PHILADELPHIA | Highrise Development Thread IX

[bawdycav]

Originally Posted by RumbleFish

This list must be somewhat flawed because San Francisco's city limits is 46 sq miles and has 847,000 + people and the Bay area is has to be one of the densest metros in the country as well.

That stuck out to me too.

If San Francisco's city limits were 200square miles its population would be far in excess of that number. The only major city that is more densely populated than SF is NYC.

[eliasrapp98]

This isn't really about development, but you guys are usually very knowledgable about this kinda stuff... Is there a reason why the state can't change the counties in Pennsylvania so that the mainline becomes part of Philadelphia County? This would bring tons of tax dollars into the city allowing the state to not have to put their money into our failing school system. Instead, we'd now have a way richer county and one that is more similar to the sizes of other counties. This is what Philadelphia would look like if the county lines were 200 sq miles.

[iamrobk]

Originally Posted by eliasrapp98

This isn't really about development, but you guys are usually very knowledgable about this kinda stuff... Is there a reason why the state can't change the counties in Pennsylvania so that the mainline becomes part of Philadelphia County? This would bring tons of tax dollars into the city allowing the state to not have to put their money into our failing school system. Instead, we'd now have a way richer county and one that is more similar to the sizes of other counties. This is what Philadelphia would look like if the county lines were 200 sq miles.

Well for one, most people currently living in those suburbs which would be annexed by the city would absolutely hate it.

[Hrytsyu]

Originally Posted by McBane

With all the retail momentum we've had in the city - on Chestnut St in particular, this comes as a major letdown. http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/the-insider/Wawa-to-open-at-Broad-and-Walnut-Streets.html

First an oversized drug store takes over Borders and now we get a convenience store at Robinson's. I'm afraid to think what will happen to the space at FYI when that outdated business model finally goes under.

What is it about Broad Street that just kills street level activity? To the east lies the 13th St corridor and to the west lies Rittenhouse Row. It's strange to me.

I was told by a gentleman, a couple of generations beyond me, that the former Robinson Luggage store was occupied by a Horn & Hardart. His reaction about the prospect of a Wawa with seating at that location was positive due to this recollection. He said there was always a need for that type of service at that location, and the need remains.

One of my questions about that site, and one that is relative to interests of skyscraper page content, is "WHEN will the building owner (U. Arts?) finish the early 20th century exterior refurbishment they initiated a number of years ago?"

I assumed the process ceased due to Robinson Luggage's objection to construction as it would disturb their retail practice. If I am correct, would not the vacation of premises by Robinson permit the refurbishment process to continue?

[eliasrapp98]

Originally Posted by iamrobk

Well for one, most people currently living in those suburbs which would be annexed by the city would absolutely hate it.

Why? Cause they'd have to live in a "dangerous city full of welfare bums"?

[Larry King]

Originally Posted by eliasrapp98

This isn't really about development, but you guys are usually very knowledgable about this kinda stuff... Is there a reason why the state can't change the counties in Pennsylvania so that the mainline becomes part of Philadelphia County? This would bring tons of tax dollars into the city allowing the state to not have to put their money into our failing school system. Instead, we'd now have a way richer county and one that is more similar to the sizes of other counties. This is what Philadelphia would look like if the county lines were 200 sq miles.

no thanks. I don't want Delco!

[jsbrook]

Originally Posted by eliasrapp98

This isn't really about development, but you guys are usually very knowledgable about this kinda stuff... Is there a reason why the state can't change the counties in Pennsylvania so that the mainline becomes part of Philadelphia County? This would bring tons of tax dollars into the city allowing the state to not have to put their money into our failing school system. Instead, we'd now have a way richer county and one that is more similar to the sizes of other counties. This is what Philadelphia would look like if the county lines were 200 sq miles.

The Main Line does not want to be part of Philadelphia County. And the powerful and wealthy towns of the Main Line are inhabited by wealthy, connected people that wield some considerable voting power and purse strings.

