PHILADELPHIA | The Development Thread VIII

[PhillyRising]

It's sad that a bigoted organization like the Mormon Cult is going to have such a visable presence in the city. Oh well...I guess that is part of having a diverse city but I still don't like the fact that it will be there. Future Gay Pride Parades should pass in front of it.

[Jelly Roll]

Thing to note here is that Philly has actually lost office space even without gaining much new buildings from the past couple of booms. Other places may not have gained as much, but they didn't lose as much either. I will try to find CBD historic comparisons...but I feel like I'm making a point that's been made here already. Philly's office market is anemic even by national standards.

Granted both of these are dated with the first one looking more at 1980 through 2000 but the second one picks up from 2001 to 2009 so it gives a little bit of a picture of what has happened here.

http://www.mi.vt.edu/publications/ot...w_edgeless.pdf

http://www.pidc-pa.org/userfiles/fil...ndex_10-v2.pdf

[Cro Burnham]

So, which cbds in the US have avoided minimal or negative office absorption over the last 15 years (other than NY, DC, and cities in the Land of Miracles)?

It'd be interesting to see on both raw and pctg bases.

I'm not defending the indefensible: entrenched nonproductive interests and voracious sinkholes of negative return resource consumption in the City of Philadelphia scare off tourists, businesses, builders, immigrants, middle/upper class residents, car owners, bike owners (but not Harley owners, unfortunately), students,etc. It's a testament to the city's strongest qualities that there is anything left here at all.

But I've seen enough American CBDs to believe that Philly's is actually, surprisingly faring better than most. I mean legitimate historic CBDs, not 25 yr old edge cities.

Mormon building: looks Stalinist, but tolerable - better than an empty lot. Should do agood job of filling out the last gap in Logan Sq's street wall (its set of teeth as I like to think).

[buildup]

The extension of the Schuylkill River Park trail is out to bid at the end of this month. It will be the boardwalk out into the river from where the current trail ends at Locust Street to just south of the South Street Bridge. It is a PennDOT project to start at the end of the year and be completed by June 2014. Expected cost is $12 to $15 million.

As for the LDS Temple, it's fine but would like the same structure with a more modern design.

[thenbagis]

Originally Posted by buildup

The extension of the Schuylkill River Park trail is out to bid at the end of this month. It will be the boardwalk out into the river from where the current trail ends at Locust Street to just south of the South Street Bridge. It is a PennDOT project to start at the end of the year and be completed by June 2014. Expected cost is $12 to $15 million.

As for the LDS Temple, it's fine but would like the same structure with a more modern design.

Also related to the Schuylkill River Park... I've noticed ground work being done in the Paine Park area... Not sure if it's for the Park or something else.

Anyone know?

[aro1419]

Originally Posted by PhillyRising

It's sad that a bigoted organization like the Mormon Cult is going to have such a visable presence in the city. Oh well...I guess that is part of having a diverse city but I still don't like the fact that it will be there. Future Gay Pride Parades should pass in front of it.

You probably shouldn't be saying stuff like that on a public forum. Anyway,
http://www.philly.com/philly/busines...of_U_City.html
Just a positive article about the growth and prosperity of University City, something that negadelphians tend to forget about when they bash the city.

[bryson662001]

I also think the temple is beautiful. It will fit right in with the other buildings on the Parkway and Logan Circle. I to was expecting some kind of "nuculer power plant" thing like they have in Washington. Do people go there to worship and if so what day of the week? Where will people park?

[arkhitektor]

Originally Posted by bryson662001

I also think the temple is beautiful. It will fit right in with the other buildings on the Parkway and Logan Circle. I to was expecting some kind of "nuculer power plant" thing like they have in Washington. Do people go there to worship and if so what day of the week? Where will people park?

The temple will be open from Tues. - Saturday and there will be underground parking below the landscaped plaza. Temples are used for marriages, baptisms and other ceremonies and are not used for regular Sunday worship services.

Here is a link to a website the church has created with information about the temple and its construction:

http://mormontemples.org/eng/philadelphia

[thenbagis]

Two stories...


