PHILADELPHIA-CAMDEN-WILMINGTON-ATLANTIC CITY-READING | Metro Development Thread

[jonesrmj]

Originally Posted by TallCoolOne

^^ I think it's just a rendering of what could be built at the site. Much like the Cira Centre type rendering that used to sit near the Chase buildings on lower Market Street (rendering sat there for 10-12 yrs).

508 ft would be by far the tallest tower in Wilmington, and would've caused some company's relocation, or major expansion of a company's footprint to Wilmington. It would've made the news, especially since the last tower in downtown was built a decade ago now (WSFS building) I haven't heard anything.

But hopefully... there's something to it.

Electing an ultra business friendly guy, with a close relationship with Buccini Pollin Group- like Mike Purzycki might get such new developments going - perhaps. (for those not following Wilmington has an extremely interesting mayoral race going on right now, with race issues, heated debates, and a mayor who is largely M.I.A. and takes to facebook to lambaste the media and his critics). The Democratic mayoral primary is Sept 13, which much like Philly - will determine who the next mayor is.

That could be true, but this tower seems to have a higher probability to be built. I got most info of it from here -> http://colonialparking.com/properties/

And when they demolished the existing building there, I herd a mention of colonial parking (They own the development site).
I just really hope this tower gets built but you are right about there being a chance of it not getting built. Also, wikipedia has some info:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1001-1...fferson_Street

[skiesthelimit]

Originally Posted by TallCoolOne

It would've made the news, especially since the last tower in downtown was built a decade ago now (WSFS building) I haven't heard anything.

Technically speaking, wouldn't the last tower built be the Wilmington Hospital expansion completed in 2013/2014? Can't remember the official opening year.

But yes, we're starving for some crane action.

edit: here's the correct wiki link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1001-1...fferson_Street

Super interesting, I'll have to swing by the site on one of my free days and witness the site prep for myself. I'm pretty sure it's the current parking garage adjacent to a surface lot next to WSFS and you're driving back into the city on Del Ave. I vaguely recall seeing something going on around there casually driving by, but never stopped to investigate, guess I'll have to do that now.

[Jawnadelphia]

Originally Posted by skiesthelimit

Technically speaking, wouldn't the last tower built be the Wilmington Hospital expansion completed in 2013/2014? Can't remember the official opening year.

Yeah, correct - I guess I overlooked because I want a tall, new office or mixed use building downtown!!

Here's the Wilmington Hospital addition - opened in 2014 I think:

[IMG]IMG_0204

Here's that old Brandywine Realty signage they had up posted for many years - project never happened, and the lot was sold this past winter to Chase for $6.5 million (hoping we here something soon, the lot can hold a good sized building clearly):

[IMG]IMG_0156

And finally - current news !!

There's finally some decent progress on the downtown - The Residences at Mid-town Park - project (although not a fan of this bland architecture from B/P Group, especially in the center, center of town, but Wilmington needs more people living downtown ASAP, and no one else is building besides B/P Group... so I can't complain too much):

[IMG]Untitled

[IMG]Untitled

[IMG]Untitled

http://www.bpgsconstruction.com/intr...n-park-garage/
^^ more renderings provided here.

[skiesthelimit]

Good thing you posted, TLC, I went to BPG's development page, and turns out we missed a pretty big development going on in Wilmington:

Rockford Falls: http://www.bpgsconstruction.com/prop...ockford-falls/

Not sure how to extract the rendering but it's a mixed use residential going on Mill Rd. (right next to Brandywine River).

Here's a full site plan from February: http://global.delaware.gov/pdfs/Rock...20OM%20(2).pdf

I'm assuming they're planning to officially announce it soon since this appears to have been hush-hush until recently. Also quick google search seems that this was originally planned to be two 14 story towers? But died a while back, and is now be resurrected by BPG but without the height?

[jonesrmj]

Wait. So is the Two Christina Centre project cancelled or on hold? Theres rarely any info online about it and when I searched it up on Brandywine Realty's website, it didn't come up.

[Jawnadelphia]

Originally Posted by jonesrmj

Wait. So is the Two Christina Centre project cancelled or on hold? Theres rarely any info online about it and when I searched it up on Brandywine Realty's website, it didn't come up.

Ah - sorry for the confusion. It's as dead as dead gets. Brandywine sold off this property. That picture above was a rendering Brandywine put at this location in like ...2005. They sold off the lot, and the rendering is no more, it was taken down.

