PHILADELPHIA | Highrise Development Thread IX

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by Outta here

Along with your former post , i.e. " one 300' +/- and one 400' +/- " , is it safe to assume
some sketch , rendering , elevation or blue prints already exist ??
Just wondering if you have been privy to that information , but bound by a code of ethics .
............... Just wondering

I can't say

[summersm343]

Good news for Conshohocken - know some of you don't care.

This could be huge for Conshohocken, and will move a Fortune 500 company closer to the city with direct rail access to it in a highrise building.

Word is this will be taller than originally planned and there could be a redesign. Rumor is AmerisourceBergen, a fortune 500 company based in Wayne, PA will be occupying the entire building.

During last night’s Zoning Hearing Board meeting in Conshohocken something very unusual happened. The hearing was over a proposed office building and parking garage on the 200 block of Washington Street. The project is presented as a corporate headquarters of a large international corporation and is rumored to be AmerisourceBergen.

What was the unusual thing that happened? Conshohocken’s Borough Council sent its solicitor, Michael Savona, to endorse the project. From the Times Herald:

Conshohocken Solicitor Michael Savona, representing Conshocken borough council, said borough officials supported OPG’s requests for variances. and were happy to.

“It would increase the size of the building that was approved earlier by your board,” he said. “The amphitheater would provide opportunities for a real true public park. It would help us form a performing arts venue. This application warrants the borough’s support.”

Savona said it was “the first time in nine years” that council had decided to express an opinion on any zoning matter, either for it or against it.

“It is a very rare occasion to send the borough solicitor to the zoning board,” Savona said. “It is a corporate tenant that would have a tremendous impact on the borough. It would bring with it a wealth of opportunity to the borough.”

The Zoning Hearing voted 4-1 to approve the requested variances and now the project can continue to go forward. The sole vote against was by Russ Cardamone.

http://morethanthecurve.com/conshohocken...ing-request-before-zoning-hearing-board/

Here is the thread on the project:
http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=208103

[SJPhillyBoy]

Philly has come a LOOONG way.

http://tomclarkblog.blogspot.com/2013/01/dick-swnson-diamond-in-back-chain-links.html

[SJPhillyBoy]

From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository
Author Swanson, Dick, Photographer (NARA record: 8464477)

Record creator Environmental Protection Agency. (12/02/1970 - )
Title VIEW NORTH FROM SWANSON AND CATHERINE STREETS
Place Philadelphia (Philadelphia county, Pennsylvania, United States, North and Central America) inhabited place (39.95°N 75.15°W; NARA geographical record)

Date 08/1973

[Outta here]

Originally Posted by summersm343

I can't say

Height: Architectural 130.8 m / 429 ft
Height: To Tip 130.8 m / 429 ft
Floors Above Ground 30
Facts

Official Name Mellon Independence Center Tower
Other Names MIC Tower
Structure Type Building
Status Proposed
Country United States
City Philadelphia
Street Address & Map 7th Street & Market Street
Building Function residential
Proposed 2014


I'm not pushing any further , .... Just saying .

[Plokoon11]

^ That one already has a thread right? Unless, nevermind I'm confused and dazed and tired and all of the above.

[PHL1]

Chestnut St. Retail Article in the Inquirerhttp://www.philly.com/philly/business/homepage/20151002_Chestnut_Street__Too.html

[PhilliesPhan]

Originally Posted by SJPhillyBoy

From Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository
Author Swanson, Dick, Photographer (NARA record: 8464477)

Record creator Environmental Protection Agency. (12/02/1970 - )
Title VIEW NORTH FROM SWANSON AND CATHERINE STREETS
Place Philadelphia (Philadelphia county, Pennsylvania, United States, North and Central America) inhabited place (39.95°N 75.15°W; NARA geographical record)

Date 08/1973

I can't believe that area used to look like that! I was born in 1995, so I didn't get to see when Philly had hit its nadir (the 70s-90s from what I have seen in pictures). I guess this picture had to do with the construction of I-95. If I'm not mistaken, there are homes over in that area now.

