety in the skyline.

That is, IF they are tastefully executed with appropriate proportions, details, and materials (as others have noted). Like many here, I would NOT include Symphony House in the group of buildings that satisfy those criteria

. But at the same time, I wouldn't necessarily condemn out of hand all building designs with traditional elements.

volguus zildrohar · #**2644** Posted **Apr 28, 2014, 1:38 PM**

The design looks decent on screen but costs are going to make that a chintzy affair I'm afraid. The limestone building currently on that corner is going to be saved though.

BTW Pennsgrant, that model in the Kling window is of CCT. It's been there since the Street administration.

josef · #**2645** Posted **Apr 28, 2014, 1:41 PM**

15th & Walnut this morning.

Kidphilly · #**2646** Posted **Apr 28, 2014, 1:50 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by spacevator

Thanks for the info. Great looking building. Any idea of its height?

PBJ said 27 stories not sure on height

Plokoon11 · #**2647** Posted **Apr 28, 2014, 1:53 PM**

Anyone stopping by the CTIC today? Because it appears that they are dropping off crane parts, and what not. (Trying to also build some excitement.

)

Londonee · #**2648** Posted **Apr 28, 2014, 1:54 PM**

Crane action at CITC site is not for CITC...but pool renovations on the building next door...

Perhaps they'll keep the lot cleared off and roll right into CITC construction once finished...

That 15th and Walnut Demo is one stubborn bastard...i'd be interested to see when they first began it in earnest, and learn how long it took to get to this point? It has to have been several months now, right?

Plokoon11 · #**2649** Posted **Apr 28, 2014, 2:00 PM**

Oh darn it, thats a bit of a bummer.

Flyers2001 · #**2650** Posted **Apr 28, 2014, 2:12 PM**

There were some post in the CITC thread pertaining to the possible start of construction. As of right now the crane that is on premise is loading equipment to the roof of the neighboring building, which is going through some construction of its own.

They did close half the lot as of now, but it only seems to be for the use of the crane to load supplies onto the neighboring roof.

Philly Fan · #**2651** Posted **Apr 28, 2014, 2:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Londonee

Crane action at CITC site is not for CITC...but pool renovations on the building next door...

Also, won't there be significant excavation before they erect a crane for CITC?

Flyers2001 · #**2652** Posted **Apr 28, 2014, 2:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philly Fan

Also, won't there be significant excavation before they erect a crane for CITC?

I'd imagine, as this will go quite deep with a connection to Suburban station. Everything is in place though to start construction. I have to imagine within a few weeks they will start the digging.

Philly Fan · #**2653** Posted **Apr 28, 2014, 2:34 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flyers2001

I have to imagine within a few weeks they will start the digging.

Yep, and it could be that this crane activity for the neighboring building is being done right now because of that very fact.

domodeez · #**2654** Posted **Apr 28, 2014, 6:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by domodeez

Two great things happening around the IRS building near 30th:

The cap is going in on the east side of the building along Schuylkill Ave. (now if only the gap east of FMC/Evo would be capped too...) There is some marble waiting to be installed, though I don't know exactly what for.

8 massive planters (about 15' x 20' each) are being installed on the north side along Market Street. The planters have been sitting as shown below for a few weeks, don't know why the delay.

Looking north along Schuylkill Ave, small cap is along IRS building's east side:

Looking south to Chestnut Street:

Marble sits curbside on Schuylkill Ave., waiting to be installed:

Looking east along Market St., 8 large planters (~ 15' x 20' each) will be installed in IRS building's north plaza across from The Porch:

Reposting since I goofed up when posting the pictures earlier.

summersm343 · #**2655** Posted **Apr 28, 2014, 6:15 PM**

^^ Awesome! Really excited about the cap! That's something that desperately needed to happen. These things add such improvement to the area.

MikeNigh · #**2656** Posted **Apr 28, 2014, 6:20 PM**

Sweet!

Muji · #**2657** Posted **Apr 28, 2014, 7:41 PM**

It's really heartening to see the progress that's been made in the last few years around 30th St Station, turning an auto-centric mess into a people-friendly public space worthy of one of the city's main gateways.

domodeez · #**2658** Posted **Apr 28, 2014, 7:41 PM**

I've just learned that the two projects on the north & east side of IRS building are actually the same project. Studio Bryan Hanes is the landscape architect and BRT is the developer. I don't believe anything has been publicly released about the particulars of this project, but I'll see what I can get.

domodeez · #**2659** Posted **Apr 28, 2014, 8:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by domodeez

I've just learned that the two projects on the north & east side of IRS building are actually the same project. Studio Bryan Hanes is the landscape architect and BRT is the developer. I don't believe anything has been publicly released about the particulars of this project, but I'll see what I can get.

I was able to get my hands on the renderings for the east side (although they may not be final renderings) and they look great. Can't share them, at least not yet, but the wait shouldn't be long since this project is currently underway. Still haven't seen renderings for the north plaza.

These pedestrian infrastructure upgrades are hugely important. Once Evo and FMC are open (and once Drexel's first innovation neighborhood development opens in 2.5 years according to John Fry), this area will be getting tons more foot traffic. Now if only we could fix Schuylkill Ave from Market to Walnut...

hammersklavier · #**2660** Posted **Apr 28, 2014, 9:18 PM**

I wouldn't hold my breath, domodeez.

(1) For the section alongside Schuylkill between Chestnut and Walnut, that's Amtrak air rights. Developing that parcel will undoubtedly be quite expensive; you've got an active train line down below. Look at Manhattan West for an example of what would have to be done.

(2) While I agree Schuylkill Avenue needs to be fixed, the reality is doing so would be a complex project that would involve a complete restructuring of traffic patterns between it and the Expressway. I'd also argue that the upper deck would need to be an extended frontage road for the Expressway in terms of traffic function in addition to its urban functions, and that it would need to run, at minimum, from South to Arch, and preferably up to Spring Garden with a direct connection into West River Drive.

But of course nobody is really looking at fixing this snarl at all, much less holistically.

About the 1900 Chestnut proposal--It's well-proportioned, and Pearl's most recent buildings (The Sansom and Granary) have both been quite handsome. This proposal is definitely in the BAT/BNY "Deco Revival" mold, and it will be interesting to see how it contrasts with the real deal at its base.