PHILADELPHIA | Lowrise/General Developments Thread

[Redddog]

My god.

That untouched, crappy upper section of the gallery looks horrendous.

[Skintreesnail]

Originally Posted by PhillyEngineer

Some pictures of Love Park taken June 9. I understand the criticisms of it, but I think once the trees grow it will be really nice.

Yeah, folks have been a bit too hard on Love park. On a nice day it'll be a great spot to lounge in the sun or for kids to run through the water if it's hot. I think once the saucer is done it'll add some more life as well.

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by Redddog

My god.

That untouched, crappy upper section of the gallery looks horrendous.

Where's the outcry from the hipsters who pre-trashed Love Park via social media in waves? Can we get an multiple op-eds from someone on Philly.com and Philly voice? After all, the Gallery is city owned land that's merely leased to PREIT, right? This does not seem like good stewardship of public land and maybe a little premature outrage could go a long way.

[Marcos]

Originally Posted by Skintreesnail

Yeah, folks have been a bit too hard on Love park. On a nice day it'll be a great spot to lounge in the sun or for kids to run through the water if it's hot. I think once the saucer is done it'll add some more life as well.

we spent some time there over the weekend & I agree, it's a great spot already & there was no shortage of people enjoying it, lined up 20+ deep for photos in the box, everyone smiling & laughing & happy... & it will only improve with age as the trees mature. The saucer is still somewhat an eyesore but it'll up the game of the whole park once it's done too, it's all good

[allovertown]

Originally Posted by Londonee

Where's the outcry from the hipsters who pre-trashed Love Park via social media in waves? Can we get an multiple op-eds from someone on Philly.com and Philly voice? After all, the Gallery is city owned land that's merely leased to PREIT, right? This does not seem like good stewardship of public land and maybe a little premature outrage could go a long way.

People never get mad about the right things.

Even the new portions look bad. I think no matter how much outrage is generated this is gonna be a three block long steaming pile of shit. At this point I'm just hoping it is successful as a shopping destination. If it's successful and they plaster enough signs and video screens on the building, no one will notice how horrifically ugly it is.

[City Wide]

Originally Posted by Redddog

My god.

That untouched, crappy upper section of the gallery looks horrendous.

While the bottom/new sections are much better in that they aren't just blank walls and do interact with the sidewalks, the designers of the new seemingly did not even bother trying to integrate the new with the old. Bad old architecture meets with bad new architecture and what do you know, the out come is even more bad architecture. Maybe they'll paint the whole thing or grow vines over it

[El Duderino]

^i walked by here not an hour ago and i agree that it looks terrible (though thankfully less so when on the north side of market since you can’t see it as well). one thing i did notice was on the west side of the block between 10th and 11th, there are some cut outs on the upper facade that might be for signage (i hope). it really would be a massive mistake on PREIT’s part not to do SOMETHING to at least clean up the eyesore, because it is straight up ugly as is.

[GtownFriend]

Looks like the demo of the old parking ramp is done and construction of the new entrance is underway.


Philadelphia Pa 6'18(060) by Ray, on Flickr

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by El Duderino

^i walked by here not an hour ago and i agree that it looks terrible (though thankfully less so when on the north side of market since you can’t see it as well). one thing i did notice was on the west side of the block between 10th and 11th, there are some cut outs on the upper facade that might be for signage (i hope). it really would be a massive mistake on PREIT’s part not to do SOMETHING to at least clean up the eyesore, because it is straight up ugly as is.

I just emailed the architects - the world class JPRA Architects hailing from the world's architectural hotbed of Farmington Hills, Michigan (Sarcasm) - and asked what the plans were to integrate the upper, older facade with lower, new portion. It took a surprising amount of restraint for me to not write a totally condescending, what-the-fuck-are-you-talent-less-hacks-doing-to-market-street toned email.

[PHL10]

Originally Posted by Londonee

I just emailed the architects - the world class JPRA Architects hailing from the world's architectural hotbed of Farmington Hills, Michigan (Sarcasm) - and asked what the plans were to integrate the upper, older facade with lower, new portion. It took a surprising amount of restraint for me to not write a totally condescending, what-the-fuck-are-you-talent-less-hacks-doing-to-market-street toned email.

I'm sure we would all love to see the text from your message if you are willing to share it here.

[jsbrook]

Originally Posted by Londonee

I just emailed the architects - the world class JPRA Architects hailing from the world's architectural hotbed of Farmington Hills, Michigan (Sarcasm) - and asked what the plans were to integrate the upper, older facade with lower, new portion. It took a surprising amount of restraint for me to not write a totally condescending, what-the-fuck-are-you-talent-less-hacks-doing-to-market-street toned email.

Can you post the email address so we can all email them?

[Urbanthusiat]

Don’t harass the architects. They do what PREIT wants them to do. PREIT is the one responsible for not doing the upper floors. I’m sure the architect could have done a fine job if PREIT was willing to pay for it.

[allovertown]

Originally Posted by Urbanthusiat

Don’t harass the architects. They do what PREIT wants them to do. PREIT is the one responsible for not doing the upper floors. I’m sure the architect could have done a fine job if PREIT was willing to pay for it.

Eh, I've seen much cheaper buildings look a lot better. Plus, it's not like the fact that they've keeping the upper floors should be coming as a shock to the architects and they did a terrible job meshing old with new. When a building turns out this ugly, there's plenty of blame to go around.

Though I agree criticism should mostly rest with PREITT, after all, many of the biggest issues have to deal with material choices which I imagine the architect had very little to do with.

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by PHL10

I'm sure we would all love to see the text from your message if you are willing to share it here.

It was a web-form, so unfortunately I can't access what I wrote. Again, I was actually impressed by my restraint, and (imo) came off quite earnest.

