PHILADELPHIA-CAMDEN-WILMINGTON-ATLANTIC CITY-READING | Metro Development Thread

[MyDadBuiltThat]

Originally Posted by summersm343

More citified 'Main Streets' coming to a suburb near you

Read more here: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/pe...-20170717.html

Weird thing about this article - they quote folks from South Philadelphia and Conshohocken who seem amazed at a walkable, mix used area. Restaurants! Banks! Shops! Really? Both of those places are that plus they are more authentic than a made up town center in KoP. Maybe people who live in suburban tract neighborhoods with only strip malls would be surprised. Now if you had to live near KoP it might nicer than what else is available.

[summersm343]

Sallie Mae plans to add 285 jobs in New Castle County, Delaware

Read more here: https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...und-grant.html

[summersm343]

$26M upgrade of Newark, Del. train station begins

Read more here: https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...rade-star.html

[summersm343]

76ers unveil innovation lab, more entrepreneur participants

Companies seeking to help e-gamers, fantasy sport players and felines – yes, cats! – are among the first participants in the Innovation Lab created by the Philadelphia 76ers.

The basketball team unveiled its 8,000-square-foot facility for the first time Tuesday afternoon.

The Innovation Lab, sponsored by Sixers’ corporate partner Kimball Office, is housed within the team’s 125,000-square-foot training complex and headquarters in Camden. The Sixers created the lab to support entrepreneurs and early-stage companies with ideas for consumer and sports-related products and technologies.

"These entrepreneurs, they are different," said Scott O'Neil, CEO of the Sixers. "Sports teams could use a dose of what they have. They have courage, strength and conviction. They are okay with falling, and they get right back up."

Before the space was completed, Monster Roster founder and CEO Dylan Elder, whose company helps fantasy sports players pick their lineups, was announced as the first entrepreneur selected for the lab. Monster Roster’s patent-pending algorithm provides optimum recommendations for lineups in baseball, football and basketball fantasy games conducted by DraftKings and FanDuel.

Elder dropped out of Georgetown University and relocated from San Francisco to be part of the Innovation Lab.

Joining Elder and Monster Roster in the lab are:

-U GIT GUD: the developer of an online, hyper-improvement training platform created to provide professional, amateur and beginner e-sports players with analytics, analysis and personalized recommendations from some of the top e-sports players in the world. The company was founded in 2017 by Cornell Alumni Shinggo Lu, 26, of Iowa City, and Alan Liang, 26, of Chicago. U Git Gud will later this week debut a beta platform that offers support to players of League of Legends. The company’s name refers to an intentional misspelling of the phrase “get good,” an expression used to heckle inexperienced players in online video games.

-Doc & Phoebe’s Cat Co: the developer of an indoor hunting feeder system designed to maximize cats’ natural instincts to hunt and play, while combating the top causes of cat physical and mental illness and death. The no-bowl feeding system features five mice-shaped feeders that mimic the size, shape and tactile disposition of prey. The patented feeder — used, according to the company, by 13,000 cats around the world — “returns cats feeding to a natural process and alleviates the 'scarf and barf’ phenomenon, returns cats to a healthy weight, and prevents bad behavior caused by restlessness and anxiety.” The company was founded in 2014 by Dr. Elizabeth Bales, a graduate of University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, who developed the product as a solution to cat behavior problems she observed during her 17 years as a practicing veterinarian.

-Live Life Nice: a cause-driven digital media company that plans to provide “original, moving content,” on social media to introduce and share stories meant to empower and motivate viewers by inspiring social sharing and a social movement that supports that company’s “Do Nice” mission. The video content will be designed to provide opportunities for cause-minded brands to integrate directly into "captivating, poignant and accessible stories, creating a portal to compassionate, engaged consumers and their social networks.” The company was founded in 2014 by Christian Crosby of Brooklawn, N.J. Crosby was the Sixers’ in-arena game day host from 2014 and 2017. Prior to that, starting when was 18, he was a trampoline dunker and in-game performer for the team.

