PHILADELPHIA | Highrise Development Thread IX

[Larry King]

Originally Posted by Londonee

Society Hill, great neighborhood. Fitler Square, great neighborhood. The dull collection of mid-rises along west market from 35th-40th? Not a great neighborhood. It's not really any neighborhood, it looks like Downtown, USA. And these buildings aren't dainty examples of conservative infill. 3601 Market, for example, is a 400k square foot building.

It reminds me of a boring part of DC

[summersm343]

Comcast agrees to buy NYC ad-tech firm

Many industry insiders said Comcast Corp.’s failed attempt to acquire rival Time Warner Cable would not discourage its acquisitive appetite. And on Thursday, the Philadelphia-based media giant agreed to acquire the TV ad-targeting firm Visible World. Terms of the deal were not released.

http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/...cast-agrees-to-buy-nyc-ad-tech-firm.html

[philatonian]

Originally Posted by Larry King

It reminds me of a boring part of DC

I thought the same thing, although a bit taller. When I think DC-in-Philly, I think of the north side of Independence Mall. In fact, when I jog past Franklin Square I always think to myself I'm in "Little DC."

[philatonian]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Comcast agrees to buy NYC ad-tech firm



http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/...cast-agrees-to-buy-nyc-ad-tech-firm.html

Interesting Comcast is buying into ad-tech after Verizon bought AOL, which is heavily rooted in the same now.

[jsbrook]

Originally Posted by Larry King

It reminds me of a boring part of DC

With good bit more height but without any of the charm. At least DC has wide sidewalks, great tree coverage and solid landscaping. That said, it's still nice to see all the development in University City. Hopefully better architecture is the next thing to come.

[skyscraper]

I was talking to a woman at a party last night who claimed to have knowledge of the Comcast situation. I don't know her, I don't know how she could have such knowledge, but she said that a third Comcast tower is not happening. However, she said that a tower could still be built on that site, it just would not be a Comcast building.
I definitely do not have knowledge of this situation, so I can't say one way or the other if this is true. If it were just LPT who owned the site and wanted to develop it, I could see this as a possibility. But since LPT and Comcast own the site jointly, I don't know why else Comcast would be in this partnership other than to build another tower. I don't think they want to get in the real estate development business. But again, I don't know, so does anyone have any information about this?

[br323206]

Originally Posted by Londonee

Society Hill, great neighborhood. Fitler Square, great neighborhood. The dull collection of mid-rises along west market from 35th-40th? Not a great neighborhood. It's not really any neighborhood, it looks like Downtown, USA. And these buildings aren't dainty examples of conservative infill. 3601 Market, for example, is a 400k square foot building.

Well, I think it all depends on context. Fitler Square and Society Hill are two of the best neighborhoods in the entire country, in my opinion. So if that's you're point of comparison, yes it 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵. But University City is not just that stretch of Market, and that stretch of Market having mid-rises instead of parking lots benefits the entire neighborhood. Also, the more recent Science Center buildings have been much better about promoting good urban form. I think the point is that spreading the office space out has been good for that part of the city.

[philly13]

Originally Posted by skyscraper

I was talking to a woman at a party last night who claimed to have knowledge of the Comcast situation. I don't know her, I don't know how she could have such knowledge, but she said that a third Comcast tower is not happening. However, she said that a tower could still be built on that site, it just would not be a Comcast building.
I definitely do not have knowledge of this situation, so I can't say one way or the other if this is true. If it were just LPT who owned the site and wanted to develop it, I could see this as a possibility. But since LPT and Comcast own the site jointly, I don't know why else Comcast would be in this partnership other than to build another tower. I don't think they want to get in the real estate development business. But again, I don't know, so does anyone have any information about this?

Where are these parties where people get around and talk about skyscrapers?...and why am I not there?

[wondertwinalpha]

Article on development of the lot by the Divine Lorraine on Plan Philly.


http://planphilly.com/articles/2015/06/0...apartments-in-divine-lorraine-s-backyard

[McBane]

This is awesome news. I'm trying to figure out the relation of this project and the developers to Eric Blumefield and the DL project. The way the article reads, it's as if the projects are separate.

