PHILADELPHIA | Lowrise/General Developments Thread II

[blart]

2/22
2nd between Vine and New Sts

[Aether]

(Im not sure if this belongs here but oh well) I had a random thought, what flashy things (if any) is the city trying to do before 2026? I feel like theres small things they could easily push through, Landscaping improvements, the new pedestrian bridge at the waterfront, etc?
Also what would yall like to see them do? Personally id love to see them put a ferris-wheel along the waterfront, no matter how cliche it is i think it would be a cool thing to see.

[Skintreesnail]

Originally Posted by blart

2/22
2nd & Race Sts

This seems abnormally ugly.

[mja]

Originally Posted by Aether

(Im not sure if this belongs here but oh well) I had a random thought, what flashy things (if any) is the city trying to do before 2026? I feel like theres small things they could easily push through, Landscaping improvements, the new pedestrian bridge at the waterfront, etc?
Also what would yall like to see them do? Personally id love to see them put a ferris-wheel along the waterfront, no matter how cliche it is i think it would be a cool thing to see.

They already have one. It's tiny, but it's a thing.

Ideally, they'd invest heavily in street beautification at least throughout Center City.

[Arch+Eng]

Just some quick shots as I was riding past. Sorry for the image quality.

[jaysb]

Originally Posted by Skintreesnail

This seems abnormally ugly.

eh, I don't think it's bad, it'll likely look better with the finishes around the windows. and hey, at least it's all brick, I mean contrast it to this piece of crap:
https://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-phil...om-clark-park/

[PHL10]

Originally Posted by jaysb

eh, I don't think it's bad, it'll likely look better with the finishes around the windows. and hey, at least it's all brick....

I agree, the materials and massing look good but I do think the arches are giving it this dated 1960s feel that I'm not loving, which might be giving Snail the same vibe.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by PHL10

I agree, the materials and massing look good but I do think the arches are giving it this dated 1960s feel that I'm not loving, which might be giving Snail the same vibe.

I don't know what rock you've been living under but arches are very much back in style. Like, it's probably the number one trend in architectural trimwork, furniture, etc. I mean, the newest boutique hotel in Fishtown is called Archway.

Edit to add: I do think the design would have come off better if the brick was black. I thought that was the intention. Instead, it does look like this sort of dirty gray. But as with most things related to design, very often people steer clear of what might perceived as a polarizing choice and settle on the mundane, which in turn ends up making the final product worse in aggregate. It could be that the architect specified black and the developer got cold feet at the last minute. Now here we are.

Overall though, I think it's a good building. It could have been spectacular though...

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by jaysb

eh, I don't think it's bad, it'll likely look better with the finishes around the windows. and hey, at least it's all brick, I mean contrast it to this piece of crap:
https://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-phil...om-clark-park/

This is another example of NIMBY run amok.

Earlier versions of this proposal were elegant all glass designs that mimicked Gehry's buildings on Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn. And that was proposed as a condo.

Of course people fought it so now they got this metal clad rental box. I say, congrats to them.

[UrbanRevival]

Originally Posted by jaysb

eh, I don't think it's bad, it'll likely look better with the finishes around the windows. and hey, at least it's all brick, I mean contrast it to this piece of crap:
https://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-phil...om-clark-park/

Agree completely. Brick/masonry materials at least give a building a high-quality feel, even in the absence of "high design." (And I do think the Old City building has a fairly interesting design, and completion of the base/other details will help; color is always subjective).

But a building with uninspired design and highly commercialized or value-engineered materials? Very little opportunity for redemption.

Thankfully Philly has a VERY strong brick/masonry tradition that continues on. The city doesn't need any more 43rd and Baltimores; that's for sure.

[mcgrath618]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

This is another example of NIMBY run amok.

Earlier versions of this proposal were elegant all glass designs that mimicked Gehry's buildings on Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn. And that was proposed as a condo.

Of course people fought it so now they got this metal clad rental box. I say, congrats to them.

I disagree that either design was a winner. How hard would it have been to use brick here?

[mcgrath618]

Originally Posted by UrbanRevival

Agree completely. Brick/masonry materials at least give a building a high-quality feel in the absence of "high design." (And I do think the Old City building has a fairly interesting design; color is always subjective).

But a building with uninspired design and highly commercialized/value-engineered materials? Very little opportunity for redemption.

Thankfully Philly has a VERY strong brick/masonry tradition that continues on. We don't need any more 43rd and Baltimores.

Is it that strong? We adopted the International Building Code, something that intentionally makes it more difficult to construct any load-bearing masonry structures (detached or attached).

