Quote:
Originally Posted by bdurk
I live right off of Ridge in the area and I agree. There are some decent businesses in some of the new spots so far, especially the recently opened Our Town Taproom, but there is so much potential for more. Between 16th and 17th there is so much room for nice places, but instead we are getting our THIRD vape shop on the block. I understand why investors are hesitant, but man I think if you could establish a decent bar or restaurant here you'd be set in a couple years. I think Ridge between Broad and Girard will be like modern-day Frankford Ave in 10 years.
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I think the issue on Ridge is less about all the new spaces and more about the quality of the spaces. IMO, Francisville made the same mistakes NoLibs made in its first big push of development on 2nd Street. Namely, in an effort to reduce the size of buildings, NoLibs inadvertantly caused developers to build buildings with really undesireable commercial spaces. Specifically, in this day and age, no destination restaurant wants a dinky little space with 10 or even 12 foot ceilings. In an effort to keep buildings at 38 or 42 feet, developers in NoLibs built a bunch of buildings with very low ceilings on the first floor. Penny wise and pound foolish. To this day, many of those first generation commercial spaces sit empty at worse, or are very difficult to lease at best.
The new generation of new construction in Northern Liberties has very high ceilings on the first floor so shouldn't suffer the same fate, but it seems to be a common but misplaced reaction in new developments to assuage neighbors in newly hot areas.