PHILADELPHIA | Lowrise/General Developments Thread

[1487]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

Define "outside of Philly".

They're spotless in Delaware, Maryland, DC, and Virginia.

OK, let me try to be more clear. PennDOT (the STATE) is responsible for all federal and state roads in the STATE. If you have ever been on 76 or 95 outside of the city limits you will see tires, debris, etc. on the shoulders. Have you ever driven down I-95 to the DE state line? Not pretty. That is my point. Obviously other states do it better. If you want the highways and major roads to be better maintained in Philly you better tell Harrisburg. The roosevelt expressway is one major offender but apparently PennDOT doesn't have the time or money to clean the shoulders regularly.

[1487]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

OMG.

I am not responsible for my neighbors or people who just walk through my neighborhood.

Case in point. You = apathetic.

And how do you know it's "most definitely not in the budget". There are plenty of discretionary things that can be cut before street sweeping. How 'bout we get the $50 million back that was spent on the now abandoned Provident Mutual building. That would have funded street cleaning for almost 3 years.

And you know what personal responsibility is?

I have a job.
On top of that job, I am starting a company.
On top of that company, I own a rental property.
On top of that rental property, I am renovating another house.

On top of that, I sweep both blocks (not just my house, the entire block) of both properties.

I pay taxes on my income from job 1, the company on 2, and both properties.

And I also need to be responsible for my neighbors?

How about this?

HOW ABOUT I GET SOMETHING FOR MY MONEY, LIKE A SANITATION DEPARTMENT THAT CAN GET THE TRASH IN THE TRASH TRUCK AND A CITY THAT CAN RUN A SWEEPER DOWN THE GOD DAMNED STREET ONCE A MONTH.

Yeah. It's not that hard. If you think I'm asking for a lot, then you really are a part of the problem.

I think everyone agrees people should sweep up their own properties. But getting from that to "the city owes me street sweeping on every block" is a big jump. Logistically, you could NEVER get every block swept in a city this dense. I mean get real. The costs, the complexity of moving cars off one or both sides in places like South Philly, the costs of forcing compliance through tickets and towing- the list is long.

4601 Market was to be funded by bonds- has nothing to do with operating budget.

[eixample]

Originally Posted by 1487

I think everyone agrees people should sweep up their own properties. But getting from that to "the city owes me street sweeping on every block" is a big jump. Logistically, you could NEVER get every block swept in a city this dense. I mean get real. The costs, the complexity of moving cars off one or both sides in places like South Philly, the costs of forcing compliance through tickets and towing- the list is long.

4601 Market was to be funded by bonds- has nothing to do with operating budget.

I think the point you continually miss in this mess is that all the other cities do it. Cities with small streets, cities with difficult parking, cities with moribund finances, cities with corrupt leaders. They figured out how to do it and they do it. These practical issues are not that difficult. The budgetary issues might cause a little stress but they are not that difficult (of course there is no space for it now because no one is trying to make space for it). The political ones are more difficult, but until someone actually tries

This is not about every single block in the entire city being swept - I don't think anyone is going to cry if Andorra and Somerton don't have street sweeping. This is about the bulk of the city where we can't form business improvement districts to do it. I mean Manayunk (aside from Main Street), South Philly (aside from Passyunk Ave), riverwards, North Philly, etc. I wonder if you live/spend any time outside of the nicest neighborhoods of the city that you understand the problem.

I have no idea what the I-95/PennDOT discussion relates to not do I care. I apologize for bringing this whole issue up yesterday and this will be my last comment (for now), the trash on the streets near where I live just drives me crazy on a daily basis and I can't understand how people pass it off as not something that requires immediate change. I am also deeply disappointed in Kenney, who brought this up during his campaign, for not pushing this more since he has been in office.

[El Duderino]

i think the main point here is we shouldn't be ok with what can best be described at best as second-rate public space/street cleaning. shrugging shoulders and assuming it's impossible to have a better-managed system (focusing specifically on city-managed roads) and/or get people to change is a big crock of BS - no one is saying it's easy, but to resign oneself to terrible services when the nearest comparable cities have demonstrated success is sad.