Chicago held out adopting the IBC until 2018, and as a result it continued to get fantastic looking buildings even into the 2020s. Buildings like these and these. Notice that around the sides of the building, there is no vinyl siding. There is only brick. Unfortunately, the ugliness has started to come back to Chicago now that timber frame is legal again...

In Philadelphia, for at least two decades now the bricks on buildings have been little more than an aesthetic choice of material to cover the matchstick timber construction underneath. Our masonry tradition is dying, and maintaining our rowhomes will only become more and more difficult--unless we drop the IBC, ban timber frame construction, and force a masonry comeback.

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

I disagree that either design was a winner. How hard would it have been to use brick here?

I'd say since 2010, Philly has had a much stronger "veneer and metal panel" tradition.

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

This is another example of NIMBY run amok.

Earlier versions of this proposal were elegant all glass designs that mimicked Gehry's buildings on Grand Army Plaza in Brooklyn. And that was proposed as a condo.

Of course people fought it so now they got this metal clad rental box. I say, congrats to them.

So true. I remember being at a party on the terrace at the Bridge when they dropped that rendering for a 10 story (IIRC) building that looked awesome. The Bridge residents were outraged that they could even consider the proposal. The people that lived in a new 20 damn story building next to the Ben were outraged that someone could develop something half the size. I couldn't believe the hypocrisy. At first I thought the person talking was kidding...then a bunch of others chimed in saying they would NEVER allow that. The ultimate comedy is that the Bridge is a rental property.

It's nuts. I think the Bridge community is what killed that much taller proposal.

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by blart

2/22
2nd between Vine and New Sts

Now this looks like an obvious new build. But this looks so much nicer and appropriate for the neighborhood than the building at Race and 2nd.

It's Old City for crying out loud.

[PHLtoNYC]

Originally Posted by Redddog

Now this looks like an obvious new build. But this looks so much nicer and appropriate for the neighborhood than the building at Race and 2nd.

It's Old City for crying out loud.

Part of Old City's charm is the juxtaposition of architectural styles (IMO).

For example, in the first picture, the buildings South of the townhouses show the cool variety of styles and materials found in Old City.

Granted the building at 2nd & Race is turning out more flat and basic than the glamorous renderings, but is still a good addition to the area.
https://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-phil...n-in-old-city/ (original rendering).

Originally Posted by Redddog

So true. I remember being at a party on the terrace at the Bridge when they dropped that rendering for a 10 story (IIRC) building that looked awesome. The Bridge residents were outraged that they could even consider the proposal. The people that lived in a new 20 damn story building next to the Ben were outraged that someone could develop something half the size. I couldn't believe the hypocrisy. At first I thought the person talking was kidding...then a bunch of others chimed in saying they would NEVER allow that. The ultimate comedy is that the Bridge is a rental property.

It's nuts. I think the Bridge community is what killed that much taller proposal.

I never understood the outrage when a tall building is proposed next to another tall building... Like what do people expect?
Fear of bigger ideas still hovers over Philadelphia...

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

Part of Old City's charm is the juxtaposition of architectural styles (IMO).

For example, in the first picture, the buildings South of the townhouses show the cool variety of styles and materials found in Old City.

Granted the building at 2nd & Race is turning out more flat and basic than the glamorous renderings, but is still a good addition to the area.
https://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-phil...n-in-old-city/ (original rendering).

Yeah, agreed. I'm really not that chaffed at Race and 2nd. I'm more pissed at the "could have been" than I am mad at what we ended up with. And what the new building replaced was a joke. So in the end, this was a massive upgrade. I hope they are able to lease the commercial space. Something cool there would be awesome.

I do appreciate the range of styles in Old City. But I like at least a wink to the historical to bind it all together.

[PHLtoNYC]

Originally Posted by Redddog

Yeah, agreed. I'm really not that chaffed at Race and 2nd. I'm more pissed at the "could have been" than I am mad at what we ended up with. And what the new building replaced was a joke. So in the end, this was a massive upgrade. I hope they are able to lease the commercial space. Something cool there would be awesome.

I do appreciate the range of styles in Old City. But I like at least a wink to the historical to bind it all together.

To your point about NIMBYs ruining nice things...

The Painted Bride Now for Sale Along a Bustling Vine Street in Old City

https://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-phil...t-in-old-city/

[UrbanRevival]

Originally Posted by Redddog

I'd say since 2010, Philly has had a much stronger "veneer and metal panel" tradition.

I don't think there's a city where that isn't true today. Metal paneling is ubiquitous now, and is Philly no exception for its increased use.

Even so, the use of masonry in Philly projects still seems much more common than in other cities.

[PurpleWhiteOut]

Originally Posted by Skintreesnail

This seems abnormally ugly.

The random black brick sections were supposed to be marble. I'm guessing that was a bait and switch and VE'd out? I'm not a fan either