PHILADELPHIA | Lowrise/General Developments Thread II

[El Duderino]

Originally Posted by chimpskibot

Does anyone know what project is currently going up adjacent to the gas station on Spring Garden and Delaware Ave ? Or are my eyes deceiving me from the el and that is actually the Rivers Casino Parking lot project? There is currently a 3-4 story code coming out of the ground.

Excitingly, this could either be 933 N. Penn (first pic) or the second building that's part of the project at 700-30 N. Delaware Ave. (second pic), which has just started going vertical in the last week or so. Still no action yet for the DeSimone tower that's right next door to the gas station.

[PHLtoNYC]

Construction underway in the Bellwether District.

Done Deals: Bellwether District goes vertical
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...l-project.html

[PHLJD13]

Originally Posted by Gatorade_Jim

Yeah I didn't really understand how bad Philly is for white collar employment until I started looking for inhouse counsel jobs at companies here. On the big search websites it's generally NYC, DC, SF, CHI, and then it falls off a fair amount. Philly isn't even on the list. If I wanted to go in house and not work at Comcast, a university, or one of a few pharma companies, I'm either forced to work in the suburbs or have to leave the city. It's really unfortunate.

Currently facing that exact same reality. Unless you find a wholly remote position or one that only requires quarterly site visits (which, of course, are ultra-competitive), in-house counsel prospects in the City are non-existent. You're looking at far-flung suburbs or leaving the area. Outside of Eds&Meds, Philly is still a very blue-collar job market.

[Mark in Mount Airy]

Originally Posted by PHLJD13

Currently facing that exact same reality. Unless you find a wholly remote position or one that only requires quarterly site visits (which, of course, are ultra-competitive), in-house counsel prospects in the City are non-existent. You're looking at far-flung suburbs or leaving the area. Outside of Eds&Meds, Philly is still a very blue-collar job market.

While what you say may very well be true for your specific position (in-house counsel) the article below in the Washington Post suggests that Philadelphia is a white-collar managerial labor market. Our city comes in fourth among U.S. metro areas by leadership ratio, where higher numbers mean they manage more outside workers.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/busin...gerial-cities/

[UrbanRevival]

Originally Posted by Gatorade_Jim

Yeah I didn't really understand how bad Philly is for white collar employment until I started looking for inhouse counsel jobs at companies here. On the big search websites it's generally NYC, DC, SF, CHI, and then it falls off a fair amount. Philly isn't even on the list. If I wanted to go in house and not work at Comcast, a university, or one of a few pharma companies, I'm either forced to work in the suburbs or have to leave the city. It's really unfortunate.

The dearth of corporate HQ-type jobs (not in the life sciences, medicine, or higher ed) in Center City relative to peer cities is a decades-old tale, although certainly WFH trends aren't helping downtown cores.

Even bigger picture, the "white collar" job market right now is really not in a great place nationally. Growth has slowed dramatically in all of the cities you've mentioned.

The highest cost-of-living large metro areas may have it the worst moving forward in terms of job growth based on emerging trends:

https://eig.org/high-wage-metro-area...uggish-growth/

[jaysb]

Originally Posted by UrbanRevival

The dearth of corporate HQ-type jobs (not in the life sciences, medicine, or higher ed) in Center City relative to peer cities is a decades-old tale, although certainly WFH trends aren't helping downtown cores.

Even bigger picture, the "white collar" job market right now is really not in a great place nationally. Growth has slowed dramatically in all of the cities you've mentioned.

The highest cost-of-living large metro areas may have it the worst moving forward in terms of job growth based on emerging trends:

https://eig.org/high-wage-metro-area...uggish-growth/

It's anecdotal but I feel that WFH has vastly helped Philly, given its position along the NE Corridor and relative affordability. I mean just look at the changes in Kensington and other collar neighborhoods, they are rapidly improving. I personally know a few ppl who have moved here bc their work was flexible. And of course most telling is the City Wage Tax receipts has increased quite a bit if I recall correctly.

[yuryphilly]

Originally Posted by jaysb

It's anecdotal but I feel that WFH has vastly helped Philly, given its position along the NE Corridor and relative affordability. I mean just look at the changes in Kensington and other collar neighborhoods, they are rapidly improving. I personally know a few ppl who have moved here bc their work was flexible. And of course most telling is the City Wage Tax receipts has increased quite a bit if I recall correctly.

I was able to get a good WFH job during the pandemic and Philly is the best place for me to live. If I didn't have a WFH job it would be tough, not many great options.

[phishtown]

We've seen some turds in new construction... but wow. I think this takes it to a new level. I thought it was fake at first. It looks like a kid sketched it up in MS Paint and then they value engineered from there. So bad.


https://phillyyimby.com/2024/05/cons...ladelphia.html

[Broadcastthatboom]

Originally Posted by phishtown

We've seen some turds in new construction... but wow. I think this takes it to a new level. I thought it was fake at first. It looks like a kid sketched it up in MS Paint and then they value engineered from there. So bad.


https://phillyyimby.com/2024/05/cons...ladelphia.html

The way that's still the 'good' looking side too....jeez

[mcgrath618]

Originally Posted by phishtown

We've seen some turds in new construction... but wow. I think this takes it to a new level. I thought it was fake at first. It looks like a kid sketched it up in MS Paint and then they value engineered from there. So bad.


https://phillyyimby.com/2024/05/cons...ladelphia.html

Buildings like this are what validate NIMBYism, and what give new development, gentrification, and density a bad name.

[PurpleWhiteOut]

Can we talk about how good this one is coming out in contrast?



