PHILADELPHIA | Highrise Development Thread IX

[Kidphilly]

Originally Posted by Jelly Roll

New building is what I heard...

will this be downtown or in the new center by Campbell's - hope DT

[Baconboy007]

This is amazing http://m.imgur.com/a/b5xcQ

[EastSideHBG]

Changing Skyline: Is 'over-success' in development hurting Phila.?
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/...hurting_Phila__.html#Hls2p4FkJy2vf8Rb.99

[bucks native]

Tuesday, July 08, 2014

Area Development magazine notes the upcoming expansion of Urban Outfitters' corporate headquarters in South Philadelphia's Navy Yard and the 2,000 jobs it create.

[bucks native]

Nordstrom Rack

Philadelphia, PA - 1700 Chestnut Street
Opening Date: October 30, 2014

[philatonian]

Originally Posted by EastSideHBG

Changing Skyline: Is 'over-success' in development hurting Phila.?
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/...hurting_Phila__.html#Hls2p4FkJy2vf8Rb.99

I was wondering if anyone was going to bring this up on here. I found it kind of interesting that she brought up Joan Shepp because she moved her store to Chestnut Street and AFAIK she still has the same great window displays. I think it will be a long time before Philadelphia suffers from "over-success." Sure, chains and banks are taking the place of independent stores on Walnut and filling in the gaps in University City, but those independent businesses are spilling over to Chestnut and east of Broad, and they're capitalizing off the foot traffic that the chains are bringing.

[Guipos08]

Originally Posted by Baconboy007

This is amazing http://m.imgur.com/a/b5xcQ

Awesome!

[Philly-Drew]

Originally Posted by Baconboy007

This is amazing http://m.imgur.com/a/b5xcQ

This is awesome! Great job on this! Can you keep us updated as it continues to grow?

[shadowbat2]

Originally Posted by Baconboy007

This is amazing http://m.imgur.com/a/b5xcQ

That's incredible!!

[mmikeyphilly]

Originally Posted by Baconboy007

This is amazing http://m.imgur.com/a/b5xcQ

Yes, that is Amazing! That's ironic, I was just viewing the "Lego Skyline" thread just yesterday. He should post his results on there too. The Lego Skyline thread is all the way at the bottom on SSP. There are some pretty remarkable structures there, as well. It will keep you occupied for hours.

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by philatonian

I was wondering if anyone was going to bring this up on here. I found it kind of interesting that she brought up Joan Shepp because she moved her store to Chestnut Street and AFAIK she still has the same great window displays. I think it will be a long time before Philadelphia suffers from "over-success." Sure, chains and banks are taking the place of independent stores on Walnut and filling in the gaps in University City, but those independent businesses are spilling over to Chestnut and east of Broad, and they're capitalizing off the foot traffic that the chains are bringing.

Still. I would much rather a Marc Jacobs store on Walnut than a fucking Santander bank. Why couldn't Santander go to Chestnut? You know Marc Jacobs won't go to Chestnut. And seriously? They outbid a developer trying to build a multifloor residential building with groundfloor retail on a high profile lot on busy 38th street in the heart of University City. Santander has no respect for the Philly market it's trying to come into. If they cared at all about the city they would've worked with the developer to acquire a ground floor retail spot. Instead we have a suburban bank layout in the heart of what should be a very dense area.

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by bucks native

Tuesday, July 08, 2014

Area Development magazine notes the upcoming expansion of Urban Outfitters' corporate headquarters in South Philadelphia's Navy Yard and the 2,000 jobs it create.

This will be great. 2,000 more jobs to the city on top of Comcast's nearly 3,000 more jobs to the city. Superb! Now all we need is that Broad Street line extension!

Originally Posted by bucks native

Nordstrom Rack

Philadelphia, PA - 1700 Chestnut Street
Opening Date: October 30, 2014

Great news! Chestnut is really on the up!

[philatonian]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Still. I would much rather a Marc Jacobs store on Walnut than a fucking Santander bank. Why couldn't Santander go to Chestnut? You know Marc Jacobs won't go to Chestnut. And seriously? They outbid a developer trying to build a multifloor residential building with groundfloor retail on a high profile lot on busy 38th street in the heart of University City. Santander has no respect for the Philly market it's trying to come into. If they cared at all about the city they would've worked with the developer to acquire a ground floor retail spot. Instead we have a suburban bank layout in the heart of what should be a very dense area.

