PHILADELPHIA | Highrise Development Thread IX

[PurpleWhiteOut]

Originally Posted by Aaamazarite

.
We should appreciate that the 10's cycle produced an unprecedented amount of new lowrise construction, rowhouse construction, and rehab/reuses over a much larger area of the city than any decade since the 60s.
.

This is a good point. Between Fishtown, Kensington, Francisville, Brewerytown, Point Breeze, and to a lesser extent Grays Ferry, Strawberry Mansion, and parts of west philly, rowhomes and low rise construction has given high rise living A LOT of competition, especially those new to a urban living who might prefer the rowhome approach with homeownership.

Hopefully we'll be able to see more large construction for business or hotel use, since residential seems to be getting saturated.

[Jayfar]

Society Hill was an urban planning masterpiece. Will these new towers ruin the design? | Inga Saffron

[jsbrook]

Originally Posted by Jayfar

Society Hill was an urban planning masterpiece. Will these new towers ruin the design? | Inga Saffron

Inga has fair points on One Dock's Street design. But that's why I keep saying architect up instead of lawyer up. As we did in Rittenhouse as to the Harper and Laurel. Society Hill wont do it because this is not actually about good design for those most opposed. Those people live in Society Hill Towers and don't want their views compromised. Period. They need to be spanked and spanked badly.

[Jayfar]

Originally Posted by jsbrook

Inga has fair points on One Dock's Street design. But that's why I keep saying architect up instead of lawyer up. As we did in Rittenhouse as to the Harper and Laurel. Society Hill wont do it because this is not actually about good design for those most opposed. Those people live in Society Hill Towers and don't want their views compromised. Period. They need to be spanked and spanked badly.

And in Inga's own timeline thread, someone else just raised that same point:

Marcus Ferreira: "I am surprised that you didn't mention how Rittenhouse neighbors proffered their own architect to provide an alternate tower design for the last empty parcel facing the square, which the developer accepted. Architect-up instead of lawyer-up!"

…to which she replied: "It’s implied in that paragraph on other CC neighborhoods, but there are only so many details you can stuff into these things without going off track."

[jsbrook]

Originally Posted by Jayfar

And in Inga's own timeline thread, someone else just raised that same point:

Marcus Ferreira: "I am surprised that you didn't mention how Rittenhouse neighbors proffered their own architect to provide an alternate tower design for the last empty parcel facing the square, which the developer accepted. Architect-up instead of lawyer-up!"

…to which she replied: "It’s implied in that paragraph on other CC neighborhoods, but there are only so many details you can stuff into these things without going off track."

Yes, I posted in response to that comment as well. She also agrees that this is the direction Society Hill SHOULD go.

[cardeza]

First world problems. I don't think existing residents are entitled to manage design of anything built after they move in. YOu need to stay out of center city neighborhoods if you anticipate the landscape around your property staying the same indefinitely. I don't think SH Towers are all that attractive, the idea that folks living in or around those towers can't stomach this design is a bit much for me.

[eixample]

Originally Posted by Jayfar

Society Hill was an urban planning masterpiece. Will these new towers ruin the design? | Inga Saffron

In its current form, the design would destroy one of the city’s most beloved vistas, not merely for the well-heeled residents of I.M. Pei’s signature towers, but for any Philadelphian who likes to gaze up at the city from the Delaware waterfront.

Generally I agree with her column but this is a gag-worthy comment pretty much straight out of the nimby playbook.

The Dilworth family arrived in 1957, when Society Hill was still a sparsely populated redevelopment zone.

Society hill may have been sparsely populated then BUT it is even more sparsely populated now AND with almost zero chance of becoming much more dense in the future. (7,000 in 1950, 6,000 in 2010 - source.) Society Hill is extremely undense considering where it is in a major city, largely because of automotive uses and the desires of a wealthy class that has entrenched its preferred planning style. The neighborhood is not pulling its weight to absorb new population in a growing urban core and anyone who is upset with gentrification in Point Breeze and Kensington (not me really) should lay part of the blame on the Society Hill neighborhood organization. These apartment buildings do a tiny bit to change that (smaller units would do even more).

[iheartphilly]

^
What percentage of renters are in the Society Hill Towers? If the argument is that it blocks the views of owners or renters, I think it would be the former that really has issues since it is the value of their property that could be affected. BUT, it is not like One Dock is sitting right next to them, so it is not a full obstruction of view. I think it is a tenuous argument at best. And, I think the view issue is overblown and is a disguise for those that don't want any developments in the area because they hate density for whatever reason, as if they think cities don't grow and change over time.

