PHILADELPHIA-CAMDEN-WILMINGTON-ATLANTIC CITY-READING | Metro Development Thread

[City Wide]

Originally Posted by Frontst17

Yay for corporate welfare... Hope for delaware's sake they can foot the bill

legal corporate blackmail

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by summersm343

New Stores announced so far for King of Prussia Mall Expansion

Altar'd State
Anthropologie
BoConcept
Bottega Veneta
Carolina Herrera
Clarins
Diane Von Furstenberg
Jimmy Choo
Nic+Zoe
Primark
Robert Graham
St. John
Stuart Weitzman
Super Dry
Vince

Looks like MCM will be joining this list too:
http://www.mcmworldwide.com/en/home

Article from PBJ:
http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/...-mcm-altard-state-king-prussia-mall.html

[skiesthelimit]

Here's some updates on the Christiana Fashion Center:








There was some other construction that I didn't get to take a picture of, but they're building up fast and clearing land for phase 3.

Marshall's, HomeGoods, Shake Shack, Bloomingdales outlet among the many new retailers to come in the second phase.

[DIESELPOLO]

Upper Moreland hear proposal for apartment building

“These are renters by choice,” he added, explaining that Millennials tended to change jobs and wanted to be free to move, while empty-nesters did not want to buy another home.

He called the proposed site, along Davisville Road, between York Road and Woodlawn Avenue, a “great location,” with “great access” to public transportation. What Minno referred to as “very preliminary” plans showed a small retail area at the corner of Davisville and York roads, with 162 residential units. He said that 9 percent of the units would be studios, 52 percent would have one bedroom and 39 percent would be two-bedroom.

The building would include a main lobby, fitness room and a club room that, for instance, could be used for parties. There would be an internal courtyard with a pool deck, and another courtyard would be to the rear of the building." Read full article...

Note: No renderings to be found.

[summersm343]

Amazon to open fulfillment center in Burlington County, NJ, create 500 jobs

http://www.nj.com/middlesex/index.ssf/20...s_expansion_in_carteret_and_florenc.html

[summersm343]

First Industrial buys S. Jersey land for new distribution center near Amazon's

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/business/re...r_near_Amazon_s.html#bS0CztuDS3zQWpOB.99

[dab]

Rowan University Stadium Complex:

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/thego...oney-from-Spain-Dubai-and-Las-Vegas.html

Most of the article is about efforts for a second division soccer team in the stadium. (Silly idea imo, particularly due to the proximity of the Chester stadium)

Some interesting tidbits about the proposed development though:





Rowan's board of trustees recently gave the green light to begin planning construction of a 10,000-seat outdoor stadium and 5,000-seat indoor arena a few miles west of the school's main campus, near where Routes 322 and 55 intersect.

It's the school's intention to try to bring other sports teams to the venues besides its own, in particular minor league ice hockey. A franchise in the National Basketball Development League, which serves as the NBA's minor league, is also a possibility.

The stadium and arena would be constructed as one big building, with a retractable partition that would create an amphitheater-style concert venue. The whole thing would be surrounded by a number of soccer, baseball and softball fields that could host youth tournaments. Topping the complex off would be a 340-room hotel and 100,000 square feet of retail space.

...

The private side of things is being spearheaded by Sahben, an Australian property developer.

"If all goes as planned, we hope to be able to proceed with our work by the early spring of 2017," Sahben spokesman Ashley Donlan told me, though he cautioned that "there is much work to be done before that occurs."
Overall, Sahben is optimistic that the project will happen.

[br323206]

Originally Posted by dab

Rowan University Stadium Complex:

http://www.philly.com/philly/blogs/thego...oney-from-Spain-Dubai-and-Las-Vegas.html

Most of the article is about efforts for a second division soccer team in the stadium. (Silly idea imo, particularly due to the proximity of the Chester stadium)

Some interesting tidbits about the proposed development though:





Rowan's board of trustees recently gave the green light to begin planning construction of a 10,000-seat outdoor stadium and 5,000-seat indoor arena a few miles west of the school's main campus, near where Routes 322 and 55 intersect.

It's the school's intention to try to bring other sports teams to the venues besides its own, in particular minor league ice hockey. A franchise in the National Basketball Development League, which serves as the NBA's minor league, is also a possibility.

The stadium and arena would be constructed as one big building, with a retractable partition that would create an amphitheater-style concert venue. The whole thing would be surrounded by a number of soccer, baseball and softball fields that could host youth tournaments. Topping the complex off would be a 340-room hotel and 100,000 square feet of retail space.

...

The private side of things is being spearheaded by Sahben, an Australian property developer.

