PHILADELPHIA | Lowrise/General Developments Thread

[1487]

Originally Posted by lsksl

Is that where 401 race will be?

yes. too bad they have to look at that blank Mint wall. Looks like a warehouse in the middle of old city.

[PHL10]

Originally Posted by 1487

exactly. Doesn't even rank in the top 50 of problems for Center city or Philly as a whole. Hell, maybe it will help spark more action in this area. Can't get much worse.

I think you are missing the root of people’s anger. Due to the City’s approach with slumlords and their lack of intervention or oversight, PEOPLE WERE KILLED. Because they haven’t changed anything significantly in this process, presumably more people will be killed. Anyone notice the house collapses in South Philly over the last couple of months? They were actively being rented. The neighbors knew the buildings were in danger of collapse and the result? The buildings collapsed. A landlord letting his structure fall down is a serious problem in my mind and certainly a TOP 50 issue for this voter.

Well, all that being said, how incredibly galling is it for the City to build a park to the victims as if they were struck down by an act of God? They were struck down by dirt bag slumlords and the City letting them get away with it and continue to do so in hundreds, maybe thousands of cases all across the City at this very moment.

Cro had a very biting, sarcastic name for the proposed park that maybe he recalls and can share it again. I remember it being more appropriate that June 5th or whatever it’s called.

(To make things worse, remember the case of all those L&I agents descending on the Goldtex building after hours as the Post Bros were having their preview opening black tie event. So they have time to play political games, presumably at the direction of our elected leaders but they can’t investigate issues that will likely lead to death and destruction.)

[Knight Hospitaller]

Originally Posted by PHL10

I think you are missing the root of people’s anger. Due to the City’s approach with slumlords and their lack of intervention or oversight, PEOPLE WERE KILLED. Because they haven’t changed anything significantly in this process, presumably more people will be killed. Anyone notice the house collapses in South Philly over the last couple of months? They were actively being rented. The neighbors knew the buildings were in danger of collapse and the result? The buildings collapsed. A landlord letting his structure fall down is a serious problem in my mind and certainly a TOP 50 issue for this voter.

Well, all that being said, how incredibly galling is it for the City to build a park to the victims as if they were struck down by an act of God? They were struck down by dirt bag slumlords and the City letting them get away with it and continue to do so in hundreds, maybe thousands of cases all across the City at this very moment.

Cro had a very biting, sarcastic name for the proposed park that maybe he recalls and can share it again. I remember it being more appropriate that June 5th or whatever it’s called.

(To make things worse, remember the case of all those L&I agents descending on the Goldtex building after hours as the Post Bros were having their preview opening black tie event. So they have time to play political games, presumably at the direction of our elected leaders but they can’t investigate issues that will likely lead to death and destruction.)

Without rehashing the merits of the memorial park itself, the best monument to the fallen would've been to see genuine accountability.

[1487]

Originally Posted by PHL10

I think you are missing the root of people’s anger. Due to the City’s approach with slumlords and their lack of intervention or oversight, PEOPLE WERE KILLED. Because they haven’t changed anything significantly in this process, presumably more people will be killed. Anyone notice the house collapses in South Philly over the last couple of months? They were actively being rented. The neighbors knew the buildings were in danger of collapse and the result? The buildings collapsed. A landlord letting his structure fall down is a serious problem in my mind and certainly a TOP 50 issue for this voter.

Well, all that being said, how incredibly galling is it for the City to build a park to the victims as if they were struck down by an act of God? They were struck down by dirt bag slumlords and the City letting them get away with it and continue to do so in hundreds, maybe thousands of cases all across the City at this very moment.

Cro had a very biting, sarcastic name for the proposed park that maybe he recalls and can share it again. I remember it being more appropriate that June 5th or whatever it’s called.

(To make things worse, remember the case of all those L&I agents descending on the Goldtex building after hours as the Post Bros were having their preview opening black tie event. So they have time to play political games, presumably at the direction of our elected leaders but they can’t investigate issues that will likely lead to death and destruction.)

