PHILADELPHIA | Lowrise/General Developments Thread

[Philly Fan]

Forget New York or Boston — Philadelphia Might Just Be the Best Food City on the East Coast Right Now

Be sure to also check out the "Summer Shortlist Philadelphia" video.

[El Duderino]

Originally Posted by jmj

Everyone has an opinion about choice of colors or materials- none of them are right or wrong. That's subjective. You feel strongly one way (as do others who are posting about these details incessantly) and I could find an equal number of people who either like it or aren't bothered in the least by the granite or whatever. The point is the actual design as it relates to the street is 20 times better than what was there before and based on the content of the complaints it certainly sounds like the majority of the people talking haven't actually been down there. Instead of blank walls and emergency exit doors you now have glass on two levels, entrances from Market Street, new street furniture, a grand entrance at 9th and Market, tremendous improvements to the underpass areas and improvements along Filbert (new entrances, benches, planters, etc) and before it opens people are saying from an urban context it's a failure or at least a huge disappointment. Changing cladding materials does not improve or degrade the actual design features pertinent to how the building interacts with the surrounding streets.

I would def walk around the entire site and along the the underpass streets and take a closer look before claiming the building fails to check the required boxes for a successful urban shopping center. The exterior finishes aren't great or inspiring but I'm not surprised at all. I would argue the street level finishes at East Market are even more basic.

I appreciate the response and agree with you quite a lot. I’ve walked around the area extensively (including the cross streets and Filbert) and the street presence is already much better and will continue to improve with billboards, signage, cleaning, landscaping/hardscaping. I’m overall very excited for the project and the utility it will have (including for my fam), I just wish the external look was a bit “nicer”

[City Wide]

Originally Posted by jmj

Everyone has an opinion about choice of colors or materials- none of them are right or wrong. That's subjective. You feel strongly one way (as do others who are posting about these details incessantly) and I could find an equal number of people who either like it or aren't bothered in the least by the granite or whatever. The point is the actual design as it relates to the street is 20 times better than what was there before and based on the content of the complaints it certainly sounds like the majority of the people talking haven't actually been down there. Instead of blank walls and emergency exit doors you now have glass on two levels, entrances from Market Street, new street furniture, a grand entrance at 9th and Market, tremendous improvements to the underpass areas and improvements along Filbert (new entrances, benches, planters, etc) and before it opens people are saying from an urban context it's a failure or at least a huge disappointment. Changing cladding materials does not improve or degrade the actual design features pertinent to how the building interacts with the surrounding streets.

.

Do I detect a possible return of 1487?! If so, welcome back

[eixample]

Originally Posted by jmj

I would def walk around the entire site and along the the underpass streets and take a closer look before claiming the building fails to check the required boxes for a successful urban shopping center. The exterior finishes aren't great or inspiring but I'm not surprised at all. I would argue the street level finishes at East Market are even more basic.

I am not as negative about the revamped Gallery as others, but I think East Market will be far better at street level - the curved glass, pedestrian-only drive off Market, the outside seating area for Iron Hill brewery. I don't think Filbert street will be nearly as "activated".

Originally Posted by Philly Fan

Forget New York or Boston — Philadelphia Might Just Be the Best Food City on the East Coast Right Now

Be sure to also check out the "Summer Shortlist Philadelphia" video.

These types of food scene city vs city articles always crack me up....how many people have the time and money to spend weeks in each city sampling all the new, hot restaurants and old favorites to figure out which city is the best at the moment (certainly not the journalists writing these articles)?

[Philly Fan]

Originally Posted by eixample

These types of food scene city vs city articles always crack me up....how many people have the time and money to spend weeks in each city sampling all the new, hot restaurants and old favorites to figure out which city is the best at the moment (certainly not the journalists writing these articles)?

True. But I'll take the positive national press--and the resulting national profile and image boost.

[allovertown]

Originally Posted by City Wide

Do I detect a possible return of 1487?! If so, welcome back

Wow. Rereading the comments this now seems spot on. Same unrelenting defense of everything Philadelphia and a total inability to let things go with some fair points and comprehensive philly knowledge sprinkled in. It's definitely him. Let him stay mods!