I love the way it takes design cues from the existing building, and I'm glad they didn't go with the gray brick version that was presented at one point.

https://phillyyimby.com/2024/05/exte...ladelphia.html

[mcgrath618]

A reminder of what we lost for that building on Chestnut:


https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9562...6656?entry=ttu

Two functioning buildings with ground floor retail. The new structure has no retail and absolutely abhorrent street interaction. The 3 story rowhome on the parcel with the spice store was also rather handsome.

Philadelphia is disappearing right before our very eyes, and we are powerless to stop it.

[BroadandMarket]

Oh and Kabobeesh butchered their chrome diner with stucco? How does a block lose its soul in 5 years...



Across the street:

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by jaysb

It's anecdotal but I feel that WFH has vastly helped Philly, given its position along the NE Corridor and relative affordability. I mean just look at the changes in Kensington and other collar neighborhoods, they are rapidly improving. I personally know a few ppl who have moved here bc their work was flexible. And of course most telling is the City Wage Tax receipts has increased quite a bit if I recall correctly.

Literally every time I go out in Fishtown and cozy up to a bar I meet another person who moved here to either work remote or hybrid (in NYC or DC). Just last weekend I met somebody who moved here from LA and is working remotely. He still has his LA job and he was talking about trying to find a hybrid role here, and I reminded him he is a 1 hour train ride from NYC so he also qualifies for hybrid roles there and literally I watched a light bulb go off in his head. The proximity of NY is totally abstract until you're here. Then I told him my own company in NY has expanded it's definition of "local" for hybrid roles to a 90 mile radius in all of its search software and how by my account, about 5% of our NYC HQ now lives in Philadelphia as a result...his head exploded.

[700 Level]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

Literally every time I go out in Fishtown and cozy up to a bar I meet another person who moved here to either work remote or hybrid (in NYC or DC). Just last weekend I met somebody who moved here from LA and is working remotely. He still has his LA job and he was talking about trying to find a hybrid role here, and I reminded him he is a 1 hour train ride from NYC so he also qualifies for hybrid roles there and literally I watched a light bulb go off in his head. The proximity of NY is totally abstract until you're here. Then I told him my own company in NY has expanded it's definition of "local" for hybrid roles to a 90 mile radius in all of its search software and how by my account, about 5% of our NYC HQ now lives in Philadelphia as a result...his head exploded.

I realize you have provided but one anecdote, but that is so huge. I wonder if it could ever get to the point where NY based companies establish a small office presence in Philly for optionality.

The only downside is what happened at Wells Fargo with the Knicks in town.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by 700 Level

I realize you have provided but one anecdote, but that is so huge. I wonder if it could ever get to the point where NY based companies establish a small office presence in Philly for optionality.

The only downside is what happened at Wells Fargo with the Knicks in town.

On the day of the earthquake, there was a ton of activity on our company slack channel when it first happened...like "did you feel an earthquake" and then people chimed in yes/no and where they were located. There are just under 200 people in my HQ, but in the slack channel that day people I had no idea lived in Philly or the Philly area chimed in. One, I don't interact with everyone in the company, obviously..though I'm familiar with most. And two, even some people I did know of I had no idea lived in the Philly area or Philly proper.

That day, people identified themselves as being in Ardmore (2), Ambler, and Philly (outside of NYC) among other places. But I also know of others that live in Collingswood and Lansdowne. In total, am explicitly aware of 8 people that live in Philly and/or its burbs and I obviously don't know everybody. So that's where I'm coming up with the 5%(ish) figure.

[TonyTone]

How do we feel about the 6th & 9th Districts coming together to form as one unit in all of Center City

[Mark in Mount Airy]

Originally Posted by TonyTone

How do we feel about the 6th & 9th Districts coming together to form as one unit in all of Center City

Traditionally, the local politicians didn't like that because Center City is where a lot of individual and business campaign donations can be harvested.

The reverse can also be considered -- would Center City be listened to as much if it were entirely in one councilmanic district? What if the councilperson was terrible or, more likely, asleep on the job (e.g. Babette Josephs).

[TonyTone]

Originally Posted by Mark in Mount Airy

Traditionally, the local politicians didn't like that because Center City is where a lot of individual and business campaign donations can be harvested.

The reverse can also be considered -- would Center City be listened to as much if it were entirely in one councilmanic district? What if the councilperson was terrible or, more likely, asleep on the job (e.g. Babette Josephs).

The reasoning for the merge is so it can free up police resources and streamline a lot of functions.

I think CC is good with one District, I believe the new District encompasses Girard to Washington Ave, thats a solid police district. Now for government related activities it makes sense for this big area to be broken up into two.

A user on reddit said that this is beneficial because at a district a certain amount of officer are required to be at the station, so with this merger it allows them to have more officers on the streets, and an easier chain of command.

This should Help CC out a lot with enforcement.

[Radio5]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

Literally every time I go out in Fishtown and cozy up to a bar I meet another person who moved here to either work remote or hybrid (in NYC or DC). Just last weekend I met somebody who moved here from LA and is working remotely. He still has his LA job and he was talking about trying to find a hybrid role here, and I reminded him he is a 1 hour train ride from NYC so he also qualifies for hybrid roles there and literally I watched a light bulb go off in his head. The proximity of NY is totally abstract until you're here. Then I told him my own company in NY has expanded it's definition of "local" for hybrid roles to a 90 mile radius in all of its search software and how by my account, about 5% of our NYC HQ now lives in Philadelphia as a result...his head exploded.

As someone doing the LA/Philly as well, it's nice to hear. I could never afford the quality of life to live in NYC and LA. Philly does a poor job marketing (and maybe on purpose??) everything it has to offer and what's in store for the future. When I explain all the exciting things happening to people from somewhere else, they get excited about it. Philly is never on their radar. If I can do that with one conversation, imagine if Philly put out some sort of strategic marketing campaign to lure more people in.