PHILADELPHIA | Highrise Development Thread IX

[mcgrath618]

Originally Posted by Radio5

While we're talking about transit, does anybody know why transit lines don't show up on Google Maps?

Submit a complaint to them! In the meantime, Apple Maps has an excellent transit interface that shows all of Philly’s transit.

[Radio5]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

Submit a complaint to them! In the meantime, Apple Maps has an excellent transit interface that shows all of Philly’s transit.

Done. And wow, Apple's is actually really clean and nice. Never think to use theirs.

[Skintreesnail]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

Submit a complaint to them! In the meantime, Apple Maps has an excellent transit interface that shows all of Philly’s transit.

I've submitted complaints over the past 5 years or so. I think there is a whole forum dedicated to this somewhere on Google support. Still, gotta hold out hope. I've heard about apple maps having it, but I have an Android device.

[iheartphilly]

Originally Posted by kingtut

EPA back on the hunt for new Center City office space ,1301 Market ? A perfect fit .

It would be great. 2020 is when their lease is up. But don’t really think that taking up 200k square feet would get his building started. Maybe another firm taking another 200k giving a total of 400k would be more realistic.

[Late1]

Philly has been waiting at least a decade for Google maps to add its subway (and regional rail) lines to the transit layer. I tried getting something going on Twitter in 2017, but got nowhere -- and Google completely ignored it.

My tweets (be sure to read through all the responses):

https://twitter.com/thejasonknight/status/898707938084352001?s=19

[Nova08]

Originally Posted by iheartphilly

It would be great. 2020 is when their lease is up. But don’t really think that taking up 200k square feet would get his building started. Maybe another firm taking another 200k giving a total of 400k would be more realistic.

And I believe the article said that they are only looking for 150k to 200k max. So a bit of a downsize.

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by iheartphilly

It would be great. 2020 is when their lease is up. But don’t really think that taking up 200k square feet would get his building started. Maybe another firm taking another 200k giving a total of 400k would be more realistic.

Well... if EPA and one of those law firms commit to space... we're looking at 400K or more.

[summersm343]

Adding to the Center City office space discussion

It looks like Cozen O'Connor already needs more space as well:

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia...-city.html?iana=hpmvp_phil_news_headline

[PhilliesPhan]

This article provides a slight update regarding what will eventually be the newest section of the Piazza in Northern Liberties:

"This year, Post Brothers will begin an overhaul of the Piazza, which it purchased from Kushner in 2017, while Blatstein will break ground, after two decades, on the final piece of his neighborhood dream project: Piazza Terminal, a giant $400 million apartment and retail complex just north of his original Piazza. "


Read more at: https://www.phillymag.com/news/2019/04/06/piazza-at-schmidts-northern-liberties-post-brothers/

[Knight Hospitaller]

Originally Posted by PhilliesPhan

Blatstein will break ground, after two decades, on the final piece of his neighborhood dream project: Piazza Terminal

"Terminal" of what? Sky village transit?

[Milksteak]

Originally Posted by PhilliesPhan

This article provides a slight update regarding what will eventually be the newest section of the Piazza in Northern Liberties:

"This year, Post Brothers will begin an overhaul of the Piazza, which it purchased from Kushner in 2017, while Blatstein will break ground, after two decades, on the final piece of his neighborhood dream project: Piazza Terminal, a giant $400 million apartment and retail complex just north of his original Piazza. "


Read more at: https://www.phillymag.com/news/2019/04/06/piazza-at-schmidts-northern-liberties-post-brothers/

It's admittedly been awhile since I've been to Northern Liberties, but is the Piazza really that big of a disaster? I remember watching Phillies games there and it was a great atmosphere. This article uses the words 'up and coming' for the neighborhood and makes it sound like we're talking about the untouched areas of Kensington.

