PHILADELPHIA | Lowrise/General Developments Thread

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

One issue I was thinking when reading this, how well would this go with the Progressive crowd? The city, landlords, neighborhood groups, etc. saying we don't want Shoppers World, we want The Container Store. I agree with you, and I'm sure most people in CC would rather a Container Store, but I could see a whole mess of trigger words... gentrification, wealthy white people, elitist, etc.

Well you wouldn't say it that way. Paul Levy can figure it out.

The point I'm making is that it's not that there isn't a place for Shoppers World, it just should be in the smack dab middle of the main high street. It should be on an ancillary thoroughfare, even Chestnut Street.

Philly is under-retailed in general. All of our major east-west thoroughfares should have a significant retail presence in some form somewhere. I'm thinking Washington, Girard, Lehigh, Allegheny, etc. At one point they all did. Maybe it doesn't need to run the entire length but there should be sections of each with a center of gravity. Germantown Avenue in North Philly east of Broad does this a little bit. As does Ogontz/Chelten in Uptown/West Oak Lane. But these zones should have considerably more heft than they do today.

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

And I'm not sure who owns the buildings from 9th to 11th?

Some piece of garbage. Those buildings are condemnable.

[summersm343]

Permits Issued For 33-Unit Development At 3503 Midvale Avenue In East Falls

Rendering:


Current site:


Read/view more here:
https://phillyyimby.com/2021/05/perm...ast-falls.html

[Justin7]

Newbury owes much of its success to its diversity. Part of this is owed the fact that there are just so many spaces is close proximity, but its not just that. Philly, for whatever reason, seems to want to segregate its high end from its low end and its retail from its restaurants.

[iamrobk]

Originally Posted by skyhigh07

And yet Walnut doesn't hold a candle to Newbury in terms of retail vitality. And so the quandary persists...

Fair enough. However, in the end, no one seems to benefit from the retail reluctance. Either landlords need to eventually come down on rent or face losing profit by having longstanding vacant storefronts and/or the retailers that aren't willing to put their necks out will lose eventual market share to the one's that do.

The situation isn't entirely bleak either. It looks like the old Under Armour space on Walnut is finally being filled with Rolex or possibly a Rolex/Govbergs of some kind. The space looks pretty nice.

Yeah, Govbergs moved. Not really sure why tbh, but they went from a multi-floor store with smaller floors to one much bigger floor. A bunch of retailors on Walnut are just moving around right now, as I mentioned on here last year:

Originally Posted by iamrobk

While I know some of the closed businesses on Walnut are, sadly, closed permanently, several of the recently closed businesses on Walnut Street are just moving to different locations on Walnut Street. Generally speaking I think Walnut Street still a profitable location for a lot of these businesses, so I think it will come back fine, it just may take a little time.

The Tiffany's store also moved, and some banks are rearranging.

I also realized the other day that with the closing of the McDonald's on South Broad, there are no McDonald's in Center City (and that one wasn't really Center City anyway). The only one is at Broad and Girard. Also no Burger Kings now that the one on Market is closed. Just somewhat surprised tbh, you'd think either would do well pretty much anywhere in Center City if they had a decently run restaurant.

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by iamrobk

Also no Burger Kings now that the one on Market is closed...

The crappy one at Market and 8th is closed? The one with all the homeless?

[skyhigh07]

Originally Posted by Justin7

Newbury owes much of its success to its diversity. Part of this is owed the fact that there are just so many spaces is close proximity, but its not just that. Philly, for whatever reason, seems to want to segregate its high end from its low end and its retail from its restaurants.

Nah, I lived in Boston for a month. The Back Bay is ultra posh and actually is kind of lacking in good restaurants.

[skyhigh07]

Originally Posted by iamrobk

Yeah, Govbergs moved. Not really sure why tbh, but they went from a multi-floor store with smaller floors to one much bigger floor. A bunch of retailors on Walnut are just moving around right now, as I mentioned on here last year:

The Tiffany's store also moved, and some banks are rearranging.

I also realized the other day that with the closing of the McDonald's on South Broad, there are no McDonald's in Center City (and that one wasn't really Center City anyway). The only one is at Broad and Girard. Also no Burger Kings now that the one on Market is closed. Just somewhat surprised tbh, you'd think either would do well pretty much anywhere in Center City if they had a decently run restaurant.

I’m kind of confused myself but I’m speculating that Rolex and Govbergs cut a deal to share the new space. Govbergs is I believe the only authorized partner to represent the Rolex brand in the city and maybe they didn’t want to directly compete with each other. Although, I’ve yet to see any Govbergs sign on the new building - everything says Rolex.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by skyhigh07

Nah, I lived in Boston for a month. The Back Bay is ultra posh and actually is kind of lacking in good restaurants.

I haven't been in Boston in years. But I did spend every weekend there for a few years in a row because I was dating somebody in a PhD program in Boston. Anyways, it was my impression that most of the good/trendy restaurants were in the South End on or near Washington. I'm thinking of Toro, The Franklin, The Buttery, etc. And if they weren't on Washington they were on Tremont (also in the South End).

Beacon Hill and Back Bay were lux but crusty.

