PHILADELPHIA | Lowrise/General Developments Thread

[BroadandMarket]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Callowhill Apartments Getting Close to Completion on a Lonely Block

Read/view more here:
https://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-phil...a-lonely-block

That is remarkably ugly but at least there are big vacant lots on both sides that could potentially have a great buildings to distract attention away from this.

[skyhigh07]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Of course, Philadelphia is also seeing high crime rates and lawlessness, and that could be playing into things as well.

It’s funny how the city spent over a decade successfully cleaning up crime and changing public perception of the city only to have it unravel rather quickly lol. Curious to see if there’s any actual hard numbers on the economic impact and investor sentiment. I do feel like the city is more or less back on its feet with the caveats of crime, some QOL issues and a partially absent workforce. However, it does seem like those issues are improving albeit rather slowly.

[badthingshappen]

Originally Posted by Knight Hospitaller

I was thinking about this very issue before coming across your comment. Long before the Vine Street Expressway, the damage had already been done. When I was a child, up through college, Vine street was an approximately 10 lane surface street until somewhere between 15th and 17th Street, where it went below grade. It wasn't until the late 80s that the below grade portion was extended eastward. The current expressway is actually an improvement, since the fabric of the city in that area was long since destroyed. A little more vision and capping it at the time would've been nice, but we'll get there.

https://www.phillyhistory.org/PhotoA...?mediaId=60485

There's a bunch of similar photos there but yeah, trying to cross that would have been like trying to cross the Blvd. Well, not quite as bad as today considering less vehicle traffic in general, but still not exactly the model of new urbanism

[summersm343]

Permits Issued For 3308 Fairmount Avenue In Mantua

Current site:


Site plans:

Permits have been issued for the construction of a six-story, twenty-unit apartment building at 3308 Fairmount Avenue (full address 3308-12 Fairmount Avenue) in Mantua, West Philadelphia. The development will rise on the south side of the block between Mantua Avenue and North 34th Street. Designed by Haverford Square Designs, the structure will span 15,124 square feet and will feature elevator service, roof decks, and parking for three cars and four bicycles. Permits list Haverford Sq GC as the general contractor.

Read/view more here:
https://phillyyimby.com/2022/11/perm...ladelphia.html

[summersm343]

Construction Underway At The Box Factory Lofts At 31 East Columbia Avenue In Fishtown

Current progress:


Project rendering:

A recent site visit by Philadelphia YIMBY has revealed significant construction progress at an eight-story, 63-unit apartment building at 31 East Columbia Avenue in Fishtown, Kensington. Designed by SITIO Architecture + Urbanism, the building is an expansion for the existing Box Factory Lofts, a four-story prewar industrial building located at 21 East Columbia Avenue, which houses 20 rental units. The new building will add 67,342 square of feet of space to the development and will introduce a new shared lobby to be shared by the two structures, as well as a common residential courtyard. The new building will feature ground-level retail, elevator service, full sprinkling, covered parking for ten cars (including three car share and one accessible space) and 30 bicycles, and a roof deck. Permits list Equinox Management and Construction as the contractor and a construction cost of $13 million.

Read/view more here:
https://phillyyimby.com/2022/12/cons...-fishtown.html

[cardeza]

Originally Posted by Philly Fan

Depending on how far south you mean, it could be this:

https://www.facilities.upenn.edu/map...rack-and-field

thanks thats its

[summersm343]

Construction Nearly Complete At 2738 Federal Street In Grays Ferry

Current progress:

A site visit by Philly YIMBY has revealed that construction is nearly complete at a five-story multi-family building at 2738 Federal Street in Grays Ferry, South Philadelphia. Designed by Gnome Architects, with GRIT Construction as the contractor, the development will span 23,914 square feet and offer 24 condominiums. Features will include a cellar, balconies in the front and rear of the structure on the second through fourth floors, and a roof deck above the fourth floor. The project will include four accessory parking spaces, one of which will be ADA and van accessible, as well as space for 12 bicycles. Construction costs are listed at $1.4 million.

Read/more here:
https://phillyyimby.com/2022/12/cons...ladelphia.html

[summersm343]

Foundation Work Underway At 1622-40 Point Breeze Avenue In Point Breeze

Current progress:


Project rendering:

A recent Philly YIMBY site visit has discovered that foundation work is underway at a four-story, 57-unit apartment building at 1622-40 Point Breeze Avenue in Point Breeze, South Philadelphia, as revealed by a. Designed by JKRP Architects, the project is located on the west side of the block between Fernon and Morris Streets, with the zoning lot (but not the planned structure itself) extending to Fernon. The building will span a footprint of 10,282 square feet and will contain 51,905 square feet of interior space. Development features will include elevator service, a roof deck, a green roof, and parking for 19 bicycles. Permits list OCF Construction as the contractor and a construction cost of $2.08 million.

Read/view more here:
https://phillyyimby.com/2022/12/foun...ladelphia.html

[summersm343]

Construction Complete At Ovation At 701 South Broad Street In Hawthorne

A recent site visit by Philly YIMBY has confirmed the completion of construction at Ovation (formerly known as Broad Street Flats), a seven-story, 50-unit mixed-use building located at 701 South Broad Street in Hawthorne, South Philadelphia. The development is situated at the southeast corner of Broad and Bainbridge streets, a block to the south of the Lombard-South subway station. Designed by PZS Architects, the building spans 50,462 square feet (or 49,950 according to zoning blueprints) and features ground-level retail and 50 residential units. Permits list Ferraro Construction Group as the contractor and a construction cost of $8 million.

Read/view more here:
https://phillyyimby.com/2022/12/cons...ladelphia.html

[PHLJD13]

The Sugar Factory is not reopening. Its space is being taken over by Wicked Wolf a "pub-by-day, sports party bar by night" concept, scheduled for its grand opening December 15th.

