PHILADELPHIA | Lowrise/General Developments Thread II - Page 32

Londonee · #**621** Posted **Mar 8, 2023, 7:44 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by iheartphilly

^
Save the 1.8 million study costs and cap it. It's a no brainer and it won't tell us what we don't know already and opined on this forum.

I wonder if Chinatown will be against it? Nothing will drive up property values/drive development like the cap would.

iheartphilly · #**622** Posted **Mar 8, 2023, 7:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Londonee

I wonder if Chinatown will be against it? Nothing will drive up property values/drive development like the cap would.

They have publicly stated in the past they support a cap of the Vine St. Espressway and continue to do so...and it is billed under the Reconnecting Communities Grant.

BroadandMarket · #**623** Posted **Mar 8, 2023, 8:16 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by rb233541

Perhaps the Sixers could cover some of the cost of capping as a concession in order to get the arena past opposition. We've seen NYC do something similar, granting zoning concessions to developers in exchange for certain investments in transit projects (e.g. installation of elevators to make subway stations accessible).

The irony is that a 676 cap will gentrify Chinatown way more rapidly than a 76ers arena on Market ever could. The north end of Chinatown by 676 is the most underdeveloped area of all of center city. From Broad to 8th street there are so many surface parking lots. They will all be developed into apartment buildings if and when 676 gets capped. To be clear, I think 676 should be capped as it would be transformative for the area but Chinatown residents are naive if they think this wouldn't develop this area dramatically.

I mean just look at this desolate area on Google: https://goo.gl/maps/8jFsuCkCSqXrtGhMA

DeltaNerd · #**624** Posted **Mar 8, 2023, 10:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by iheartphilly

^
Save the 1.8 million study costs and cap it. It's a no brainer and it won't tell us what we don't know already and opined on this forum.

There are some users on here who are against highway caps for whatever reason. Citing highway parks are a "waste"

Anyways I took the survey and I hope we focus on pedestrians, bikers, and public transit with cars being the last thing to focus on.

Gatorade_Jim · #**625** Posted **Mar 8, 2023, 10:45 PM**

Can you all imagine when 676 is capped to Broad (and hopefully even farther) and the Rail Park is fully built out? Add in the 76ers Arena and holy cow this area is gonna be awesome!

phishtown · #**626** Posted **Mar 8, 2023, 10:58 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gatorade_Jim

Can you all imagine when 676 is capped to Broad (and hopefully even farther) and the Rail Park is fully built out? Add in the 76ers Arena and holy cow this area is gonna be awesome!

Yeah I was just thinking about the Rail Park. I haven't heard anything about the next phase, but it would make so much sense to at least finish that section that goes to Vine and add an entrance there. Fingers crossed they think of that during the $4 million dollar planning/design stage.

iheartphilly · #**627** Posted **Mar 8, 2023, 11:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeltaNerd

There are some users on here who are against highway caps for whatever reason. Citing highway parks are a "waste"

Anyways I took the survey and I hope we focus on pedestrians, bikers, and public transit with cars being the last thing to focus on.

I agree with you. More green space from capping is a net gain and an increase in QOL metrics.

cardeza · #**628** Posted **Mar 9, 2023, 12:38 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gatorade_Jim

Can you all imagine when 676 is capped to Broad (and hopefully even farther) and the Rail Park is fully built out? Add in the 76ers Arena and holy cow this area is gonna be awesome!

i dont think there are any firm plans or funding in place to finish the rail park. This is where our corporate community (including comcast) is pathetic. They have minimal presence when it comes to game changing public projects.

Nanyika · #**629** Posted **Mar 9, 2023, 4:27 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeltaNerd

There are some users on here who are against highway caps for whatever reason. Citing highway parks are a "waste"

Anyways I took the survey and I hope we focus on pedestrians, bikers, and public transit with cars being the last thing to focus on.

I would be surprised if the entire four-block highway cap is turned into a green park. Previous plans have portrayed the block between 10th & 11th as a park, so that idea will probably be retained. But the article speaks about possibly covering the expressway with buildings in some sections. In that way, they could construct buildings to bridge the expressway at the cross streets; this would hide the highway without having to extend the cap into the middle of the blocks.

Urbanthusiat · #**630** Posted **Mar 9, 2023, 6:14 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gatorade_Jim

Can you all imagine when 676 is capped to Broad (and hopefully even farther) and the Rail Park is fully built out? Add in the 76ers Arena and holy cow this area is gonna be awesome!

I dream of this. A connected linear park across the City.