Your statement that nothing has been changed as a result of the collapse is totally and completely inaccurate. You can have an opinion, but don't make blatantly inaccurate statements. Unless you have been under a rock you should know that a lot of stuff was changed and panels were convened to recommend major changes to permitting, procedures and city governance structure.

[Larry King]

Alot has changed since the collapse

It's very tough to get a demo permit, you need to have a real demo plan and be a contractor that has done it (I think), all construction workers need to take OSHA 10, each company needs a supervisor that has taken OSHA 30, you can't pull a permit without worker's comp insurance anymore.. etc. There's been so many new rules that alot of people including the people that work at L&I are confused

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by 1487

newsflash- design is subjective. So while you may feel this is a "turd" and worthy of much consternation others aren't really moved one way or another. The clothespin sculpture is a "turd" to many. Life goes on, this small park isn't going to make or break anything nor is is the only controversial public space or memorial in the city.

Forget the aesthetics (which I think are bad) - I think the park is kind of lame and small-town-ish. Like, it's something you do in Altoona. You get the High School Marching Band and the Mayor and the town Sheriff and his Deputy Barney Fife out for a ribbon cutting ceremony, some folks will bake apple pies to sell at a bake sale and it will all be followed up with a town waltz at the grange hall.

If Boston doesn't have a memorial yet for one of the more dramatic and tragic moments in American history - do we really need one for this? Like, how 'bout just a sign and a plaque like our fallen firefighters and police officers receive?

[Knight Hospitaller]

Originally Posted by Londonee

Forget the aesthetics (which I think are bad) - I think the park is kind of lame and small-town-ish. Like, it's something you do in Altoona. You get the High School Marching Band and the Mayor and the town Sheriff and his Deputy Barney Fife out for a ribbon cutting ceremony, some folks will bake apple pies to sell at a bake sale and it will all be followed up with a town waltz at the grange hall.

If Boston doesn't have a memorial yet for one of the more dramatic and tragic moments in American history - do we really need one for this? Like, how 'bout just a sign and a plaque like our fallen firefighters and police officers receive?

The simple and dignified fire fighter monument at the Ritz (for the One Meridian deaths) is a fine example of what could've been done in a more inviting setting. The fixation on the 6/5 tragedy is driving the project not unlike Blatsteinian visions of rooftop villages. Not building on the site needn't render it an inward-looking exercise in "small-town-ishness." This is really a sad and conspicuous monument to failure.

[Cro Burnham]

Originally Posted by PHL10

. . .a sarcastic name for the proposed park . . . I remember it being more appropriate that June 5th or whatever it’s called.

I can't remember either.

Originally Posted by 1487

Your statement that nothing has been changed as a result of the collapse is totally and completely inaccurate. You can have an opinion, but don't make blatantly inaccurate statements. Unless you have been under a rock you should know that a lot of stuff was changed and panels were convened to recommend major changes to permitting, procedures and city governance structure.

Yes, and we all know once a panel has been convened in this town, the cronies and bureaucrats mean serious business.

Being such a knee-jerk apologist for the City's brazen incompetence and corruption, you completely miss the point. Sure, some largely PR-driven cosmetic (and apparently confusing and poorly communicated) changes to how demolition is monitored have been made. Plus they have a cool new logo and require neat-o new signage at constructions sites.

But the point isn't demolition, signage, logos, and PR. The point is the City's unchanged multi-decade laissez faire love affair with slumlords in general. Most of these scumbags' buildings are blighting public safety hazards long before demolition is ever (if ever) a consideration.

The public safety threat posed by thousands of under-taxed neglected speculative property investments across the city far exceeds the threat posed by demolitions.

Basciano's cavalier attitude toward demolition was just an extension of well over a half a century worth of unshackled contempt for the people of this city that is typical of all speculative slumlords, basically by definition.

Rappaport, Basciano, whatever. They don't care, never have, and unless someone makes them, never will. The City has changed nothing in that dynamic. Argue till you're blue in the face, that has not changed, and this memorial is a farce because of that.

[1487]

Originally Posted by Cro Burnham

I can't remember either.