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by allovertown

I'm all for clean, well maintained public spaces but this part is idiotic. Some of the old power plants, factories and warehouses are incredible pieces of architecture that are still incredibly beautiful in spite or in some cases perhaps because of their dilapidated state. If someone would rather look at blank concrete walls, I suppose they can fuck off to Chicago because i hope that never happens here.

Remember, most cities do this - we do it on our suburban highways - it's actually a benefit to residents to provide the 8-12ft sound barriers so the nearby folks aren't blasted with noise 24/7. I cringe every time I drive through that section of Chester where it looks like they paved I-95 right in the front yards of the homes - and didn't have the courtesy/decency to erect the sound barriers to help with the noise.

Still, I'm talking about this:

https://goo.gl/maps/yU3duDyy2MP2

https://goo.gl/maps/BkUhoqPFj8E2

https://goo.gl/maps/M8hRRuxgZSA2

https://goo.gl/maps/2NhcP6bzCnp

Like it or not, entering our city from the airpot on both I95 and i76 is an ugly, dirty, poverty ridden drive - where you feel less like you are entering a vibrant 21st century city, and more like a declining rust belt town. Erecting sound barriers works 2 fold: keeps the highway noise out of the neighborhoods and eyeballs on our impressive/expanding skyline.

[Frontst17]

Congrats you take care of your own block you have monetary interest in? Everyone would like a cleaner trash free city. I'd love for the city to find money for it but to think they have it at the moment is delusional. I'm not sure what should be shuffled around to make room for it. Sure spending is wasted on a lot here but that wasteful spending should still be spent elsewhere. I'd rather them spend it on more trash cans and trash pickup. I'd rather them repair infrastructure in the dozens of square blocks that look like trash and hopefully people will think twice about throwing it there. Street sweeping in commercial corridors would be great they could hopefully find a way to fit that in. North Broad Diamond Lehigh Erie Washington that would be nice. The city is very poor. How about some incentive for picking up trash. We are NOT Manhattan... yet

[summersm343]

New Apartment Building Will Rise at 30th & Thompson



Read more here:
http://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-phill...-30th-thompson

[SEFTA]

I hope with all of the complaining, everyone here is involved in local politics and community groups. Only then will the city/state feel pressured to do something.

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by Frontst17

I'd love for the city to find money for it but to think they have it at the moment is delusional.

You've said this twice now - and it's patently false - stop repeating it.

[1487]

Originally Posted by eixample

I think the point you continually miss in this mess is that all the other cities do it. Cities with small streets, cities with difficult parking, cities with moribund finances, cities with corrupt leaders. They figured out how to do it and they do it. These practical issues are not that difficult. The budgetary issues might cause a little stress but they are not that difficult (of course there is no space for it now because no one is trying to make space for it). The political ones are more difficult, but until someone actually tries

This is not about every single block in the entire city being swept - I don't think anyone is going to cry if Andorra and Somerton don't have street sweeping. This is about the bulk of the city where we can't form business improvement districts to do it. I mean Manayunk (aside from Main Street), South Philly (aside from Passyunk Ave), riverwards, North Philly, etc. I wonder if you live/spend any time outside of the nicest neighborhoods of the city that you understand the problem.

I have no idea what the I-95/PennDOT discussion relates to not do I care. I apologize for bringing this whole issue up yesterday and this will be my last comment (for now), the trash on the streets near where I live just drives me crazy on a daily basis and I can't understand how people pass it off as not something that requires immediate change. I am also deeply disappointed in Kenney, who brought this up during his campaign, for not pushing this more since he has been in office.

every city in the US offers street cleaning on every street? That is extremely hard to believe.

I'm as anti litter as the next guy but I do not believe every part of the city is dirty nor do I think it's a realistic goal to expect near universal mechanical sweeping. commercial corridors in lower income areas and areas with high levels of abandonment or lower income rentals seem to be the worst areas generally speaking. Large swaths of the city are generally clean. CC, UC, Roxborough, Mt. Airy, much of NE Philly, Wynnefield/Overbrook, etc.