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...u-git-gud.html

[summersm343]

Apartment project next to Paoli Train Station to move forward

The developer of a proposed $40 million project adjacent to the Paoli Train Station has closed on buying the property and cleared a hurdle that gets the firm a step closer to breaking ground.

Linden Lane Capital Partners of Philadelphia paid $6 million for the 7.45-acre site called Station Square at 37 North Valley Road that now has four, mostly vacant office buildings on it. The office complex was put up for sale by Palmer Properties in June 2015 and the four structures will be razed to make way for the new multifamily project.

Tredyffrin authorities on Monday approved Linden Lane’s conditional use plan to construct four connected structures that would have 153 apartments and space for one office. The buildings would stand four stories and sit over a parking structure.

It took two years of wrangling over the proposal for the developer to reach this milestone. On the way to obtaining its conditional use plan, Linden Lane took the rare position of filing an appeal to an earlier conditional use plan it was granted last December. While that was an unusual step for the developer to take, it’s not uncommon for projects in the suburbs and city to take years to wend their way through the approval process.

When Linden Lane got its first conditional use approval it came with a series of extra requirements. The developer thought some of those requests were “nonsensical” and that prompted the appeal.

In the meantime, the project faced other obstacles. Neighbors of the property worried the plan would throw more traffic on roads already congested and were concerned about the height of the proposed buildings. In addition, a rerouting and realignment of Valley Road with Darby Road — a project that is part of an overall plan to re-do the Paoli Train Station — also complicated the situation.

The issues were eventually resolved, clearing the way for the project to finally move forward though the developer still needs to go through the land development process. Michael Wachs, managing principal of Linden Lane, said he believes that will not be as complicated and is likely to move at a faster pace.

“I would like to be done with the whole process before the end of the year and break ground,” he said.

The redevelopment of Station Square, which is more than 40 years old, would be progress on a long-talked about plan to creating transit-oriented development at the Paoli Train Station.

Amtrak, SEPTA, the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission and officials from nearby townships have been working for years the redevelopment of the Paoli Transportation Center and the realignment of a bridge over Valley Road. At one point, a developer had been named to come up with a project on a 20-acre swath of mostly surface parking lots but those plans were aborted.

The first phase of the redevelopment of the transportation center, including site work, is underway.

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...partments.html

[skiesthelimit]

didn't mean to dp, did this on mobile xx

[skiesthelimit]

Haven't had much time to post lately but two quick snaps I took...

Wilmington now has two tower cranes! This is for the parking garage expansion at the Wilmington Hospital






And the houses on Vandever Ave have finally started construction


There's also a project going at Miller Road, it's going to be this spanish influenced building that I believe was a steel mill redeveloped as a market.

Additionally, there's a community garden being built on Concord Ave next to the gas station where an abandoned buidling stood for a looooooooooooong time...

EDIT: fixed images

Another correction: there's actually THREE tower cranes impacting the slyline now! The bridge crane was raised today it seems. And there might possibly be a 4th if the bfg hotel project starts soon!

[eixample]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Apartment project next to Paoli Train Station to move forward



https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...partments.html

I am excited for this multi-family development in Paoli, which is seriously lacking in walkability compared to many other main line towns. Hopefully more multi-family/mixed use will be coming, specifically on Lancaster Avenue.

[domodeez]

Added another floor to phase 1.. just one more to go after this:




Apartment conversion next door at 9 x Orange is moving along:

[DIESELPOLO]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Apartment project next to Paoli Train Station to move forward



https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...partments.html

The site plan doesn't look to support much walkability. While it may literally be walkable to the train station, the siting of the building within the parking lot moat does not support the walkability that its proximity to the station would lend itself to have.

Spare me with the "traffic" concerns. My empathy levels are low on that one. Just sayin'.

[summersm343]

Why Lockheed Martin is hiring for 300 positions in South Jersey

An increasing demand for sophisticated radar systems and the impending retirements of baby boomers are fueling a hiring spree at Lockheed Martin’s South Jersey facility.

