PHILADELPHIA | The Harper | 272 FT | 24 FLOORS - Page 41

PHL10 · #**801** Posted **Nov 30, 2017, 3:44 PM**

Agree with the comments above. The fact that the Boyd facade is still a shambles doesn't help the project, including the Target. You'd think they would have at least made the facade presentable at an earlier stage of the project.

SEFTA · #**802** Posted **Nov 30, 2017, 3:56 PM**

I believe they're referring to the tower's north facade, not street level.

Skintreesnail · #**803** Posted **Nov 30, 2017, 5:49 PM**

Weren't they planning to use the Boyd as a sort of grand entrance? Maybe they're still working on the final restoration designs.

Edit: found some renderings from this year on the friends of the Byod site that are a little different but are both from this year:

mja · #**804** Posted **Nov 30, 2017, 6:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by hammersklavier

Other than the Boyd façade restoration, the Chestnut Street side of the property is already built out? A photorealistic render, in that case. You could even be forgiven for thinking the render is a photo.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Londonee

Isn't the Chestnut Street fronting of this property just the current Target and the future restaurant at Boyds Theater? Is there more Chestnut street frontage that I'm not thinking of? If there is it's almost an insignificant amount which would just be that little Parking lot between my jam (Jane G's) and 1920 Chestnut.

Quote:

Originally Posted by SEFTA

I believe they're referring to the tower's north facade, not street level.

Exactly. I mean, I would hope that they wouldn't have the north facade be a 200 ft. blank wall, but I have no idea, because there isn't a rendering of it.

Brandywine Rocks · #**805** Posted **Nov 30, 2017, 6:30 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by McBane

But, based on the renderings in the Philly.com article, it's almost as if the building is situated on Sansom Street and turning its back on Chestnut, which looks awful. I don't know - the design, the materials, the height, and that idiotic setback combine for a very underwhelming tower. Will it turn out as bad as 1919 Market?

Original rendering had the tower sprawling parralel along Chestnut + Sansom. I think the blue hairs in one of the old towers on Market St complained aboout shadows.

They then changed the tower to be perpendicular to Chestnut + Sansom. In the middle of the block between 19th + 20th.Crazy.

This tower belong fronting Chestnut. Its really unbelievable how weak the planning is in this city.

1487 · #**806** Posted **Nov 30, 2017, 6:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandywine Rocks

Original rendering had the tower sprawling parralel along Chestnut + Sansom. I think the blue hairs in one of the old towers on Market St complained aboout shadows.

They then changed the tower to be perpendicular to Chestnut + Sansom. In the middle of the block between 19th + 20th.Crazy.

This tower belong fronting Chestnut. Its really unbelievable how weak the planning is in this city.

how would you force them to orient the building exactly the way you want using the zoning code?

Brandywine Rocks · #**807** Posted **Nov 30, 2017, 8:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1487

how would you force them to orient the building exactly the way you want using the zoning code?

This has nothing to do what I want.

Its common sense . Chestnut Street is a staple in which developers have been building on for centuries. Its a main east/west thorofare in which the skyline has sprawled parralel with not against.

They had it completely right with the original rendering but I believe the nimbys caused the developer to flip this thing on its side. This tower should be 32 stories fronting Chestnit Street not 24 stories stuck in the middle of 19th + 20th st.

1487 · #**808** Posted **Nov 30, 2017, 8:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandywine Rocks

This has nothing to do what I want.

Its common sense . Chestnut Street is a staple in which developers have been building on for centuries. Its a main east/west thorofare in which the skyline has sprawled parralel with not against.

They had it completely right with the original rendering but I believe the nimbys caused the developer to flip this thing on its side. This tower should be 32 stories fronting Chestnit Street not 24 stories stuck in the middle of 19th + 20th st.

the drop in floors has nothing to do with planning or regulations- that was a business decision. Based on this site and the fact that the theater entrance and lobby are remaning it was never going to really be a serious presence on chestnut regardless. It was always going to be set way back with the primary entrance NOT being on chestnut.

summersm343 · #**809** Posted **Dec 1, 2017, 2:14 AM**

Update from Building Philly

More photos here:
https://www.facebook.com/BuildingPhilly

summersm343 · #**810** Posted **Dec 1, 2017, 2:23 AM**

New plans for 19th and Chestnut site reveal shorter tower

Read more here:
https://philly.curbed.com/2017/11/30...wer-the-harper

summersm343 · #**811** Posted **Dec 1, 2017, 3:02 AM**

11/30/2017

GtownFriend · #**812** Posted **Dec 1, 2017, 8:02 PM**

The articles on CTC say it will have 4000 people, apparently including a large fraction of new workers (they are keeping or expanding most of their existing office leases).. so even with the large number of apartments/condos coming on line right now.. it seems that there will be many new people to house in the next year or two? Keep thinking Pearl may soon regret not keeping the upper stories.

Londonee · #**813** Posted **Dec 1, 2017, 8:09 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by PHL10

Agree with the comments above. The fact that the Boyd facade is still a shambles doesn't help the project, including the Target. You'd think they would have at least made the facade presentable at an earlier stage of the project.

Yeah it's definitely a big eyesore - I've thought the same thing. Target and Gap both can't be super happy with their brands being right next door to this hulking, rusted out shell.

summersm343 · #**814** Posted **Dec 3, 2017, 5:42 PM**

Update from Building Philly

https://www.facebook.com/BuildingPhilly/

Brandywine Rocks · #**815** Posted **Dec 3, 2017, 8:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1487

the drop in floors has nothing to do with planning or regulations- that was a business decision. Based on this site and the fact that the theater entrance and lobby are remaning it was never going to really be a serious presence on chestnut regardless. It was always going to be set way back with the primary entrance NOT being on chestnut.

According to every article I have read on this tower Nimbys and city planning dysfunction has everything to do why we are getting a generic, misplaced mid rise dorm instead of a classic art deco tower or a decent high rise.

The below tower is what Pearl wanted to build on the corner of 19th + Chestnut. Nimbys killed it. City inefficiency allowed it.

Raymond LuxuryYacht · #**816** Posted **Dec 4, 2017, 2:02 AM**

Has the new render been released yet?

frbrown · #**817** Posted **Dec 4, 2017, 2:52 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raymond LuxuryYacht

Has the new render been released yet?

The most recent renders are on the first page

SEFTA · #**818** Posted **Dec 4, 2017, 3:25 AM**

renderings

1487 · #**819** Posted **Dec 4, 2017, 1:13 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandywine Rocks

According to every article I have read on this tower Nimbys and city planning dysfunction has everything to do why we are getting a generic, misplaced mid rise dorm instead of a classic art deco tower or a decent high rise.

The below tower is what Pearl wanted to build on the corner of 19th + Chestnut. Nimbys killed it. City inefficiency allowed it.

You folks are out of touch with reality when it comes to the actual power of the Planning Commission. The city cannot stop a developer from negotiating with neighbors- this can happen in any American city. The initial rendering was nothing more than a preliminary design exercise shown 5-6 years ago. We have no idea how far it would have gone and the fact that we are on the 4th design suggests there was very little chance the final product was ever going to match that image.

Justin7 · #**820** Posted **Dec 4, 2017, 1:38 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brandywine Rocks

The below tower is what Pearl wanted to build on the corner of 19th + Chestnut. Nimbys killed it. City inefficiency allowed it.

Source that this was killed by NIMBYs? I thought this was essentially a bait and switch once the Boyd was trashed. I could very well be wrong, but would like to know for sure.