PHILADELPHIA | Highrise Development Thread IX

[TechTalkGuy]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Yeah, not sure how I feel about this. Would prefer they keep Jeweler's Row intact and build a condo building on one of the many surface parking lots in the area like at 8th and Walnut or 8th and Chestnut. Looks like they're seeking to demolish 700-710 Chestnut, which is 5 buildings in total.

If Jeweler's Row was so important, why would the owners sell?

[Teakwood]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Yeah, not sure how I feel about this. Would prefer they keep Jeweler's Row intact and build a condo building on one of the many surface parking lots in the area like at 8th and Walnut or 8th and Chestnut. Looks like they're seeking to demolish 700-710 Chestnut, which is 5 buildings in total.

The article mentions 5 properties, but maybe not necessarily 5 buildings? My hope is that it is 702-710, which I guess I would be okay with (pending whatever the design looks like). I'm really hoping 700 gets spared.

[tsarstruck]

Originally Posted by Knight Hospitaller

701 is a large, lovely building. It'd be a shame for that to come down. I'm a bit confused, because 710 is on the opposite side of Sansom. Maybe it's 700-710, or 701-711?

They mentioned the southeast corner, so they must mean 70[2]-710.

EDITED TO ADD: 700 is spared. According to the consolidation permit: 702-710 Sansom as well as 128 S 7th, which is the small building behind 700 Sansom.

PERMIT NUMBER
696397

FOR THE DEMOLITION OF ALL STRUCTURES ON ALL LOTS, AND FOR THE LOT ADJUSTMENT TO CREATE ONE (1) LOT (PARCEL "A" ON PLANS) FROM FIVE (5) EXISTING LOTS (702 SANSOM ST, 704 SANSOM ST, 706 SANSOM ST, 710 SANSOM ST, AND 128 S 7TH ST), SIZE AND LOCATION AS SHOWN ON PLANS/LOCATION.

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by Knight Hospitaller

701 is a large, lovely building. It'd be a shame for that to come down. I'm a bit confused, because 710 is on the opposite side of Sansom. Maybe it's 700-710, or 701-711?

The article is incorrect with the addresses, it is 700-710, not 701.

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by christof

So who has the design?

http://www.philly.com/philly/business/re...sidential_building_on_Jewelers__Row.html

Toll Brothers projects are usually designed by in-house architects under the Toll Brothers City Living banner.

[Knight Hospitaller]

Originally Posted by tsarstruck

They mentioned the southeast corner, so they must mean 70[2]-710.

EDITED TO ADD: 700 is spared. According to the consolidation permit: 702-710 Sansom as well as 128 S 7th, which is the small building behind 700 Sansom.

Thanks. I thought that if the 701 reference was incorrect, I'd still be disappointed to see 700 go. It's reassuring that it will be preserved. The other buildings don't seem that interesting, but I do worry about the lost "vibe" of that block.

[Larry King]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Yeah, not sure how I feel about this. Would prefer they keep Jeweler's Row intact and build a condo building on one of the many surface parking lots in the area like at 8th and Walnut or 8th and Chestnut. Looks like they're seeking to demolish 700-710 Chestnut, which is 5 buildings in total.

I heard they're looking at that lot, though not from someone at the company so take w a grain of salt

[Larry King]

The row has been dying slowly for years, the business just isn't what it used to be - though still sad to see these buildings go.. and I do think the whole row should've been historically preserved by the city years ago.

[SJPhillyBoy]

I do not think the buildings on Jewelers Row should be torn down. They should be preserved. This is where you get to the point where you start to lose your soul, like parts of Manhattan have.

[hammersklavier]

We really need to push Toll Brothers to pursue façadectomies instead of tearing the buildings down outright. Jeweler's Row is great partly because its assemblage of commercial architecture is representative of every era from independence to WWII, basically.

[Cro Burnham]

edit

[UrbanRevival]

Originally Posted by hammersklavier

We really need to push Toll Brothers to pursue façadectomies instead of tearing the buildings down outright. Jeweler's Row is great partly because its assemblage of commercial architecture is representative of every era from independence to WWII, basically.

Precisely. Toll should truly feel ashamed for not even making a concerted effort to preserve these buildings and honestly coming up from behind with an intent to demo in one of the most intact, culturally historic blocks of the city.

