PHILADELPHIA | Lowrise/General Developments Thread

[Nova08]

Work on the Chestnut Street Bridge began this week. Going to be a much need improvement.

Chestnut Street Bridges
http://chestnutstreetbridges.com/

[iheartphilly]

Looks like Art Museum renovations underway on the interior. Saw big cooling system (18-wheeler size) sitting outside pumping cold air into museum and heavy construction equipment too.

Also, noticed lots of trash in and around the museum grounds, grass not being cut, weeds on the lawn. Mulch beds in bad shape. The new parking garage with rain roof has rust stains on panels and onto stone patio. Does the museum not have grounds maintenance? I was surpise to see how poorly kept the grounds were consider this is such a landmark for us. WTF...I'm surprise management at the museum not making the appeareance a priority. Isn't this suppose to be a world class museum?

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by iheartphilly

Also, noticed lots of trash in an around the museum grounds, grass not being cut, weeds on the lawn. Mulch beds in bad shape. The new parking garage with rain roof has rust stains on panels and onto stone patio. Does the museum not have grounds maintence? I was surpise to see how poorly kept the grounds were consider this is such a landmark for us. WTF...I'm surprise management at the museum not making the appeareance a priority. Isn't this suppose to be a world class museum?

Welcome to Philly. We spend $150million to build a new garage with public space on top , and then invest $0 to maintain it. They do have security though - my young son climbed on the concrete block sculpture on the new grass area on top of the parking garage and within 5 seconds - there was a blazing warning noise and loud voice from one of the outdoor speakers: "do not climb on the installations!"

Last I saw, the waterfall treatment/installation on the walls of the roof of the garage wasn't working - was it at least back up and running?

[iheartphilly]

Originally Posted by Londonee

Welcome to Philly. We spend $150million to build a new garage with public space on top , and then invest $0 to maintain it. They do have security though - my young son climbed on the concrete block sculpture on the new grass area on top of the parking garage and within 5 seconds - there was a blazing warning noise and loud voice from one of the outdoor speakers: "do not climb on the installations!"

Last I saw, the waterfall treatment/installation on the walls of the roof of the garage wasn't working - was it at least back up and running?

LOL. Yep, my daughter did the same thing and got the same response from security via the camera/speaker system. They need to divert ticket sales, member dues, etc proceeds to a outdoor maintenance program. If I brought family here from outside the area, I would be embarrassed based on the current conditions.

[summersm343]

218 Arch - luxury apartments/retail - 10 floors

[summersm343]

Aramark HQ - 2400 Market - office/retail - 10 floors

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by Nova08

Work on the Chestnut Street Bridge began this week. Going to be a much need improvement.

Chestnut Street Bridges
http://chestnutstreetbridges.com/

Finally! Glad to see that not only is Chestnut Street being redone from 23rd Street to Schuylkill Ave, but Schuylkill Ave itself is being redone from Market Street to Walnut Street. This is a much needed revamp. This will do wonders to further connect Center City with University City. FINALLY!

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by iheartphilly

LOL. Yep, my daughter did the same thing and got the same response from security via the camera/speaker system. They need to divert ticket sales, member dues, etc proceeds to a outdoor maintenance program. If I brought family here from outside the area, I would be embarrassed based on the current conditions.

Just a thought. Not sure if it's correct or not. Maybe they're waiting to clean up the grounds until after Made in America?

[Boku]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Just a thought. Not sure if it's correct or not. Maybe they're waiting to clean up the grounds until after Made in America?

That's what I was thinking. There is going to be a ton of people there this weekend, plus all of the stages, tents, etc.

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Just a thought. Not sure if it's correct or not. Maybe they're waiting to clean up the grounds until after Made in America?

I hope not. It's a pretty large, regional event - with lots of folks travelling from all over to attend - doesn't it make sense to spruce up the area around the event to showcase yourself well?

This would be like hosting a huge party at your house with lots of guests, and deciding NOT to clean up beforehand b/c, hey, it's just going to get dirty with everyone anyways.

In terms of the maintenance of the garage structure - I was there a few months back and the waterfall design feature just wasn't working and the space - which is only a few years old - looked to be in not great shape.

This is a larger point but, in general, Philly just doesn't seem to care about superficial aesthetics. It's always been tied or written off to the "well we have bigger fish to fry w/ bad schools, poverty and crime" - but unfortunately I think it's all tied together and a self-defeating cycle. You know who else has crime, poverty and bad schools? Chicago - and it just landed McDonalds, ConAgra, GE Health, and Kraft Heinz HQs which will boost the city's tax coffers by a huge chunk - more of which can now go to schools, poverty, and crime.

How? Chicago is world class at showing itself well - in the Loop every street is immaculate - every park is swept, clean, and well-invested. It's like a businessperson's theme park. When you approach the city from the airport you can't see decaying neighborhoods, old refineries, rail-yards, and ugly power plants, etc. that make it feel like you are entering a declining, depressing rust belt relic of a city - because they have installed 12 foot barrier walls. That may sound callous and superficial, but it's true - big corporations want to be in a place that's spick-and-span: it's their front door/backyard. They don't want high-profile guests/clients entering their city through the gates of Hell.