Yes, and we all know once a panel has been convened in this town, the cronies and bureaucrats mean serious business.

Being such a knee-jerk apologist for the City's brazen incompetence and corruption, you completely miss the point. Sure, some largely PR-driven cosmetic (and apparently confusing and poorly communicated) changes to how demolition is monitored have been made. Plus they have a cool new logo and require neat-o new signage at constructions sites.

But the point isn't demolition, signage, logos, and PR. The point is the City's unchanged multi-decade laissez faire love affair with slumlords in general. Most of these scumbags' buildings are blighting public safety hazards long before demolition is ever (if ever) a consideration.

The public safety threat posed by thousands of under-taxed neglected speculative property investments across the city far exceeds the threat posed by demolitions.

Basciano's cavalier attitude toward demolition was just an extension of well over a half a century worth of unshackled contempt for the people of this city that is typical of all speculative slumlords, basically by definition.

Rappaport, Basciano, whatever. They don't care, never have, and unless someone makes them, never will. The City has changed nothing in that dynamic. Argue till you're blue in the face, that has not changed, and this memorial is a farce because of that.

These are facts. Do the research yourself- you could start with the L&I page. Laws were changed and the charter change that passed in the november election is partially related to issues with L&I and the collapse. This isn't conjecture (which you specialize in BTW) and you can verify that by reading up on this stuff yourself. Anyone who says "nothing has changed" after the salvation army collapse is a fool, plain and simple. When you are ignorant and biased its a bad combination and people like that are stuck in ideological ruts that they can't climb out of. I could care less what you think of the damn park. It has NOTHING to do with your erroneous statements. Calling people apologists or whatever is a trademark tactic of a self annointed internet expert who is in over their head. When found to be wrong you simply flame everyone who disagrees with you. When you are simple minded you can't begin to grasp the complexities and costs associated with solving tough problems. In your fantasy world all you have to do is talk tough and every neglected building in the city will get fixed. There are laws, lawyers, courts, resource issues, property rights issues and a host of other things involved in all this stuff. The crap you are talking about has nothing to do with a contractor not following established protocols to take down a building BTW. You are conflating issues because you are too emotional to understand what happened then and what's happened sense.


You think regulations that are posted on a website are "poorly communicated"? Have you even seen the revised rules and standards? Nevermind- why take time to know anything when there is no such requirement to be an internet authority.

[hammersklavier]

Originally Posted by 1487

Your statement that nothing has been changed as a result of the collapse is totally and completely inaccurate. You can have an opinion, but don't make blatantly inaccurate statements. Unless you have been under a rock you should know that a lot of stuff was changed

Exhibit A.

and panels were convened to recommend major changes to permitting, procedures and city governance structure.

Exhibit B.

QED.

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by 1487

These are facts. Do the research yourself- you could start with the L&I page. Laws were changed and the charter change that passed in the november election is partially related to issues with L&I and the collapse. This isn't conjecture (which you specialize in BTW) and you can verify that by reading up on this stuff yourself. Anyone who says "nothing has changed" after the salvation army collapse is a fool, plain and simple. When you are ignorant and biased its a bad combination and people like that are stuck in ideological ruts that they can't climb out of. I could care less what you think of the damn park. It has NOTHING to do with your erroneous statements. Calling people apologists or whatever is a trademark tactic of a self annointed internet expert who is in over their head. When found to be wrong you simply flame everyone who disagrees with you. When you are simple minded you can't begin to grasp the complexities and costs associated with solving tough problems. In your fantasy world all you have to do is talk tough and every neglected building in the city will get fixed. There are laws, lawyers, courts, resource issues, property rights issues and a host of other things involved in all this stuff. The crap you are talking about has nothing to do with a contractor not following established protocols to take down a building BTW. You are conflating issues because you are too emotional to understand what happened then and what's happened sense.


You think regulations that are posted on a website are "poorly communicated"? Have you even seen the revised rules and standards? Nevermind- why take time to know anything when there is no such requirement to be an internet authority.

