PHILADELPHIA | Lowrise/General Developments Thread

[Urbanthusiat]

Originally Posted by TonyTone

Yo dude did you see the flood map? Holy shit Florida is ruined, Philly is mostly good expect for the port, NY is largely good except for that area by the WTC. LA is fine except for the beach area. Louisiana is destroyed.

I have seen the map, I actually spent a lot of time playing around with it yesterday looking how it would affect different places, that’s why I brought it up. Philly should be able to prevent most of the damage by just building sea walls to prevent damage to South Philly. It’s really something we ought to figure out sooner than later. Like… at some point in the next 100 years we’re going to need massive infrastructure changes to prevent us from losing the port and the airport. But even still like I said Philly will mostly be OK and I expect we’re going to see a big uptick in growth as a result of climate change. Bright side I guess haha.

[Justin7]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Neighbors continue fight to halt demoltion of historic Pearson House in Germantown
By Ashley Johnson
Thursday, June 17, 2021

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- A grassroots effort has been in the works over the past couple of days to block the demolition of the historic Pearson House in the Germantown section of Philadelphia.

It's been a contentious issue for six months with passionate neighbors fighting to keep the property at 5139 Wayne Avenue intact. The home, built in 1852, belonged to famous painter Joseph T. Pearson.

...

https://6abc.com/germantown-historic-hou...venue-philadelphia-real-estate/10802170/

[Justin7]

Germantown house designated historic is about to be demolished

by Michaelle Bond
Published Jun 21, 2021

The Pearson House, a 19th-century home in Germantown where a local painter created his most important works, received a spot on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places on April 9. Exactly two months later, the house’s owner received a demolition permit from the city.

And on Wednesday, residents watched as workers threw materials off the roof of what is described as one of the oldest remaining houses on Wayne Avenue.

...

https://www.inquirer.com/real-estate/phi...n-germantown-pearson-house-20210621.html

[AnEmperorPenguin]

Originally Posted by Urbanthusiat

I get what you’re saying but I just felt compelled to say that 676, the convention center, and independence mall don’t take up a third of center city lol, not even close..

Those 3 alone don't but add in parking lots and garages (and 95 and the fashion district mall which I forgot) and you get depressingly close. I'm eyeballing it but I also realize it's not an exact comparison since we build a lot taller these days.

Originally Posted by TonyTone

Hmm 40K we are at least 400k off from two million pop again.

400K-40K=360K

So we are 360K off does that count include destroyed properties that were turned into lots as well?

I think that 40K number only includes totally empty lots not used for anything and not abandoned buildings that are still standing or parking lots but I could be wrong. But either way imagine turning those 40K lots into duplexes averaging 2 people in each, would bring us almost half way back to 2 million

[TonyTone]

Originally Posted by AnEmperorPenguin

Those 3 alone don't but add in parking lots and garages (and 95 and the fashion district mall which I forgot) and you get depressingly close. I'm eyeballing it but I also realize it's not an exact comparison since we build a lot taller these days.



I think that 40K number only includes totally empty lots not used for anything and not abandoned buildings that are still standing or parking lots but I could be wrong. But either way imagine turning those 40K lots into duplexes averaging 2 people in each, would bring us almost half way back to 2 million

My God we have 40K empty lots? so we probably do have close to 360k Abandoned homes if thats how many lots are abandon.

[PurpleWhiteOut]

Some bad news:

Exclusive: Radian to move HQ to Wayne, departing from Center City after four decades

Hopefully won't be too large of a trend

[Jayfar]

Originally Posted by Londonee

Anyone remember/hear about what the latest with the development at the old PHA offices at 2012 Chestnut Street? They selected Alterra to redevelop the site back in 2016, but it has been crickets. And Alterra generally moves pretty quickly once they are given the go-ahead. That building is a collapsing, rusted-out, derelict eyesore that really hurts that block.

http://www.pha.phila.gov/pha-news/pha-news/2016/chestnut-street-headquarters-site.aspx

A long belated update is at hand, but to clear away old business first — the blog item posted last October by PhillyYimby was completely outdated a couple years before it was posted. Seriously. They changed up architects at least a couple years ago.

IGNORE ALL OF THIS: https://phillyyimby.com/2020/10/20-story...t-in-rittenhouse-square-center-city.html

The only thing remaining the same is Alterra as the lead developer. Not Cope Linder. Not 20 stories. Not 253 feet. Not 200 units.