The global security and aerospace-focused defense contractor is seeking to fill 300 positions at its Moorestown location, ranging from manufacturing positions like assemblers and technicians to high-level engineering roles in multiple fields and capacities.

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...itions-in.html

[summersm343]

Firm Makes $220M Offer for Atlantic City’s Shuttered Revel Casino

Read more at http://www.phillymag.com/business/20...zX2UwRdlGB4.99

[TempleGuy1000]

Randomly was in North Wilmington. Noticed the 202 redevelopment project is well underway.

[summersm343]

West Chester, Manayunk … Coatesville? Will Chesco city be the next hot spot?

Read more here: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/pe...-20170724.html

[domodeez]

Big pour yesterday for the 2nd floor of building 2:

[summersm343]

Vanguard planning new building on Malvern campus

Paul Begin, the new head of global corporate real estate and facilities management at the investment management giant, told hundreds of real estate professionals at Corridors of Opportunity: Route 202 event Thursday morning that Vanguard is currently fine-tuning its expectations for the expansion to present to company leaders in the coming months.

“We hope to develop our requirements and take things to our board in the fall,” Begin said. “And see if there’s full commitment to the growth and the capital investment required.”

The proposed structure would be between 180,000 and 240,000 square feet. Begin said while Vanguard has initiated the process to obtain zoning and planning approval, its board of directors has yet to sign off on the plan.

Begin discovered on his first day why Vanguard would need a new building. His “freshman class” of new employees starting the week of June 19 in Malvern was 130 people. About 200 more started a few weeks later. In all, Vanguard has hired 2,000 new employees over the past few years, most of those in Malvern, where it has 11,000 of its 15,000 U.S. workers, which it calls “crew.”

n 2012, Vanguard agreed to pay an estimated $40 million to buy the 87 acres, which contained a three-building Pfizer complex, adjacent to its original campus. The massive property has allowed the investment management company to expand by another 390,000 square feet in two additional office buildings, but Begin said those buildings are “essentially full.”

With no immediate plans to grow westward, Vanguard recently planted its flag in the opposite direction. The company just opened what it calls its “innovation center” that it hopes will serve as a catalyst for new ideas and products at 2300 Chestnut in Center City, where it leased 16,000 square feet. Begin said it will start with 20 employees though it can fit up to 100.

But don't expect a massive migration of the company’s employee base from the suburbs to the city.

“We’ve already had a few of those requests,” Begin said. “And whether it’s because it’s in the city or it’s really cool space.... it’s there for a specific function.”

Vanguard wanted its innovation center at 2300 Chestnut because it wanted to be in the nexus of innovation taking place at Drexel University, University of Pennsylvania, Comcast Corp. and burgeoning technology companies. It also wanted that spirit of innovation to take place independent from its main Malvern campus and have the ability to attract new, millennial-aged talent that might not have wanted to work out in Chester County.

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...rn-campus.html

[Urbanthusiat]

I'm overall very pleased that Vanguard is investing in the region and doubling down on their presence here.

[summersm343]

Route 202 & its challenges: SEPTA KoP rail project & trails in demand

Route 202 is a thriving corridor due to years-long development. More developments are underway, with key updates on initiatives like the King of Prussia Rail project, more trail as residents demand the amenity, among others.

SEPTA for years has been developing its King of Prussia Rail, an extension of the agency's Norristown High Speed Line that would add at least four stops and expand the line into King of Prussia and Upper Merion Township.

This would link together the three largest employment centers in Greater Philadelphia: Center City, University City and King of Prussia.

It would also allow easy travel for employees of suburban companies with satellite offices in the city or Center City-based companies with satellite offices in the suburbs.

Smith said SEPTA is "a month or two" from releasing the draft environmental impact statement — "a big milestone in the federal approvals process."

"We're excited to see that project moving forward," Smith said.