What I am waiting for-- is to see what Chase ends up doing with the lot (since they bought it from Brandywine in Dec. 2015 for $6.5 mil). There are some rumors Chase plans to build something here-- but at this time, who knows what it will be (if anything at all). What we do know is that Brandywine is no longer involved.

[jonesrmj]

Originally Posted by TallCoolOne

Ah - sorry for the confusion. It's as dead as dead gets. Brandywine sold off this property. That picture above was a rendering Brandywine put at this location in like ...2005. They sold off the lot, and the rendering is no more, it was taken down.

What I am waiting for-- is to see what Chase ends up doing with the lot (since they bought it from Brandywine in Dec. 2015 for $6.5 mil). There are some rumors Chase plans to build something here-- but at this time, who knows what it will be (if anything at all). What we do know is that Brandywine is no longer involved.

Oh well. I hope chase does something too. Especially if they could build a new tallest building in wilmington although I have herd about 2 hotels coming to the riverfront.

http://delawarebusinessnow.com/2016/...on-riverfront/

Hopefully Wilmington will get some new skyscrapers soon.

[jonesrmj]

Originally Posted by TallCoolOne

Ah - sorry for the confusion. It's as dead as dead gets. Brandywine sold off this property. That picture above was a rendering Brandywine put at this location in like ...2005. They sold off the lot, and the rendering is no more, it was taken down.

What I am waiting for-- is to see what Chase ends up doing with the lot (since they bought it from Brandywine in Dec. 2015 for $6.5 mil). There are some rumors Chase plans to build something here-- but at this time, who knows what it will be (if anything at all). What we do know is that Brandywine is no longer involved.

Also, did you know that the Hercules Building was originally supposed to be 42 floors high and to look like this:



But instead, they did the 12 story building that you probably recognize:



I find it annoying that they didn't build the 42 floor model. To me it's like saying "Let's not make our city look symbolic". I hope some time soon that they will build a tower in Wilmington that tall.

[Boku]

Hilarious. Guy buys a vacant church in Narberth that was built in the 1890s with plans to preserve it and nimbys eff it all up.

The buyer purchased the corner property last year, aiming to preserve the structure and convert it into a mixed-use property that would hold his forensic audit business, according to Main Line Media News.

That would, however, had required an amendment to the borough’s existing provision for residential conversion of certain older civic buildings to permit mixed use. After the proposal raised concerns about intrusion of commercial uses into a residential neighborhood and about inadequate parking, the ordinance amendment passed on a 4-3 council vote, but failed on a subsequent veto by Mayor Tom Grady.

Recent changes to the borough's zoning code, however, allowed the owner to pursue a new path for the property – a three-story, 18-unit apartment building with 10 parking spaces under the property, another six in an adjacent lot and two on-street spaces, the newspaper reported.

In a 6–0 vote, the Narberth Borough Council unanimously approved the sketch plan for the project, although one community leader told Main Line Media News: "For us, as individuals, it may be a misnomer to say we approve.”

http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelp...angel-cre.html

[jonesrmj]

Is it just me or is it that I feel Wilmington's Development has gone down. They just don't build skyscrapers anymore. And when they have planned to build skyscrapers, they will just get downscaled to less that 10 floors or just not built at all. But they'll put money towards other things that don't matter as much. Plus, Wilmington has been losing business's. If Wilmington wants to turn around, they need more skyscrapers. Wilmington has to be visually appealing for it to be attractive.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by Boku

Hilarious. Guy buys a vacant church in Narberth that was built in the 1890s with plans to preserve it and nimbys eff it all up.



http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelp...angel-cre.html

THIS. IS. AWESOME.

I hope the building has aluminum siding with vinyl windows and a row of plastic pink flamingos and whirlygigs out front.

[summersm343]

Toll Bros. to move ahead with new subdivision in Downingtown

Toll Brothers Inc. is set to move forward with the construction of the Reserve at Chester Springs, a residential community with 61 single-family houses in Downingtown, Pa.

The developer plans to begin selling the houses this September, roughly two years after it received approval for the project. The project will rise at 380 Little Conestoga Road. Houses will range from 3,100 to more than 4,200 square feet.

http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelp...r-springs.html

[DIESELPOLO]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Toll Bros. to move ahead with new subdivision in Downingtown



http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelp...r-springs.html

Sad. Looks like more sprawl.

