PHILADELPHIA | Lowrise/General Developments Thread II

[summersm343]

Construction Progresses At 207-11 Vine Street In Old City

A recent site visit by Philadelphia YIMBY has noted that construction continues to progress at a 46-unit residential development underway at 207-11 Vine Street in the Old City section of Center City. Designed by CANNOdesign, the project will consist of a six-story building at 211 Vine Street, which will span 61,694 square feet, two new townhouses at 207A and 207B and 209 Vine Street, and a multi-family renovation of a historic prewar house at 209 Vine Street. The development will also include parking for 18 vehicles.

Read/view more here:
https://phillyyimby.com/2023/06/cons...-old-city.html

[summersm343]

Renovation Complete At 2501 Oakford Street In Grays Ferry

A recent site visit by Philadelphia YIMBY has observed that renovation work is complete at a former clothing factory and warehouse at 2501 Oakford Street in Grays Ferry, South Philadelphia. Designed by Stanev Potts Architects, the project adds a fifth floor to the hulking, dilapidated four-story structure and converts the interior into 54 residences and artist studios. The 8,397-square foot addition will boost the 52,420-square-foot structure to a total of 60,817 million, at a cost of $8.5 million in construction work. Permits list 25th and Oakford LLC as the owner and Reed Street Builders LLC as the contractor.

Read/view more here:
https://phillyyimby.com/2023/06/reno...ladelphia.html

[summersm343]

Largest Amazon distribution center in Philadelphia now set to open this fall

Amazon plans to open its new distribution center in Southwest Philadelphia early this fall following a lengthy delay.

The facility at 6901 Elmwood Ave. will be Amazon's largest in Philadelphia in terms of volume and employee headcount. The company said "several hundred" people will be employed at the 140,000-square-foot warehouse and it will initially handle 20,000 to 25,000 packages per day — a number Amazon expects will increase as operations expand.

In fall 2021, Amazon announced plans to add 4,800 workers in the Philadelphia area, with the Southwest Philadelphia facility being a major catalyst for the hiring push. The Seattle-based company bought the 29-acre site for $9.59 million in July 2021. Amazon will move its operations and an existing team from its South Philadelphia distribution center on Weccacoe Avenue near Christopher Columbus Boulevard to the new Elmwood Avenue facility.

The warehouse is a last-mile distribution center, meaning many of the packages delivered in Philadelphia, Delaware County and parts of Montgomery County will make their last stop on Elmwood Avenue. The expansive warehouse spans the length of three city blocks, sitting adjacent to John Bartram High School.

Another new feature at the Southwest Philadelphia warehouse will be Amazon's new Rivian vans, which will be the first in Philadelphia. The electric vans began rolling out about a year ago as part of a goal to put a fleet of 100,000 electric delivery vehicles on the road by 2030.

Of the several hundred jobs the e-commerce giant plans to bring to Southwest Philadelphia, the majority will be associate positions with pay starting at at least $16 per hour. The expected headcount does not include Amazon drivers, who are independent contractors. Amazon will start hiring about six weeks prior to the distribution facility's opening date.

Article behind paywall here:
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...phia-open.html

[PHLtoNYC]

^ Those project along Frankford Avenue look great!

[Knight Hospitaller]

So good to see long-needed updates to the Annenberg and the addition of another performing space, but I'm disappointed in the rather bland design ethos of these and the other buildings in the OCF article above. I'm glad Penn had moved away from the brutalist/ish designs of my youth, but could really take a lesson from Notre Dame and even Villanova when it comes to modern, but traditional performing arts center designs.

[jaysb]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Renovation Complete At 2501 Oakford Street In Grays Ferry

Love this re-use!

[DeltaNerd]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Largest Amazon distribution center in Philadelphia now set to open this fall



Article behind paywall here:
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...phia-open.html

Kinda wish this Amazon warehouse stay closed. Really doesn't help the Philadelphia economy.
Maybe if it was a general purpose warehouse, it would have been a bit better for the region.

[DeltaNerd]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

^ Those project along Frankford Avenue look great!

Now only if we had get a hotel built at the Rivers Casino. Or whoever mention a hotel at Rivers Casino.

[ColdJay64]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Renovation Complete At 2501 Oakford Street In Grays Ferry









Read/view more here:
https://phillyyimby.com/2023/06/reno...ladelphia.html

I love this building and it's about 2 blocks from my house. I wonder if it will be able to find a retail tenant, and how easily they'll fill the apartments. The immediate area isn't very walkable and I don't see the advantages of choosing this building over a more centrally located one.

[PHLtoNYC]

Inga's review of East Market development, and overwhelming approval of the final product (rare for her). She also has a lot to say about the Sixers arena plan.