Current plan is designed by JKRP Architects: 14 stories, 161' height, 162 residential units (130 market rate; 32 units 'workforce housing'), ~4,500 sq ft ground floor commercial space. Financing is in place and they hope to break ground by January 2022, with completion Jan 2023.

Here's a youtube video of a presentation this past Jan 13 to the Center City Residents Association, with which there is also a Community Benefits Agreement. The architect's presentation by JKRP Principal Jonathan Broh begins at the 16:55 mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhxlfXrg8lQ

Community Benefits Agreement: https://www.centercityresidents.org/reso...hestnut%20-%20FINAL%20BR%20(2)%20(3).pdf

A February report from the CCRA's task force on the project: https://www.centercityresidents.org/resources/Documents/Major%20Development%20TF%20Report.pdf

And the zoning overlay ordinance with supporting documentation: http://www.amlegal.com/pdffiles/Philadelphia/200348.pdf

Spot zoning at it's finest (or when CMX-4 just ain't quite enough):

Excerpt defining the area:

(.33) West Chestnut Street Area.
The West Chestnut Street Area shall consist of all lots with at least 80 ft. of
street frontage on the south side of Chestnut Street and street frontage on
the north side of Ionic Street, beginning at the corner of 20th Street and
following a line running westwardly along Chestnut Street a distance of
205 ft.

"This is a true and correct copy of the original Bill, Passed by the City
Council on April 29, 2021. The Bill was Signed by the Mayor on May 11, 2021."

Also see an extensive discussion at Philadelphia Industrial & Commercial Heritage, including the history of the present building (which is a significant building in the Center City West Commercial Historic District on the National Register) and its original occupant, J.B. Sheppard and Sons, a linens merchant founded in 1851.

Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PhiladelphiaIndustrialHeritage/posts/2988091751479458/

Rendering courtesy JKRP Architects


EDIT: When I posted this I didn't see that there was already a dedicated thread for 2012 Chestnut, so I'll copy this post to there: https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=225494

[Knight Hospitaller]

World Heritage City!

Originally Posted by Justin7

Germantown house designated historic is about to be demolished

by Michaelle Bond
Published Jun 21, 2021

The Pearson House, a 19th-century home in Germantown where a local painter created his most important works, received a spot on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places on April 9. Exactly two months later, the house’s owner received a demolition permit from the city.

And on Wednesday, residents watched as workers threw materials off the roof of what is described as one of the oldest remaining houses on Wayne Avenue.

...

https://www.inquirer.com/real-estate/phi...n-germantown-pearson-house-20210621.html

[SEFTA]

Thanks for the update.
That first "sketch" was a horror. This is an improvement. Unexciting but will slip in unnoticed
2012 Chestnut Street

Originally Posted by Jayfar

The only thing remaining the same is Alterra as the lead developer. Not Cope Linder. Not 20 stories. Not 253 feet. Not 200 units.

Current plan is designed by JKRP Architects: 14 stories, 161' height, 162 residential units (130 market rate; 32 units 'workforce housing'), ~4,500 sq ft ground floor commercial space. Financing is in place and they hope to break ground by January 2022, with completion Jan 2023.

Here's a youtube video of a presentation this past Jan 13 to the Center City Residents Association, with which there is also a Community Benefits Agreement. The architect's presentation by JKRP Principal Jonathan Broh begins at the 16:55 mark.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhxlfXrg8lQ

Community Benefits Agreement: https://www.centercityresidents.org/reso...hestnut%20-%20FINAL%20BR%20(2)%20(3).pdf

A February report from the CCRA's task force on the project: https://www.centercityresidents.org/resources/Documents/Major%20Development%20TF%20Report.pdf

And the zoning overlay ordinance with supporting documentation: http://www.amlegal.com/pdffiles/Philadelphia/200348.pdf

Spot zoning at it's finest (or when CMX-4 just ain't quite enough):

Excerpt defining the area:

(.33) West Chestnut Street Area.
The West Chestnut Street Area shall consist of all lots with at least 80 ft. of
street frontage on the south side of Chestnut Street and street frontage on
the north side of Ionic Street, beginning at the corner of 20th Street and
following a line running westwardly along Chestnut Street a distance of
205 ft.

"This is a true and correct copy of the original Bill, Passed by the City
Council on April 29, 2021. The Bill was Signed by the Mayor on May 11, 2021."

Also see an extensive discussion at Philadelphia Industrial & Commercial Heritage, including the history of the present building (which is a significant building in the Center City West Commercial Historic District on the National Register) and its original occupant, J.B. Sheppard and Sons, a linens merchant founded in 1851.

Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/PhiladelphiaIndustrialHeritage/posts/2988091751479458/

Rendering courtesy JKRP Architects


EDIT: When I posted this I didn't see that there was already a dedicated thread for 2012 Chestnut, so I'll copy this post to there: https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/showthread.php?t=225494

2012 Chestnut Street

[PHLtoNYC]

Originally Posted by PurpleWhiteOut

Some bad news:

Exclusive: Radian to move HQ to Wayne, departing from Center City after four decades

Hopefully won't be too large of a trend

I just read this

I thought this trend was dying out. Its not a total failure since the company will remain in the region, but Center City cannot afford to lose a few hundred higher income workers right now.

Lets hope the Life Sciences action stays hot, and maybe Vanguard will stay interested in growing their Center City presence (they were pre-pandemic).

Separately, I noticed Jacobs Engineering is leaving their longtime space at 23rd & Chestnut (lease expiring), I hope they are staying close by. Any idea of where they are moving?

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

I just read this

I thought this trend was dying out. Its not a total failure since the company will remain in the region, but Center City cannot afford to lose a few hundred higher income workers right now.

Lets hope the Life Sciences action stays hot, and maybe Vanguard will stay interested in growing their Center City presence (they were pre-pandemic).

Separately, I noticed Jacobs Engineering is leaving their longtime space at 23rd & Chestnut (lease expiring), I hope they are staying close by. Any idea of where they are moving?

Hopefully it's not a trend. The same issues will surface soon enough. Young people still don't want to be out in the burbs, even post-pandemic. If anything, the urge to be in the middle of everything might be even stronger than before.

[kingtut]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

Hopefully it's not a trend. The same issues will surface soon enough. Young people still don't want to be out in the burbs, even post-pandemic. If anything, the urge to be in the middle of everything might be even stronger than before.

Safety and security override those
factors .

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by kingtut

Safety and security override those
factors .

Right. Rittenhouse Square is super sketchy.

I forgot.

[TonyTone]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

Right. Rittenhouse Square is super sketchy.

I forgot.

[allovertown]

Originally Posted by kingtut

Safety and security override those
factors .

[PhilliesPhan]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

Hopefully it's not a trend. The same issues will surface soon enough. Young people still don't want to be out in the burbs, even post-pandemic. If anything, the urge to be in the middle of everything might be even stronger than before.

I couldn't agree more as a 25 year old young professional. I wouldn't even consider applying for a job if it's out in the suburbs. Many of those within my social circle feel the exact same way.

Originally Posted by kingtut

Safety and security override those
factors .

Exactly where in Rittenhouse Square, let alone anywhere in Center City, is anything but "safe and secure?!"

[bigfish]

Just walked by 3rd and Christian. That project is definitely under construction. Foundation looks most of the way dug.

[EastSideHBG]

Originally Posted by PhilliesPhan

I couldn't agree more as a 25 year old young professional. I wouldn't even consider applying for a job if it's out in the suburbs. Many of those within my social circle feel the exact same way.

Give it a few more years

I won't argue that the city is still cool and attractive for younger people but I would not downplay the pull the 'burbs can have (especially the inner ring ones and that border the city) and my immediate area is now filling up quickly with 20-30 year old folks who moved here from the city. Some of the reasons when we talk: taxes, crime, schools, more space, different housing choices... Not doom and gloom by any means but something the city should not lose sight of.

[SEFTA]

Now at retirement the pull of the city is calling me back after years in WalmartLand

[PHLtoNYC]

Originally Posted by EastSideHBG

Give it a few more years

I won't argue that the city is still cool and attractive for younger people but I would not downplay the pull the 'burbs can have (especially the inner ring ones and that border the city) and my immediate area is now filling up quickly with 20-30 year old folks who moved here from the city. Some of the reasons when we talk: taxes, crime, schools, more space, different housing choices... Not doom and gloom by any means but something the city should not lose sight of.

To your point, not all suburbs are are boring cul de sacs and strip shopping centers. Philadelphia has some very attractive suburbs that are also near some extremely powerful economic centers - Ardmore, Conshohocken, Media, etc. I am a city person, but I could see why a couple in their 30s would relocate to Ardmore, especially if they have kids.

But as you said, it is not doom and gloom. The city will continue to prosper either way, however, getting high paying jobs is key, so when companies like Radian move to Wayne, that is not good and hopefully a rare occurrence going forward.