PHILADELPHIA | Lowrise/General Developments Thread II

[mja]

Originally Posted by thoughtcriminal

she would have so much more credibility if she didn't have such contempt for Philadelphia. Some things deserve criticism, obviously, but I'm convinced that she just hates Philadelphia and everything about it.

She lives in Philadelphia, sent her child to Philadelphia public school, and has dedicated the better part of her career to writing about Philadelphia. For someone who supposedly hates Philadelphia, she sure has a funny way of showing it.

[PHLJD13]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

Reformation is a popular brand (women's), similar to Aritzia, great addition to Walnut.

Speaking of Aritzia, I was shopping Walnut St on Friday and noted there is marketing on the front of the old H&M advertising the second floor as available for lease. I thought Aritzia was taking the whole space? Or are they just taking over the first floor?

[thoughtcriminal]

Originally Posted by mja

She lives in Philadelphia, sent her child to Philadelphia public school, and has dedicated the better part of her career to writing about Philadelphia.

Who hates Philadelphia more than those who live here, send their kids to our shitty public schools, and have to write about it for a living?

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by PHLJD13

Speaking of Aritzia, I was shopping Walnut St on Friday and noted there is marketing on the front of the old H&M advertising the second floor as available for lease. I thought Aritzia was taking the whole space? Or are they just taking over the first floor?

Aritzia is just taking the first floor. The second floor has also been up for lease. Aritzia is still planning on opening on Walnut by the way. Hard to believe at this point but I guess we’ll see! Lol

[Mtphilly]

Originally Posted by Redddog

Just walked Chestnut from Old City to Broad.

Man...there has to be 75% vacancy on the south side of Chestnut between 7th and Broad. It's crazy.

There are a couple things opening soon that will fill some of the big vacancies. Mona, a restaurant from Teddy Sourias is taking over the former Lux Home at 1308 Chestnut and Beat the Bomb, an escape room place is taking over the space at the Bailey Building at 1218 Chestnut.

Edit: PhltoNYC beat me to it on the restaurant.

[cardeza]

Looks like this project is actually moving fwd at long last.

https://www.phila.gov/2024-04-09-eng...roject-begins/

[mja]

Originally Posted by thoughtcriminal

Who hates Philadelphia more than those who live here, send their kids to our shitty public schools, and have to write about it for a living?

Random crackpots who live out in the exurbs and who have never deigned to step foot in the city for fear of getting shot while touring the Liberty Bell.

And I've sent / send my own children to those shitty public schools, thank you. My oldest is now an honor student at an Ivy. My other two are having great experiences, and I wouldn't change a thing if given the opportunity. We've been lucky, sure, and our experience is far from universal, but in the end what really determines whether a school is "shitty" or not are the socio-economic and especially educational-attainment levels of the parents who send their kids to said school. I've watched my kids' elementary school go from "good" city public school to Blue Ribbon school over the last 15 years. The biggest driver of that is that wealthier well-educated parents who live in the catchment gradually decided that it was acceptable to send their kids there instead of going the private school route. In other words, bad or good school is not a particularly useful paradigm.

As for Inga, she doesn't hate Philadelphia, and she didn't always write about urban development in Philadelphia. She chose that because it was something she cared about. She's just trying to be a good critic, which means by definition she can't just be a cheerleader. Her job is to look for the flaws as much as the good stuff.

[Radio5]

Originally Posted by cardeza

Looks like this project is actually moving fwd at long last.

https://www.phila.gov/2024-04-09-eng...roject-begins/

This is great news. And much needed when all the projects on Delaware are completed.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by mja

Random crackpots who live out in the exurbs and who have never deigned to step foot in the city for fear of getting shot while touring the Liberty Bell.

And I've sent / send my own children to those shitty public schools, thank you. My oldest is now an honor student at an Ivy. My other two are having great experiences, and I wouldn't change a thing if given the opportunity. We've been lucky, sure, and our experience is far from universal, but in the end what really determines whether a school is "shitty" or not are the socio-economic and especially educational-attainment levels of the parents who send their kids to said school. I've watched my kids' elementary school go from "good" city public school to Blue Ribbon school over the last 15 years. The biggest driver of that is that wealthier well-educated parents who live in the catchment gradually decided that it was acceptable to send their kids there instead of going the private school route. In other words, bad or good school is not a particularly useful paradigm.

As for Inga, she doesn't hate Philadelphia, and she didn't always write about urban development in Philadelphia. She chose that because it was something she cared about. She's just trying to be a good critic, which means by definition she can't just be a cheerleader. Her job is to look for the flaws as much as the good stuff.

Here here! Inga is wrong about 76 Place contorting herself in the most obvious and uncomofortable of ways, but on most things she's pretty much spot on. I've learned a lot from her over the years and I appreciate her. Philly is an urban gem that deserves protection and she is acutely aware of that. Further, on the whole, she has steered the quality of development in this city upwards for the better part of a few decades. We are all beneficiaries of her work and stewardship.

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by Mtphilly

There are a couple things opening soon that will fill some of the big vacancies. Mona, a restaurant from Teddy Sourias is taking over the former Lux Home at 1308 Chestnut and Beat the Bomb, an escape room place is taking over the space at the Bailey Building at 1218 Chestnut.

Edit: PhltoNYC beat me to it on the restaurant.

Awesome!!

Hopefully that will become a trend! I gotta think that stretch of Chestnut is a bargain right now.

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by Radio5

This is great news. And much needed when all the projects on Delaware are completed.

Sweet!