Since I was last there, there has been a ton of new high end and modern development in Fort Point and the Seaport, so I imagine that maybe the center of gravity for cool new stuff may have migrated that way.

[skyhigh07]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

I haven't been in Boston in years. But I did spend every weekend there for a few years in a row because I was dating somebody in a PhD program in Boston. Anyways, it was my impression that most of the good/trendy restaurants were in the South End on or near Washington. I'm thinking of Toro, The Franklin, The Buttery, etc. And if they weren't on Washington they were on Tremont (also in the South End).

Beacon Hill and Back Bay were lux but crusty.

Since I was last there, there has been a ton of new high end and modern development in Fort Point and the Seaport, so I imagine that maybe the center of gravity for cool new stuff may have migrated that way.

Yeah that’s how I found it when I was there. Luxury retail always seems to stick with the old and crusty. I think rents get so high in these areas that things tend to stagnate a bit. Up and coming restaurants that operate on slim margins tend to get squeezed out and try elsewhere eventually.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Permits Issued For 33-Unit Development At 3503 Midvale Avenue In East Falls

Rendering:


Current site:


Read/view more here:
https://phillyyimby.com/2021/05/perm...ast-falls.html

NW Philly is going to be legit cool in the not too distant future. There's nice multi-family proposed all over Roxborough, Mt Airy, East Falls, and increasingly in Germantown as well. The residential areas are already solid/beautiful but continue to improve.

I can't wait for it.

[reparcsyks]

That's not the current site. That's another old gas station that I hope gets demo'd in the near future. The depressing gas/service station this handsome building is replacing has already been demo'd.

Originally Posted by summersm343

Permits Issued For 33-Unit Development At 3503 Midvale Avenue In East Falls

Rendering:


Current site:


Read/view more here:
https://phillyyimby.com/2021/05/perm...ast-falls.html

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by reparcsyks

That's not the current site. That's another old gas station that I hope gets demo'd in the near future. The depressing gas/service station this handsome building is replacing has already been demo'd.

That's the correct site for this project. There are TWO different developments happening on this street.

The one you're thinking about is 3515 Midvale. That building has already been demolished in anticipation for the new building below.

3515 Midvale


Article:
https://phillyyimby.com/2020/12/perm...ladelphia.html

This new one is 3503 Midvale. Different site and different address. That's replacing this other derelict gas station.



Article:
https://phillyyimby.com/2021/05/perm...ast-falls.html

[summersm343]

Zahav owners plan new Fishtown restaurant, events venue in former Honeygrow HQ building

The Honeygrow sign is removed from 1601 N. Front St. on May 11 as the fast-casual brand relocates its Fishtown store. Honeygrow has operated its offices and test kitchen out of the space since 2016 and it eyes a new Fishtown store and Center City headquarters.

Article behind paywall here:
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...Pos=2#cxrecs_s

[reparcsyks]

Well, damn - I stand corrected. I had no idea both sites were in play. Go East Falls!!

Originally Posted by summersm343

That's the correct site for this project. There are TWO different developments happening on this street.

The one you're thinking about is 3515 Midvale. That building has already been demolished in anticipation for the new building below.

3515 Midvale


Article:
https://phillyyimby.com/2020/12/perm...ladelphia.html

This new one is 3503 Midvale. Different site and different address. That's replacing this other derelict gas station.



Article:
https://phillyyimby.com/2021/05/perm...ast-falls.html

[Mr. Franks]

Updates in Manayunk. There isn't a ton of new construction in Manayunk as of late. I'll probably take more pics of Roxborough as there is still a lot going on up there. Also, I'll get some shots of East Falls as that seems to be a new hot spot for development.

House going up across the street from my house on Terrace St.


Development on Umbria. As you can see from the red beams on the right side of the building it continues a significant distance from the street.


Construction on Main St. I have lived in Manayunk off-and-on for the past 6 years and this is the first time that I have seen brand new construction right on Main St.


This is a renovation of an existing building on Gay St right beside St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church. I'm not sure what is going on here as this is a relatively new building.


My roommate is pleased with the new construction.

[eixample]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Those are both nice projects, but what is with the trend of doing renderings that are like a fish eye lens in reverse with curving perspective lines on the buildings? I find it a bit off-putting.

[Justin7]

Originally Posted by skyhigh07

Nah, I lived in Boston for a month. The Back Bay is ultra posh and actually is kind of lacking in good restaurants.

Sorry, didn't realize we had an expert in our midst. That's not really a response to what I wrote though.

[Aaamazarite]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Permits Issued For 33-Unit Development At 3503 Midvale Avenue In East Falls

l[/url]

I spoke to the developer of this project a couple of weeks ago-- he has a whole lot of new stuff starting soon, one in a location I never would have guessed would be subject to new development any time soon!

[skyhigh07]

Originally Posted by Justin7

Sorry, didn't realize we had an expert in our midst. That's not really a response to what I wrote though.

You seem defensive, I’m not sure why. It was my observation. Am I allowed that? If I’m mistaken or misunderstood, please explain. The Back Bay isn’t particularly a good mix of retail and restaurants nor is there a diverse blend of high/low end retail as you described. What was your intention then if I am off base?