PHILADELPHIA | Highrise Development Thread IX

[Frontst17]

+1 for the symphony house here. It's no Drake, but it adds a LOT to that area and looks great in the skyline especially lit up

[Cro Burnham]

SUMMERSM INPUT NEEDED IMMEDIATELY

PBJ reports today that a Target will be moving to the soon-to-be vacant Whole Foods site at 20th & Callowhill.

Summers, big question: is one of the two big projects you mentioned that would be announced by year-end in the 200-400 foot range a mixed-use redo of this site with the Target as a anchor tenant on the ground floor?

I seriously hope so - I can't imagine the owners would tie up this super valuable site with the Barnes next door and all those high rises going up in every direction with a long-term lease and cosmetic redo of the existing suburban big box / surface lot crap.

That would be a colossal misuse/missed opportunity w/r/t what is quickly emerging as probably one of the most valuable developable sites in Center City. I sincerely hope they have Dalian-like big plans for this site.

Please summers, give as something to hang a hat on. Tap your feet twice this is one of the projects you alluded to.

[Philly-Drew]

Originally Posted by UrbanRevival

I would agree that Dranoff is definitely embracing much more forward-thinking and modern design, although opinions are course always a matter of personal taste.

As for Symphony House, I can understand when certain projects do not jibe with someone's design sensibilities, but when it comes to materials, I think the term "cheap" is tossed around way too liberally. Synthetic stucco (i.e., Dryvit) I can definitely see objections to, but both SH and Southstar used precast concrete and CarbonCast, which I don't think exactly is "cheap."

http://www.highconcrete.com/projects/applications/multiunit/condo/SymphonyHouse.cfm

The fact of the matter is we'll likely never see a full, traditionally-built masonry building constructed again, but that doesn't make precast buildings with solid materials any less durable or desirable. Now, I'd agree that they do not necessarily exude the same charm, but this is just the world we live in now.

If there are any cities anywhere in the world that are somehow bucking the trend and eschewing precast building methods, I'd love someone to point them out, but I think we've collectively moved on from that era.

Damn UrbanRevival, good points. You should post more often.

[UrbanRevival]

Originally Posted by Philly-Drew

Damn UrbanRevival, good points. You should post more often.

Thanks! I try to post when I've found an obscure nugget of development news or when I think I have some value to add to the discussion.

I'm actually a Philly-area expat, but it's still super exciting to watch Philly's resurgence from afar. Keep up the awesome updates, everyone!

[Kfmcshan]

From the open house Wednesday

[cafeguy]

Originally Posted by Kfmcshan

From the open house Wednesday

I love these plans, but how feasible is this in reality? im under the impression that this would be so much money and that EVEN if it could happen, it would be until like 2050 or something.

[Plokoon11]

Oh my if that ever did happen!

[TempleGuy1000]

Originally Posted by Cro Burnham

SUMMERSM INPUT NEEDED IMMEDIATELY

PBJ reports today that a Target will be moving to the soon-to-be vacant Whole Foods site at 20th & Callowhill.

Summers, big question: is one of the two big projects you mentioned that would be announced by year-end in the 200-400 foot range a mixed-use redo of this site with the Target as a anchor tenant on the ground floor?

I seriously hope so - I can't imagine the owners would tie up this super valuable site with the Barnes next door and all those high rises going up in every direction with a long-term lease and cosmetic redo of the existing suburban big box / surface lot crap.

That would be a colossal misuse/missed opportunity w/r/t what is quickly emerging as probably one of the most valuable developable sites in Center City. I sincerely hope they have Dalian-like big plans for this site.

Please summers, give as something to hang a hat on. Tap your feet twice this is one of the projects you alluded to.

No F'n way can I believe that is going to be a Target! That is the worst. Imagine driving down the parkway and seeing that.. This is a sick joke.

[Philly-Drew]

I agree that the rail yards plan looks pie-in-the-sky.

Regarding a target at that location, is it big enough?

[GarCastle]

Originally Posted by cafeguy

I love these plans, but how feasible is this in reality? im under the impression that this would be so much money and that EVEN if it could happen, it would be until like 2050 or something.

I'm not sure why anyone would bankroll covering the yard. It would be exceedingly expensive (Billions?) and there is cheap land all over Philly.

It's not like they can just throw up some support beams and cap it. The power lines (for SEPTA, Amtrak, & NJT) are quite high and there would have to be massive foundation work to support buildings of that size. And they can NOT do the foundation work because that area is almost contiguous tracks.

So I'm going to go ahead and say that the 30th street tracks will NEVER be capped like that. A building here or there? Maybe, but a massive platform costing god knows what per square foot so they can plant grass? ROFL I mean WTF. Why the hell would anyone do that?

Not directing this at anyone in particular. Just saying.

Also the rate at which these universities are charging, we parents will be forced to seek alternate education for our children. I mean $50,000 per year per kid? $400,000 two kids to go to Drexel? The gouging many of these universities have begun makes me wish a couple of them would tank so the others would take it as a lesson. I don't want to pay that much LOL nor do I want them enslaved to absurd payments for 10-20 years. Hmm, maybe it's time for me to get some cans of spray paint. :^)

Cheers,
G.