[summersm343]

Drone Research Coming Soon To Washington Avenue



Read more here:
http://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-philly/point-breeze/drone-research-coming-soon-washington-avenue

[summersm343]

Mazzoni Center has a new home off Broad (1348 Bainbridge) for the LGBTQ community



Read more here:
https://philly.curbed.com/2017/8/29/16161778/mazzoni-health-center-philadelphia-renovation-photos

[Urbanthusiat]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Drone Research Coming Soon To Washington Avenue

You can thank the Pennovation Center drawing in Qualcomm for this. It's nice to see the community and the area around Grey's Ferry already benefitting.

[1487]

They have started installing windows in the Gallery on second level and all the steel for the new main entrance is in place. Fit out for Burlington at 9th looks to be nearly complete and the sidewalk (new) on the 800 block is mostly open now. I guess they can really go to work at the 11th street corner once BCF is out of there. Seeing all the openings into the building really gives you a better idea of how different this is going to loo.

Unfortunately south side of 1000 block is still desolate and getting worse.

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by 1487

Unfortunately south side of 1000 block is still desolate and getting worse.

Yeah it's pretty bad. Doesn't PREIT own a good chunk of one of these blocks? Is it 900 block? The Marshalls/CVS building is simply an abomination of all that is good and holy. The 11th street facade of that building is almost unbelievable looking. How/why 2 large brands would lease space in this building is amazing to me. Hopefully with the completion of both The Gallery and East Market - a building like this can no longer hide - it'll so dramatically stand out that something will need to give.

[1487]

Originally Posted by Londonee

Yeah it's pretty bad. Doesn't PREIT own a good chunk of one of these blocks? Is it 900 block? The Marshalls/CVS building is simply an abomination of all that is good and holy. The 11th street facade of that building is almost unbelievable looking. How/why 2 large brands would lease space in this building is amazing to me. Hopefully with the completion of both The Gallery and East Market - a building like this can no longer hide - it'll so dramatically stand out that something will need to give.

PREIT owns buildings in the 1000 block including the one with gamestop. I walked past there today- looks terrible

[allovertown]

Originally Posted by Londonee

How? Chicago is world class at showing itself well - in the Loop every street is immaculate - every park is swept, clean, and well-invested. It's like a businessperson's theme park. When you approach the city from the airport you can't see decaying neighborhoods, old refineries, rail-yards, and ugly power plants, etc. that make it feel like you are entering a declining, depressing rust belt relic of a city - because they have installed 12 foot barrier walls. That may sound callous and superficial, but it's true - big corporations want to be in a place that's spick-and-span: it's their front door/backyard. They don't want high-profile guests/clients entering their city through the gates of Hell.

I'm all for clean, well maintained public spaces but this part is idiotic. Some of the old power plants, factories and warehouses are incredible pieces of architecture that are still incredibly beautiful in spite or in some cases perhaps because of their dilapidated state. If someone would rather look at blank concrete walls, I suppose they can fuck off to Chicago because i hope that never happens here.

[summersm343]

Why Center City parking garages are disappearing

http://www.philly.com/philly/columnists/...g-garages-are-disappearing-20170830.html

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by allovertown

I'm all for clean, well maintained public spaces but this part is idiotic. Some of the old power plants, factories and warehouses are incredible pieces of architecture that are still incredibly beautiful in spite or in some cases perhaps because of their dilapidated state. If someone would rather look at blank concrete walls, I suppose they can fuck off to Chicago because i hope that never happens here.

No.

The apathy is pretty endemic here. And I really could care less about the power plants and refineries. That shows me that we're a city where stuff is still made; which I think is cool.

Nonetheless. The minute you step out of Center City, every single tree pit has 3 feet of weeds in it. Trash is everywhere. Every high way on ramp / off ramp looks like the grass hasn't been cut in 17 years. It's like there is literally no attention paid, none, to these minor aesthetic issues anywhere in the city.

It really grates on you after a while. And the reality is; these things incrementally add up and make a huge difference. Massive I'd argue. And there is literally no excuse for ignoring them.

Last week, I noticed all of Girard Avenue has had the Macadam (sp?) torn up to be replaced through Northern Liberties and Fishtown. Great? Then I noticed, there is literally trash every where in the gutters and it occured to me that the city will probably just come and pave over the trash without sweeping it up. Then, for here until eternity, you'll be able to see bits of trash poking its way through where the curb meets the street.

Then I saw an employee from Paesanos sweeping the sidewalks in front of their store on Girard (yay!). Straight into the gutter. (Frown).

There is no street cleaning. It's so dispiriting.

[Knight Hospitaller]

I'm agreeing with a lot of what I'm reading except for references to aesthetics as "superficial" or "minor." It is quite the opposite, but that would be a long philosophical /theological discussion. As noted above, treating it as something of secondary to no importance can "add up." Giving it the priority it deserves, even in little ways, also adds up.