As the OP said, Philly has come a LOOOONG way! Even from what I can remember as a child growing up in West Philly during the 2000s, Philly has immensely changed. It gives me chills when I ride the El from 69th Street nowadays. 46th Street was a dump back then; now, green space and a new high school surround the station. When going eastbound from 52nd Street, I would have only saw the Center City skyline from the front car; now, University City has its own skyline!

I can't wait to live in Philly full-time after I graduate from college. There is something very special about this city that I feel nowhere else in the US or in the world, and I have been to several cities (New York, Baltimore, DC, Atlanta, Seattle, Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Lexington, Louisville, and Paris).

[shadowbat2]

Originally Posted by PhilliesPhan

As the OP said, Philly has come a LOOOONG way! Even from what I can remember as a child growing up in West Philly during the 2000s, Philly has immensely changed. It gives me chills when I ride the El from 69th Street nowadays. 46th Street was a dump back then; now, green space and a new high school surround the station. When going eastbound from 52nd Street, I would have only saw the Center City skyline from the front car; now, University City has its own skyline!

Indeed. I too, am constantly amazed how much has changed throughout the city (I moved here in 2002)

Second you on the new University city development. Never thought I would see the day where Philadelphia's skyline would expand westward, but yet here we are. I said it before, but it seems like we are in the midst of the biggest alteration to the city's skyline since the "Trophy Tower" era in the late 80's early 90's....

Gotten sooo much better on the ground too. I just came back from the Fall Festival in Midtown village a few hours ago and I find it amazing that this is the same area that in 2002 I was warned to avoid due to the drugs prostitution etc. I remember when the Schuylkill river trail really was just a dirt trail between the water and the train tracks. Those parking lots and overgrown dirt patches on South Broad, where the big Dranoff developments are now. That vacant office building on 21st and Market that seemed like it would never find a new use. The vandalized 12 story hulk at 22nd and Market that was sitting abandoned for 30 years....

Just over the past 12-15 months or so alone, the amount of change has felt amazing. The rebuilt Dilworth Park, removal of the "grass lot" at 20th and Market, the long awaited demolition and redevelopment of the "Girard Block" and the major stores opening on Chestnut (Nordstrom Rack, Uniqlo, Forever 21, the Five Below flagship store-and Bloomingdale's Outlet in time for this holiday season), more restaurants/cafes, the pier parks on the Delaware, etc....

Neighborhoods transformations from my point of view have been incredible as well.

I first lived in in the Graduate hospital area which was gentrifying, but still had a lot of blight and was a dicey area (was mugged for the first time at 19th and Bainbridge) However over the two years was living there I was seeing new houses going up right and left and stuff being refurbished. Every month it seemed a new foundation was being dug and a new zoning notice was popping up. Returning to the area now, it really does feel like a whole new neighborhood, a complete night/day difference.

Only ten years ago it seemed (to me at least) the area south of Washington Avenue was a ghetto wasteland. Now there are tons of new homes completed, under construction, and proposed and the "atmosphere" (if you want to call it that) has definitely improved by leaps and bounds. Hell, I might consider buying a house around there in the not too distant future.

Riding the El through Fishtown for the first time it felt outright deplorable, but after almost 15 years it has gotten a hell of a lot better (Berks station and it's surroundings are a prime example) Even Kensington seems to be improving with the recent crackdowns on drug dealers the cleanup of "Needle Park" (the impending renovation the "needle factory" )....

Girard Avenue in Northern Liberties? I had just visited the newly "opened" Acme Market-which of course was Superfresh until last week. That, along with the Piazza development were just huge patches of weeds when I first saw them. Nearby was this abandoned factory that had dozens of cats breeding inside and out....now its all new townhomes. I had fun messing around in the old Ajax factory many times-now that's the newly opened Filmore

All the stuff going up in and around Temple as well (never would have imagined that I would witness a 25 story building would go up at Broad and Cecil B. Moore)

I could ramble on and on....

