PHILADELPHIA | Lowrise/General Developments Thread

[allovertown]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

Great looking project and huge improvement! Hopefully not complaints from neighbors (maybe related to parking).

If I know my neighbors there will be complaints aplenty. But it seems their tactic is to threaten to just build 3 stories with 55 units and no parking at all by right. So fewer units, even if it is more stories and some parking would probably be more appealing to them. So I assume it will eventually get support, but that doesn't mean people will be happy.

I'd voice my support, but a neighborhood association meeting seems like an absolutely dreadful way to spend an evening even if I don't have to leave my house anymore. Besides, three stories without parking at all might actually be better. Honestly I don't really care as long as something replaces the terrible building and parking lot that exists there currently.

[cardeza]

Originally Posted by Urbanthusiat

PacWest Lends $30M on East Falls Apartment Development in Philly

I was going to say it looks like this project is finally going to start. The permit sign is posted on the fence. This lot has been eyesore for SO long.

[PHLtoNYC]

Originally Posted by Jayfar

I mostly like, although BV is not my hood. I've been attending the zoom meeting and though they haven't come to the public comments portion yet, the accompanying text chat was was totally lit with the standard parking gripes, before the hosts shut the chat down after the Ori hate started to kick in. ;-)

Even more reason to build it.

[PHLtoNYC]

Philadelphia leaders detail plans for $400M Neighborhood Preservation Initiative

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia...eighborhood-preservation-initiative.html

"Members of City Council gathered Wednesday morning at Gilben's to detail plans for their $400 million Neighborhood Preservation Initiative. The plan, approved in concept last year, will focus on bolstering and revitalizing Philadelphia’s neighborhoods through affordable housing programs and supporting small businesses."

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

Philadelphia leaders detail plans for $400M Neighborhood Preservation Initiative

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia...eighborhood-preservation-initiative.html

"Members of City Council gathered Wednesday morning at Gilben's to detail plans for their $400 million Neighborhood Preservation Initiative. The plan, approved in concept last year, will focus on bolstering and revitalizing Philadelphia’s neighborhoods through affordable housing programs and supporting small businesses."

What does this program fund? To help small businesses and neighborhoods....they should beautify main commercial corridors from South Street to Walnut Street to 52nd Street. Plant trees, fund beautification efforts like flower plantings, weed pullings, street sweepings on its own PUBLICLY OWNED STREETS.

Make the strips where people shop, dine, explore, have fun, eat, spend $$, etc. - whichever neighborhood - are as beautiful and inviting as possible. I feel like they throw this $$ at red tape laden initiatives - you need to apply through XYZ for XYZ and maybe you'll receive an answer from a city agency in 6months and then reapply to XYZ for a follow up and then...

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by Londonee

What does this program fund? To help small businesses and neighborhoods....they should beautify main commercial corridors from South Street to Walnut Street to 52nd Street. Plant trees, fund beautification efforts like flower plantings, weed pullings, street sweepings on its own PUBLICLY OWNED STREETS.

Make the strips where people shop, dine, explore, have fun, eat, spend $$, etc. - whichever neighborhood - are as beautiful and inviting as possible. I feel like they throw this $$ at red tape laden initiatives - you need to apply through XYZ for XYZ and maybe you'll receive an answer from a city agency in 6months and then reapply to XYZ for a follow up and then...

I just read this article in the Inquirer. I have many friends of color who have relocated to Atlanta in the last ten years. It makes me sad that city leadership just pays lip service to things, throws money down the drain, and does nothing really to appreciably improve peoples lives.

https://www.inquirer.com/life/inq2/black-america-migration-wildest-dreams-20210915.html

It would be so much more efficient to just clean things up, make people feel seen by showing stewardship over our neighborhoods, reducing red tap, and creating real applied programs in community colleges and trade schools to give a maximal number of people a path forward.

[Urbanthusiat]

Amtrak, PIP to Transform Philly’s Gray 30th Street Station by 2025

On Sept. 15, Amtrak reported that it had reached financial close on a lease and development agreement with the Plenary Infrastructure Philadelphia (PIP) consortium for the restoration and renovation of the Gray 30th Street Station. PIP—selected by Amtrak in June 2020 through a competitive procurement—will refurbish and improve the historic, nearly 100-year-old building; finance those improvements; and maintain the station for a 50-year term, the railroad said. The project’s cost has been estimated between $300 million and $400 million.

