PHILADELPHIA | 30th Street Station District | 1,200 FT - 180 FT | 85 - 12 FLOORS

[iheartphilly]

Originally Posted by McBane

Finally! With all due respect to the Porch, that was a band-aid (and understandably so give the $75m price tag for this project!). This is a real fix and I'm very pleased that it will become a reality.

Where's the funding coming from and beginning within 5 years. Gosh, I hope they can push that timeline up.

[City Wide]

Originally Posted by iheartphilly

Where's the funding coming from and beginning within 5 years. Gosh, I hope they can push that timeline up.

My guess is the time table is pushed out to the 2020's because of the difficulty in trying to put together the funds, and my guess is that it will come from a mixed bag of gov't agencies. The powers that be will probably try to get some PennDOT money, toss in a "tiger" grant, and all Amtrak projects seem to have to go through congress, so the final mix will be a real tossed salad.
Since the entire area around the station is built 60'++ up in the air off actual ground level and is built over active train tracks, the work will probably include a lot of rebuilding parts that we won't see. 5 years ago or so Amtrak rebuilt the western plaza and added underground parking and most of the work was below the plaza level.

[iheartphilly]

Originally Posted by City Wide

My guess is the time table is pushed out to the 2020's because of the difficulty in trying to put together the funds, and my guess is that it will come from a mixed bag of gov't agencies. The powers that be will probably try to get some PennDOT money, toss in a "tiger" grant, and all Amtrak projects seem to have to go through congress, so the final mix will be a real tossed salad.
Since the entire area around the station is built 60'++ up in the air off actual ground level and is built over active train tracks, the work will probably include a lot of rebuilding parts that we won't see. 5 years ago or so Amtrak rebuilt the western plaza and added underground parking and most of the work was below the plaza level.

Thanks, your explanation of the funding and the rebuilding costs seems to be aligned with the $75MM price tag.

[Mr Saturn64]

It's great to see the park come into effect, as the area around 30th Street really does need updating. Baby steps.

[El Duderino]

i hope that the plans for this were developed somehow in coordination with the Drexel park to the immediate west which is part of Schuykill Yards; who was at the open house tonight to have found out? B-)

[summersm343]

Station Plaza at 30th Street Station: What to expect at the future civic space







Read more here: https://philly.curbed.com/2017/7/13/1596...n-district-plan-station-plaza-renderings

[Knight Hospitaller]

^ Other than the polka dots, this should work nicely.

[iheartphilly]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Station Plaza at 30th Street Station: What to expect at the future civic space







Read more here: https://philly.curbed.com/2017/7/13/1596...n-district-plan-station-plaza-renderings

I think the more recent Dilworth Plaza was design to function pretty well. Lets hope Station Plaza follows their lead.

[Urbanthusiat]

Those stairs going up into 30th street are awesome! That's such a dramatic view.

[City Wide]

Originally Posted by Knight Hospitaller

^ Other than the polka dots, this should work nicely.

Other then losing the west portico to a set of (grand) stairs and the specific crazy mod 60's design, I appreciate what they are trying to do. The finishes as shown in the drawings are either terrible or stupid, maybe both. But that aspect of the design will change regardless of anything else. On the down side the whole 'bus station' problem was kicked down the road, and there's no clear time table or plan for reconnecting SEPTA's subway and trolley station via underground to Amtrak. I think that should be high of the list, the to do list.
It also doesn't seem to me like the whole issue of auto/bus/truck/cab traffic was considered. Schuylkill Ave is just asked to do too much, too many different tasks. I think the whole entrance and exits to I-76 and I-676 needs to be rethought. It might sound strange but one of my issues with the whole Station master plan is that much of the existing infrastructure, such as the expressway ramps, were just taken as a given and the plan worked around them. I wish they would have considered much more radical changes. If the dream is covering over working train tracks, and adding bridges and 1000' towers, (a lot of which will never happen) then kick out the jams and think BIG.