Chinatown development corporation plans 23-story tower at 10th and Vine
September 20, 2011
By Kellie Patrick Gates
http://planphilly.com/chinatown-deve...-10th-and-vine

The Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation hopes to build a 23-story, 265-foot-high residential and office tower, with a community center on the ground floor, on two parcels at the north west corner of Vine and 10th streets.

Chinatown's long-lived desire for a community center prompted the project, called Eastern Tower Community Center, said project architect Tejoon Jung of Kling Stubbins. The cost of building a stand-alone center proved prohibitive, he said, so the PCDC joined forces with private developer Teres Holdings.

Plan to plant sleek streetlights up the center of North Broad
By Jeff Gammage,Sep. 21, 2011
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20...mpid=124488799

Broad Street isn't Broadway, but it's poised to get something that its better-known northern neighbor has in luminescent abundance:

Lights - a 2.5-mile stretch of them, set down the center of the street as a giant linear artwork.

Executives at Avenue of the Arts Inc. have a plan - and the money - to start planting sleek, stainless-steel streetlights on North Broad. On Wednesday night, city officials, arts leaders, and project managers will gather for the formal unveiling and lighting of a prototype near the Temple University Law School.

"This is our 'wow factor' for North Broad," said Karen Lewis, executive director of the nonprofit group Avenue of the Arts. "When we think about North Broad Street, it's still sort of 'the scary place.' I'm hoping our project, with other projects, will help change the perception."

[IMG]http://media.philly.com/images/300*481/20110921_inq_plights21z-a.JPG[/IMG]

[pwp]

Architect for SugarHouse outlines a planned expansion to city planning board

By Jennifer Lin

Inquirer Staff Writer

Next summer, SugarHouse Casino wants to break ground on an expansion to almost double its gambling space and add a restaurant, meeting rooms, and a seven-story parking structure, an architect for the project told the Philadelphia City Planning Commission on Tuesday.

The casino also plans to link its site to Penn Treaty Park by extending a waterfront trail

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/lo...ing_board.html

[Don098]

Will the new Mormon Temple be constructed out of real stone as the renderings imply? I thought stone construction was obsolete until I saw Bryn Athyn College build two new stone buildings - the Brickman Center and Doering Center - in 2009. Just like the Mormons, the Swedenborgs are an obscure sect of Christianity with deep pockets and devout followers that clearly value architecture and aesthetics as evidenced by their stunning cathedral in Bryn Athyn...if you haven't gone, it's one of the most beautiful pieces of land in the entire Philadelphia region. That little neighborhood looks more like England than the US...


Brickman Center, completed 2009


Doering Center, completed 2009


Bryn Athyn Cathedral

Source: http://www.brynathyn.edu/

[Jelly Roll]

Not sure if these were posted before. I missed them if they were

Teva Pharmaceuticals Closes on 138 Acres of Land in Philadelphia
Highly Anticipated 1.2M SF HQ Complex to Break Ground
By Latricia Miller
September 14, 2011


Teva Pharmaceuticals USA purchased 137.47 acres from J.G Petrucci Co., Inc. for approximately $40.59 million. The sale consisted of two parcels, 136 acres at 1 Red Lion Road and a 14,400-square-foot industrial building at 10098 Sandmeyer Lane, both located in Philadelphia. The sale was for the land only, and the purchase price included the approvals to develop a total of 2.2 million square feet of industrial space at the site.

Source: http://www.costar.com/News/Article/T...delphia/132061


10 Penn Center Secures Long Term Tenant
Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountantants Adds 16,176 SF
By Michael P. Roerty
September 14, 2011

Pennsylvania Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA), a professional association of over 20,000 CPA's, signed a ten-year lease deal to occupy 16,176 square feet of office space at 10 Penn Center.

