PHILADELPHIA | THE LAUREL @ 1911 Walnut | 604 FT | 48 FLOORS

[Kidphilly]

new images surface and an expanded Rittenhouse Sq

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/...n798brijpg.jpg

[boxbot]

Originally Posted by Kidphilly

new images surface and an expanded Rittenhouse Sq

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/...n798brijpg.jpg

Booooo.

[jjv007]

Originally Posted by allovertown

It's been discussed before here, but it really didn't. The gentleman's agreement's influence on Philadelphia development is largely overstated. If the gentleman's agreement really had an affect on Philadelphia development you'd see a lot of buildings built from 1901 to 1983 that are around 500' but with around 750,000 sq feet of floor space. Squat massive buildings that would have been easier to just build taller but were artificially shortened due to height restrictions. DC has tons of these due DC's height restrictions.

But in Philadelphia there's not only not a lot of these types of buildings, but in fact, hardly any all. Really only 5 Penn Center truly fits this criteria. The truth is that for much of the time period in which the gentleman's agreement was actually a thing, Philadelphia was simply in the midst of a massive economic downturn and the demand simply wasn't there to build really tall buildings.

It's no coincidence that as soon as the economic climate became ripe to build large buildings, the gentleman's agreement quickly disappeared. If that economic climate existed decades earlier, the gentleman's agreement would have been toast decades earlier. So no, it really didn't have anything to do with the gentleman's agreement.

Actually, Philly was thriving until the 1950s or so, which is about half a century after the completion of City Hall.

[Cro Burnham]

Originally Posted by jjv007

Actually, Philly was thriving until the 1950s or so, which is about half a century after the completion of City Hall.

No building of even 400' was built in Philly between 1932 and the late 60s that I can think of. So the Gentlemen's Agreement made no difference during that entire period, including the 1950s.

[jjv007]

Originally Posted by Cro Burnham

No building of even 400' was built in Philly between 1932 and the late 60s that I can think of. So the Gentlemen's Agreement made no difference during that entire period, including the 1950s.

Yes, but the mindset was definitely affected, let's not pretend like the Gentlemen's Agreement didn't affect Philly at all. Philly had one of the shortest skylines for a large city when the agreement was broken.

[Jawnadelphia]

Here is Southern Land Company's latest project in Dallas - leaves a lot to be desired.



And another one in Denver -



Project in Nashville -



looks like our 3601 Market Street is the tallest work they have done.... but not exactly inspiring.... they need to step it up for Rittenhouse Sq!

[IMG]Untitled by screennameLLC, on Flickr[/IMG]


So .........Any news on when a rendering might be released?

[1487]

No point in trying to criticize something that hasn't been released yet.

[allovertown]

Originally Posted by 1487

No point in trying to criticize something that hasn't been released yet.

Ehh... but you can criticize their other work, which is quite terrible. Hopefully they'll rise to the occasion here. I'm normally one play down design, height etc, but if there one place in Philly where a beautiful building was basically guaranteed, it's this lot right here. It'll be crushing if we don't get a nice building here.

[McBane]

^ Agreed 110%

I had posted this in the main thread a few months ago:

This would seem to be Southern's most ambitious project to date. I perused their website (Wow - 1911 Walnut is already up there!) and their portfolio is not at all exciting (location, concept, and designs are all "blah"). It's mostly Toll Bros-esque McMansion communities, suburban town centers, and a few mid-rise projects - very little of it in cities.

On the plus side, they did develop 3601 Market; besides proving they can work in Philly, it's by FAR their tallest and most urban project to date. They're definitely a "real" builder, but their urban high rise experience is lacking. I think they can pull it off but am wary of what the design will look like. I'm praying the square is not punished with another faux historical tower. I hope that 1911's prestigious location and the scale of what they're going after is enough to justify a stellar design. Of course after seeing what Robert Stern did w/ 10 Ritt, I have a tinge of doubt.

http://southernland.com/

Given the high bar we will all be expecting for a project in this location and the developer's track record, I think it's perfectly warranted to have concerns. I believe that Southern uses in-house architects.

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by McBane

. I believe that Southern uses in-house architects.

Source? That's a significant statement. This is an iconic location within the region and should be designed by a prominent architect.

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by McBane

^ Agreed 110%

I had posted this in the main thread a few months ago:



Given the high bar we will all be expecting for a project in this location and the developer's track record, I think it's perfectly warranted to have concerns. I believe that Southern uses in-house architects.

Well, since BLTA was the architect or 3601 Market, I believe this statement is false.

[1487]

Originally Posted by McBane

^ Agreed 110%

I had posted this in the main thread a few months ago:



Given the high bar we will all be expecting for a project in this location and the developer's track record, I think it's perfectly warranted to have concerns. I believe that Southern uses in-house architects.

I'm not aware of many (or any) developers that use their own architects. Many chose to work with the same firms repeatedly which is why you often see common elements in projects developed by a particular firm.

[Cro Burnham]

Originally Posted by 1487

I'm not aware of many (or any) developers that use their own architects. Many chose to work with the same firms repeatedly which is why you often see common elements in projects developed by a particular firm.

Toll bros?

[McBane]

Originally Posted by McBane

I believe that Southern uses in-house architects.

I wasn't 100% sure. Thanks for clarifying.

[1487]

Originally Posted by Cro Burnham

Toll bros?

Im not talking about single family cookie cutter home developers. Most of those projects follow a template so they can likely reuse plans in various locales. I doubt Toll was able to do their Philly projects without outside help because each one was so speciliazed based on the sites selected and the type of housing being designed.

[Larry King]

Originally Posted by 1487

I'm not aware of many (or any) developers that use their own architects. Many chose to work with the same firms repeatedly which is why you often see common elements in projects developed by a particular firm.

Zeckendorf did it with IM Pei. He had a terrific company for a long time

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by 1487

Im not talking about single family cookie cutter home developers. Most of those projects follow a template so they can likely reuse plans in various locales. I doubt Toll was able to do their Philly projects without outside help because each one was so speciliazed based on the sites selected and the type of housing being designed.

All of Tolls projects are designed in house; even their Philly and NYC projects. They have an in-house architecture team who is actually pretty good all things considered.

[1487]

Originally Posted by summersm343

All of Tolls projects are designed in house; even their Philly and NYC projects. They have an in-house architecture team who is actually pretty good all things considered.

exception, not the rule. MOst developers specialize in the financial part of the process. Having full time staff of designers probably doesn't make sense for most of them.

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by 1487

exception, not the rule. MOst developers specialize in the financial part of the process. Having full time staff of designers probably doesn't make sense for most of them.

Yep. I agree with you. Toll is the only developer I know of who has an in house architecture team.

[summersm343]

Ads posted all along the fence. Website is not up yet.