[McBane]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Toll Bros. to move ahead with new subdivision in Downingtown



http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelp...r-springs.html

I understand that, this, being a "metro Phila" thread is not going to have the same scale of urban projects in the city. But this is still an urbanist forum - and in my extremely humble opinion, McMansion subdivisions in the exurbs is, I don't know, it just seems inconsistent with the ideals of this site and everyone here. Am I out of line here? I don't follow this thread religiously (mostly because it's littered with this kind of unfortunate development), so if I'm out line, no worries, I'll continue to keep out. Really, I'm not trying to be an asshole, just wondering if I'm the only who feels this way.

[EastSideHBG]

Originally Posted by McBane

I understand that, this, being a "metro Phila" thread is not going to have the same scale of urban projects in the city. But this is still an urbanist forum - and in my extremely humble opinion, McMansion subdivisions in the exurbs is, I don't know, it just seems inconsistent with the ideals of this site and everyone here. Am I out of line here? I don't follow this thread religiously (mostly because it's littered with this kind of unfortunate development), so if I'm out line, no worries, I'll continue to keep out. Really, I'm not trying to be an asshole, just wondering if I'm the only who feels this way.

I see your point but it's development regardless and in this case I look at it as spreading the word on projects that many may not know about. 61 houses, while not in the form that many on here would choose to live in, is a pretty substantial development.

[skiesthelimit]

Originally Posted by jonesrmj

Is it just me or is it that I feel Wilmington's Development has gone down. They just don't build skyscrapers anymore. And when they have planned to build skyscrapers, they will just get downscaled to less that 10 floors or just not built at all. But they'll put money towards other things that don't matter as much. Plus, Wilmington has been losing business's. If Wilmington wants to turn around, they need more skyscrapers. Wilmington has to be visually appealing for it to be attractive.

I wouldn't say that development went down, the city is very much developing by the day. However, I'd say the city's overall development went stagnant for a while until about 2011 when Penn Cinema came about to riverfront. I'd say that's when project after project came pouring. First Westin, then Harlan Flats, simultaneously the Wilmington Hospital expansion, then the restoration of the building behind dupont and the added starbucks, then another starbucks on the riverfront, AND the river rink, then DCAD and the market street buildings, the Creative District, the Flats,children's museum mini golf, and another Starbucks, now Market St bridge, Midtown Park, Rockford Falls and possibly a new highrise. And that's just downtown, outside of the city, you got Christiana Fashion Center (albeit more Newark than Wilmington), and up on 202 with Wilm U, and the Seasons Pizza Plaza, etc.

I would agree though that the city is starving for some vertical growth, we just need investors. I believe the next highrise is right around the corner, and when Midtown is built and fully leased, and the bridge is built, that's when things are really gonna pick up for the city imo.

[jonesrmj]

Originally Posted by skiesthelimit

I wouldn't say that development went down, the city is very much developing by the day. However, I'd say the city's overall development went stagnant for a while until about 2011 when Penn Cinema came about to riverfront. I'd say that's when project after project came pouring. First Westin, then Harlan Flats, simultaneously the Wilmington Hospital expansion, then the restoration of the building behind dupont and the added starbucks, then another starbucks on the riverfront, AND the river rink, then DCAD and the market street buildings, the Creative District, the Flats,children's museum mini golf, and another Starbucks, now Market St bridge, Midtown Park, Rockford Falls and possibly a new highrise. And that's just downtown, outside of the city, you got Christiana Fashion Center (albeit more Newark than Wilmington), and up on 202 with Wilm U, and the Seasons Pizza Plaza, etc.

I would agree though that the city is starving for some vertical growth, we just need investors. I believe the next highrise is right around the corner, and when Midtown is built and fully leased, and the bridge is built, that's when things are really gonna pick up for the city imo.

You probably are right. Although I have seen another skyscraper sign in downtown. It looked to be a proposed 35 floor, 509ft. tower:



A Building that was previously there was demolished:



So Hopefully Wilmington will see another skyscraper soon.

[Insoluble]

Originally Posted by McBane

Really, I'm not trying to be an asshole, just wondering if I'm the only who feels this way.

I doubt you're the only one who feels that way. I tend not to check out this thread very often for the same reason. When I do occasionally check it out hoping to read about more urban developments in Camden or Wilmington, I usually scroll past the posts about generic sprawl. I get why it's posted on here, but I find it completely forgettable and uninteresting too.

[skiesthelimit]

Snooping around on http://www.l2partridge.com/

Found these charming renderings for Wilmington:
South Market St. Master Plan (the other side of the bridge!)









http://www.l2partridge.com/project/s...t-development/

Walnut St. Bridge Office Building:











http://www.l2partridge.com/project/w...fice-building/

[Larry King]

Buccini pollin is an amazing company, how the hell do they build so much