"If all goes as planned, we hope to be able to proceed with our work by the early spring of 2017," Sahben spokesman Ashley Donlan told me, though he cautioned that "there is much work to be done before that occurs."
Overall, Sahben is optimistic that the project will happen.

There's also an NBDL team that plays in Newark, DE so the idea of adding another one in South Jersey seems silly.

[summersm343]

South Jersey mall adds 3 more retailers

Before opening last August, Gloucester Premium Outlets added 15 additional retailers, including Armani Exchange, Aldo and Bebe, to its tenant roster and now it has added three more.

Michael Kors, Brooks Brothers Factory Store and Cameo Water Wear have all signed on as tenants.

Simon Property Group (NYSE: SPG) built the 370,000-square-foot retail center on Robert Kelly Drive near Route 42 in Blackwood, N.J.

It opened last August with an array of other tenants including American Eagle Outfitters, Friendly’s, Gap Factory and Old Navy Outlet. In all, the center has 90 designer and name brands.

http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/...oucester-premium-outlets-kors-cameo.html

[summersm343]

Ruling clears way for Dranoff's Ardmore development

http://www.philly.com/philly/business/re..._clears_way_for_Ardmore_development.html

[Milksteak]

Big news for my neck of the woods:

http://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com/n...2bd7d9e-22aa-11e6-89f7-ffd711cbca48.html

For those of you who don't know where Penndel is, it is right next to Langhorne and across 95 from Levittown. There hasn't been a development like this in decades...I've actually met with the mayor about the potential in this town. At the moment, it is far from interesting and aesthetically pleasing...full of old industrial buildings and rundown sheds. However, the train station is right in the center of it all, and it has good potential walkability.

When I see Penndel's potential, I think Ardmore, Ambler, and all of the towns with a thriving center that people actually want to go to.

So yes, it is a small development of 14 homes...but hopefully this turns some heads for developers. If people can't be in the city, they may as well be somewhere with easy access to it with some fun things to do.

Ok rant over.

[Boku]

Originally Posted by Milksteak

Big news for my neck of the woods:

http://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com/n...2bd7d9e-22aa-11e6-89f7-ffd711cbca48.html

For those of you who don't know where Penndel is, it is right next to Langhorne and across 95 from Levittown. There hasn't been a development like this in decades...I've actually met with the mayor about the potential in this town. At the moment, it is far from interesting and aesthetically pleasing...full of old industrial buildings and rundown sheds. However, the train station is right in the center of it all, and it has good potential walkability.

When I see Penndel's potential, I think Ardmore, Ambler, and all of the towns with a thriving center that people actually want to go to.

So yes, it is a small development of 14 homes...but hopefully this turns some heads for developers. If people can't be in the city, they may as well be somewhere with easy access to it with some fun things to do.

Ok rant over.

I'm a Levittown native with family still there, as well as in Penndel. I live in Delco now, with stops in Ardmore and Narberth in between. If Penndel really wanted to create that Ardmore aesthetic, it would have done so years ago. I don't see this particular development as being a step towards a new way of thinking, but maybe I'm wrong. That area really embraces its genesis as a car-centric, strip mall-loving suburb.

[Milksteak]

Originally Posted by Boku

I'm a Levittown native with family still there, as well as in Penndel. I live in Delco now, with stops in Ardmore and Narberth in between. If Penndel really wanted to create that Ardmore aesthetic, it would have done so years ago. I don't see this particular development as being a step towards a new way of thinking, but maybe I'm wrong. That area really embraces its genesis as a car-centric, strip mall-loving suburb.

There are certainly a lot of boomers with a car centric mindset in the area. Years ago Penndel released a grand master plan of a downtown revitalization project that would have been any small town's dream...needless to say it sat there until it died.

There are things I like about the burbs, but the biggest thing I miss about the city is being able to walk everywhere. Levittown has submitted to the automotive lifestyle, no doubt about that...but Penndel is practically a blank slate as there's hardly anything there of interest to residents. I'm not technically in the town, so unfortunately my opinion doesn't matter much...but the new way of thinking is not one reliant upon cars. I would agree with you that things would most likely not change if it weren't for the fact that there is a train station smack dab in the middle of everything surrounded by good bus routes.

Bringing in new, affordable housing could attract more Millennials, who could in turn demand better from their town. Who knows, maybe I'm just an optimistic city lover that settled down in the burbs

[hammersklavier]

Originally Posted by Milksteak

There are certainly a lot of boomers with a car centric mindset in the area. Years ago Penndel released a grand master plan of a downtown revitalization project that would have been any small town's dream...needless to say it sat there until it died.