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...nter-city.html

[Urbanthusiat]

Originally Posted by PHLJD13

The Sugar Factory is not reopening. Its space is being taken over by Wicked Wolf a "pub-by-day, sports party bar by night" concept, scheduled for its grand opening December 15th.

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...nter-city.html

No real loss. A friend took me there once and it was not a good experience. Packed people in there like sardines, and neither the food/service/drinks impressed. Didn't know before I went but it was a bunch of overpriced, celebrity-worshipping, gimmick bullshit. Not surprised it failed. Glad to see another concept in that space.

[skyhigh07]

Originally Posted by Urbanthusiat

No real loss. A friend took me there once and it was not a good experience. Packed people in there like sardines, and neither the food/service/drinks impressed. Didn't know before I went but it was a bunch of overpriced, celebrity-worshipping, gimmick bullshit. Not surprised it failed. Glad to see another concept in that space.

I now understand PHLtoNYC’s post awhile back regarding comments like this. Not sure how losing a vibrant tenant that provides jobs, attracts customers and families that spend money in an otherwise somewhat blighted block is a good thing lol. Maybe we can get another 7/11 in there that’s a magnet for homeless and druggies. I guess at least the replacement is a sports bar…

[Mtphilly]

Ultimately this turned out for the better. I’d rather have a sports bar than a Sugar Factory. However, I do agree skyhigh, it’s not good that a national restaurant chain left after less than a year. It was a very strange situation though because it often wasn’t open during its short time here. On random days during the week I would walk by and it would be closed.

[mcgrath618]

Originally Posted by skyhigh07

I now understand PHLtoNYC’s post awhile back regarding comments like this. Not sure how losing a vibrant tenant that provides jobs, attracts customers and families that spend money in an otherwise somewhat blighted block is a good thing lol. Maybe we can get another 7/11 in there that’s a magnet for homeless and druggies. I guess at least the replacement is a sports bar…

I disagree. A strip club would also provide jobs, attract customers, etc. Do we want that here?

If the restaurant sucks, close it and replace it with something that doesn't.

[skyhigh07]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

I disagree. A strip club would also provide jobs, attract customers, etc. Do we want that here?

If the restaurant sucks, close it and replace it with something that doesn't.

Hm. You’re comparing Sugar Factory to a strip club?

I mean look, I hate Cheesecake Factory but if they decided to shut down their Walnut location, I’d still consider it to be a disappointing loss.

[skyhigh07]

Originally Posted by Mtphilly

Ultimately this turned out for the better. I’d rather have a sports bar than a Sugar Factory. However, I do agree skyhigh, it’s not good that a national restaurant chain left after less than a year. It was a very strange situation though because it often wasn’t open during its short time here. On random days during the week I would walk by and it would be closed.

I agree, it is an odd situation. When it was open it seemed pretty busy. I thought I read somewhere they were having major plumbing issues which caused them to shut down for repairs/renovations. Wondering if maybe if they were having issues with the landlord who perhaps decided to terminate the lease and find a new tenant?

[skyhigh07]

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...ng-market.html

“Despite the uncertainty, certain markets have performed well. While prices in some Western markets soared early in the pandemic and are now dropping, Yearley highlighted Philadelphia, New Jersey, Atlanta, Massachusetts, Michigan, Virginia and Florida as the company’s best performing geographies.”

Even with their Jewelers’ Row debacle, sounds like Toll Bros still considers the Philly market to be relatively competitive. I honestly think the drop in permits in 2022 was almost all due to the tax abatement ending. The graph in the Inky article showed permits for 2021 were insanely high compared to other years. Considering a lot of those permits were probably rushed rather early, I suspect a portion would have otherwise been pulled this year, meaning the overall market is probably actually relatively strong.

[Jayfar]

Originally Posted by PHLJD13

The Sugar Factory is not reopening. Its space is being taken over by Wicked Wolf a "pub-by-day, sports party bar by night" concept, scheduled for its grand opening December 15th.

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...nter-city.html

Here’s an alternate, non-paywalled article from Wooder Ice, which scooped PBJ by 2 days on the story.

The All New Wicked Wolf is Opening In Center City and It’s Bringing a New Twist to the Sports Bar/Nightlife Scene | Wooder Ice

[allovertown]

Originally Posted by skyhigh07

Hm. You’re comparing Sugar Factory to a strip club?

I mean look, I hate Cheesecake Factory but if they decided to shut down their Walnut location, I’d still consider it to be a disappointing loss.

Why though? You hate it. I hate it too. Cheesecake factories suck. Why do you want bad things to continue to exist?

A sugar factory sells nothing but overpriced stupid bullshit. I will never use one and have no desire for there to be one in our city. What's wrong with being happy it's gone and will be replaced by something else? The sports bar doesn't seem like anywhere I'll be spending much time, but it's an easy improvement over Sugar Factory. A 7-11 would also be an improvement btw, another place I'd at least occasionally frequent as opposed to the completely useless sugar factory.

[Urbanthusiat]

If Sugar Factory closed down it was probably not for lack of customers. Like I said, when I went there, it was absolutely packed. Like so packed I was actually uncomfortable with how tightly they had everyone in there that I didn't enjoy it. Could barely hear anyone or move around without stumbling over someone else. And this was well after opening. Severs could only come around every 30 min or so they had so many tables. Maybe they struck a bad business deal where even packing people in wasn't enough to pay the bills. Either way I'm glad something else is moving in. Not worth having a huge conversation about this lol, it's not a big deal and certainly not a commentary on the state of retail in Philadelphia, especially since the space is already backfilled. Philly, by most measurable ways, is doing pretty well.