[ScreamShatter]

Originally Posted by Milksteak

It's admittedly been awhile since I've been to Northern Liberties, but is the Piazza really that big of a disaster? I remember watching Phillies games there and it was a great atmosphere. This article uses the words 'up and coming' for the neighborhood and makes it sound like we're talking about the untouched areas of Kensington.

It's not a disaster, but it definitely doesn't have the buzz that it did a decade ago. I think Kushner stopped holding lots of big events there bc residents in the apartment complained. Honestly, if they had built the original skyscrapers next to it, there would have been more foot traffic to support the businesses inside the Piazza. But it's not bad.

Realistically, a lot of the buzz has shifted to Frankford Ave, and that's probably going to continue as NoLibs is really expensive. But they could regain the Piazza being a destination by getting better businesses to lease. Upgrade the Acme for Trader Joes or Whole Foods would be huge. And the family dollar has to go. Just my two cents.

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by Milksteak

It's admittedly been awhile since I've been to Northern Liberties, but is the Piazza really that big of a disaster? I remember watching Phillies games there and it was a great atmosphere. This article uses the words 'up and coming' for the neighborhood and makes it sound like we're talking about the untouched areas of Kensington.

Right? They make it sound as if NoLibs is a disaster of missed opportunities and heartache. Last I looked, it was an expensive, still-developing enclave that is probably the most sought-after area anywhere outside of Center City. The only reason developments take longer to start is the costs associated have become exponentially higher in that area.

[summersm343]

If Philly job growth doesn’t keep up, millennials will go where the good jobs are, new study warns

https://www.philly.com/business/philly-jobs-millenials-vanguard-comcast-wawa-penn-20190409.html


Yes x100 to this article. This just happened to my fiance and I. Never wanted to leave the city but we got much better job offers outside of the city. I'm making $50K more with my office now in West Chester than I was in the city, she's making $35K more with her office now in Blue Bell. It was a no brainer. The commute, coupled with the wage tax; it was just more appealing to move out of the city. If the wage tax didn't exist, we probably would've stayed and dealt with it. Or at least moved to Northwest Philly somewhere.

The city is faced with a dilemma right NOW. Either cut business taxes drastically to entice more companies into the city and accelerate job growth, OR eliminate the wage tax. OR DO BOTH!

Too bad our city government is too corrupt and ass-backwards to do anything worthwhile for the good of the city. Can't have your cake and eat it too, but the city politicians routinely try to do so.

If things don't change, I fear more and more young adults will continue to leave the city as they approach their 30s, have kids, etc. as myself/my fiance and a lot of our friends have done.

[mcgrath618]

Originally Posted by summersm343

If Philly job growth doesn’t keep up, millennials will go where the good jobs are, new study warns

https://www.philly.com/business/philly-jobs-millenials-vanguard-comcast-wawa-penn-20190409.html


Yes x100 to this article. This just happened to my fiance and I. Never wanted to leave the city but we got much better job offers outside of the city. I'm making $50K more with my office now in West Chester than I was in the city, she's making $35K more with her office now in Blue Bell. It was a no brainer. The commute, coupled with the wage tax; it was just more appealing to move out of the city. If the wage tax didn't exist, we probably would've stayed and dealt with it. Or at least moved to Northwest Philly somewhere.

The city is faced with a dilemma right NOW. Either cut business taxes drastically to entice more companies into the city and accelerate job growth, OR eliminate the wage tax. OR DO BOTH!

Too bad our city government is too corrupt and ass-backwards to do anything worthwhile for the good of the city. Can't have your cake and eat it too, but the city politicians routinely try to do so.

If things don't change, I fear more and more young adults will continue to leave the city as they approach their 30s, have kids, etc. as myself/my fiance and a lot of our friends have done.

Alright as much as I like to defend SEPTA, part of this issue lies on them. SEPTA needs to run more frequently into the city. Period. SEPTA should be a viable, if not better alternative to driving.

Edit: let's also focus on the good here. It's awesome that Philly graduates are staying here! When Drexel's Co-op program comes my way I will definitely be looking exclusively at Philadelphia jobs. I think that programs like that and similar ones at Penn have definitely helped. Jefferson's growth surely hasn't hurt either.