There are things I like about the burbs, but the biggest thing I miss about the city is being able to walk everywhere. Levittown has submitted to the automotive lifestyle, no doubt about that...but Penndel is practically a blank slate as there's hardly anything there of interest to residents. I'm not technically in the town, so unfortunately my opinion doesn't matter much...but the new way of thinking is not one reliant upon cars. I would agree with you that things would most likely not change if it weren't for the fact that there is a train station smack dab in the middle of everything surrounded by good bus routes.

Bringing in new, affordable housing could attract more Millennials, who could in turn demand better from their town. Who knows, maybe I'm just an optimistic city lover that settled down in the burbs

Those old railroad suburbs with good bones are gentrifying, though. I was in Bristol for an interview around Christmas and it's a beautiful town environment. I could've walked to the office from the train station in 15 pleasant minutes had I landed that position ...

Nor is Bristol unique in that regard. Places like Jenkintown, Ardmore, Wayne, Ambler, Media, and so on, are turning into little stars in the suburban void. Even places like Lansdale are more attractive now.

I think the biggest bellwether will be Chester. If you start to see that place gentrify, then you know that money invested in any place still doubling down on autocentrism is money that's gone up in smoke.

[Knight Hospitaller]

Originally Posted by hammersklavier

I think the biggest bellwether will be Chester. If you start to see that place gentrify.....

From your keyboard to God's monitor....

[PhilliesPhan]

I'm finally back in Delco after attending college in the Lehigh Valley! Although I will be moving to Philly in August to attend Temple, I will be in Delco all summer. In my hometown of Brookhaven, there has been so much development along PA 352 that it looks basically unrecognizable since I last left it! Most of the new development is occurring on former green space, which included the field where I used to play baseball. Our Wawa has also been renovated, and there is a ShopRite filling in the void that Pathmark left.

I will try to get pictures of it all tomorrow!

[PhilliesPhan]

Originally Posted by hammersklavier

I think the biggest bellwether will be Chester. If you start to see that place gentrify, then you know that money invested in any place still doubling down on autocentrism is money that's gone up in smoke.

Chester has the typical bones for gentrification. It has a defined downtown area, a transportation center with Regional Rail access, access to major highways, a private university, urban housing stock, and an area that could foster jobs (the industrial area along PA 291). The only thing that holds it back is its crime rate.

I lived in Chester with my mom as a little boy in the early 2000s before moving to West Philadelphia. It seems to have only gotten worse over the years.

[Milksteak]

Originally Posted by hammersklavier

Those old railroad suburbs with good bones are gentrifying, though. I was in Bristol for an interview around Christmas and it's a beautiful town environment. I could've walked to the office from the train station in 15 pleasant minutes had I landed that position ...

Nor is Bristol unique in that regard. Places like Jenkintown, Ardmore, Wayne, Ambler, Media, and so on, are turning into little stars in the suburban void. Even places like Lansdale are more attractive now.

I think the biggest bellwether will be Chester. If you start to see that place gentrify, then you know that money invested in any place still doubling down on autocentrism is money that's gone up in smoke.

Bristol is a cool little town...it gets a bad rep around here because of crime, but they are developing the riverfront and that is an asset that most towns don't have the privilege of working with.

Another place that I can see changing is Croydon. I believe their train station was redone recently and there are some cool little bars that could be located in the heart of Fishtown. There's also Neshaminy Creek Brewery that attracts outsiders. To me, those are the the types of businesses that make a town unique, and it's happening all over the region.

Then there is King of Prussia. KOP is an economic powerhouse, and a place that the 'mainstream' people flock to. There are also very few non chain restaurants and hardly any variety when it comes to cuisine and bars. It's also a traffic nightmare...maybe that will change if the Norristown high speed line is opened in 2026, but I just have no interest in that place.

[EastSideHBG]

King of Prussia is expanding its huge mega-mall, but that’s just the start. There are long-awaited housing and office projects — even a Main Street. It’s "live, work, shop" in the suburbs.

http://www.philly.com/philly/business/Ki...illion_development_and_construction.html

[PhilliesPhan]

As promised, here are some pictures of what is going on in Brookhaven, which is in Delaware County.

One of the first things I noticed when I arrived was that the Wawa had been completely renovated. This is from my Snapchat story:



Heading through 352 Plaza, one will notice two major things, with the first being that the new Lowe's is almost finished. This takes the place of a former KMart:



The old Pathmark is being replaced with Shoprite:





Finally, what once was a wooded area with a baseball field (where I used to play baseball back in 2011 and 2012 ) is now being developed into a cluster of stores. There will be a Planet Fitness, a new Giant supermarket, and more:



Brookhaven looks very different. It blows my mind that it is undergoing so much change, for better or for worse.