PHILADELPHIA | Highrise Development Thread X - Page 264

3rd&Brown · #**5261** Posted **Oct 25, 2022, 4:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

It's a super handsome building.

A nice response to the Gensler Riverwalk buildings, tbh.

Also, just read the Naked Philly article and it says it's designed by Erdy McHenry. If that's the case, kudos to them. Their aesthetic was/is in desperate need of a refresh.

This is sexy as hell.

TK2001 · #**5262** Posted **Oct 25, 2022, 4:30 PM**

They also designed 21M across the street to the north. I really like both of the buildings

TK2001 · #**5263** Posted **Oct 25, 2022, 7:01 PM**

https://youtu.be/dVsXeItlWyQ

chimpskibot · #**5264** Posted **Oct 25, 2022, 7:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TK2001

https://youtu.be/dVsXeItlWyQ

After listening to the comments by the Neighborhood and Ministries I understand why they are nervous to have a public space, but I dont understand why they are comparing it to WAWA. Is this not just another form of an art gallery of which most are open to the public with similar hours? I do think the removal of a working space for the public in favor of studio spaces for artists would be a much better idea, especially with proximity to Moore and UArts. If planned correctly with nighttime events this part market west could be activated immensely which I think would make the area safer.

skyhigh07 · #**5265** Posted **Oct 25, 2022, 9:43 PM**

21st and Ludlow -

“Ideally the company would like to begin work on the tower early next year, he said.“

Whoa. Get this gal her own tab already!

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia...ment-tower-philadelphia-center-city.html

PENNSYLVANIAPROGRESS · #**5266** Posted **Oct 25, 2022, 10:48 PM**

are there like Comcast technology center in the downtown area?

Nanyika · #**5267** Posted **Oct 26, 2022, 4:12 AM**

It's wonderful to see the parking lot disappear at 21st & Ludlow. There used to be a handsome row of 19th-century townhouses on that block, which was torn down for the parking lot, perhaps about 20 years ago. Many people were outraged at the time, but it was not possible to stop the destruction. This good-looking tower should help to resolve the issue.

Boku · #**5268** Posted **Oct 26, 2022, 11:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PENNSYLVANIAPROGRESS

are there like Comcast technology center in the downtown area?

No.

thoughtcriminal · #**5269** Posted **Oct 26, 2022, 11:53 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boku

No.

Wow, that's pretty definitive. How can you be sure there isn't a development on the boards that just hasn't been made public yet?

TK2001 · #**5270** Posted **Oct 26, 2022, 12:46 PM**

Well, that's the problem. Nothing is posted publicly on a new confirmed supertall yet. The Schuylkill Yards supertall and Philly District 30 supertall are both conceptual. Once a new supertall is actually proposed for Philly, this forum will be going nuts like the reveal of the ACC or CTC. And I know, it's been eight years since the "Comcast Innovation and Technology Center" was revealed, but I'm loving the amount of developments popping up in the city. We have excellent buildings underway between 250-600 feet, and I'm very glad to see the growth that's happening today.
Even yesterday when 21st and Ludlow was proposed, I saw it and said "A new tower for Philly!" then immediately jumped out of bed to make a model

iheartphilly · #**5271** Posted **Oct 26, 2022, 1:03 PM**

Comcast could theoretically consolidate employees located elsewhere and in other buildings around the city and put more employees into another supertall, but with the WFH model and current economic conditions, best guess is that nothing is in the works based on these factors. Any proposed supertalls will likely require a very large and well funded corporation to start the process with a developer and a need by the corporation to do so. It would be a business need to meet business performance. Supertalls aren't born out of thin air.

3rd&Brown · #**5272** Posted **Oct 26, 2022, 1:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by iheartphilly

Comcast could consolidate employees located elsewhere and in other buildings and pull more employees into Center City and another supertall could be built, but with WFH and current economic conditions, best guess is that nothing is in the works. Any proposed supertalls will likely require a very large and well funded corporation to start the process with a developer. Supertalls aren't born out of thin air.

A supertall could conceivably be kicked off if we had a major hotel tenant in the market that isn't yet here (JW Marriott, Raffles, etc). I'm not saying that's likely but a tenant like that could take 30 floors. Then you could fill the building with other uses.

Again, I don't see any of this happening in the current interest rate slash WFH environment.