Really am looking forward to how Philly will look and feel like by 2020

[PhilliesPhan]

Originally Posted by shadowbat2

Indeed. I too, am constantly amazed how much has changed throughout the city (I moved here in 2002)

Second you on the new University city development. Never thought I would see the day where Philadelphia's skyline would expand westward, but yet here we are. I said it before, but it seems like we are in the midst of the biggest alteration to the city's skyline since the "Trophy Tower" era in the late 80's early 90's....

Gotten sooo much better on the ground too. I just came back from the Fall Festival in Midtown village a few hours ago and I find it amazing that this is the same area that in 2002 I was warned to avoid due to the drugs prostitution etc. I remember when the Schuylkill river trail really was just a dirt trail between the water and the train tracks. Those parking lots and overgrown dirt patches on South Broad, where the big Dranoff developments are now. That vacant office building on 21st and Market that seemed like it would never find a new use. The vandalized 12 story hulk at 22nd and Market that was sitting abandoned for 30 years....

Just over the past 12-15 months or so alone, the amount of change has felt amazing. The rebuilt Dilworth Park, removal of the "grass lot" at 20th and Market, the long awaited demolition and redevelopment of the "Girard Block" and the major stores opening on Chestnut (Nordstrom Rack, Uniqlo, Forever 21, the Five Below flagship store-and Bloomingdale's Outlet in time for this holiday season), more restaurants/cafes, the pier parks on the Delaware, etc....

Neighborhoods transformations from my point of view have been incredible as well.

I first lived in in the Graduate hospital area which was gentrifying, but still had a lot of blight and was a dicey area (was mugged for the first time at 19th and Bainbridge) However over the two years was living there I was seeing new houses going up right and left and stuff being refurbished. Every month it seemed a new foundation was being dug and a new zoning notice was popping up. Returning to the area now, it really does feel like a whole new neighborhood, a complete night/day difference.

Only ten years ago it seemed (to me at least) the area south of Washington Avenue was a ghetto wasteland. Now there are tons of new homes completed, under construction, and proposed and the "atmosphere" (if you want to call it that) has definitely improved by leaps and bounds. Hell, I might consider buying a house around there in the not too distant future.

Riding the El through Fishtown for the first time it felt outright deplorable, but after almost 15 years it has gotten a hell of a lot better (Berks station and it's surroundings are a prime example) Even Kensington seems to be improving with the recent crackdowns on drug dealers the cleanup of "Needle Park" (the impending renovation the "needle factory" )....

Girard Avenue in Northern Liberties? I had just visited the newly "opened" Acme Market-which of course was Superfresh until last week. That, along with the Piazza development were just huge patches of weeds when I first saw them. Nearby was this abandoned factory that had dozens of cats breeding inside and out....now its all new townhomes. I had fun messing around in the old Ajax factory many times-now that's the newly opened Filmore

All the stuff going up in and around Temple as well (never would have imagined that I would witness a 25 story building would go up at Broad and Cecil B. Moore)

I could ramble on and on....

Really am looking forward to how Philly will look and feel like by 2020

Even as a little kid, I felt like Center City and University City were separate places. I never knew why I felt that way back then, but I do now: it had to have been because of how anti-urban that entire area was. That area was a WASTELAND! I remember how 30th Street Station used to be before The Porch. There were cars moving not only on Market Street, but also around the station itself.

EVO and Cira Center, along with all of the development Penn and Drexel have done, have really invigorated UC with life. FMC Tower, Cira II, and some of Penn's developments along Walnut Street will bring even more life into the area. Today, I feel as though Philly is continuous along Market Street from Front to 40th Street, and that the Schuylkill River is synonymous to the Chicago River in bringing Philly together rather than dividing it. It will expand further west towards 46th Street. I could see it expanding to Columbus Boulevard if I-95 could be capped between Chestnut and Walnut Streets.