Renovation work is expected to begin in 2022 and be complete in 2025 (see timeline below).

[skyhigh07]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

I just read this article in the Inquirer. I have many friends of color who have relocated to Atlanta in the last ten years. It makes me sad that city leadership just pays lip service to things, throws money down the drain, and does nothing really to appreciably improve peoples lives.

https://www.inquirer.com/life/inq2/black-america-migration-wildest-dreams-20210915.html

It would be so much more efficient to just clean things up, make people feel seen by showing stewardship over our neighborhoods, reducing red tap, and creating real applied programs in community colleges and trade schools to give a maximal number of people a path forward.

I agree. It might stimulate the local economy a bit, but as you alluded to, it sounds like a lot of money being thrown at old ideas.

If you ran on a platform with just the things you proposed, I'd certainly vote for ya!

[cardeza]

[QUOTE=3rd&Brown;9397555]I just read this article in the Inquirer. I have many friends of color who have relocated to Atlanta in the last ten years. It makes me sad that city leadership just pays lip service to things, throws money down the drain, and does nothing really to appreciably improve peoples lives.

https://www.inquirer.com/life/inq2/black-america-migration-wildest-dreams-20210915.html

There are no easy solutions to the issues that cause black out migration in Philly (or Chicago or other similar cities). I kills me how people totally ignore the role of state and federal governments in urban life and can simply say all of these issues can be blamed on current local politicians.

[cardeza]

Originally Posted by Londonee

What does this program fund? To help small businesses and neighborhoods....they should beautify main commercial corridors from South Street to Walnut Street to 52nd Street. Plant trees, fund beautification efforts like flower plantings, weed pullings, street sweepings on its own PUBLICLY OWNED STREETS.

Make the strips where people shop, dine, explore, have fun, eat, spend $$, etc. - whichever neighborhood - are as beautiful and inviting as possible. I feel like they throw this $$ at red tape laden initiatives - you need to apply through XYZ for XYZ and maybe you'll receive an answer from a city agency in 6months and then reapply to XYZ for a follow up and then...

The article and another on Planphilly explain what the money is for. It actually makes a lot of sense, there is a major issue with lack of preservation of existing older housing stock in this city and many cannot afford the repairs on these older homes. If you read the description, it explains that they intentionally set this up to channel through private entities as much as possible to cut down on red tape.

[cardeza]

this link gives a bit more detail on the NPI- not that it matters to anyone who cant be bothered with the details.

https://whyy.org/articles/philadelphias-...ood-preservation-initiative-moves-ahead/

[TempleGuy1000]

Originally Posted by cardeza

The article and another on Planphilly explain what the money is for. It actually makes a lot of sense, there is a major issue with lack of preservation of existing older housing stock in this city and many cannot afford the repairs on these older homes. If you read the description, it explains that they intentionally set this up to channel through private entities as much as possible to cut down on red tape.

I usually agree with you cardeza, but I just have a hard time believing that this is a top priority issue to spend $100 million a year on when when the school district can't hire enough bus drivers to get kids to school. The streets dept can't hire enough trash men to pick up the trash on time. There aren't enough 911 operators to answer the phones. Basic government functions 95% of American's take for granted. Instead of attempting to fix the very serious quality of life issues that drives the tax base out of the city, they have opted to ignore these issues to focus on cosmetic improvements that I personally believe will not do much to change the status quo for the long term. No offense, but I don't care how nice your store front looks if the street outside the building is full of trash.

[summersm343]

Permits Issued For 247-Unit Mixed-Use Development At 2101 Washington Avenue In Graduate Hospital

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Read/view more here:
https://phillyyimby.com/2021/09/permits-...raduate-hospital-south-philadelphia.html

[PHLtoNYC]

Originally Posted by Londonee

What does this program fund? To help small businesses and neighborhoods....they should beautify main commercial corridors from South Street to Walnut Street to 52nd Street. Plant trees, fund beautification efforts like flower plantings, weed pullings, street sweepings on its own PUBLICLY OWNED STREETS.

Make the strips where people shop, dine, explore, have fun, eat, spend $$, etc. - whichever neighborhood - are as beautiful and inviting as possible. I feel like they throw this $$ at red tape laden initiatives - you need to apply through XYZ for XYZ and maybe you'll receive an answer from a city agency in 6months and then reapply to XYZ for a follow up and then...