I disagree with some of her points, but I agree with the idea that apartments, hotels, offices, and using the street grid is the better approach for Market Street, but we shall see what happens in the coming years...

This stealth development is already turning East Market Street into a 24/7 neighborhood
https://www.inquirer.com/columnists/...QqwifR_5O02VHc

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

Inga's review of East Market development, and overwhelming approval of the final product (rare for her). She also has a lot to say about the Sixers arena plan.

I don't agree with some of her points, but I agree with the idea that apartments, hotels, offices, and using the street grid is the better approach for Market Street, but we shall see what happens in the coming years...

This stealth development is already turning East Market Street into a 24/7 neighborhood
https://www.inquirer.com/columnists/...QqwifR_5O02VHc

Name one business in Market East that is open past 2am. Nothing would make me happier if Philly became 24/7 - it would give the "Overnight Mayor" something to actually do.

I just don't see that happening.

[DeltaNerd]

I don't think the arena will spur development but more like the development is develop along side with the arena.

I hope fill in all the empty retail spaces in the new Market East development and the Disney hole.

[jaysb]

417 Callowhill. Definitely moving a lot slower than the others, but curiously looks like they're framing out each floor as they go up? Not an expert but don't see that too often!

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by DeltaNerd

Now only if we had get a hotel built at the Rivers Casino. Or whoever mention a hotel at Rivers Casino.

I have it from a reliable source that Rivers is taking a block of suites at The Battery and turning them into rooms to be used by casino guests (and others, I presume).

Makes sense but also disappointing from a positioning standpoint for The Battery.

[Redddog]

dupe

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

Inga's review of East Market development, and overwhelming approval of the final product (rare for her). She also has a lot to say about the Sixers arena plan.

I disagree with some of her points, but I agree with the idea that apartments, hotels, offices, and using the street grid is the better approach for Market Street, but we shall see what happens in the coming years...

This stealth development is already turning East Market Street into a 24/7 neighborhood
https://www.inquirer.com/columnists/...QqwifR_5O02VHc

We can do both. I would be curious where she thinks the Sixers arena should go. I think there is near unanimous consent among urbanists that basketball arenas are better off in urban locations than in parking lots. So then, if not here, then where?

Also, some of her counter arguments are weak at best. She claims not a single business has opened on the 1200 block of Arch Street since the convention center was built? What about the huge hotel on the SW corner that has ground floor retail? What about the Fabric Museum.

I guarantee you she combed every block around the convention center to make her point and this is the one that made it best, yet it is still a stretch.

[PHL10]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

I think there is near unanimous consent among urbanists that basketball arenas are better off in urban locations than in parking lots. So then, if not here, then where?

From the article: (I think this location is inferior by a good margin BTW)

A better spot for a Sixers arena
A piece of open ground runs from the south side of the Roundhouse to Eighth and Arch. At 4.3 acres, it’s slightly smaller than the Fashion District location. But at least the Sixers wouldn’t face the Herculean task of erecting steel for a new arena while simultaneously keeping the Jefferson Station trains running below.

The site’s other advantage is that it is closer to the I-676 exit and directly across from the publicly owned Parkade garage. The location has good transit access, since it’s right above the PATCO and SEPTA concourse. And because Eighth Street is lined with large institutional buildings, they would buffer Chinatown from the arena. The big downside is that the site is divided up among several owners, including the African American Museum, which is slated to move to Logan Square.

Building an arena at Eighth and Arch wouldn’t be the worst outcome. But I’d still rather see that sprawling block became East Market II.

[PHLtoNYC]

Great news for Center City recovery (but I'd be mad if I worked for Comcast).

Comcast will soon require most workers to be in the office 4 days a week
https://www.inquirer.com/business/co...-20230622.html

[thoughtcriminal]

Originally Posted by PHL10

From the article: (I think this location is inferior by a good margin BTW)

A better spot for a Sixers arena
A piece of open ground runs from the south side of the Roundhouse to Eighth and Arch. At 4.3 acres, it’s slightly smaller than the Fashion District location. But at least the Sixers wouldn’t face the Herculean task of erecting steel for a new arena while simultaneously keeping the Jefferson Station trains running below.


So she's saying that the Sixers should settle for a smaller arena long term to solve the short term problem of keeping the trains running while building the arena?
Yeah, that's why she's not an architect, or a problem-solver of any kind.

[rb233541]

The area Inga describes also includes two cross streets (Cherry and Appletree) which, presumably, would be absorbed or bridged... one of her main complaints about the current proposal. Also, that area, I believe, is technically within the bounds of Chinatown, while the current proposal is outside of Chinatown. Finally, the obsession with Jefferson Station is beyond me. It feels like a glorified subway station. It's not like they're talking about demolishing 30th Street.