By 2020, Philly will have CITC, FMC, W and Elements, East Market, 1601 Vine, CHOP Tower, and other transformative projects completed. Hopefully, SLS, Cira II, Broad and Washington, and others will be complete. The Schuylkill Trail will also be extended to at least Christian Street by this time. I will be living here as a 25 year old Millennial hopefully doing work as an actuary/financial analyst while also starting my own real estate development company. I look forward to seeing just how beautiful my city will look by then!

[summersm343]

Old GSK Building recladding
Will be 10 floors of offices and 14 floors of apartments

[loverboie]

Originally Posted by shadowbat2

Indeed. I too, am constantly amazed how much has changed throughout the city (I moved here in 2002)

Second you on the new University city development. Never thought I would see the day where Philadelphia's skyline would expand westward, but yet here we are. I said it before, but it seems like we are in the midst of the biggest alteration to the city's skyline since the "Trophy Tower" era in the late 80's early 90's....

Gotten sooo much better on the ground too. I just came back from the Fall Festival in Midtown village a few hours ago and I find it amazing that this is the same area that in 2002 I was warned to avoid due to the drugs prostitution etc. I remember when the Schuylkill river trail really was just a dirt trail between the water and the train tracks. Those parking lots and overgrown dirt patches on South Broad, where the big Dranoff developments are now. That vacant office building on 21st and Market that seemed like it would never find a new use. The vandalized 12 story hulk at 22nd and Market that was sitting abandoned for 30 years....

Just over the past 12-15 months or so alone, the amount of change has felt amazing. The rebuilt Dilworth Park, removal of the "grass lot" at 20th and Market, the long awaited demolition and redevelopment of the "Girard Block" and the major stores opening on Chestnut (Nordstrom Rack, Uniqlo, Forever 21, the Five Below flagship store-and Bloomingdale's Outlet in time for this holiday season), more restaurants/cafes, the pier parks on the Delaware, etc....

Neighborhoods transformations from my point of view have been incredible as well.

I first lived in in the Graduate hospital area which was gentrifying, but still had a lot of blight and was a dicey area (was mugged for the first time at 19th and Bainbridge) However over the two years was living there I was seeing new houses going up right and left and stuff being refurbished. Every month it seemed a new foundation was being dug and a new zoning notice was popping up. Returning to the area now, it really does feel like a whole new neighborhood, a complete night/day difference.

Only ten years ago it seemed (to me at least) the area south of Washington Avenue was a ghetto wasteland. Now there are tons of new homes completed, under construction, and proposed and the "atmosphere" (if you want to call it that) has definitely improved by leaps and bounds. Hell, I might consider buying a house around there in the not too distant future.

Riding the El through Fishtown for the first time it felt outright deplorable, but after almost 15 years it has gotten a hell of a lot better (Berks station and it's surroundings are a prime example) Even Kensington seems to be improving with the recent crackdowns on drug dealers the cleanup of "Needle Park" (the impending renovation the "needle factory" )....

Girard Avenue in Northern Liberties? I had just visited the newly "opened" Acme Market-which of course was Superfresh until last week. That, along with the Piazza development were just huge patches of weeds when I first saw them. Nearby was this abandoned factory that had dozens of cats breeding inside and out....now its all new townhomes. I had fun messing around in the old Ajax factory many times-now that's the newly opened Filmore

All the stuff going up in and around Temple as well (never would have imagined that I would witness a 25 story building would go up at Broad and Cecil B. Moore)

I could ramble on and on....