[blart]

Sunday, 8/12

The National, Old City





Arch St. between 2nd and 3rd

[City Wide]

Originally Posted by allovertown

Wow. Rereading the comments this now seems spot on. Same unrelenting defense of everything Philadelphia and a total inability to let things go with some fair points and comprehensive philly knowledge sprinkled in. It's definitely him. Let him stay mods!

If it's not good old 1487 the mods should allow him/her/it to come back every summer, just so we don't forget what one sidedness looks like ("it's not one sidedness, it's the truth")

[PHL10]

Originally Posted by blart

Sunday, 8/12

The National, Old City

Not bad based on the original?

[jmj]

Originally Posted by City Wide

If it's not good old 1487 the mods should allow him/her/it to come back every summer, just so we don't forget what one sidedness looks like ("it's not one sidedness, it's the truth")

After rereading the criticisms you guys are correct. FOP is a disaster with no redeeming qualities. Not sure what I was smoking. I'm sure people will stay away from the stores based on the facade materials. If only it looked more like East Market with all those high class precast panels- world class material palette there. In my naivete I thought different people could view a building differently, I stand corrected. Why wait for the final 11 months of construction when we can see 75% of the finished product now and render an informed judgement?

Lesson learned.

[McBane]

Originally Posted by Philly Fan

Forget New York or Boston — Philadelphia Might Just Be the Best Food City on the East Coast Right Now

Be sure to also check out the "Summer Shortlist Philadelphia" video.

Good press. But this reads like the writer just discovered how cool Philly is and how great our food scene is. I'm not even sure the quality of our food scene is considered a secret anymore by anyone. Good article, but it's at least 10-15 years late. Is the next article going to crown Portland as America's hipster capital?

[Busy Bee]

Also there's this cool undiscovered hood called Williamsburg that lots of artists and musicians are moving to.

[Jawnadelphia]

From last week - Fashion District/gallery etc etc:

[Knight Hospitaller]

^ Needs "wash me" written on it like a dirty truck. However it turns out, it does seem the overall appearance will be less "monolithic" with the varying materials.

[Philly Fan]

Originally Posted by Knight Hospitaller

^ Needs "wash me" written on it like a dirty truck.

Uh, excuse me--it's called patina.

[Knight Hospitaller]

Originally Posted by Philly Fan

Uh, excuse me--it's called patina.

I'm going to start calling guano "patina."

[Philly Fan]

Originally Posted by Knight Hospitaller

I'm going to start calling guano "patina."

[reparcsyks]

At first I was thinking, “they’re totally going to power wash that.” But would it make sense to power wash after installing new tile and cladding? Honestly, I’ll be suprised if they don’t clean; it’ll be ultimate Philly-style half-ass thing I’ve seen yet in this city. I’m going to try and stay positive that they’ll indeed clean the upper levels.

[PHL10]

Originally Posted by jmj

After rereading the criticisms you guys are correct. FOP is a disaster with no redeeming qualities. Not sure what I was smoking. I'm sure people will stay away from the stores based on the facade materials. If only it looked more like East Market with all those high class precast panels- world class material palette there. In my naivete I thought different people could view a building differently, I stand corrected. Why wait for the final 11 months of construction when we can see 75% of the finished product now and render an informed judgement?

Lesson learned.

I think they were just debating your point, which certainly has merit. No need to feel muzzled, say what you want to say.

[Knight Hospitaller]

Originally Posted by reparcsyks

At first I was thinking, “they’re totally going to power wash that.” But would it make sense to power wash after installing new tile and cladding? Honestly, I’ll be suprised if they don’t clean; it’ll be ultimate Philly-style half-ass thing I’ve seen yet in this city. I’m going to try and stay positive that they’ll indeed clean the upper levels.

Somebody pestered the architects and got a letter saying that they will power wash the old cladding before opening. Posted somewhere back along here.