PHILADELPHIA | Highrise Development Thread IX

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by Philly Kid

Maybe it's just me but is seems like development news has slowed down a bit since the New Year. Hopefully things start picking up as we await news on some possible big developments entering the pipeline this year.

I'm certain that the whole budget fiasco in the state senate right now has something to do with it. All development not already underway is at a standstill right now because of it.

[UrbanRevival]

Originally Posted by Larry King

Doubt they seriously considered anywhere besides ny or boston.. alot of it comes down to where their top execs want to live i'm sure. I think philly's competition is montgomery and chester county, not ny or boston or dc. Delaware Valley is an economic powerhouse of a region, if the city can beat the suburbs out for more and more jobs each year, we will be in great shape.

Fundamentally, geographic proximity and Boston's status as a major tech epicenter (on the East Coast) I think is what the biggest factor was here. That's not to say that Philly could never have been a contender, but the deck, I believe, was stacked in this case.

To your point about competition with the suburbs, though, I think it's crucial for Philly to really look beyond that mentality if it really wants to reach a new level of economic growth.

As you say, Greater Philadelphia (a term that everyone should be using to emphasize the city again) is an economic powerhouse, and as such should truly strategize about competing for jobs and growth on a national and international level. Focusing on competing against the suburbs is not only myopic but extremely counter-productive.

Philly is on the right track by being a competitive hub for many start-up companies, but it can become more competitive by not only doing everything in its power to ensure that small companies stay in the region (as opposed to heading for other cities when they become more successful or need more venture capital funding, which still seems to get met with a shrug all too often). It should be much more aggressive (via ad campaigns or other policy incentives) to attract smaller companies based in super-expensive NYC, DC and even Boston (or at least open satellite offices).

While this kind of effort does not get the same type of press as a major corporate relocation like GE, it is the foundation of stronger, more organic and sustainable growth.

[wanderer34]

Originally Posted by br323206

Ok buddy, you're right. Everyone else is wrong. The world is out to get you and everything sucks!

Cool!!! I guess the city doesn't even care about it's own transit system!!! It's the city's loss, not mine!!! Don't push it!!!

[1487]

well it looks like more details on the long awaited Drexel expansion are coming soon.

http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/...a-philadelphia-university-expansion.html

[br323206]

Originally Posted by UrbanRevival

Fundamentally, geographic proximity and Boston's status as a major tech epicenter (on the East Coast) I think is what the biggest factor was here. That's not to say that Philly could never have been a contender, but the deck, I believe, was stacked in this case.

To your point about competition with the suburbs, though, I think it's crucial for Philly to really look beyond that mentality if it really wants to reach a new level of economic growth.

As you say, Greater Philadelphia (a term that everyone should be using to emphasize the city again) is an economic powerhouse, and as such should truly strategize about competing for jobs and growth on a national and international level. Focusing on competing against the suburbs is not only myopic but extremely counter-productive.

Philly is on the right track by being a competitive hub for many start-up companies, but it can become more competitive by not only doing everything in its power to ensure that small companies stay in the region (as opposed to heading for other cities when they become more successful or need more venture capital funding, which still seems to get met with a shrug all too often). It should be much more aggressive (via ad campaigns or other policy incentives) to attract smaller companies based in super-expensive NYC, DC and even Boston (or at least open satellite offices).

While this kind of effort does not get the same type of press as a major corporate relocation like GE, it is the foundation of stronger, more organic and sustainable growth.

This. Our competition is DC, NYC, Boston, Chicago, etc.--not Montco and Chesco. Those places should be our partners, because a healthy city means a healthy region.

[br323206]

Originally Posted by wanderer34

Cool!!! I guess the city doesn't even care about it's own transit system!!! It's the city's loss, not mine!!! Don't push it!!!

It's not the city's transit system, it is Southeastern PA's transit system. The city gets to appoint two members to its 15 member board. Each of the other counties get to appoint two members each. The legislature gets to appoint four members and the governor gets to appoint a member as well. Eighty percent of the system's subsidy comes from the state. This adds up to a situation where the city has very little control over SEPTA.

[Flyers2001]

Damn Summers, over 10k post in this thread. Isn't that when you started a new one the last go around?

[hammersklavier]

Originally Posted by Flyers2001

Damn Summers, over 10k post in this thread. Isn't that when you started a new one the last go around?

We decided to just let this one go on because everybody was too lazy to make a new first post.

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by Flyers2001

Damn Summers, over 10k post in this thread. Isn't that when you started a new one the last go around?

Like Hammer said.

A. we are too lazy too make a new first post right now.
B. we're going to let the thread go to 1000 pages and reassess and likely create the new development thread then.
C. I will clean up the first page of this thread in the next few weeks or so to make sure the information on there is up to date.

[summersm343]

North Broad starting to see an emerging retail corridor take shape

More than 200,000 square feet of new retail space is slotted for North Broad Street that, for the first time in decades, will make inroads in establishing what could be a new, emerging shopping corridor in Philadelphia.

Some of the spaces that are planned are part of developments close to City Hall and the Pennsylvania Convention Center while others push north toward Temple University and areas just off of North Broad. The surge of proposed retail activity on what is one of Philadelphia’s main thoroughfares is a reflection of where development activity is headed in Philadelphia these days. It also shows how the residential scene is taking off in that part of the city and, as a result, creating a demand for retail space in an area where it has long been absent.

While a majority of those residences are now in areas flanking North Broad, new projects that will infuse the area with hundreds of apartments that are more or less right on the street include the Divine Lorraine, Hanover North Broad, 1300 Fairmount, Mural Arts Lofts, among others.