Source: http://www.costar.com/News/Article/1...-Tenant/132066

[T-Mac]

Originally Posted by Don098

Will the new Mormon Temple be constructed out of real stone as the renderings imply? I thought stone construction was obsolete until I saw Bryn Athyn College build two new stone buildings - the Brickman Center and Doering Center - in 2009. Just like the Mormons, the Swedenborgs are an obscure sect of Christianity with deep pockets and devout followers that clearly value architecture and aesthetics as evidenced by their stunning cathedral in Bryn Athyn...if you haven't gone, it's one of the most beautiful pieces of land in the entire Philadelphia region. That little neighborhood looks more like England than the US...

Yes, the LDS Church does not spare any expense when it comes to building temples. Here is one of the new one's in the southwestern part of the Salt Lake Valley and of course the Salt Lake Temple is completely built out of granite. They only believe in using the finest materials. When they have the open house right after it is built, I would recommend everyone visit and you can see the amazing woodwork and other features that are inside.

[DocAwesome]

Wow.

HDR to the max.

Surreal.

[philatonian]

Originally Posted by PhillyRising

It's sad that a bigoted organization like the Mormon Cult is going to have such a visable presence in the city. Oh well...I guess that is part of having a diverse city but I still don't like the fact that it will be there. Future Gay Pride Parades should pass in front of it.

Prejudice doesn't fight prejudice. There's a Catholic church right across the street and that "cult" has been demonizing more than just gay people for a lot, lot longer.

[volguus zildrohar]

The 'light pylons' on Broad Street are a nice touch - and are being installed along a significant portion of the avenue south and north. A nice touch.

[Pennsgrant]

Originally Posted by volguus zildrohar

The 'light pylons' on Broad Street are a nice touch - and are being installed along a significant portion of the avenue south and north. A nice touch.

The lights will be a Very nice addition to Broad Street.

I wish the city would focus on cleaning Broad Street up, in particular South Broad. Those 2 gargantuanly horrific trash strewn lots at Broad + Washington are a disgrace. And anytime I am on South Broad there is trash everywhere.

I would suggest getting rid of that double parking mess in the middle of Broad street and landscape the median. It would improve the feel 100%.


There is a rendering of that 23 story tower' in Chinatown on the video from PlanPhilly. Meh! Architectually its not bad but certainly nothing to get excited about.



http://planphilly.com/chinatown-deve...-10th-and-vine

[thenbagis]

Originally Posted by Pennsgrant

The lights will be a Very nice addition to Broad Street.


There is a rendering of that 23 story tower' in Chinatown on the video from PlanPhilly. Meh! Architectually its not bad but certainly nothing to get excited about.



http://planphilly.com/chinatown-deve...-10th-and-vine

You know for all the complaining I hear about in this forum about the lack of creativity in new buildings (fake brick! brick and glass again?!?!) this is a very different design than most proposals we see and I commend that.

I'm curious what it'll really look like. I get two different feelings from the two different renders presented.

[Cro Burnham]

Originally Posted by philatonian

Prejudice doesn't fight prejudice. There's a Catholic church right across the street and that "cult" has been demonizing more than just gay people for a lot, lot longer.

Seems to me that most organized, hierarchical religions, especially the ones with people running around the streets trying to proselytize everyone, do not much differ from cults except that they have gained legitimacy through age, number of adherents, wealth, and political power. Still cults to me though.

I was once in a 500-year old, still-functioning place of worship, in a major international religious capital, its interior decorated exclusively with real human bones in the most macabre manner. Were this not a place of worship for a respected international faith, it would certainly be considered home to a bizarre pagan cult.


source

Amazing what age, number of adherents, wealth, and political power can achieve.

In any event, all these groups tend to have "edifice complex" and build impressive buildings, which is an upside. I'm sure the Logan Sq. temple will be very well done.

[volguus zildrohar]

Originally Posted by thenbagis

You know for all the complaining I hear about in this forum about the lack of creativity in new buildings (fake brick! brick and glass again?!?!) this is a very different design than most proposals we see and I commend that.

I'm curious what it'll really look like. I get two different feelings from the two different renders presented.

I agree on the look of it - definitely not the usual historical re-hash/pre-fab schlock mess we get.