[Busy Bee]

I'm assuming the polka dots will be composed of paving stones just like the rest of the surface, so could be updated down the road if the polka's became overtly obnoxious, annoying or out of style...

[Boku]

Originally Posted by City Wide

On the down side the whole 'bus station' problem was kicked down the road, and there's no clear time table or plan for reconnecting SEPTA's subway and trolley station via underground to Amtrak. I think that should be high of the list, the to do list.

I think the whole entrance and exits to I-76 and I-676 needs to be rethought. It might sound strange but one of my issues with the whole Station master plan is that much of the existing infrastructure, such as the expressway ramps, were just taken as a given and the plan worked around them. I wish they would have considered much more radical changes. If the dream is covering over working train tracks, and adding bridges and 1000' towers, (a lot of which will never happen) then kick out the jams and think BIG.

Huh? All of these things are still under phase one.

Here's the timeline: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=7699914&postcount=108

[Nova08]

I really like what they have started. The traffic patterns were not mentioned but visible in the renderings. It looks like Schuylkill Ave is a two way street in front of the East Portico and 30th is a two-way street in front of the West Portico.

I hope this is intentional and not just random cars placed in the rendering. This could fix the counter-clockwise largely one-way pattern around the station.

[City Wide]

Originally Posted by Boku

Huh? All of these things are still under phase one.

Here's the timeline: http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showpost.php?p=7699914&postcount=108

The plan calls for moving the I-76 exit ramp alittle bit (and I could never figure out why). I'm suggesting much more massive reconfiguration of the entire traffic flow around 30th ST. Station. I know its not going to happen, but I still think it should.

Look at the charts showing where people come from on their way to the Station and a large percentage come from SEPTA's Market St station. All I'm saying is IMO the underground connection should be at the front of the list, not pushed off into the unknown future of phase one.

If Drexel is successful with their plans to build along JFK, the buses will have to relocate. Again, all I'm suggesting is that this be done sooner then later.

[TK2001]

Is this a vision or is this actually going to happen? I really want to see this rising if its actually going to happen

[iheartphilly]

[QUOTE]

Originally Posted by City Wide

The plan calls for moving the I-76 exit ramp alittle bit (and I could never figure out why). I'm suggesting much more massive reconfiguration of the entire traffic flow around 30th ST. Station. I know its not going to happen, but I still think it should.

There's a traffic light right before the on ramp. I assume if they move the ramp a bit further, it may alleviate the congestion between the light and ramp and have traffic flow a lot better. Disclaimer-in theory this would be the benefit.

[Boku]

Originally Posted by TK2001

Is this a vision or is this actually going to happen? I really want to see this rising if its actually going to happen

There are a lot of players and a ton of moving parts and it probably won't end up exactly how it's been laid out, but I think people are underestimating the chances of a lot of this coming to fruition. I'm choosing to believe the glass is half full.

[summersm343]

The pop-up Porch at 30th Street Station struggles to transition to a grown-up park

Igna reviews the plans for the Station Square redevelopment; the replacement plan to replace the "Porch" around 30th Street Station.

Read more here:
http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/...et-station-redesign-amtrak-20170803.html

[MyDadBuiltThat]

Originally Posted by summersm343

The pop-up Porch at 30th Street Station struggles to transition to a grown-up park

Igna reviews the plans for the Station Square redevelopment; the replacement plan to replace the "Porch" around 30th Street Station.

Read more here:
http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/...et-station-redesign-amtrak-20170803.html

I agree with Inga on this. The new design is static and unengaging. You don't need a formal space to honor a beautiful classic building.
I like the fun and casual vibe on the Porch, the activities, the small tables, and lunchtime food trucks. There's always lots of people of there and its a great place to wait for your train. Surely the planners can find some place for all this in their design.

[McBane]

One thing that struck me about this article was her mention of Drexel's park across the street. Here's hoping that Amtrak and Drexel work together to create complementary not competing parks.