When asked why there is no rail system down the middle of Route 202 — similar to the rail system Washington, D.C., along Interstate 66, has — Smith said it had to do with the costs.

One of the alternatives SEPTA looked at to the King of Prussia Rail project was an option that brought rail down the center of 202 through Upper Merion.

"There was pushback from the residents of the community as well as some of the business that are there right up against the corridor," Smith said. "There was a feeling that it could separate the township going through there."

Cost is also an issue, particularly down the corridor all the way to Malvern.

"We're not in a great spot with funding for transportation overall, mainly from a federal standpoint, and it would be difficult to see that move forward just due to the dollar amount associated with it," Smith said.

Vehicular congestion and pedestrian-friendly access remain challenges

Thriving areas are ones with multiple modes of transportation, and the 202 corridor now has more transit-oriented development "we weren’t seeing before," Smith said.

The corridor has "great transportation access," including that of the highway and of the SEPTA Paoli Regional Rail line that parallels at least six bus lines.

Route 202 is by and large still an auto-centric corridor, and one of the criticisms SEPTA gets is the challenge of walking to and from the eventual King of Prussia Rail.

"There is a lot of work that needs to be done not only by SEPTA but all local officials, so changes start to be made to make connections that don’t exist," Smith said.

This issue extends beyond the King of Prussia Rail project. In some areas, walking along the corridor can be "harrowing," according to Rob Loeper, Upper Merion township planner.

The most successful one to date is SEPTA's Lansdale Regional Rail station, which in 2015 became the agency's first new train station in more than a decade when it opened.

The new Ninth Street station in Lansdale was built to revitalize the former site of the American Olean Tile Co. plant.

The station came with nearly 80 new parking spaces, residential development and trail access.

"That’s a homerun for apartment communities to have that access," Korman said. "Younger renters are not interest in having a car all the time. As long as you can make numbers work from a standpoint of construction quality, it’s the best thing you do."

"Being transit oriented is a huge opportunity," Korman added.

"We have to be focused on continuing to prepare students to be cooperative and integral in this high-tech environment," said MaryFrances McGarrity, senior vice president of business development at the Chester County Economic Development Council.

The council is currently competing for an India-based pharmaceutical company that would bring about 75 jobs to the region.

"One of the challenges will be, how do we engage those higher-qualified workforce?" McGarrity said. "We have to be cognizant of not trying to steal talent."

Trailways were a common amenity people were looking for along Route 202, the panelists said Thursday.

"Trails are so critical, whether it's a corporate tenant, apartment renter or someone buying a home in Atwater," Goggins said. "They all want trails."

A trail recently opened along the Schuylkill River connecting one of Upper Merion's larger-activity parks to the Valley Forge National Historical Park, Loeper said.

Upper Merion and Montgomery County officials are working to extend Chester Valley Trail, which currently comes up to and into Upper Merion.

There are plans to extend it to Bridgeport and connect it to the Schuykill River trail, on the other side of the river, Loeper said.

"Next week I have a meeting with Montgomery County trail planners to look at connections for the Chester Valley Trail to this development (King of Prussia Town Center) and connections up to the national park," Loeper said.

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...-trammell.html

[Nova08]

Originally Posted by Urbanthusiat

I'm overall very pleased that Vanguard is investing in the region and doubling down on their presence here.

Great for the area, but I am curious how they attract and retain talent when they are so far out. I hope they have some type of shuttle from the R5 line for reverse commuters.

I hired a few people (age ~25) to work at the Navy Yard and after the fact they seriously said they were skeptic about the location because of being outside of the city. They've since said they enjoy/don't mind it, but I certainly don't think they'd go for something out in Malvern.

Originally Posted by summersm343

Route 202 & its challenges: SEPTA KoP rail project & trails in demand
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...-trammell.html

I'm glad that they recognize the area around KOP is completely not walkable and surrounded by a bunch of auto centric speedways. Now let's see what they do about it.

[Boku]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Vanguard planning new building on Malvern campus



https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...rn-campus.html

Well, that sucks.