Groundhog · #**5273** Posted **Oct 26, 2022, 1:50 PM**

If the Comcast Innovation Center does what it set out to do - be a functional model of an R&D lab in an urban setting that attracts younger employees who want to be here, rather than in the burbs - then I could see something pop up in line with that model for labs. That said, it was a very pre-pandemic theory and they're working from a pretty deep hole in what they want to accomplish, so I'm not holding my breath.

Here's hoping a hotel or other more traditional company can fill in that gap.

DeltaNerd · #**5274** Posted **Oct 26, 2022, 2:33 PM**

We don't need Supertalls to make Philadelphia iconic. I will take 5-6 Skyscrapers over 1 supertall. Tbh I would love more 10-12 floor buildings around the city. I was walking around DC over the weekend and it was just nice how the city was laid out.
I love all the skyscrapers coming down the pipeline and hoping lots of midrises to fill in the rest of the city. Also hoping for more hotels to pop up around 30th street station. Would be good for the city.

reparcsyks · #**5275** Posted **Oct 26, 2022, 2:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeltaNerd

We don't need Supertalls to make Philadelphia iconic. I will take 5-6 Skyscrapers over 1 supertall. Tbh I would love more 10-12 floor buildings around the city. I was walking around DC over the weekend and it was just nice how the city was laid out.
I love all the skyscrapers coming down the pipeline and hoping lots of midrises to fill in the rest of the city. Also hoping for more hotels to pop up around 30th street station. Would be good for the city.

Exactly. Look at Vancouver -- a city with tons of 300-400 footers looks way more impressive than a city with 2-3 supertalls. Also, I was destroyed a few months back when I said we wouldn't see a supertall in Philly for the next 30-50 years. I still stand by that (of course I'd be happy to eat my words), and I'm willing to double down on that prediction. Flame away.

jaysb · #**5276** Posted **Oct 26, 2022, 3:23 PM**

Dumb-ish question for the board.....I was driving around all of development in Northern Liberties on Tuesday and I got to thinking...we've all heard how antiquated our water/sewage systems are. We've gone from a population of 2MM->1.6MM but it certainly wasn't the density were are seeing being built around the Piazza etc. How are we adding so much density on antiquated infrastructure? Was this updated recently? Were they originally over-built to handle this? Thanks, I'll hang up and listen.

PHLtoNYC · #**5277** Posted **Oct 26, 2022, 3:25 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeltaNerd

We don't need Supertalls to make Philadelphia iconic. I will take 5-6 Skyscrapers over 1 supertall. Tbh I would love more 10-12 floor buildings around the city. I was walking around DC over the weekend and it was just nice how the city was laid out.
I love all the skyscrapers coming down the pipeline and hoping lots of midrises to fill in the rest of the city. Also hoping for more hotels to pop up around 30th street station. Would be good for the city.

Philadelphia needs more hotels. A bit odd that nothing is in the pipeline, considering how much hotel development I'm reading about in other cities. I'd prefer that over a supertall.

Redddog · #**5278** Posted **Oct 26, 2022, 3:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

Philadelphia needs more hotels. A bit odd that nothing is in the pipeline, considering how much hotel development I'm reading about in other cities. I'd prefer that over a supertall.

Philly needs like 5-6 new hotels.

We've had a few since then but before I moved here, we would bring our son to CHoP. If there was a convention, we couldn't even find a room in Cherry hill. Once we had to stay in Wilmington.

This town can handle a TON more rooms.

3rd&Brown · #**5279** Posted **Oct 26, 2022, 4:03 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeltaNerd

We don't need Supertalls to make Philadelphia iconic. I will take 5-6 Skyscrapers over 1 supertall. Tbh I would love more 10-12 floor buildings around the city. I was walking around DC over the weekend and it was just nice how the city was laid out.
I love all the skyscrapers coming down the pipeline and hoping lots of midrises to fill in the rest of the city. Also hoping for more hotels to pop up around 30th street station. Would be good for the city.

I agree. I'll take urbanity over a larger portion of the city over a cluster of super talls. Super talls also have the risk, if not executed well, of making the skyline look unbalanced and otherwise unimpressive.

NYC's skyline looks really wacky right now in Midtown with all of the residential pencil towers. I mean to be honest, they're hideous.

MAC123 · #**5280** Posted **Oct 26, 2022, 4:04 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

I agree. I'll take urbanity over a larger portion of the city over a cluster of super talls. Super talls also have the risk, if not executed well, of making the skyline look unbalanced and otherwise unimpressive.

NYC's skyline looks really wacky right now in Midtown with all of the residential pencil towers. I mean to be honest, they're hideous.

No, they really aren't.