[summersm343]

Logan Square Four Seasons to be replaced in the Fall

The Four Seasons in Philadelphia shuttered its doors this weekend, ceasing operations after more than 30 years in service.

The hotel closed in order to make way for a soon-to-be-announced hotel brand. The Four Seasons will relocate to the top floors of the Comcast Innovation and Technology Center, which is soon to be the city's tallest skyscraper at 59 stories.

The Four Seasons at Comcast is expected to open in 2018.

The hotel replacing the Four Seasons will open this fall after undergoing renovations, which will include a farm-to-table steakhouse called Urban Farmer and a rooftop lounge.

The Four Seasons and its replacement are just two of the many shakeups going on in Philadelphia’s hotel industry in upcoming years. The Hyatt on Penn’s landing officially changed in February to a Hilton property.

Other hotels expected to enter the market in the next few years are:

Fall 2015 — Roost Rittenhouse on the 1900 block of Chestnut Street

Spring 2016 — AKA University City at 30th and Walnut streets

Fall 2016 — The Study at University City at 33rd and Chestnut streets.

2017 — Aloft Hotel at Broad and Arch streets

2017 — SLS Hotel and Residences at Broad and Spruce streets.

2017 — AC Hotel by Marriott at N. 13th Street.

2018 — W and Element at 15th and Chestnut streets

http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/...e-four-seasons-hotel-closes-comcast.html

[hammersklavier]

2017 — AC Hotel by Marriott at N. 13th Street.

First I've ever heard of this one.

Wow, those are a lot of hotels! Too bad they'll be coming online after the DNC, lol.

[spacevator]

Where is new Kimpton hotel on Logan Square in this list?

[loverboie]

https://twitter.com/BapLouis/status/608286563240411136/photo/1

[tsarstruck]

Originally Posted by hammersklavier

First I've ever heard of this one.

Wow, those are a lot of hotels! Too bad they'll be coming online after the DNC, lol.

That's the hotel in Chinatown proposed for the old NFL Films building:

http://m.philly.curbed.com/archives/2014...ed-for-historic-warner-bros-building.php

[sayitaintso]

Other hotels expected to enter the market in the next few years are:

Fall 2015 — Roost Rittenhouse on the 1900 block of Chestnut Street. Other than Pearlstein there is nothing else going on this block

Spring 2016 — AKA University City at 30th and Walnut streetsIs this in the FMC Tower?

2017 — Aloft Hotel at Broad and Arch streets. What is this? A refag?

[1487]

Originally Posted by sayitaintso

Other hotels expected to enter the market in the next few years are:

Fall 2015 — Roost Rittenhouse on the 1900 block of Chestnut Street. Other than Pearlstein there is nothing else going on this block

Spring 2016 — AKA University City at 30th and Walnut streetsIs this in the FMC Tower?

2017 — Aloft Hotel at Broad and Arch streets. What is this? A refag?

The Roost project is underway. They are rehabbing a building on chestnut and its been going on for a while- I didn't know what was going on there until I read something about this Roost concept a few weeks back.

The aloft project is in the long vacant building at broad and arch. They applied for state funds, but I think they were denied. There have been very few details about this project.

[BenKatzPhillytoParis]

Norman Foster is speaking at Penn Museum tonight. I wonder if he'll drop any hints about the HUP project.

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by BenKatzPhillytoParis

Norman Foster is speaking at Penn Museum tonight. I wonder if he'll drop any hints about the HUP project.

I've seen renderings of it (as well as other posters I think) - it's completely in-scale with the height and context of the other buildings. I must admit I wasn't overwhelmed or underwhelmed - just whelmed. I wouldn't hold your breath for anything game changing - it's going to amount to $1Billion in-fill.

[iheartphilly]

Originally Posted by Londonee

I've seen renderings of it (as well as other posters I think) - it's completely in-scale with the height and context of the other buildings. I must admit I wasn't overwhelmed or underwhelmed - just whelmed. I wouldn't hold your breath for anything game changing - it's going to amount to $1Billion in-fill.

Unacceptable...
Have the rendering been made public yet?
HUP should not approve of the design short of being exceptional.