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

Alright as much as I like to defend SEPTA, part of this issue lies on them. SEPTA needs to run more frequently into the city. Period. SEPTA should be a viable, if not better alternative to driving.

Edit: let's also focus on the good here. It's awesome that Philly graduates are staying here! When Drexel's Co-op program comes my way I will definitely be looking exclusively at Philadelphia jobs. I think that programs like that and similar ones at Penn have definitely helped. Jefferson's growth surely hasn't hurt either.

It's definitely great that graduates are staying in the area. It's a shame that a good amount of them are getting jobs in the suburbs. In Wawa, KOP, Malvern, etc.

[iheartphilly]

Philly and Philly suburbs are both very attractive places to live and work. As I've said before, if you are single or a couple that have no kids, and the finances and a smaller home (based on same dollar amount spent in the burbs) work for you, being in the city is far more exciting than the suburbs. But, then again, some folks don't like the hustle and bustle of city living no matter if they can afford it in every way. Just going in for work satisfies them. It's that simple.

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by summersm343

It's definitely great that graduates are staying in the area. It's a shame that a good amount of them are getting jobs in the suburbs. In Wawa, KOP, Malvern, etc.

Philly is retaining the highest amount of 20 and thirty somethings in the Post War era. It's just a fact. And you're always going to have a lot of people who leave the city to raise a family - regardless of job situation. Wall Streeters get married and move to Greenwich, Bostonians get married and move to Brookline. This is not a Philly-phenomenon.

In fact, none of my friends left the city b/c they got some tony job in the suburbs...not a single one. Most (maybe all) left begrudgingly simply b/c they couldn't afford a big enough house in a good enough neighborhood - in other words they were priced out (that's another discussion). And I know a ton of people who make a lot of money in the city but have zero desire to live here. In other words, it's not one size fits all and your case, in my experience, is super rare. Also, you're a pretty young man, if you love the city so much, continue to look for opportunities downtown. Not sure why you've resigned yourself to the suburban purgatory for the rest of your life already?

Could taxes be better? Sure. But i think the larger related issue is the city's onerous pension and healthcare burden for an increasingly aging population. Having 30 years of service, retiring at 50 is not the same thing it was 30 years ago when life expectancy was 62 years... (again, another discussioN).

[wcphil]

Hey, I wouldn't call West Chester a suburban purgatory. It's just a small slice of a big city with a small town charm sitting next to a beautiful rural area. It has a bit of something for everyone even if it isn't everything to everyone.

[PhilliesPhan]

As a 23 year old city resident who graduated from Temple last year (Fox '18), I have no plans on leaving the city. I also don't believe that a suburban environment is better for raising kids in, so that won't deter me from city life when that day finally arrives. With all I've said, however, the aforementioned article points out several structural items that need to be fixed to ensure the long-term viability of living in Philadelphia.

At the moment, Philly has a budget surplus of over $340M. We should use that surplus money to fund certain services at the expense of cutting certain taxes. If we could slash the BIRT, net income tax, or even the wage tax for city residents (it should be higher for suburban residents, imo), I could see a higher level of job growth occurring. The revenue from the new business that the city could gain would EASILY offset any losses from the currently onerous tax environment.

I grew up in this city and watched it transform into the gem that it is today; the West Philly of 2019 looks nothing like the West Philly of the early/mid 2000s. I want to watch as the wave of revitalization crosses 52nd Street (it already has in many ways), goes further north of Market, reaches Lehigh Ave in North Philly, and touches neighborhoods that people would have previously thought of as immune to revitalization. All of this can happen, but the system of taxation within the city must be fixed. The Philly wage tax is the second highest line item on my paycheck. As much as I don't mind paying it (I consider it a premium to live in the best spot in the entire metro), several people do, and it eventually drives them out to the suburbs.