Really am looking forward to how Philly will look and feel like by 2020

I love Philly and I hope the growth continues, but what I don’t like about this city is the lack of job, especially for the poor individuals, many blacks who can’t afford to live in the city. I don’t like the fact that the city is lacking culture, everywhere you look in the city, and the surrounding good neighborhood near the city are white young faces. I would love this city to be represented by the people, and by the people I mean blacks, hispanics, asians, indians, whites, ex....and If a neighborhood is gentrified, it still feels like 2 different world, depending on your race...so not cool! We need more jobs that caters to to the communities, and more diverse jobs as well...Also, I which the city would stop misplacing the poor blacks with out some types of skill, I don’t mind moving section 8, none college individuals to other neighborhoods, but don’t do it without giving them some type of education opportunity or skills growth enrichment classes. What ends up happening is that they move to good black stable middle class districts like mines, in Wynnfield heights with all of there craps, attitude, rude, loud, crime, and domestic violence. I use to love my area, but lately I wish I could move out to another district, because the people that are moving in are clearly section 8 ghetto individuals.Why kill of good neighborhoods that worked hard for years...

[loverboie]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Old GSK Building recladding
Will be 10 floors of offices and 14 floors of apartments

Nice building, but I have to admit that I like th old building structure better, and if it was possible, they could build on the 14 floor apartment, but I am not an engineering, wouldn’t know if thats possible.

[FourS]

In the early 1990s, while in high school, I went to a punk show in University City. I had gone too West Philly numerous times by trolley, subway, or taxi, but this time I walked from Center City. Having already lived in Philly for a few years I was used to grit, but I remember how desolate that walk was. Once you cleared the stretch of porn theaters on Market it was a wasteland until you hit the campuses, and even then it was sort of a wasteland. Once you got beyond the campuses, as I had discovered on other journeys to West Philly, there were nice pockets and really sketchy swathes of city.

Around the same time they were repairing the El tracks between Frankford Terminal and Spring Garden, so shuttle buses were often used. One day I got sick of the bus, got out at Girard and walked. It was a bit scary.

Now I live in a nice 19th century home (a former crack house that I fixed up) in University City and work in a loft (former abandoned industrial building) in the Northern Liberties. The changes are all incremental, but when you look back 20+ years they're staggering. I left for eight years between then and now, and even in that span things had changed.

We do have to be careful what we wish for though. There's a fine line between grit and soul. Time Square, for example, was dangerous in the late 1980s but it was so cool compared to what it is now.

Sorry for the rant/reminiscence.

[Cro Burnham]

Originally Posted by loverboie

We need more jobs that caters to to the communities, and more diverse jobs as well...Also, I which the city would stop misplacing the poor blacks with out some types of skill, I don’t mind moving section 8, none college individuals to other neighborhoods, but don’t do it without giving them some type of education opportunity or skills growth enrichment classes.

This is true for the whole country, not just Philly.

The City itself is too poor and cash-strapped to be able to solve this problem without significant outside help. Any solution to the problem of low-skill attainment, low employability, and lack of employment opportunity in impoverished communities will have to involve major intervention by the state and federal governments. The City is just too poor and under-resourced. Wealthy and middle class families already pay a hefty premium in taxes and other costs to stay in the city, so any attempt to tax them more to raise money to address these problems will result in more wealthy and middle class people moving to the suburbs . . . which, or course will worsen the problem. So we are stuck, as are most cities in the US except the very wealthiest.

I think the take-away is that this is not a Philadelphia-specific problem. It is decades-old national problem that our country is politically unwilling/incapable of addressing in any kind of effective way.

[Cro Burnham]

No beauty, but a very BIG improvement in my opinion. Can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

[iheartphilly]

Originally Posted by Cro Burnham

No beauty, but a very BIG improvement in my opinion. Can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

More glass is good. Also the rendering shows some slight modification to the shape of the bldg. The current bldg is like a vertical bunker of sorts.

[summersm343]

More on 13th and Locust tower
Final design looks to be 14 floors instead of the rumored 24. Glad this lot could be getting filled though.

[Cro Burnham]

Originally Posted by summersm343

More on 13th and Locust tower
Final design looks to be 14 floors instead of the rumored 24. Glad this lot could be getting filled though.

Jeezus Summers, how do you come up with this stuff?

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by Cro Burnham

Jeezus Summers, how do you come up with this stuff?

Most of it is just sent to me. If it's sent to me I'll post it but keep the sources a secret until announcements are made.

If I find it online I'll post the link.