PHILADELPHIA | Highrise Development Thread X

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by TPZ-1

Just came back from Philly visiting family. The city is noticeably cleaner (I use Chelten Ave. going through Germantown as a quasi barometer lol..). If they removed/painted over all of the graffiti it'd be utopia for this clean freak.

Interesting place to choose as a barometer. Did you notice all of the new multi-family construction on Chelten? It sorta blows my mind. In a few years I predict Chelten Avenue will be very hip.

I also thinking Chelten Avenue is going to become a new line of demarcation. West/Northwest of Chelten will be considered sorta fully rebuilt/regentrified, including the portions of Germantown that fall west of Chelten. East of Chelten and South of Germantown (Avenue) will be considered a WIP. And East of Chelten and North of Germantown will be sorta the last pocket to fall in Germantown at least...in terms of crime and QOL issues.

[PhillyRising]

Originally Posted by Jerryiz

I am not going to admit to my past history as a kid/young adult, but let's just put it like this. There is FARRRRRR less graffiti in Philadelphia now than there was in the 80's. I am telling you from personal knowledge. Honestly when I think about it, Philadelphia probably has less graffiti that many cities ! Definitely NY and LA, and probably even Baltimore from what i saw just a few weeks ago. This might be a case of, I know Philadelphia still has it's share of issues, but it's not as bad as you believe it to be.?

It's not as bad as the 80's but it is worse than it was just a few years ago.

There is graffiti all along the Surekill even as far out as KOP.

[PhillyRising]

Originally Posted by BroadandMarket

I was not around to see Philly in the 80s but I am curious about the needles. I find it hard to believe there are not more around now. I've seen close to 100 needles in OLD CITY in just the last year. I've even seen a few at the entrance to Elfreth's alley. I've seen thousands of orange needle caps as well in the same time frame. Like I said, I can't speak for 1988 Philly but even as recently as 5-7 years ago, I'd never see a needle in Old City and now it's almost a daily occurrence. The Septa parking lot under the Market St. Bridge and the park at Front and Chestnut have become the worst culprits of this. Obviously the city as a whole is WAY better than it was in 1988 but the opioid epidemic in Kensington has affected all of Philly and anything within a few blocks of an El stop including our most historic neighborhood.

The needle I almost stepped on in 1988 was on Chestnut between Broad and 15th.

I stayed on that block last night at the Element...was in town for a show and wasn't going home late in the rain. The Element was pretty nice and fairly cheap for Center City. Had a room on the 15th floor looking down on the Dome of Ritz's Lobby....and had night cap drinks there.

[Mtphilly]

I admit I don’t go to Old City that often so I can’t comment on that area but in Center City west of around 8th in Washington Square West and Rittenhouse I don’t sense an overwhelming amount of needles or drug addicts. The area from 8th to the Schuylkill in Center City seems pretty much back to normal to me compared to 2019 outside of less foot traffic in the business district on West Market.

East Market has its issues but it always has so I don’t really sense a difference in the area between 8th to Broad from before the pandemic but again I don’t go east of around 8th on a regular basis toward Old City so maybe that area has declined.

[summersm343]

I'm in Old City pretty often. Seems the problems are mostly confined to Market Street, the park over 95, and 5th Street north of Market Street. Am I wrong?

[summersm343]

NEW THREAD: PHILADELPHIA | Legacy on Broad | 332 FT | 28 FLOORS

https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/sho...2#post10045662

[summersm343]

Penn biomedical scientists move into new uCity complex with 115,000 square feet of lab space

A group of prominent University of Pennsylvania scientists and engineers is moving into 115,000 square feet of new lab space in the 13-story One uCity Square building in West Philadelphia, consolidating research on messenger RNA, nanoparticles, and other cutting-edge biomedical technology.

More than 50 scientists and staff will be spread out over four floors, representing the largest lease in the 400,000-square-foot building developed by Wexford Science & Technology, Penn announced Thursday.

Among the big names is Drew Weissman, whose work on messenger RNA led to its use in the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines against COVID-19. In the new building, he will oversee Penn’s Institute for RNA Innovation, which is developing the mRNA technology for other medical uses beyond vaccines. Until now, the institute was spread out over four locations on the university’s campus.

“Everything will be in one place,” he said. “We’re still in the process of emptying boxes.”

Weissman and other Penn colleagues planned to attend a ribbon-cutting for the $300 million building Thursday afternoon, along with Gov. Josh Shapiro and Mayor Jim Kenney.

The Penn physician said one of his non-vaccine projects involves marrying the mRNA platform with another cutting-edge technology that was developed at Penn — the cancer treatment nicknamed CAR-T. Weissman is working on that project with Penn physician Carl June, the co-winner of a $3 million Breakthrough Prize that also was announced Thursday.