For Philadelphia developers such as Bart Blatstein, who heads up Tower Investments Inc., it’s a no-brainer to plant more retail space along the corridor.

“You have a lot of density and it is very, very under-retailed,” he said. “It’s time.”

Blatstein, who already has a substantial presence along North Broad, is planning 60,000 square feet of additional new retail space on two levels at Broad and Spring Garden streets and another 30,000 square feet behind his existing Avenue North development near Temple. Plans are still being formulated for Blatstein’s property at 400 N. Broad but it will likely have retail and restaurant components.

http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/...-starting-to-see-an-emerging-retail.html

[MikeNigh]

Originally Posted by br323206

It's not the city's transit system, it is Southeastern PA's transit system. The city gets to appoint two members to its 15 member board. Each of the other counties get to appoint two members each. The legislature gets to appoint four members and the governor gets to appoint a member as well. Eighty percent of the system's subsidy comes from the state. This adds up to a situation where the city has very little control over SEPTA.

Septa and the regional rail system should separate. The city needs the ability to expand inner city transit without the suburbs give a shit, we don't owe them anything.

[AbortedWalrus]

Originally Posted by summersm343

North Broad starting to see an emerging retail corridor take shape



http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/...-starting-to-see-an-emerging-retail.html

It sounds like the second phase of the state office building, but I thought Blatstein sold that? Does he have other property on that corner? Wonder if they meant the Inquirer building.

[Outta here]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Like Hammer said.

A. we are too lazy too make a new first post right now.
B. we're going to let the thread go to 1000 pages and reassess and likely create the new development thread then.
C. I will clean up the first page of this thread in the next few weeks or so to make sure the information on there is up to date.

Wow , another 490 pages . That should take all us impatient skyscraper junkies right up against " loony "by then ..... But I think
I get it . You guys are not lazy , just don't have enough new stuff to warrant a new thread . So this one is probably good thru
the middle of 2018 .
By then , projects like , CITC , FMC , W Hotel , 500 Walnut and Children's Hospital " should " be in the completed category .
Hopefully , Cira Centre II , 1911 Walnut and SLS , should be deep into the under construction section by then .

MAYBE , something might even develop at 8th & Market by then ...... ( not holding my breath ) .

Creating a new post ( i.e. Thread X ) must be a shit load of work and very time consuming to say the least . So , to conclude ,
I personally want to thank all who make THIS thread worth my time and fun to read .... no matter how many pages .

MAYBE , and once again , just maybe , we might read about another new super tall by then

[cafeguy]

Not sure if this was already posted, but this is a great metric for this forum to use since we are always comparing philly to other cities. With this in mind, I don't give a F*ck if Houston has more skyscrapers or whatnot...it's not a damn city - given the idea of "urban vs suburban"!

http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox/2015...gest_cities_look_like_giant_suburbs.html

[1487]

Originally Posted by MikeNigh

Septa and the regional rail system should separate. The city needs the ability to expand inner city transit without the suburbs give a shit, we don't owe them anything.

that isnt happening

[summersm343]

Wrong thread

[Larry King]

Originally Posted by AbortedWalrus

It sounds like the second phase of the state office building, but I thought Blatstein sold that? Does he have other property on that corner? Wonder if they meant the Inquirer building.

It was marketed by a broker but I don't think anything ever closed

Years ago he said he'd build a glass retail area on broad and spring where the fence currently is. That would be nice if he ever does it

[wanderer34]

Originally Posted by br323206

It's not the city's transit system, it is Southeastern PA's transit system. The city gets to appoint two members to its 15 member board. Each of the other counties get to appoint two members each. The legislature gets to appoint four members and the governor gets to appoint a member as well. Eighty percent of the system's subsidy comes from the state. This adds up to a situation where the city has very little control over SEPTA.

And that's exactly what I meant: it's the city's loss that they don't at least have a greater say what goes on with the subway, bus, and trolley system. I believe the city of Phila needs to have greater control and say within the city.

People from far flung suburbs like Bucks and Chester Counties aren't going to be using the trolley and subway system in the same capacity like people in places from Upper Darby, Darby, Yeadon, and Cheltenham Township and Jenkintown. I honestly believe that three boards be formed by SEPTA: the commuter/regional rail board, the surface/trolley board, and the subway board.

Each of the three boards would be formed by locations of the board members, with 2 board members from each SE PA county, totaling the commuter rail to 10, a subway board with 2 members each in North, Northeast, and Northwest Phila, and one each for the River Wards, West, South, SW, and CC Phila and one representative for Montco, Bunco, and Delco, totaling 14, and a surface board for Phila, Delco, Bunco, and Montco each.

You just can't allow somebody from Chester County, western Montco, or upper Buxco, where there's no subway service whatsoever to influence how the subway system gets maintained or used or our subway-surface system. And that's why SEPTA is nothing more than a glorified bus company when it should be running and maintaining our rail system, which was supposed to be it's initial purpose!!!

[allovertown]

Originally Posted by wanderer34

And that's why SEPTA is nothing more than a glorified bus company when it should be running and maintaining our rail system, which was supposed to be it's initial purpose!!!

Septa is the 6th largest transit agency in America in terms of ridership and operates on a budget that is significantly smaller than every agency above them. Could it be better? Sure. But common consensus is that it is well run and does a lot considering their resources.

Your posts are not based in reality.

[Knight Hospitaller]

FYI, there's a transit thread for "I SEPTA Philly" debates.