Originally Posted by jsbrook

Can you post the email address so we can all email them?

http://jpra.com/contact.php

Originally Posted by Urbanthusiat

Don’t harass the architects. They do what PREIT wants them to do. PREIT is the one responsible for not doing the upper floors. I’m sure the architect could have done a fine job if PREIT was willing to pay for it.

No harassment. Engaged citizens asking for answers. Look, if a director shoots a film - and it's an absolute piece of shit train wreck that will forever be IMDb-linked to them - it's their name on the work and they have to own it. They can blame the financiers for not giving them a bit more money, but it's still their name on the finished product and ultimately their reps that get smeared.

Originally Posted by allovertown

Eh, I've seen much cheaper buildings look a lot better. Plus, it's not like the fact that they've keeping the upper floors should be coming as a shock to the architects and they did a terrible job meshing old with new. When a building turns out this ugly, there's plenty of blame to go around. "

Though I agree criticism should mostly rest with PREITT, after all, many of the biggest issues have to deal with material choices which I imagine the architect had very little to do with.

Remember, this was a $300mm-$500mm investment. If Eric "Look at me I'm over here" Blumenfeld can re-do the Divine Lorraine for $40mm - then these folks should be able to make a bit more hay with that stack of coin.

[Urbanthusiat]

Soko Lofts Project Rising From the Dead in South Kensington





http://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-phill...uth-kensington

[RonnieStevens]

Saw this on LSNA May Agenda Zoning Committee Report:

15 N. 22nd Street (Trader Joes Parking Lot) – Jonathan Stavin with PMC met with members of the LSNA Zoning Committee and Planning & Design Committee to review plans for a potential project at this site. The parcel is zoned for CMX5.

Was wondering if anyone has heard anything about this?

[MyDadBuiltThat]

Originally Posted by Skintreesnail

Yeah, folks have been a bit too hard on Love park. On a nice day it'll be a great spot to lounge in the sun or for kids to run through the water if it's hot. I think once the saucer is done it'll add some more life as well.

It really does need more seating though. I mean, where are you sitting while your kids run through the water? They've got all the seating pushed to the side. And its temporary seating. How about some permanent benches so you can sit and watch the park or rest.
And yes to whoever said umbrellas. We shouldn't have to wait 10 years for the trees to grow to get some shade. Plus they would add some color. Have you noticed how drab a lot of the new public spaces are? The trolley portal at 40th has depressing dark gray planters and gravel. Flowers are seasonal but hardscape is year round.
I think its fine to demand more from the designers of these spaces. They're ok but they could be so much better. Everyone here is (rightly) quick to point out poor building design, cheap materials, or blank walls, etc. Let's hold public spaces to the same high standard.
And let's not fall into the habit of calling names ("hipsters") to people who, even if you disagree with them, are, like us, taking the time to try to make the city better.

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by MyDadBuiltThat

It really does need more seating though. I mean, where are you sitting while your kids run through the water? They've got all the seating pushed to the side. And its temporary seating. How about some permanent benches so you can sit and watch the park or rest.
And yes to whoever said umbrellas. We shouldn't have to wait 10 years for the trees to grow to get some shade. Plus they would add some color. Have you noticed how drab a lot of the new public spaces are? The trolley portal at 40th has depressing dark gray planters and gravel. Flowers are seasonal but hardscape is year round.
I think its fine to demand more from the designers of these spaces. They're ok but they could be so much better. Everyone here is (rightly) quick to point out poor building design, cheap materials, or blank walls, etc. Let's hold public spaces to the same high standard.
And let's not fall into the habit of calling names ("hipsters") to people who, even if you disagree with them, are, like us, taking the time to try to make the city better.

Have you actually been to the park?

[GtownFriend]

Progress on the new Gallery Theater.
Detail off the East Market webcam.
Dismantling the last of old roof structure by the Market st side. New steel visible in the center of the floor (upper left).


on Flickr

[Londonee]

Just spent some time walking the new Rail Park, some observations:

-The Photos do it justice - it looks exactly like the pictures. The elevated landscaped portion of the park is really well done and looks beautiful.

-Unfortunately, the elevated landscaped portion is only maybe 200 yards. Most of the "1/4 mile" park is walking down the middle of Noble Street - which is modestly landscaped and repaved. But it's kind of a back alley street surrounded by hulking ghost buildings of an industrial past.

-As a Center City resident, the park is literally in the middle of nowhere, and leads to nowhere. I'm not quite certain why I would ever go back? It's not on the way to anything, and once you're on it, there's nothing to do - like grab a coffee, or a snack, or a beer. If i have tourist friends in town, and I want to showcase a really cool elevated park with amazing City Views and cool amenities...I'm taking them to Cira Green.

-Speaking of the views...they're are basically non-existent. Unlike the Highline with unique sweeping Manhattan-scapes, you can, only for a few feet of the path, see CITC. It's definitely lacks sweeping vistas...

-Because For most of the elevated stretch, it's basically an elevated path through a parking lot. I would say, half of the elevated pathway cuts directly over a parking lot... Needless to say this lacks, as the French say, ambience. Now, we'll see if this park (which is cool) accelerates development in the area, but I'm not holding my breath. I've been reading about the "up and coming" "Loft District" Callowhill area since the early 2000s and it's still, really barren.

-It really needs to extend further onto the viaduct for this park to really work outside of being just a small neighborhood amenity (which is fine). By making it longer you incentivize more people to make the effort to seek it out and spend time on it. Heading out of your way to meander along a 200 yard length of elevated track is just not worth it, yet.

-It is cool, definitely worth checking out. But, I tend to have two rules of thumb for paths/trails: take me *to* some place cool and provide some stuff to do along the way - and this park kind of does neither.