PHILADELPHIA | Highrise Development Thread X

[hammersklavier]

Originally Posted by Nightman

Anyone else underwhelmed by the Chestnut walk pedestrian street? Will this be expanded in phase 2 or is what we see what we get? Was envisioning a bunch of restaurants with outdoor seating. Iron Hill and district taco and that is it.

There are still a surprising number of vacant storefronts in East Market's interior. I rather hope they'll all fill up in time.

[GtownFriend]

Originally Posted by jsbrook

Tenants had leases. The Dunkin Donuts and bank are leaving very soon. Demo is now close.

Went by several weeks ago and noticed that they had some sort of netting over the second and third floor windows. Thought perhaps they were starting interior demo.

12th&Chestnut, on Flickr

[jsbrook]

Originally Posted by GtownFriend

Went by several weeks ago and noticed that they had some sort of netting over the second and third floor windows. Thought perhaps they were starting interior demo.

That's just how this garage has been for years. Doesn't have to do with the demolition. But with all the tenants now out, this is hopefully about to start.

[Nova08]

Originally Posted by Philly-Drew

I went to Morgan’s Pier over the weekend. The weather was great. Looking out at the vacant boat slips detracts a bit from the experience for me.

Any word on what is going there? Seems like a ton of lost revenue for the owners.

Philadelphia’s 18th-century waterfront emerges during archaeological dig on Columbus Boulevard
https://www.inquirer.com/news/west-s...-20190827.html

Archaeologists exploring the old West Shipyard site along Columbus Boulevard just north of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge have uncovered remnants of what is likely an early to mid-18th century wharf — a big hand-hewn timber, bolstered by what are called “dead men” beams, all relics of the city’s early seafaring days, the archaeologists said Monday.

Anthony Campisi, a Durst spokesman, said Monday that the developer wants to study the archaeological findings and incorporate them into the final building design.

[Jawnadelphia]

^Very cool, I'm confident Durst will get something done here (if you didn't know they are heavyweights--co-developed One World Trade Center, Bank of America Tower, and big properties all over Manhattan).

From the Durst Organization website:

Piers at Penn's Landing
The Piers at Penn's Landing, a section of the Philadelphia waterfront that spans Piers 12, 13, 14, 15, 19, and 24, is The Durst Organization's first development outside of New York. The development opportunity represents the company's appreciation of Philadelphia's economic growth and potential as a thriving city.
The site currently contains a Dave & Busters, Hibachi Japanese Steakhouse, and Morgan's Pier Beer Garden.
The Durst Organization is exploring various mixed-use development scenarios that may include public parks, retail, residential rental apartments, and parking.

https://www.durst.org/properties/pie...penn-s-landing

[Knight Hospitaller]

^Gotta love out of town investors with deep pockets. Go big or go home.

[iheartphilly]

^
Durst Org...show us the money! And, from their website..."exploring various mix-ed use...sounds like code for we don't have anything lined up yet..." I really hope something gets done on these piers...I'm just not sure how popular waterfront living is unless they plan to do some type of enclosed compound...to make it a lively and attractive place for folks living there.

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by El Duderino

^still in process according to the developer’s site: https://www.durst.org/properties/pie...penn-s-landing

my guess is that all their holdings here get presented as phased mixed use project sometime before spring. if this goes at the same time as festival pier and the other projects near penn treaty, the entire stretch from the bridge to the park is going to be transformed.

It's gonna be massive. The same group owns all the land opposite Delaware ave as well. And with the I-95 cap happening, there is going to be some serious sh*t going down from Spruce street all the way up....

[Philly-Drew]

Some seriously good info regarding the waterfront. Thanks everyone. Some exciting possibilities.

[jsbrook]

Originally Posted by iheartphilly

^
Durst Org...show us the money! And, from their website..."exploring various mix-ed use...sounds like code for we don't have anything lined up yet..." I really hope something gets done on these piers...I'm just not sure how popular waterfront living is unless they plan to do some type of enclosed compound...to make it a lively and attractive place for folks living there.

Only because it's separated from the city by a hellish I-95 and Delaware Avenue. So it attracts people who want a compound and car-centric uses. When Penn's Landing corrects these issues on that small stretch that small part will be prime real estate. And if they can address Columbus and make it more pedestrian friendly, impose a road diet, landscape the median, get good retail and restaurant uses, etc..., that would be huge and help nit the riverfront back into the fabric of the city in broader areas.

