PHILADELPHIA | Lowrise/General Developments Thread

[nemesisinphilly]

Originally Posted by McBane

Curious what sort of handshake agreement the two developers came to in regards to the entire plot of land. If Blatstein moves forward with his plans, then how viable will the Delaware Ave-fronted half be for residential? It's great that US Construction wants to build homes here, but who wants to live behind a Wawa gas station and supermarket? That would really put a crimp in the home values and would seem to put both developers on the path of conflicting interests. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.

I would bet that initially these will be rentals as that's US Construction's MO. People who would live here are people who want easy access to 95 and work in NJ(Campbells, Subaru) or in Delaware. Same people that are buying/renting new construction in Pennsport. Southwark on Reed is basically sold out. There is a dearth of new construction properties available in this area.

[El Duderino]

Originally Posted by frbrown

A few pictures of developments in University city that I took yesterday, before the snow.

Awesome updates - the trolley station looks especially good so far. Thanks for showing off some of the west philly projects.

[McBane]

Originally Posted by nemesisinphilly

I would bet that initially these will be rentals as that's US Construction's MO. People who would live here are people who want easy access to 95 and work in NJ(Campbells, Subaru) or in Delaware. Same people that are buying/renting new construction in Pennsport. Southwark on Reed is basically sold out. There is a dearth of new construction properties available in this area.

I'm not contesting whether or not these units will be in demand. What I'm saying is that what Blatstein decides to build on his half will affect the rents that US can offer. If Blatstein decided to build a walkable town center (something along the lines of the KoP Town Center), that would enhance the value of the rental units; on the other hand, a gas station and back end of a supermarket would likely surpress rent.

It's likely that both developers have a shared vision for this site. It may have even been reflected in the sale price.

[nemesisinphilly]

Originally Posted by McBane

I'm not contesting whether or not these units will be in demand. What I'm saying is that what Blatstein decides to build on his half will affect the rents that US can offer. If Blatstein decided to build a walkable town center (something along the lines of the KoP Town Center), that would enhance the value of the rental units; on the other hand, a gas station and back end of a supermarket would likely surpress rent.

I get that and would honestly expect the worst from Blatstein here. 670 total units also seems like an enormous amount. Somewhat similarly the newish townhouses at Columbus and Catharine are renting at 3K+ a month, they do have the benefit of being in Meredith Catchment.

[summersm343]

Post Brothers Wants to Build Atop Garden Court Plaza Parking Garage at 4701 Pine



Read more here:
http://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-phill...parking-garage

[mcgrath618]

Sharp looking building. Would fit in well with surrounding architecture.

[skyscraper]

Can anyone give an update on the developments that are supposed to happen around the stadiums?

[Urbanthusiat]

SEPTA's billion-dollar plan for new trolleys takes a step forward

http://www.philly.com/philly/busines...-20180111.html

I'm really looking forward to the trolley modernization. I don't have much experience with other trolley systems, but I think Munich has a great system from what I've seen. It seems that's sort of what we're going for here. Should be transformative for Southwest Philly.

[Knight Hospitaller]

^Sounds a bit like Salt Lake City's trolleys, which I recently experienced. Very nice system. I wish we could reclaim some above ground trolley routes. The tracks are still in many places. There was quite a network when my mother was growing up on W. Philly before the War.

[Busy Bee]

The modernization report is an absolute must read:

https://www.dvrpc.org/Reports/15014.pdf

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by Busy Bee

The modernization report is an absolute must read:

https://www.dvrpc.org/Reports/15014.pdf

A huge pet peeve of mine:

Why do the colors of every civic institution in Philadelphia have to be red, white, and blue?

What galls me is that we're continually complaining that we're more than "cheesesteaks and the liberty bell" and then when our civic leaders have easy opportunities to re-brand themselves, they choose archaic red white and blue logos and branding?

Enough.

Or, if they want to play on the red, white, and blue, make the trolley cars all red with white striping and maybe a blue logo.

Everything is just so DATED about Septa's marketing and logo. "The future of transportation: per Rocky Balboa and Archie Bunker".

[iheartphilly]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

A huge pet peeve of mine:

Why do the colors of every civic institution in Philadelphia have to be red, white, and blue?

What galls me is that we're continually complaining that we're more than "cheesesteaks and the liberty bell" and then when our civic leaders have easy opportunities to re-brand themselves, they choose archaic red white and blue logos and branding?

Enough.

Or, if they want to play on the red, white, and blue, make the trolley cars all red with white striping and maybe a blue logo.

Everything is just so DATED about Septa's marketing and logo. "The future of transportation: per Rocky Balboa and Archie Bunker".

Yep. And, the fact that our infrastructure and mass transit systems are falling behind most developed countries is appalling. When we do have a chance to make major improvements/changes and to bring in a new look or maybe even new technology, the people in charge have no vision and/or will whatsoever to demand it. For reference, take a look at the alpha Asian cities, modern mass transit, bullet trains, state of the art design airports and technology, clean cities, well urban design plans, and the list can go on and on. Just take a look of the walking tour or drone 4k video of them online and you will see what I mean. Major cities in the US need to step it up and think 15-20 years down the road, but the people that make these decisions are very short sighted and bad planners at best. It's like we are in a bad dream stuck in the movie Groundhog day or something

[allovertown]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

A huge pet peeve of mine:

Why do the colors of every civic institution in Philadelphia have to be red, white, and blue?

What galls me is that we're continually complaining that we're more than "cheesesteaks and the liberty bell" and then when our civic leaders have easy opportunities to re-brand themselves, they choose archaic red white and blue logos and branding?