It does suck. I wouldn't rule out Chestnut Street though. I think it's going to turn around very fast. Banks can unfortunately outbid anyone, literally anyone. What's worse, like Hampton Inn and Taco Bell, banks exclusively use branded architecture so they can be spotted easy. That's why they chose Walnut instead of Chestnut. Santander wants to be available where the most expensive shopping is.

It's sleazy but no one ever said bankers were pillars of moral superiority.

[skyscraper]

Originally Posted by EastSideHBG

Changing Skyline: Is 'over-success' in development hurting Phila.?
Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/...hurting_Phila__.html#Hls2p4FkJy2vf8Rb.99

Inga is so hateable. She calls Philadelphia a city that is just now getting used to success. Really, Inga? We've never had success before?
Christ, she just hates this city. Like any provincial New Yorker, any success that is not in New York she dumps on. No, no, you silly Philadelphians, you keep your quaint little stores, leave the real money makers to us New Yorkers.
"Over-success"? not even a word.
And I would really not even call this an architecture column. It's a development column, and a shitty one at that.
Tell you what, Inquirer: next round of layoffs, start with her.

[ScreamShatter]

Originally Posted by skyscraper

Inga is so hateable. She calls Philadelphia a city that is just now getting used to success. Really, Inga? We've never had success before?
Christ, she just hates this city. Like any provincial New Yorker, any success that is not in New York she dumps on. No, no, you silly Philadelphians, you keep your quaint little stores, leave the real money makers to us New Yorkers.
"Over-success"? not even a word.
And I would really not even call this an architecture column. It's a development column, and a shitty one at that.
Tell you what, Inquirer: next round of layoffs, start with her.

This column doesn't bother me as I think it does hit on a real issue -- a city where chains take over and push out the unique local stores. Specifically, we are seeing a lot of that on Walnut and Chestnut. I don't think it's a bad thing yet, but it could become an issue in the future.

I'm sure we'll all have different opinions on this, and that's fine. I chalk this up to personal preference and beliefs about the pros/cons of chains.

[philatonian]

Originally Posted by ScreamShatter

This column doesn't bother me as I think it does hit on a real issue -- a city where chains take over and push out the unique local stores. Specifically, we are seeing a lot of that on Walnut and Chestnut. I don't think it's a bad thing yet, but it could become an issue in the future.

I'm sure we'll all have different opinions on this, and that's fine. I chalk this up to personal preference and beliefs about the pros/cons of chains.

It didn't bother me either because she hits on a valid point, but it's a point better made in cities like New York and DC. Philadelphia has so much room to expand independent retail even in Center City. It was really shortsighted of her to assume that Walnut Street and University City are our only real shopping districts. She's talked about East Chestnut and Market East before. I'm not sure why she spent so much time talking about banks. She could have expanded on her point and made a really great article.

[summersm343]

3737 Market
The 13 floor, 221 foot office tower at 38th and Market in University City is complete and will be moved to the Completed Projects Archive Thread.

Exterior Complete!

[PhiLaw]

Originally Posted by ScreamShatter

This column doesn't bother me as I think it does hit on a real issue -- a city where chains take over and push out the unique local stores. Specifically, we are seeing a lot of that on Walnut and Chestnut. I don't think it's a bad thing yet, but it could become an issue in the future.

I'm sure we'll all have different opinions on this, and that's fine. I chalk this up to personal preference and beliefs about the pros/cons of chains.

The "small business and worthy men" argument is difficult to maintain. Big chains open up shop because there is ostensibly demand for them. If not, they will shutter (eg, K-Mart). If there is demand for them, who are the select few that get to demand they go away, despite the fact that people are voting (with their wallet) for their continued presence?

One other thing - larger stores tend to capture efficiencies better than smaller shops, which lowers prices - benefiting both consumers and other businesses.

I'm not saying I prefer Wal-Mart over a botique, but I'd rather have Philadelphians vote for which they prefer than a zoning board or. Inga's NIMBY predilictions.

[relnahe]

Originally Posted by skyscraper

Inga is so hateable. She calls Philadelphia a city that is just now getting used to success. Really, Inga? We've never had success before?
Christ, she just hates this city. Like any provincial New Yorker, any success that is not in New York she dumps on. No, no, you silly Philadelphians, you keep your quaint little stores, leave the real money makers to us New Yorkers.
"Over-success"? not even a word.
And I would really not even call this an architecture column. It's a development column, and a shitty one at that.
Tell you what, Inquirer: next round of layoffs, start with her.

While I agree with your sentiment. Don't get worked up over Inga. She is obviously ignorant to Philadelphia's very important history and its success from the revolutionary war to the middle of the 20th century and now back again.

[mja]

Inga Saffron is so misunderstood on this board.