PHILADELPHIA | Highrise Development Thread X - Page 41

Philly Fan · #**801** Posted **Nov 27, 2019, 4:00 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

Movin on up...

...to the East Market side,
with some deeee-luxe signage in the skyyyyy.

Busy Bee · #**802** Posted **Nov 27, 2019, 10:12 PM**

Indeed

Jayfar · #**803** Posted **Nov 29, 2019, 8:03 PM**

Edward C. Driscoll, builder of Liberty Place, 89 | Inquirer.com

Edward C. Driscoll, a construction manager whose company built the Liberty Place skyscrapers and other Philadelphia landmarks, died Nov. 18 of complications from a fall in his home. He was 89.

Over 50 years, Mr. Driscoll grew L.F. Driscoll — the company founded by his father, Leon F. Driscoll — from a local builder into a nationally known firm that transformed the Philadelphia skyline.

His first jobs with the company were as a construction worker, estimator, and project manager. He took over day-to-day operations of the company in 1959 and was named president in 1969, a title he held until 1975. Mr. Driscoll continued as CEO and board chairman of the firm until his retirement in 1994.

[snip]

Frank “Mack” Stulb, L.F. Driscoll’s current president, said Mr. Driscoll was on the vanguard of a change in the industry, from the traditional model of a building company that executed all parts of a project to the modern construction manager model, in which the company hires and oversees specialized subcontractors and tradesmen.

“The market grew, the work got bigger, and Ed had the vision that they could be more cost-effective and deliver construction more efficiently by letting the subcontractors that were the experts in those trades do the work,” Stulb said.

As a result of that change in approach, Stulb said, the role of the builder grew in profile, becoming a major partner with the owner and developer — rather than a firm simply bidding for work.

[snip]

photoLith · #**804** Posted **Dec 1, 2019, 1:35 AM**

Went up to One Liberty yesterday, heres some iPhone pics. Im not sure where all the new development is going on in Philly, but thought people would like to see them.

Untitled by photolitherland, on Flickr

iheartphilly · #**805** Posted **Dec 1, 2019, 3:07 AM**

^
Photolith, nice set. Most of the ones posted from One Liberty Observation deck have a reflection from the flash or angle when taken, but yours are superb! thanks for sharing.

PhillyDreamsReturns · #**806** Posted **Dec 3, 2019, 12:46 AM**

$2.1 billion worth of construction happening in West Philly next year: https://www.phillymag.com/news/2019/12/02/university-city-district-2020-report/

WestCoastSupertall · #**807** Posted **Dec 3, 2019, 12:58 AM**

God the convention center is such an eyesore from above

mcgrath618 · #**808** Posted **Dec 3, 2019, 2:34 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WestCoastSupertall

God the convention center is such an eyesore from above

It's a shame: on one hand, the Convention Center is amazing and is a wonderful resource for Philadelphia to have. On the other, it destroyed an entire neighborhood.

acenturi · #**809** Posted **Dec 3, 2019, 3:53 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

It's a shame: on one hand, the Convention Center is amazing and is a wonderful resource for Philadelphia to have. On the other, it destroyed an entire neighborhood.

One could also say that it revitalized a dying neighborhood.

mcgrath618 · #**810** Posted **Dec 3, 2019, 5:16 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by acenturi

One could also say that it revitalized a dying neighborhood.

This is absolutely true. However, the loss of significant architecture cannot be denied.

Justin7 · #**811** Posted **Dec 3, 2019, 2:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by acenturi

One could also say that it revitalized a dying neighborhood.

lol

japmes · #**812** Posted **Dec 3, 2019, 3:32 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by WestCoastSupertall

God the convention center is such an eyesore from above

I really wish they would make the convention center roof a green roof. Seems like they should be able to find money for something like that.

iheartphilly · #**813** Posted **Dec 3, 2019, 3:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by japmes

I really wish they would make the convention center roof a green roof. Seems like they should be able to find money for something like that.

I think solar panels would be amazing! Should be a no brainer to do that and divert some of the convention center's power bill.

Groundhog · #**814** Posted **Dec 3, 2019, 4:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by iheartphilly

I think solar panels would be amazing! Should be a no brainer to do that and divert some of the convention center's power bill.

A green roof with some solar panel cover (similar to Lot K) would not only help with power bills but would be such a unique and amazing additional event space for the convention center. I'm sure the cost to cover the full space would be pricey (and this is no where near my area of expertise), but I would assume the additional event space rentals (could have something attuned to a central Bok Bar) in addition to the energy savings would be worth it.

City Wide · #**815** Posted **Dec 3, 2019, 7:49 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by iheartphilly

I think solar panels would be amazing! Should be a no brainer to do that and divert some of the convention center's power bill.

The idea of solar on the convention center also makes sense because much of their business with trade shows takes place during the day, when hopefully the sun might be shinning. But who has the bucks to pay for the up front costs.

iheartphilly · #**816** Posted **Dec 3, 2019, 8:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by City Wide

The idea of solar on the convention center also makes sense because much of their business with trade shows takes place during the day, when hopefully the sun might be shinning. But who has the bucks to pay for the up front costs.

Whoever owns the convention center could put up the money through financing. The electricity the panels harnesses could be sold to the convention to pay the note down over time and the panels could depreciate as the investment by the financier.

Don't know if PGW could do it or one of those big solar companies? But, I bet this project would be supported if it was put on the table.

iamrobk · #**817** Posted **Dec 3, 2019, 8:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by iheartphilly

Whoever owns the convention center could put up the money through financing. The electricity the panels harnesses could be sold to the convention to pay the note down over time and the panels could depreciate as the investment by the financier.

Don't know if PGW could do it or one of those big solar companies? But, I bet this project would be supported if it was put on the table.

FWIW, per property.phila.gov it looks like the state owns it, through DCED (the state equivalent of the city Department of Commerce, basically).

BenKatzPhillytoParis · #**818** Posted **Dec 3, 2019, 8:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

This is absolutely true. However, the loss of significant architecture cannot be denied.

Guys--absolutely not true it "saved a dying neighborhood". Chinatown never slumped; its growth has only been hemmed in by the Convention Center. I suspect it was put there just because residents of Chinatown were not taken as seriously as a political constituency, which is really a shame.

iheartphilly · #**819** Posted **Dec 3, 2019, 8:38 PM**

...and Convention Center helps the Chinatown business community too.

mcgrath618 · #**820** Posted **Dec 3, 2019, 9:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BenKatzPhillytoParis

Guys--absolutely not true it "saved a dying neighborhood". Chinatown never slumped; its growth has only been hemmed in by the Convention Center. I suspect it was put there just because residents of Chinatown were not taken as seriously as a political constituency, which is really a shame.

I'm not saying it was a godsend; the loss of architecture and neighborhood cannot be denied. However, it has made Chinatown much more of a destination than it was before.