[Cro Burnham]

Originally Posted by Philly-Drew

Regarding a target at that location, is it big enough?

www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2015/12/18/target-third-store-fairmount-phila-whole-foods.html

[Knight Hospitaller]

Originally Posted by Cro Burnham

www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2015/12/18/target-third-store-fairmount-phila-whole-foods.html

Bummer. Sound's like they're just going to fill the existing building and keep the parking lot from hell.

[jsbrook]

Build it! Can't we just get Mexico to pay for it? Get to work, Mr. Trump.

Originally Posted by Kfmcshan

From the open house Wednesday

[jjv007]

Originally Posted by GarCastle

Also the rate at which these universities are charging, we parents will be forced to seek alternate education for our children. I mean $50,000 per year per kid? $400,000 two kids to go to Drexel? The gouging many of these universities have begun makes me wish a couple of them would tank so the others would take it as a lesson. I don't want to pay that much LOL nor do I want them enslaved to absurd payments for 10-20 years. Hmm, maybe it's time for me to get some cans of spray paint. :^)

Cheers,
G.

Penn offers very good financial aid if you get in and Drexel is not too shabby either if your grades and test scores are good. It's up to the student honestly. Too many times we blame institutions but there are so many quality options available that are quite affordable if one studies hard in high school and applies for scholarships and need-based aid.

[iheartphilly]

Originally Posted by jjv007

Penn offers very good financial aid if you get in and Drexel is not too shabby either if your grades and test scores are good. It's up to the student honestly. Too many times we blame institutions but there are so many quality options available that are quite affordable if one studies hard in high school and applies for scholarships and need-based aid.

Cost of education is way out of control...something like 1 trillion dollars in student loan debt. Penn is really out of reach for most and part of it has nothing to do with studying hard in high school. Further, unless you are academically gifted or athletically talented and lucky enough to get a full ride scholarship, a standard scholarship will only offset some of the cost. In any case, find a degree that will earn a good salary. Plenty of good universities that don't cost 45-60k a year and that's only undergraduate costs. I'll keep plugging away at a 529 and other investments, but I'm not counting on the generosity of any university.

In any case, I would love to see more corporations fill up the potential developments of the rail yard. Having the co-op programs, Drexel and Penn could help drive a few medical/technology companies to move here to tap the research of the university, set up partnerships, business collaboration, and a pool of talented researchers, students, faculty, and existing companies.

[Philly-Drew]

Originally Posted by Cro Burnham

www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/news/2015/12/18/target-third-store-fairmount-phila-whole-foods.html

Damn.

[jjv007]

Originally Posted by iheartphilly

Cost of education is way out of control...something like 1 trillion dollars in student loan debt. Penn is really out of reach for most and part of it has nothing to do with studying hard in high school. Further, unless you are academically gifted or athletically talented and lucky enough to get a full ride scholarship, a standard scholarship will only offset some of the cost. In any case, find a degree that will earn a good salary. Plenty of good universities that don't cost 45-60k a year and that's only undergraduate costs. I'll keep plugging away at a 529 and other investments, but I'm not counting on the generosity of any university.

I have to say much of this is false. I'm currently a senior in high school and have three siblings in college (undergrad or grad) so I know quite a lot about the college process at present. You're right about a school like Drexel being potentially tough financially, but even then as I said if you're a good student you can probably get around that for the most part (and it's not really about academic giftedness either, a lot of it has to be with one's one motivation).
The Ivies though, you can't really make an argument about finances. Penn actually doesn't give out merit or athletic scholarships, so that's not even really applicable in this case. They do give out a hefty amount of financial aid support that's very reasonable, though, the only challenge is that you have to get into the school.
You're also right about there being a lot of good options that are less expensive. Many quality schools have manageable tuition amounts that can be lessened even further with various financial aid packages/scholarships.

[ScreamShatter]

Originally Posted by jjv007

I have to say much of this is false. I'm currently a senior in high school and have three siblings in college (undergrad or grad) so I know quite a lot about the college process at present. You're right about a school like Drexel being potentially tough financially, but even then as I said if you're a good student you can probably get around that for the most part (and it's not really about academic giftedness either, a lot of it has to be with one's one motivation).
The Ivies though, you can't really make an argument about finances. Penn actually doesn't give out merit or athletic scholarships, so that's not even really applicable in this case. They do give out a hefty amount of financial aid support that's very reasonable, though, the only challenge is that you have to get into the school.
You're also right about there being a lot of good options that are less expensive. Many quality schools have manageable tuition amounts that can be lessened even further with various financial aid packages/scholarships.

Take it from someone who knows, those financial aid packages are misleading. I have friends who didn't realize they were taking on $80k in debt and have high interest payments. This results in student loan payments between $500 to $1000 per month for around 20 years. That's a house payment.

Of course, not all financial aid packages are equally. But some of my friends went to Ivies or top liberal arts colleges and are struggling.

Bottom line, be careful.

[Frontst17]

Colleges cost way too much and it's been that way for so long that people in high school and going through college have just accepted it as the way it is. It doesn't have to be though. Students are being exploited out the ass

[Human Scale]

Originally Posted by br323206

We've had this discussion a million times but I also like SH. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

I like Symphony House. There. I said it. Whew.