[iheartphilly]

Originally Posted by jsbrook

Only because it's separated from the city by a hellish I-95 and Delaware Avenue. So it attracts people who want a compound and car-centric uses. When Penn's Landing corrects these issues on that small stretch that small part will be prime real estate. And if they can address Columbus and make it more pedestrian friendly, impose a road diet, landscape the median, get good retail and restaurant uses, etc..., that would be huge and help nit the riverfront back into the fabric of the city in broader areas.

Exactly. However, it's a major thoroughfare with 3 lanes in each direction on Columbus Blvd at some stretches, including turning lanes plus intersections that picks up additional traffic all the way down from South Philly and brings it up through Fishtown and Northern Liberties and points north, vice versa. I hope you are right that Penn's landing and the City can pull something off. I would like to see more intergration from Washington Ave. to the Ben Franklin Bridge intersection on Columbus Blvd and a connection laterally to Front St on the same stretch. However, realistically, I think maybe where the Hilton Hotel-Spruce Street Harbor Park to the potential development by Durst at the Piers would make most sense to make it more predestrian friendly by allowing some way to traverse between Columbus Blvd to Front Street connecting to the Old City and Washington West Street grids. Maybe some walking bridges along the way and the planned Penn's Landing Park via the I-95 cap would all do wonders.

[mcgrath618]

Why not bring back the trolleys? That would surely help integrate Del... I mean Columbus into the urban fabric, especially if the line runs all the way up to Franklin Square (as it is currently proposed to do)

[PurpleWhiteOut]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

Why not bring back the trolleys? That would surely help integrate Del... I mean Columbus into the urban fabric, especially if the line runs all the way up to Franklin Square (as it is currently proposed to do)

They absolutely should. In my fantasy, they would have a line that goes up and down, and one that would turn down Washington Ave in a dedicated lane to connect it with the lower center city neighborhoods

[ScreamShatter]

Originally Posted by PurpleWhiteOut

They absolutely should. In my fantasy, they would have a line that goes up and down, and one that would turn down Washington Ave in a dedicated lane to connect it with the lower center city neighborhoods

Even going north up Del Ave and turning up Lehigh would be great too.

[Jonboy1983]

I've suggested trolleys/light rail along Columbus Blvd/Delaware Ave for years - since my days as an intern with the City of Philadelphia. Have it run from the Sports Complex along Pattison Ave then turn up Columbus/Delaware...

In any event, it will be very exciting to see how the redevelopment of the waterfront unfolds. If they're reconstructing Columbus Blvd anyway, why not have it built to accommodate some rail transit use?

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by iheartphilly

Exactly. However, it's a major thoroughfare with 3 lanes in each direction on Columbus Blvd at some stretches, including turning lanes plus intersections that picks up additional traffic all the way down from South Philly and brings it up through Fishtown and Northern Liberties and points north, vice versa. I hope you are right that Penn's landing and the City can pull something off. I would like to see more intergration from Washington Ave. to the Ben Franklin Bridge intersection on Columbus Blvd and a connection laterally to Front St on the same stretch. However, realistically, I think maybe where the Hilton Hotel-Spruce Street Harbor Park to the potential development by Durst at the Piers would make most sense to make it more predestrian friendly by allowing some way to traverse between Columbus Blvd to Front Street connecting to the Old City and Washington West Street grids. Maybe some walking bridges along the way and the planned Penn's Landing Park via the I-95 cap would all do wonders.

That trolley seems like a no-brainer.

Addressing the traffic on Delaware avenue is critical. It's not just the amount of cars, it's the fact that people feel the need to drive 90 miles an hour on that road. It's essentially a 6 lane highway with a few traffic lights. Incredible how blindly stupid the city planning was in regard to the riverfront.

[eixample]

Spending all that money on a trolley on Delaware Ave makes little sense to me where you have low existing population density and a very limited walkshed on the river side. Now a bus only lane on both directions of Delaware Ave (that is actually enforced) would be a cheap, but fantastic investment.

[mcgrath618]

Originally Posted by eixample

Spending all that money on a trolley on Delaware Ave makes little sense to me where you have low existing population density and a very limited walkshed on the river side. Now a bus only lane on both directions of Delaware Ave (that is actually enforced) would be a cheap, but fantastic investment.

You wouldn’t actually have to spend too much money, considering that there is already an abandoned freight ROW in the middle.

[ScreamShatter]

Originally Posted by eixample

Spending all that money on a trolley on Delaware Ave makes little sense to me where you have low existing population density and a very limited walkshed on the river side. Now a bus only lane on both directions of Delaware Ave (that is actually enforced) would be a cheap, but fantastic investment.

Today, you may be right. But with these new projects and casinos by the stadium and del ave, it may be viable in the near future.

[SEFTA]

Chinese trackless trams

train-a4-251017 by
youtube.com/watch?v=UKIKKIWNg4E