[McBane]

I think we need to better define the Society Hill historic core. There is certainly a collection of blocks where even I'd agree a high rise would not be appropriate but Washington Square and Front Street/Columbus Blvd are not it. Generally, I'd say between (but not including) Walnut and South, Front to 6th. I think all the projects that have been proposed, including whatever Scannapeico is working along Walnut Street are fair game.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

You know what? I was a big proprietor of SLS getting built, but seeing as now if we get anything at all that it will be extremely budget-engineered, I would rather see someone else develop this lot.
Maybe someone will buy this from Dranoff and build a 600'er. Or maybe Dranoff will recover some capital from One Ardmore and we'll see the ball keep rolling. Who's to say...

I'm not sure why anyone thought Dranoff would be able to pull this off.

He's never done anything that's even remotely attractive. Everything is over cost engineered and cheap looking.

That gem Symphony house will be a pimple on this city's skyline for our entire lives.

[mcgrath618]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

I'm not sure why anyone thought Dranoff would be able to pull this off.

He's never done anything that's even remotely attractive. Everything is over cost engineered and cheap looking.

That gem Symphony house will be a pimple on this city's skyline for our entire lives.

One Riverside is relatively nice looking. One Ardmore is pretty good looking as well.
But I agree that Symphony House is disgusting in every way.

[christof]

With Amazon officially abandoning NY, the property around 30th Street is still open and available. Will there be a push to make it happen though?

[Mr Saturn64]

Amazon Says it will not Build a Headquarters in New York After Mounting Opposition

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/14/amazon-s...mounting-opposition-reuters-reports.html

That was so far beyond unexpected. However, there will only be one in Crystal City. They are done the search.

[Urbanthusiat]

What a 🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵🞵 mess lol

[iheartphilly]

Originally Posted by Mr Saturn64

Amazon Says it will not Build a Headquarters in New York After Mounting Opposition

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/14/amazon-s...mounting-opposition-reuters-reports.html

That was so far beyond unexpected. However, there will only be one in Crystal City. They are done the search.

Game on, Philly! If we want to break out the meds/ed mold, this is it. Have at it.

[McBane]

Wow. So they're just dropping their second half of their second HQ just like that? Seems awfully fishy. If they do end up building another HQ2, I think Philly remains a possibility. Close enough to NY to attract talent and close enough to Crystal City HQ2. Although the more likely scenario is that they expand their other offices.

[Milksteak]

You don't just decide to not hire 25k people, so either they are going to put it all in Crystal City, they are going to spread those employees out across the US, or they are going to choose another location. They are not re-opening the search, but I'd be willing to bet they are speaking with the other finalist cities.

But man, those dolts who raised a big stink about this in NY really screwed this up.

[Boku]

Originally Posted by Milksteak

But man, those dolts who raised a big stink about this in NY really screwed this up.

The people who live there and would be affected by it should have a voice, it's their right. Tbh, I'm not sure why Amazon expected the red carpet to be rolled out; all of these criticisms were voiced during the selection process. That the company gave up this quickly is quite childish.

[jsbrook]

Originally Posted by Mr Saturn64

Amazon Says it will not Build a Headquarters in New York After Mounting Opposition

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/02/14/amazon-s...mounting-opposition-reuters-reports.html

That was so far beyond unexpected. However, there will only be one in Crystal City. They are done the search.

I'm not that surprised. I kind of expected New York to get its dissenters to toe the line. So, I thought they'd most likely go. But, barring that, I'm not that surprised they pulled out. I think Amazon ideally wanted to rub elbows with the moneyed elite of New York, but there's nothing so magical about Long Island City that Amazon NEEDED to go there unless it was on their own terms. So they didn't.

[jsbrook]

Originally Posted by Milksteak

You don't just decide to not hire 25k people, so either they are going to put it all in Crystal City, they are going to spread those employees out across the US, or they are going to choose another location. They are not re-opening the search, but I'd be willing to bet they are speaking with the other finalist cities.

But man, those dolts who raised a big stink about this in NY really screwed this up.

They already said they are not choosing another location. They will grow in Crystal City and Nashville and continue to expand operations throughout the country per their statement.