You're stuck in the weeds a little bit on these posts - you understand that Cro is speaking to a much larger point and idea than a dip-shit demo crew and a few more bureaucrats taking an interest in L&I, right?

[jsbrook]

Originally Posted by Londonee

You're stuck in the weeds a little bit on these posts - you understand that Cro is speaking to a much larger point and idea than a dip-shit demo crew and a few more bureaucrats taking an interest in L&I, right?

There have been real changes. Beyond bureaucratic paper shuffling and convening of meetings. Period. Larry King's post did the best job of laying out what some of those are. Whether they go far is a matter for debate, but it's probably not a debate that needs to be had in the lowrise development thread. I think we should probably move on...

[Jawnadelphia]

Dalian on Parkway -

[IMG]Untitled

[IMG]Untitled

Green Street Estates on Parkway -

[IMG]Untitled

[IMG]Untitled

[IMG]Untitled

[1487]

Originally Posted by Londonee

You're stuck in the weeds a little bit on these posts - you understand that Cro is speaking to a much larger point and idea than a dip-shit demo crew and a few more bureaucrats taking an interest in L&I, right?

I know exactly what I'm talking about. I didn't realize people here were buried in ideological bunkers and were totally isolated from current events. I mean it makes some sense because too much information can be bothersome to know it all types who prefer to preach speculation and biased conjecture than acknowledge reality. MANY things have been changed as a result of the building collapse. I didn't say that meant there will NEVER be another tragic accident in Philadelphia's future. I am saying anyone who says nothing happened and it's been business as usual since the collapse is a liar. Period. It's not a debate.

[1487]

Originally Posted by Larry King

Alot has changed since the collapse

It's very tough to get a demo permit, you need to have a real demo plan and be a contractor that has done it (I think), all construction workers need to take OSHA 10, each company needs a supervisor that has taken OSHA 30, you can't pull a permit without worker's comp insurance anymore.. etc. There's been so many new rules that alot of people including the people that work at L&I are confused

In addition, the signage you now see on sites is mandated so that the public knows who is doing the work and that the public should call 311 ASAP if they want to report anything that looks unsafe. Demo plans in some cases also have to be sealed by a professional engineer to prove that the plan includes adequate support of adjacent walls when applicable. I believe there are also mandatory response times for inspections related to demo concerns.

[br323206]

Originally Posted by 1487

In addition, the signage you now see on sites is mandated so that the public knows who is doing the work and that the public should call 311 ASAP if they want to report anything that looks unsafe. Demo plans in some cases also have to be sealed by a professional engineer to prove that the plan includes adequate support of adjacent walls when applicable. I believe there are also mandatory response times for inspections related to demo concerns.

But you can't have a debate with people that are convinced that the city is perpetually corrupt. It goes like this.

Them: Nothing has changed.
You: Actually a ton has changed. X, Y, and Z actually. It's quite significant.
Them: Ahh, this city is corrupt. We know those changes are just lip service. Nothing is really any different.
You: So there is no evidence I can present that will make you change your mind?
Them: Nope.

Ok, debate over.

[Philly Fan]

Commentary: Room for improvement in two Blatstein projects

[1487]

Originally Posted by br323206

But you can't have a debate with people that are convinced that the city is perpetually corrupt. It goes like this.

Them: Nothing has changed.
You: Actually a ton has changed. X, Y, and Z actually. It's quite significant.
Them: Ahh, this city is corrupt. We know those changes are just lip service. Nothing is really any different.
You: So there is no evidence I can present that will make you change your mind?
Them: Nope.

Ok, debate over.

There is no convincing those who disregard facts and reality. I was just saying there is no actual "debate" as to whether or not anything changed. That is sort of like debating the presence of gravity. It's nearly impossible to have rational discussion with people who don't have the faintest clue of what government is supposed to do, what it should do and how it operates.

[summersm343]

Work Begins on 45-Unit Development in South Kensington

5th and Thompson



Read more at http://www.phillymag.com/property/2016/0...in-south-kensington/#1uwBKL0uHVr6uIwQ.99

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by Philly Fan

Commentary: Room for improvement in two Blatstein projects

Great read