PHILADELPHIA | The Development Thread VIII - Page 3

We Got Five · #41 Posted: **Sep 17, 2009, 10:09 PM**

Check out the video from the business section on philly.com

http://www.philly.com/philly/business/

It shows an animation of the parking garage at the very end.

Aaamazarite · #42 Posted: **Sep 17, 2009, 10:46 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by We Got Five

Prominent Walnut and Chestnut Streets have high-profile vacancies and landlords so far unwilling to reduce rents.

landlords won't lower rents? Sounds like a good opportunity for businesses to revitalize market, chestnut, and some of walnut EAST. The 1100 and 1200 blocks of chesnut, the 900-1100 blocks of market, and the 100 block of s. 11th st. could get those friggin hoopty stores out and some higher end stuff in.

I know there's still more goldman stuff about to become occupied but somebody else needs to continue his vision (though I wish Chicken King was still around) by rolling in and transmogrifying some of the shit that's there.

Pennsgrant · #43 Posted: **Sep 18, 2009, 2:10 PM**

It looks like "table games" are part of the new state budget. I'm not the biggest gambling proponent but if you are going to do something do it right. Good step.

Cira South. Like the idea of 4,000 new employees in this former little dead zone, its going to be nice to see alot more pedestrian activity here to go along with the Penn + drexel crowd. Dont necessarily like the look of the new garage at this point and time. IMO the office tower of Cira South will be the next project to get underway once/if the credit markets get back to normal.

bucks native · #44 Posted: **Sep 18, 2009, 2:24 PM**

Spring Garden Street Greenway: Summary of Public Input

Thanks to the fundraising efforts of the Northern Liberties Neighbors Association and the generous giving of several local foundations, public agencies, and local organizations, this project presents a major opportunity to make strategic public and institutional investments in the public realm to reconnect Philadelphia’s vibrant streets to its long-dormant waterfront. With implementation funding already earmarked, neighborhood residents, workers, and visitors can expect to see some positive changes within the next year and a half. The growing energy to transform the Delaware River waterfront into a publicly-accessible amenity to the city is a vision which depends on small-scale and short-term interventions like this one.

Public input collected at a recent NLNA meeting from Northern Libertarians is shown in the map below: click on a yellow icon and you’ll see a place-specific observation; orange idea bubble icons indicate individual participants’ visions for improving areas along the corridor.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE SUMMARY: http://interface-studio.com/currentl...e-map/#current

If you would like to add your comments or ideas to the map, click here.

Location
100 Spring Garden Street
Philadelphia, PA

winxs · #45 Posted: **Sep 19, 2009, 1:10 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pennsgrant

...Cira South. Like the idea of 4,000 new employees in this former little dead zone...

The IRS is relocating 5,700+ employees plus a regional training center that can accommodate another 300 or so trainees from around the country visiting the building on any given day.

EastSideHBG · #46 Posted: **Sep 20, 2009, 2:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by We Got Five

Check out the video from the business section on philly.com

http://www.philly.com/philly/business/

It shows an animation of the parking garage at the very end.

Here's an article on it from today's Inquirer, and some pretty cool pics (nice view in #5

)

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/busin...he_Crisis.html

Aaamazarite · #47 Posted: **Sep 20, 2009, 8:14 PM**

Saw some workers at the Hale Building today. Looks like they were drilling holes in the facade on the 3rd floor to take photos of the inside. Found some guys doing the same thing 7-8 months ago and they told me it's being looked at as a possible hotel conversion.

I've heard all kinds of rumors for development of this building. First I heard Tony Goldman tried to buy it but was rebuffed by the owners, then I heard that the owners of the Value Plus actually own the building or have some kind of outrageous lease. Anyone know the real story? Since the Divine Lorriane project is pretty much dead (thanks east poplar civic ASSociation), this is the only other Willis Hale building of considerable size left.

What a shame. Hale died broke despite being a member of philly high society, was rebuked over this building, and now his only works left (besides rowhomes and small apts he designed), are both empty and graffiti covered.

Swinefeld · #48 Posted: **Sep 21, 2009, 1:10 PM**

Aaamazarite, thanks for that update. I agree with you about the work of Willis Hale, one of Philly's most eclectic 19th century architects. I think a boutique hotel would be ideai for the Hale Building and a full restoration to its former condition would be fantastic.

Another substantial Hale building in great condition is Ravenhill in East Falls.

stampy88 · #49 Posted: **Sep 21, 2009, 1:41 PM**

I just wish they would take an empty lot as opposed to knocking down a building.

http://philadelphia.bizjournals.com/...partments.html

John Buck gets zoning OK for apartments
by Natalie Kostelni Staff Writer

John Buck Co. got the green light from Philadelphia’s Zoning Board of Adjustment to construct a $100 million, 33-story apartment tower at 2116 Chestnut St. in Philadelphia.