Skintreesnail · #**631** Posted **Mar 9, 2023, 1:16 PM**

I'm thrilled they're starting the Penn's landing cap, but capping the vine and fixing the parkway seems like it would be much more impactful. Philadelphia is a great pedestrian city and those two things are a real bummer to cross. I really hope they can get funding for the rest of the rail park too, they have such a great start.

DeltaNerd · #**632** Posted **Mar 9, 2023, 2:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urbanthusiat

I dream of this. A connected linear park across the City.

I'm excited to see the Ben Franklin Parkway become more of a park and have less cars. Imagine biking from the Delaware River to the Art Museum using Vine street.

reparcsyks · #**633** Posted **Mar 9, 2023, 2:24 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urbanthusiat

I dream of this. A connected linear park across the City.

Back in 1998, a friend of mine and I drew up plans for a Las Ramblas-esque promenade from Chinatown to the PMA. Imagine a cool, multi-use walkway lined with shops, cafes, and apartments.

BroadandMarket · #**634** Posted **Mar 9, 2023, 3:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by phishtown

Yeah I was just thinking about the Rail Park. I haven't heard anything about the next phase, but it would make so much sense to at least finish that section that goes to Vine and add an entrance there. Fingers crossed they think of that during the $4 million dollar planning/design stage.

They should focus on just getting the whole thing done in the most bare form with asphalt and no landscaping. Later on they can go back and make it nicer but its current form is so pathetically short (1/4 mile) that it makes it irrelevant and doesn't build excitement or donations for future parts. The high line did exactly that, the portion from 11th Ave to Hudson yards was just basic asphalt and new fencing.

mcgrath618 · #**635** Posted **Mar 9, 2023, 3:48 PM**

Hot take: the City Branch has higher potential as transit than it does as a walking trail.

TempleGuy1000 · #**636** Posted **Mar 9, 2023, 3:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

Hot take: the City Branch has higher potential as transit than it does as a walking trail.

I don't know if that's a hot take on this board lol. I think most people just think it's unrealistic at this moment. The second part of the rail park isn't happening so there's still a chance!

TempleGuy1000 · #**637** Posted **Mar 9, 2023, 3:54 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by BroadandMarket

They should focus on just getting the whole thing done in the most bare form with asphalt and no landscaping. Later on they can go back and make it nicer but its current form is so pathetically short (1/4 mile) that it makes it irrelevant and doesn't build excitement or donations for future parts. The high line did exactly that, the portion from 11th Ave to Hudson yards was just basic asphalt and new fencing.

I don't want to say the rail park was a failure, but you make a good point imo: it isn't inspiring or very interesting at all. It never spurred any new investment to the neighborhood. I went a few times, and basically decided, I never have to go back.

3rd&Brown · #**638** Posted **Mar 9, 2023, 3:57 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by TempleGuy1000

I don't want to say the rail park was a failure, but you make a good point imo: it isn't inspiring or very interesting at all. It never spurred any new investment to the neighborhood. I went a few times, and basically decided, I never have to go back.

The trajectory might change a little bit once the new buildings on North Broad are complete. I also think it's adoption would be better if there was an entrance from Vine.

But I will tell you this much. No one should be entertaining doing anything with the City Branch as an extension of the Rail Park until the Rail Park itself proves to be a success. That's very much TBD.

TempleGuy1000 · #**639** Posted **Mar 9, 2023, 4:05 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

The trajectory might change a little bit once the new buildings on North Broad are complete. I also think it's adoption would be better if there was an entrance from Vine.

But I will tell you this much. No one should be entertaining doing anything with the City Branch as an extension of the Rail Park until the Rail Park itself proves to be a success. That's very much TBD.

True. Honestly, as someone who has been plugged into development for a long while in the city, the fund raising took so long for the first phase, that it felt very underwhelming when it was done. It was disappointing. The foliage has gotten a lot better since the first year, but it's still just 1/4 mile. Highline was a bad comparison. That PECO transformer lot is also such a vibe killer and that's probably never going anywhere.

mcgrath618 · #**640** Posted **Mar 9, 2023, 4:13 PM**

SEPTA owns the City Branch between Broad and the end of the tunnel. Imagine the potential! If you just dig a short tunnel under Noble Street, you could reroute the Ridge Spur to now go between 8th and Market (the Convention Center) and the Art Museum (arguably the largest tourist attraction in the city). You could have infill stops at Broad (with free interchange to the BSL at Spring Garden Station) and 19th, and then cap the trench with TOD like the Elizabeth Line in London!