Enough.

Or, if they want to play on the red, white, and blue, make the trolley cars all red with white striping and maybe a blue logo.

Everything is just so DATED about Septa's marketing and logo. "The future of transportation: per Rocky Balboa and Archie Bunker".

Aww, you're kidding. You don't like the septa logo?


I think while clearly designed in the late 60s, it really is a great piece of graphic design that is timeless in Philadelphia. I'll give you that perhaps they could add some character to typeface that normally accompanies the logo, but I think the logo itself is great.

I mean, you could make the same criticisms about the sixers logo, but it's still one of the bests in sports.




And while I really wish people would think of more than Rocky and Cheesesteaks when they think of Philly, I don't think our history falls in the same category. I mean we're the city where some of the most important events in human history took place. There is a reason we're the only UNESCO city in the US.

Boston makes a mint and gets so much international PR for its role in american history. I think the history here in Philly is more interesting and internationally significant than the history in Boston, but Boston does a way better job marketing it.

I don't think our history is what is a problem that we need get past in Philadelphia. Plenty of historic cities have no issue both displaying and promoting their history and still having a 21st century identity.

That said, I agree those trolley cars look terrible. As you pointed out at the end, no matter what your logo is, or what colors you choose, the main things that will determine how the cars look is how that is all actually designed onto the car. Fortunately I think that this is just some placeholder design as it seems early for them to have hired a designer to design the way the trains are painted at this point. Hopefully if this becomes a reality the cars will look a lot better.

[allovertown]

Originally Posted by iheartphilly

Yep. And, the fact that our infrastructure and mass transit systems are falling behind most developed countries is appalling. When we do have a chance to make major improvements/changes and to bring in a new look or maybe even new technology, the people in charge have no vision and/or will whatsoever to demand it. For reference, take a look at the alpha Asian cities, modern mass transit, bullet trains, state of the art design airports and technology, clean cities, well urban design plans, and the list can go on and on. Just take a look of the walking tour or drone 4k video of them online and you will see what I mean. Major cities in the US need to step it up and think 15-20 years down the road, but the people that make these decisions are very short sighted and bad planners at best. It's like we are in a bad dream stuck in the movie Groundhog day or something

SEPTA doesn't do a great job. But I believe their ridership is nearly top 5 in America and their government funding is somewhere in the low 20s. Funding definitely plays a role. Their reputation is like a D, but when you factor how criminally underfunded they are by Harrisburg, it's probably more of B-/C+.

Definitely agree that when you look outside of the U.S., this is clearly a countrywide problem that has dated back now almost a century and that we really need to take a longer view on public transport in this country and stop being so reactionary. We barely keep up what we have, much less build toward a more impressive future.

[Urbanthusiat]

Additionally, I posted the trolley article in this thread because I knew it would get more engagement and readers here than the official "Philadelphia Transportation Thread". I guess I mean to ask the mods - is it possible to get the Transportation Thread pinned to the general Philadelphia Projects and Construction page? I'd love to have a thread dedicated to transportation here and I feel like it would get a lot more engagement if it were pinned or linked somehow.

Also I love the Septa logo. Not only is it an "S" for Septa but is also an arrow pointing in each direction indicating mobility. I think it's pretty nifty (albeit fifties)!

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by Urbanthusiat

Additionally, I posted the trolley article in this thread because I knew it would get more engagement and readers here than the official "Philadelphia Transportation Thread". I guess I mean to ask the mods - is it possible to get the Transportation Thread pinned to the general Philadelphia Projects and Construction page? I'd love to have a thread dedicated to transportation here and I feel like it would get a lot more engagement if it were pinned or linked somehow.

Also I love the Septa logo. Not only is it an "S" for Septa but is also an arrow pointing in each direction indicating mobility. I think it's pretty nifty (albeit fifties)!

I don't mind the Logo itself. I just hate that every subway car is basic silver and every trolley is plain white. Ditto for buses. F'ng design a futuristic, might I dare say, cool carriage. That includes not just shape, but the friggin paint color as well.

I know one mind find it hard to believe, but more people might ride public transit if it LOOKED cool. Not like the equivalent of a Ford Pinto on rails. Because that's literally what we have now.

[allovertown]

Originally Posted by Urbanthusiat

Also I love the Septa logo. Not only is it an "S" for Septa but is also an arrow pointing in each direction indicating mobility. I think it's pretty nifty (albeit fifties)!

I think the logo is also supposed to represent the pantographs on the top of trains and trolleys. Logo is great.

I agree the actual train cars themselves that the logo is normally on could look better though.

[Busy Bee]

I had no idea this would spark so much talk of the Septa LOGO but I have to chime in to say that I've always been a fan. I'd hate to see it go, if anything it needs to be the centerpiece of a renewed an more striking branding that hopefully could be in store when this modern tram procurement actually happens...

[Busy Bee]

Call me crazy but I've always been a fan of the gold and red shield scheme from the 60s and early 70s shown here on a Flxible:


_

[Nova08]

Originally Posted by allovertown

SEPTA doesn't do a great job. But I believe their ridership is nearly top 5 in America and their government funding is somewhere in the low 20s. Funding definitely plays a role. Their reputation is like a D, but when you factor how criminally underfunded they are by Harrisburg, it's probably more of B-/C+.

Completely agree here.


I think we are looking way too much into the trolley scheme. These are typically just for show. Septa had a rendering of their new electric regional rail loco with red and blue lines across the side and a small septa logo. Instead, the first loco was delivered with "Septa" written across the side in size 5,000 font.