Along with Weissman, other RNA institute members moving to the new building include infectious disease specialist Harvey Friedman, who researches vaccines, and Vladimir Muzykantov, who is studying how nanoparticles can be used to deliver mRNA and other drugs into the body.

Weissman said a prime attraction of being in the new building is the chance to do interdisciplinary research with Penn engineers who will be housed alongside him.

All are members of Penn’s Center for Precision Engineering for Health, directed by bioengineering professor Dan Hammer. The center is developing next-generation tools for diagnosing disease, drug delivery, tissue engineering, and gene editing.

Engineers joining Hammer in the new space include Noor Momin, Sherry Gao, and Michael J. Mitchell.

Researchers and administrative staff from the two research institutes are scheduled to move in through the rest of this year and next.

Other tenants of the 13-story building, located at 37th and Cuthbert Streets, include Century Therapeutics, Integral Molecular, Exponent, and Charles River Laboratories.

Read/view more here:
https://www.inquirer.com/health/ucit...-20230914.html

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by summersm343

I'm in Old City pretty often. Seems the problems are mostly confined to Market Street, the park over 95, and 5th Street north of Market Street. Am I wrong?

I'd say yes and add 2nd from market to Chestnut as well.

[Knight Hospitaller]

Originally Posted by cardeza

Unfortunately for OC, the action has shifted to other neighborhoods in terms of bars, restaurants and cool places to be for young people. One thing that isn't being talked about is how the gains in one area can make another area less relevant- when I was younger OC was known as a place that was active on the weekends and there were restaurants, bars, lounges and related nightlife- that energy has shifted north and OC isn't relevant in that way any more which undoubtedly leads to lots of vacancy and under use of property.

Just ask Manayunk about shifting focal points.

[Knight Hospitaller]

Originally Posted by PhillyRising

It's not as bad as the 80's but it is worse than it was just a few years ago.

There is graffiti all along the Surekill even as far out as KOP.

Definitely a sad regression for those of us who remember the city growing up in the 70s and 80s (and the graffiti didn't reach as far back then). The city had made so much progress by the late nineties/early "aughts" that they had to mark up and junk up the streets for the right vibe in the "Invincible" movie. We're not back there yet, but whatever laxity has taken hold needs to stop.

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by Knight Hospitaller

Definitely a sad regression for those of us who remember the city growing up in the 70s and 80s (and the graffiti didn't reach as far back then). The city had made so much progress by the late nineties/early "aughts" that they had to mark up and junk up the streets for the right vibe in the "Invincible" movie. We're not back there yet, but whatever laxity has taken hold needs to stop.

I was just gonna say that.... Sooooo much laxity.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by Knight Hospitaller

Just ask Manayunk about shifting focal points.

I think Manayunk is having a nice resurgence.

It's much more sophisticated and adult and there are a handful of really nice restaurants and bars catering to locals (ex: Blondie). The real estate there has also gone very upmarket...at least in terms of new construction.

Old City lost "relevance" for younger folks (whatever that means) because the locals quashed everything and anything that had a liquor license, including legitimate restaurants. Also, there's just so much more new construction and density north that I'd argue that it's less about being cool than it is just about being closer to where the younger people live, which is in NoLibs, South Kensington, and the River Wards.

In any case, I still think pound for pound 2nd and 3rd streets above Market are among the nicest streets in the entire city.

[TK2001]

Comcast 1 is blue tonight! Will post shots later

[skyhigh07]

Originally Posted by TK2001

Comcast 1 is blue tonight! Will post shots later

Interesting. Yom Kippur is over so I’m guessing it’s signaling support for the other blue tonight…

[TK2001]

Philadelphia skyline, Comcast Center lit blue by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr

[PurpleWhiteOut]

https://www.inquirer.com/real-estate...-20230928.html

Alterras residential conversion of the Morgan Lewis building is moving forward, and officially bought the building.

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by PurpleWhiteOut

https://www.inquirer.com/real-estate...-20230928.html

Alterras residential conversion of the Morgan Lewis building is moving forward, and officially bought the building.

NICE!

I thought this was dead!

[PHLtoNYC]

Originally Posted by Redddog

NICE!

I thought this was dead!

It was, then came back recently, and now Alterra is moving fast. Should be completed by early-2025. It will be re-skinned too, a more industrial look, a big improvement from the current state.

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

It was, then came back recently, and now Alterra is moving fast. Should be completed by early-2025. It will be re-skinned too, a more industrial look, a big improvement from the current state.

Nice. Will they keep any floors for office space - or 100% residential? Being in the heart of Market West it's kind of nice to have the mixed use. The new build at 2301 JFK is keeping 2 floors for office space which I think is smart.

[PurpleWhiteOut]

Originally Posted by Londonee

Nice. Will they keep any floors for office space - or 100% residential? Being in the heart of Market West it's kind of nice to have the mixed use. The new build at 2301 JFK is keeping 2 floors for office space which I think is smart.

I agree with you, but looks to be all residential