[jsbrook]

Originally Posted by eliasrapp98

Why? Cause they'd have to live in a "dangerous city full of welfare bums"?

Yes. And suddenly being subjected to a nearly 4% earned income tax. And a host of other reasons.

[volguus zildrohar]

Why on Earth would Harrisburg want to compel one municipality to join with another? Harrisburg doesn't even possess the authority to do so. There are 501 school districts in the commonwealth..balkanization is the state pastime.

Even if the power did exist all parties involved would have to be amenable to it and such a situation doesn't exist...anywhere in the known universe. The people who live in cities and towns outside of Philadelphia do so because they wish to. If they wanted to live in the city they would be. They want their suburban dreams as much as we want our urban ones.

Different strokes.

Next question.

[wondertwinalpha]

Originally Posted by sirexcaliber

Has one been by the site of 1 Water Street to get any updates on where things stand for site prep

Was by this site today. Snapped some photos. It is progressing.









Sorry about the finger in the last one, but you can see the crane base in that one.

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by wondertwinalpha

Was by this site today. Snapped some photos. It is progressing.


Sorry about the finger in the last one, but you can see the crane base in that one.

There is a thread for this here:
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=211345

[the_curious_urbanist]

Does anyone think that Philly is the fastest growing non-sunbelt city now?

[wondertwinalpha]

There is a thread for this here:
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=211345

Thanks summersm. Reposted in that thread. It is not showing in the Philadelphia projects for some reason so I couldn't find it.

[jsbrook]

Originally Posted by the_curious_urbanist

Does anyone think that Philly is the fastest growing non-sunbelt city now?

No. Philly is doing great. But there is Seattle and other places outside the sunbelt that are growing faster and in greater percentages.

[geoking66]

Originally Posted by the_curious_urbanist

Does anyone think that Philly is the fastest growing non-sunbelt city now?

Among non-Sunbelt cities, Philly is still in the lower half of major urban areas. Using city proper:

Washington, DC: 9.5%
Seattle: 7.2%
San Francisco: 5.9%
Boston: 4.6%
Philadelphia: 2.2%
New York: 1.9%
Chicago: 0.9%

[kingtut]

What is your source and do you know the basis of those numbers ?

[jsbrook]

Originally Posted by kingtut

What is your source and do you know the basis of those numbers ?

Probably Wikipedia, which documents population growth estimates and is well-sourced. The numbers seem to correspond with the growth estimates for Philly and some of those other cities on Wikipedia (since 2010). San Francisco would be considered a sunbelt city. Southwest is still sunbelt. Still pretty impressive to me that Philly ranks above New York and Chicago when those cities and the others were less dependent on manufacturing and came out of the population loss spiral caused by white flight and off-shoring all our manufacturing much earlier than Philly. Compared to more similarly situated rust belt cities, Philly is really doing great. And I think the best is yet to come and we will really hit our stride in the next decade. Especially if we can land another 1-2 powerhouse companies and improve our business climate and schools.

[relnahe]

Why the hell would Philly want to annex the suburbs?!? First off the city is growing faster than the suburban counties (with maybe an exception to Bucks), and secondly the city would lose overall population density.

[1487]

Originally Posted by relnahe

Why the hell would Philly want to annex the suburbs?!? First off the city is growing faster than the suburban counties (with maybe an exception to Bucks), and secondly the city would lose overall population density.

Inquirer just had article about growth in each of the counties. I think chester and montgomery are growing a little faster than Philly. BUt Philly is ahead of South Jersey counties and Delco, Bucks. Chester county is the fastest growing in the state if Im not mistaken.

[Late1]

The Inquirer article said Chester & Montgomery Counties are growing faster than Philadelphia, but they were talking percentages. Relnahe is correct in that the city is growing faster in terms of raw numbers.

Philly, NYC, and Chicago would rate higher on Geoking66's list too if it showed population added rather than increases as percentages of existing populations.