Adding insult to injury, this is a Philly area company. And it's obviously not for a lack of money/wherewithal. They're a mega corporation with loads of development experience. It's simply a complete lack of care for Philly (they know d*** well this wouldn't fly at all in their Manhattan projects).

Contrast this scenario with the Southern Land Company out-of-towners, who have done fantastic work in coming to a tentative but visionary solution for preservation with their Rittenhouse Square project.

Philadelphia absolutely deserves better than this, especially from what should be a good, locally-based corporate citizen.

[hammersklavier]

Originally Posted by UrbanRevival

Precisely. Toll should truly feel ashamed for not even making a concerted effort to preserve these buildings and honestly coming up from behind with an intent to demo in one of the most intact, culturally historic blocks of the city.

Adding insult to injury, this is a Philly area company. And it's obviously not for a lack of money/wherewithal. They're a mega corporation with loads of development experience. It's simply a complete lack of care for Philly (they know d*** well this wouldn't fly at all in their Manhattan projects).

Contrast this scenario with the Southern Land Company out-of-towners, who have done fantastic work in coming to a tentative but visionary solution for preservation with their Rittenhouse Square project.

Philadelphia absolutely deserves better than this, especially from what should be a good, locally-based corporate citizen.

Recall here that it took a lot of work to get Southern Land to preserve the Warwick. We need that same effort and then some (and we'll likely get it) for Jeweler's Row.

[Larry King]

Originally Posted by UrbanRevival

Precisely. Toll should truly feel ashamed for not even making a concerted effort to preserve these buildings and honestly coming up from behind with an intent to demo in one of the most intact, culturally historic blocks of the city.

Adding insult to injury, this is a Philly area company. And it's obviously not for a lack of money/wherewithal. They're a mega corporation with loads of development experience. It's simply a complete lack of care for Philly (they know d*** well this wouldn't fly at all in their Manhattan projects).

Contrast this scenario with the Southern Land Company out-of-towners, who have done fantastic work in coming to a tentative but visionary solution for preservation with their Rittenhouse Square project.

Philadelphia absolutely deserves better than this, especially from what should be a good, locally-based corporate citizen.

In Manhattan they've land marked half of downtown, jewelers row should be an obvious landmark

[VTinPhilly]

Saw today where Macys is planning to close 100 of its stores nationwide soon. The store locations have not been made public yet but downtown locations in Chicago and Minneapolis might be affected. Does anyone know if the Market Street store here is in any danger?

[iheartphilly]

Originally Posted by VTinPhilly

Saw today where Macys is planning to close 100 of its stores nationwide soon. The store locations have not been made public yet but downtown locations in Chicago and Minneapolis might be affected. Does anyone know if the Market Street store here is in any danger?

Probably not...being that national retail clothing stores are a hot thing right now in downtown Philly. This location does get a lot of foot traffic in and out of the store.

[kingtut]

Originally Posted by iheartphilly

Probably not...being that national retail clothing stores are a hot thing right now in downtown Philly. This location does get a lot of foot traffic in and out of the store.

Most likely the store closing will effect suburban mall stores where there is a big slow down in sales .Most large city downtown stores are performing much better than the malls , of course there are some exceptions .

[Jayfar]

-delete (info already posted)-

[BenKatzPhillytoParis]

Originally Posted by TechTalkGuy

If Jeweler's Row was so important, why would the owners sell?

That's not really what's at issue. No one's saying the properties are important to the owners. We're saying they're important. One of the main reasons that tourism is a major and growing part of Philadelphia's economy is because we have an intact historic downtown. And this isn't only in Philadelphia or Philadelphia's downtown, but the historic area of the city! So, even if you have no interest in history or preservation, this proposal is really bad for business.

[Tlphila]

This whole toll concept makes me want to throw up... Look we are all pro development here but this is going way to far. They are truly an evil corporation that has no respect for what and where they build. There are so many derelict buildings and vacant lots to build on that there is absolutely no need to destroy our amazing intact historical building stock. Please if you don't mind guys, sign this petition to stop this abomination from happening.. thanks!

https://www.change.org/p/anne-fadullon-s...=fb_share_mention_control&fb_ref=Default