This stretch is changing so rapidly. This would make such a gigantic difference!

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by thoughtcriminal

Who hates Philadelphia more than those who live here, send their kids to our shitty public schools, and have to write about it for a living?

I’m not sure if you’re being tongue in cheek or not - she lives in Fitler Square and sent her kid to Greenfield (where my kids go) which is pretty beloved fwiw so I don’t think that’s the case with her. I’ll add that i don’t think she hates the city at all - she was a pretty strong Jane Jacobs-Ian advocate for urbanism in the 2000s and I think influenced a lot of us (now 40yo) urbanists.

Age has a weird way of warping perspective and I think her bizarre anti-urban fight against the arena is a good example of this…

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

This tracks. And I would do the same if I had a family.

But going to EWR for an individual domestic ticket is insanity, unless you're starting out in like Yardley or Mercer County. I haven't thought about it, but I wouldn't be surprised if most people in Bucks County go to EWR instead of PHL as a default.

Sorry to bring the airport convo back up - but just as a data point - a huge portion of my domestic travel is to LA. I use United at EWR simply b/c the product is far better than American at AA. United Premium Transcon routes w/ guaranteed wide bodies w/ lie flats, bedding, and elevated service (it’s akin to international business class). At EWR you get access to their brand new United Clubs - which are quite nice.

Compare this to the dogshit Oasis 321 cabins on AA, standard level service, no lounge access (to arguably the worst major domestic hub lounge in the country at B/C) - and comparable business class prices it’s a no-brainer for me to train up to EWR from Center City.

Trust me, I’m not alone - PHL -> LAX is a massive route for folks who work in entertainment, fintech, pharma, and aerospace and EWR offers a much more comfortable and premium experience.

[summersm343]

If you’re living in certain parts of Bucks Co, I can’t hate for you going to EWR instead of PHL… if you’re living in Center City and going to EWR?! Come on. It’s a 20 min cab or train ride to PHL. Do you enjoy punishing yourself?

[el don]

Originally Posted by summersm343

If you’re living in certain parts of Bucks Co, I can’t hate for you going to EWR instead of PHL… if you’re living in Center City and going to EWR?! Come on. It’s a 20 min cab or train ride to PHL. Do you enjoy punishing yourself?

If you are a frequent flyer and can save 200+ per roundtrip each time you fly out aren't you punishing yourself more by paying thousands more per year flying out of PHL?

Infrequent flyers may choose to save time if they only travel a couple times a year. Frequent flyers usually have different priorities.

[Mr Saturn64]

Originally Posted by mja

Random crackpots who live out in the exurbs and who have never deigned to step foot in the city for fear of getting shot while touring the Liberty Bell.

I recently was stuck at a dinner party with a couple who thought eactly this. They genuinely believed they were going to get carjacked and killed if they went to Old City. Not a fun evening.

Originally Posted by Londonee

Sorry to bring the airport convo back up - but just as a data point - a huge portion of my domestic travel is to LA. I use United at EWR simply b/c the product is far better than American at AA. United Premium Transcon routes w/ guaranteed wide bodies w/ lie flats, bedding, and elevated service (it’s akin to international business class). At EWR you get access to their brand new United Clubs - which are quite nice.

Compare this to the dogshit Oasis 321 cabins on AA, standard level service, no lounge access (to arguably the worst major domestic hub lounge in the country at B/C) - and comparable business class prices it’s a no-brainer for me to train up to EWR from Center City.

Trust me, I’m not alone - PHL -> LAX is a massive route for folks who work in entertainment, fintech, pharma, and aerospace and EWR offers a much more comfortable and premium experience.

FWIW, American is running PHL-LAX on a 777 now. And I think they have a new lounge opening up later this eyar,

[chimpskibot]

Originally Posted by summersm343

If you’re living in certain parts of Bucks Co, I can’t hate for you going to EWR instead of PHL… if you’re living in Center City and going to EWR?! Come on. It’s a 20 min cab or train ride to PHL. Do you enjoy punishing yourself?

PHL is extremely underserved for many high traffic routes. I’m actually flying out from EWR and my trip is leaving Philly from Rittenhouse. I love Philly, but PHL is not well served considering how many people are in the metro area and the range of locations they need to go to. Does PHL even have a direct flight to Asia?

[ScreamShatter]

Originally Posted by chimpskibot

PHL is extremely underserved for many high traffic routes. I’m actually flying out from EWR and my trip is leaving Philly from Rittenhouse. I love Philly, but PHL is not well served considering how many people are in the metro area and the range of locations they need to go to. Does PHL even have a direct flight to Asia?

No. Qatar Airways canceled their PHL flight last year so we lost our only Asia route. We also lost our only Africa route to Morocco too.

[UrbanRevival]

Originally Posted by ScreamShatter

No. Qatar Airways canceled their PHL flight last year so we lost our only Asia route. We also lost our only Africa route to Morocco too.

The Doha route does still exist; it's now serviced by American:

https://businesstravelerusa.com/news...-philadelphia/

Obviously, Asia still needs a LOT more coverage, however (in addition to Africa and South America).

[Justin7]

Originally Posted by summersm343

If you’re living in certain parts of Bucks Co, I can’t hate for you going to EWR instead of PHL… if you’re living in Center City and going to EWR?! Come on. It’s a 20 min cab or train ride to PHL. Do you enjoy punishing yourself?

I don't personally consider an hour on amtrak to EWR to be much of a punishment. It's just a question of how much it's going to save and that value proposition is going to be different for everyone.

Can we all just accept that people value their time differently and move on?