100% agree. I've mentioned this for years. Philadelphia has a poorly maintained streetscape. Awful sidewalks, no pavers, worn-out pedestrian crosswalks, generally bad roads, no landscaping on major thoroughfares (including medians), old traffic signals and street lamps, no trashcans or those awful belly cans, exposed power lines in many areas, etc. Of course there are wonderful neighborhoods and sections, but I am referring to the experience of walking down a street. For example, Walnut Street from Broad to Rittenhouse is lackluster (IMO), yet this is among the most premiere stretches in the city... What is the deal?

I finished a great book "Walkable City" by Jeff Speck, he stressed the importance of vegetation and aesthetic investments. It improves QOL, pedestrian experience, and city image as a whole.

Logically not every street can handle (or needs this). But start with all of Center City, then expand to other major corridors: Spring Garden St, Washington Ave, Point Breeze Ave, Callowhill St, Frankford Ave, 52nd Street, etc. Street infrastructure is as important as the actual businesses and buildings that line them. Not sure why this concept is ignored by leadership.

I understand in the moment there are other pressing issues from Covid fallout, but this was NEVER a priority for city officials.

P.S. I am not bashing Philadelphia, I love the city, but City Council implementing their typical @ss backwards approach to almost everything is frustrating (though there are some good parts to the neighborhood imitative).

Imagine how beautiful Philadelphia would be if leaders implemented an aggressive beautification effort?

I wish I was Bezos level rich, I would pay for it myself, lol.

[3rd&Brown]

[QUOTE=cardeza;9397802]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

I just read this article in the Inquirer. I have many friends of color who have relocated to Atlanta in the last ten years. It makes me sad that city leadership just pays lip service to things, throws money down the drain, and does nothing really to appreciably improve peoples lives.

https://www.inquirer.com/life/inq2/black-america-migration-wildest-dreams-20210915.html

There are no easy solutions to the issues that cause black out migration in Philly (or Chicago or other similar cities). I kills me how people totally ignore the role of state and federal governments in urban life and can simply say all of these issues can be blamed on current local politicians.

Atlanta has the same federal government as we do and an even more regressive state government.

Anyway. It kills me when people totally ignore the ineptitude of local leadership, sticks their head in the sand, and points their fingers at Harrisburg and DC.

We've had numerous once in a generation opportunities to completely re-imagine how this city runs in the past 10 years. Massive budget surpluses post Nutter, growing population, and incredible infusions of federal stimulus.

But yeah. Our hands are tied.

Hows it going, Jim?

[cardeza]

Originally Posted by TempleGuy1000

I usually agree with you cardeza, but I just have a hard time believing that this is a top priority issue to spend $100 million a year on when when the school district can't hire enough bus drivers to get kids to school. The streets dept can't hire enough trash men to pick up the trash on time. There aren't enough 911 operators to answer the phones. Basic government functions 95% of American's take for granted. Instead of attempting to fix the very serious quality of life issues that drives the tax base out of the city, they have opted to ignore these issues to focus on cosmetic improvements that I personally believe will not do much to change the status quo for the long term. No offense, but I don't care how nice your store front looks if the street outside the building is full of trash.

what does A have to do with B? There are multiple issues going on simultaneously and bus driver hiring isnt the purview of city council. This is a bond funded program to initiate physical improvements to homes and businesses, this is not part of the operating budget and in no way does it help or hinder the ability of the streets dept or the school district to hire staff. Normally people on here are in favor of businesses being assisted given philadelphia's reputation on that front- but in this case you are saying you don't care about businesses having access to capital that could improve their facilities? Dont they need every leg up they can get for staying open in this city?

[cardeza]

[QUOTE=3rd&Brown;9397925]

Originally Posted by cardeza

Atlanta has the same federal government as we do and an even more regressive state government.

Anyway. It kills me when people totally ignore the ineptitude of local leadership, sticks their head in the sand, and points their fingers at Harrisburg and DC.

We've had numerous once in a generation opportunities to completely re-imagine how this city runs in the past 10 years. Massive budget surpluses post Nutter, growing population, and incredible infusions of federal stimulus.

But yeah. Our hands are tied.

Hows it going, Jim?

I guess you didnt bother to read the article (a common issue for some it seems)- these are not philadelphia specific issues. In fact they said LA and Chicago were the top 2 in terms of loss of black population during the time span identified. This is a general trend that has been going on for decades and it favors cities in the SE part of the country. The reasons for this are mentioned in the article- it has nothing to do with how the folks feel about local politicians. If there was a secret formula one of the northern cities surely would've cracked the code by now- they have not. This isnt all that different from what is happening with the population at large- areas in the North and midwest are losing population market share to the sunbelt and have been for a while. Changing politicians will not reverse this trend- in many cases people are moving to areas that are less in line with their political views than where they are coming from.