The ZBA approval comes more than a year after the Chicago developer began working on plans to build the complex. Now the developer is working on lining up financing and if all goes according to plan, will break ground at the beginning of next year, said Steve Perna of PernaFrederick Commercial Real Estate, who represented the developer and other interested parties in the project.

The project will have 307 apartments. The site has a 40,000-square-foot building sitting on it that houses the Sidney Hillman Medical Center, a local institution in the neighborhood. The developer will knock down that building and build the apartment tower on the site. The medical center will be retained in a smaller, adjacent building that will be constructed as part of the project.

The project wasn’t without some controversy. Two neighboring churches had concerns over the height of the development. The First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia at 2125 Chestnut St., and the Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion at 2110 Chestnut St. were worried about the height of the structure. The Unitarians feared it would be too tall and cast a “permanent shadow” on the church, detract from the church’s exterior appearance, interior illumination, stained glass, and the amount of sun its landscaping will receive. The developer made some concessions to lessen its impact on its neighbors, helping to clear the way for its eventual approval.

John Buck is a real estate firm that developed and owns landmark office buildings and mixed-use projects in Chicago and other major cities. This is its first project in Philadelphia.

theWatusi · #50 Posted: **Sep 21, 2009, 1:44 PM**

^ are there renders for that project?

Pennsgrant · #51 Posted: **Sep 21, 2009, 2:08 PM**

The Sidney Hillman medical center doesnt exactly inspire.Normally I would agree with you but I have no problem losing that building. WE'll see how the financing goes with this tower, not holding breath.

hammersklavier · #52 Posted: **Sep 21, 2009, 6:27 PM**

Hillman's details are growing on me. Keep in mind I'm partial to metamorphic and igneous façades and Hillman has an elegant admixture; also, it dates to the era when architects built soulful modern architecture. I don't disagree about the tower but I think there are enough empty lots in the area that to lop out an existing building to build a new one would be silly.

volguus zildrohar · #53 Posted: **Sep 22, 2009, 2:10 AM**

Just wondering if anyone noticed the colored lighting atop 1835 Market this evening? It's purple as are several other buildings downtown (for what I'm not exactly sure) but this is the first that I've noticed the building coloring its lights.

Phil_North · #54 Posted: **Sep 22, 2009, 3:12 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by volguus zildrohar

Just wondering if anyone noticed the colored lighting atop 1835 Market this evening? It's purple as are several other buildings downtown (for what I'm not exactly sure) but this is the first that I've noticed the building coloring its lights.

I actually noticed it Friday night on a late flight into town. I can't seem to find any news on it online.
On a side note, the Philly skyline at night from above is absolutely breathtaking. It got a lot of oohs and ahs from the passengers on the plane.

PhillyRising · #55 Posted: **Sep 22, 2009, 3:13 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Swinefeld

Aaamazarite, thanks for that update. I agree with you about the work of Willis Hale, one of Philly's most eclectic 19th century architects. I think a boutique hotel would be ideai for the Hale Building and a full restoration to its former condition would be fantastic.

Another substantial Hale building in great condition is Ravenhill in East Falls.

It certainly is one of the more interesting buildings in Center City. I was hoping it would turn into a condo. I know I would love to live in a building that looks like that. I never understood why nobody did anything to it.

volguus zildrohar · #56 Posted: **Sep 22, 2009, 4:10 AM**

Probably because of it's location and configuration. That building has to look like hell inside.

volguus zildrohar · #57 Posted: **Sep 22, 2009, 5:27 AM**

I've come across a site with a few designs for a new building at 19th & Arch.

I'm unsure if this is a plan still being considered for the block but keep in mind that part of the block was demolished last year for a future development.

This is the link.

Phil_North · #58 Posted: **Sep 22, 2009, 12:52 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by volguus zildrohar

I've come across a site with a few designs for a new building at 19th & Arch.

I'm unsure if this is a plan still being considered for the block but keep in mind that part of the block was demolished last year for a future development.

Interesting. The website lists the address as 1800 Arch street. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this the same address as the proposed American Commerce Center?

cubanChris · #59 Posted: **Sep 22, 2009, 1:27 PM**

wow. that certainly is an interesting looking building... I can't remember if that is the ACC spot or not... i feel like VZ was right in that there was a lot recently cleared right there that Inga went bananas over...

my goodness if would be a heck of a lot of density if it is that spot & both of those towers happened. yeesh.

As for the actual building/info... it looks kind of budget no? I mean, to me it looks more like a student's mock proposal than anything - no offense to the architect.

theWatusi · #60 Posted: **Sep 22, 2009, 1:58 PM**

Don't forget about the Philly Transportation Thread

http://forum.skyscraperpage.com/showthread.php?t=164129