PHILADELPHIA | W Hotel & Element by Westin | 617 FT | 51 FLOORS - Page 56

1487 · #**1101** Posted **Sep 11, 2015, 7:47 PM**

Maybe they are waiting until after the pope comes

boxbot · #**1102** Posted **Sep 11, 2015, 8:42 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1487

Maybe they are waiting until after the pope comes

At this rate they will be waiting until after Jesus comes back

summersm343 · #**1103** Posted **Sep 11, 2015, 8:46 PM**

Dudes... they're removing old foundations and driving piles for perimeter shoring. Once the piles get all the way around the site we'll probably see bulk excavation.

Philly-Drew · #**1104** Posted **Sep 12, 2015, 12:32 PM**

Summers, are you sure they're not going to build the entire building, then tear it all down and cover the hole over again?

thisisforreal · #**1105** Posted **Sep 12, 2015, 2:35 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philly-Drew

Summers, are you sure they're not going to build the entire building, then tear it all down and cover the hole over again?

That's the funniest thing I've read all month.

The site is really just an abstract performance art piece based on a part of 1967 American Cinema.

shadowbat2 · #**1106** Posted **Sep 13, 2015, 3:45 AM**

^LOL

In all seriousness, it seems like they've gotten the memo, going full tilt Saturday:

005 by tehshadowbat, on Flickr

summersm343 · #**1107** Posted **Sep 13, 2015, 11:14 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philly-Drew

Summers, are you sure they're not going to build the entire building, then tear it all down and cover the hole over again?

Hahahahaha. Lenfest is trolling us all. That would be hilariously cruel.

Philly Fan · #**1108** Posted **Sep 13, 2015, 3:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by summersm343

Hahahahaha. Lenfest is trolling us all. That would be hilariously cruel.

But well worth the millions he's spending just to yank our chains.

1487 · #**1109** Posted **Sep 14, 2015, 12:30 PM**

Im just wondering when dirt will actually be removed from the site. They have been shifting dirt around and refilling holes for months.

Arch+Eng · #**1110** Posted **Sep 14, 2015, 1:10 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1487

Im just wondering when dirt will actually be removed from the site. They have been shifting dirt around and refilling holes for months.

The dirt is historical. It cant be moved

Knight Hospitaller · #**1111** Posted **Sep 14, 2015, 1:59 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arch+Eng

The dirt is historical. It cant be moved

That laugh went well with my Monday morning coffee.

Cro Burnham · #**1112** Posted **Sep 14, 2015, 2:11 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Knight Hospitaller

That laugh went well with my Monday morning coffee.

I didn't realize he was joking.

Knight Hospitaller · #**1113** Posted **Sep 14, 2015, 2:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cro Burnham

I didn't realize he was joking.

Lends new meaning to "hallowed ground."

loves development · #**1114** Posted **Sep 14, 2015, 5:55 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philly Fan

But well worth the millions he's spending just to yank our chains.

Has the guy (blenfest) ever built anything? I searched online and cant find anything?

thisisforreal · #**1115** Posted **Sep 16, 2015, 12:57 PM**

Sep 1:

Sep 16:

Looks like things might be getting seriously underway. Excavation wood barrier (someone help me with correct terminology - I'd like to learn as I post here) between the steel beams is in place.

If anyone is frustrated, just go check out the Sales Force tower in SF. Last month some tests failed and it pushed back their schedule several months. They've been staring at a pit all summer.

1487 · #**1116** Posted **Sep 16, 2015, 1:00 PM**

I was over there yesterday and they were still excavating outside of the building footprint. They removed all of the sidewalk on chestnut street months back and there must be a lot of utilities that had to be cut off, removed or rerouted coming in from Chestnut. There were 3 guys and a piece of equipment with the jackhammer attachment working south of the curb to remove stuff from under ground. The pile driving machine was on the north side but it wasn't operating at that time. I saw several pieces of mangled iron from previous structures laying around the site. They are still pulling stuff out.

summersm343 · #**1117** Posted **Sep 16, 2015, 9:50 PM**

Nice up-close update of the site from Building Philly here:
https://www.facebook.com/BuildingPhi...66194720061621

domodeez · #**1118** Posted **Sep 16, 2015, 11:15 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1487

I was over there yesterday and they were still excavating outside of the building footprint. They removed all of the sidewalk on chestnut street months back and there must be a lot of utilities that had to be cut off, removed or rerouted coming in from Chestnut. There were 3 guys and a piece of equipment with the jackhammer attachment working south of the curb to remove stuff from under ground. The pile driving machine was on the north side but it wasn't operating at that time. I saw several pieces of mangled iron from previous structures laying around the site. They are still pulling stuff out.

There used to be conduit between the wooden retaining wall and Chestnut Street. It's gone now (image from 09/15):

Compared to this, from roughly two months ago:

Schmidt519 · #**1119** Posted **Sep 20, 2015, 2:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmikeyphilly

Actually, many, many more. Here's a website that just touches the surface of "never built". It includes other cities as well as Philadelphia's NB.

http://www.google.com/search?q=skysc...Ch17Owrz&dpr=1

Here is an interesting read, Looking Back at 15 Proposed Towers that Bit the Dust

http://philly.curbed.com/archives/20...-dust.php#more

jsbrook · #**1120** Posted **Sep 20, 2015, 9:01 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Schmidt519

Here is an interesting read, Looking Back at 15 Proposed Towers that Bit the Dust

http://philly.curbed.com/archives/20...-dust.php#more

The exciting thing is that many largescale projects are being built on the lots in question. Obviously the W itself. Also 1601 Vine (Mormon Temple and tower), 1911 Walnut at the Castleway site, Boyd theater partial preservation, retail strip and eventual adjoining tower by Pearl. Maybe we'll see something on other sites yet. Mandeville would still be nice!