[SEFTA]

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[3rd&Brown]

[QUOTE=cardeza;9397988]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

I guess you didnt bother to read the article (a common issue for some it seems)- these are not philadelphia specific issues. In fact they said LA and Chicago were the top 2 in terms of loss of black population during the time span identified. This is a general trend that has been going on for decades and it favors cities in the SE part of the country. The reasons for this are mentioned in the article- it has nothing to do with how the folks feel about local politicians. If there was a secret formula one of the northern cities surely would've cracked the code by now- they have not. This isnt all that different from what is happening with the population at large- areas in the North and midwest are losing population market share to the sunbelt and have been for a while. Changing politicians will not reverse this trend- in many cases people are moving to areas that are less in line with their political views than where they are coming from.

Every city north of DC with the exception of Baltimore functions at a higher level than Philly.

TBH, part of me doesn't even care if the city functions 100% effectively in all areas. But I do care about it for the things that we all see. Cleanliless, trash pick up, etc. I mean, those are functions that rely on literally no one but your self. There are not externalities that affect the ability to sweep a street or weed a tree pit or clear an empty lot.

Since I've moved to Northbank, I've made it a habit of taking a trash bag on my morning walk every day. I've filled at least 30 trash bags of debris and disposed of them in my own trash or in random dumpsters. Most of my cleanup efforts have been along northern Delaware Avenue etc.

There are 3 or 4 random tires I thought I'd put in my car and try to dispose of (legally of course). Do you know how difficult it is to throw away a tire in Philadelphia? I can't find a single site that lets you drop off tires. When I queried the Streets website, I found information saying that there are a couple of events a year where you can drop off tires but you have to be a part of an RCO to do it.

I mean. Can you believe the absurdity? You have people willing to do the right thing and the city is like, no, that's impossible.

I also opened a ticket on 311 to clear a sofa and a mattress from Berks Street. It's been closed as 'resolved' and the sofa and mattress are still there.

You know you can open a ticket to have a sewer outlet cleaned? I mean that's great. But why aren't there just a roving crew that does it as a matter of course. When I opened the ticket for the sofa, all 4 drains were clogged at the same intersection. I thought about opening a ticket for it, but I was like, this is absurd. A simple crew tasked with just that responsibility could probably cover half the city every single month without requiring a response to a single ticket. Just make it a system.

You tell me what's so difficult to solve about these very simple problems.

[summersm343]

Harsco becomes second central Pa. company this week to move headquarters out of the region

The Harsco Corp. on Thursday became the second major global company based in central Pennsylvania to announce this week that it is moving its headquarters out of Cumberland County.

The Wormleysburg-based global company, which employs about 100 workers in the Harrisburg area, plans to relocate to Center City Philadelphia by 2023.

In a written statement provided to PennLive, Harsco chairman and CEO Nick Grasberger said:

“For more than 165 years, Harsco has called South Central Pennsylvania home. We have traveled a long and exciting road, and we are enthusiastic about writing the next chapters in our story as we move our corporate headquarters to Philadelphia.

“We are confident that this move to America’s sixth largest city will provide us with more options to the future resources needed to fuel our growth including a strong infrastructure, a much larger and diverse talent pool, and closer proximity to our customers and federal government agencies.”

The Harsco news, first reported by ABC27, comes on the heels of the announcement by the Rite Aid Corp. on Tuesday that it is moving its corporate headquarters from East Pennsboro Township to Philadelphia.

Cooney said the vast majority of corporate jobs will be moving to Philadelphia, although several business and office staff positions would remain in Cumberland County.

He said he could not say how many jobs would be affected by the move.

“It depends,” Cooney said. “We are working with our employees right now on relocation plans. I don’t have a definite number on how many will want to come, how much hiring we’ll do in Philadelphia and what percentage will decide not want to move. I don’t have those numbers.”

Cooney said Harsco’s plans do not call for a hybrid workplace: “We will be in the center of the city in Philadelphia. We are going back to working face-to-face,” he said.

Read/view more here:
https://www.pennlive.com/business/2021/0...USHboENK3Y0H717_kTjqU4giqNKh1LyS4WXqjLOQ