[1487]

Originally Posted by Londonee

You've said this twice now - and it's patently false - stop repeating it.

There is no hidden money. You move money from one thing to another or you raise taxes/fees to cover a specific function such as the soda tax. That's how it works. Streets Dept has a defined budget and that covers whatever they do right now. To say they secretly have "extra" money for street sweeping that they just aren't spending or that they waste enough money to pay for a multi million dollar street sweeping program is simplistic. There is money, you just have to decide what you will cut to fund sweeping. Good luck with that. Look at what happened when Nutter proposed closing libraries to save money.

[summersm343]

Opposition causes medical marijuana dispensary in East Mt. Airy to relocate

Read more here:
http://www.philly.com/philly/busines...-20170831.html

[1487]

Originally Posted by SEFTA

I hope with all of the complaining, everyone here is involved in local politics and community groups. Only then will the city/state feel pressured to do something.

doubt that. That's a lot more work. I wonder how many people use 311 or call their local officials to register their displeasure. You can get things done if you apply pressure but you have to actually use the tools and people available which would require getting off your soap box. I got PennDOT to repave several streets near my house simply by complaining on the website. I've sent countless complaints to 311 and PennDOT and council people.

[summersm343]

Alterra Property abandons plans for 5th Street Society Hill development, extends Acme's lease

Read more here:
http://planphilly.com/articles/2017/...mmunity-battle

[1487]

Originally Posted by El Duderino

i think the main point here is we shouldn't be ok with what can best be described at best as second-rate public space/street cleaning. shrugging shoulders and assuming it's impossible to have a better-managed system (focusing specifically on city-managed roads) and/or get people to change is a big crock of BS - no one is saying it's easy, but to resign oneself to terrible services when the nearest comparable cities have demonstrated success is sad.

no one has taken that position. Kenney created a commission to put together a plan for long term change on this front and their action plan was released. It's online for those who can humble themselves long enough to read it. It even mentions street sweeping as part of the solution. I mean this is online for anyone to read so frankly those saying "nothing is being done" and "no one cares" are just not paying attention. There is also a nonprofit taking care of cleaning on North Broad. I believe there is also a desire to create a BID around 9th street with cleaning services.

[1487]

Originally Posted by allovertown

No? No to what?

You went on a long screed against littering, a topic of which my post barely dealt with but I agreed I wished the city was cleaner. My post was regarding my lack of desire to erect giant concrete barriers too block the vision of some neighborhoods from some very dainty tourists amd visitors.

agreed. I was in Northern VA and the sound walls are everywhere. It's like driving through a canyon of blank walls. Driving on 95 through Philly is MUCH more interesting and appealing. I hate sound barriers from the perspective of being a driver on the highway.

The views by car (or train) going into NYC aren't exactly postcard worthy- welcome to life in the older parts of the country. I don't think people avoid NYC because the scenery on the way in is so bleak.

[1487]

Finally. This is a major eyesore. Long time coming.

http://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-phill...ing-9th-poplar

[eixample]

Originally Posted by 1487

every city in the US offers street cleaning on every street? That is extremely hard to believe

You are creating a straw man - no one is saying that every single street in the city has to be swept so please stop saying that. In fact I said the opposite in the post you were replying to.

Every major US city has a comprehensive street sweeping program (see quote from 2015 Philly Mag article below - this is not the only time this has been reported). No that doesn't mean every street is swept in those cities but again who cares about that distinction besides you?

San Fran has regular street sweeping. So does snowy Minneapolis. Hoboken, too. Detroit, for Pete’s sake. These cities got hit by the same recession as Philly. And yet, we are the only major U.S. city without a comprehensive program. (In select commercial corridors, the city still sweeps sometimes.

[hammersklavier]

Knock it off guys.

This is the second time this week youse have gotten things too heated. I see it again, I'm dispensing warnings.

[mcgrath618]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Alterra Property abandons plans for 5th Street Society Hill development, extends Acme's lease

Read more here:
http://planphilly.com/articles/2017/...mmunity-battle

Damn shame.