Top 5 Surface Parking Lots You Want Developed (Media, Girard: real estate, 2013)

[PhilliesPhan2013]

With the widespread, rapid-fire development going on in Center City and "Greater Center City" (Girard Avenue, Tasker Street, Delaware River, 40th Street, R3 Media/Elwyn ROW, Baltimore Avenue if I remember correctly), I hereby dedicate this thread to the surface parking lots that just need to be done away with! Here are my top 5 surface parking lots that I want developed:

1.) 22nd and Market
There is absolutely NO reason why a prime parcel of real estate situated by transit should be a surface parking lot. If this site isn't already zoned as CMX-5, it needs to immediately. I would LOVE to see a mixed-use supertall here. With a combination of ground floor retail, residential/hotel units, and commerical office space, Market Street West/Penn Center would continue its renaissance while adding more life to the area.

2.) 8th and Market
Here is another prime parcel of real estate sitting as nothing more than a surface parking lot. How about we build something taller than City Hall east of Broad in order to help assist the revitalization of Market East. Hopefully, it will include a residential component as this is the second best transit spot in Philly (City Hall comes in 1st).

3.) 30th-32nd and JFK
As University City continues to expand east towards the Schuylkill River, this is an area that desperately needs to be developed. I took the Megabus to DC about two weeks ago. When I arrived back at that spot around 10:55 PM, I realized that there is absolutely no reason to be over there unless someone is catching a bus. That area is dark and lifeless. I do realize that Drexel has plans to develop that lot and possibly over the Penn Coach Yard, but I hope this gets developed sooner than later. 30th Street is livelier than ever with the Porch and EVO. Once the FMC Tower is complete, there will only be more life around that area.

4). Surface parking lots around Rittenhouse Square
I'm talking about two in particular: the one on the corner of 20th and Walnut and 20th and Samson. I would also like to include the grass lot right by Rittenhouse Square although its not a surface parking lot. I would love to see residential units anywhere from 300'-700' tall. Such prime real estate should not be surface lots.

5.) Parcel bounded by 23rd Street, Cherry Street, and the CSX Right-of-Way
This plot of land would make for an excellent spot for condos/apartments. I know about the Riverwalk proposal, but if that doesn't come to fruition, then someone else should really develop this parcel


Honorable Mention:
-Plot bounded by 22nd, JFK, and Commerce Street
-Surface lot in between 22nd, 21st, Market, and Ludlow Streets
-Both surface lots in between Broad and Callowhill
-Surface lots on Broad and Spring Garden
-Every lot between Arch and Vine Streets

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by PhilliesPhan2013

With the widespread, rapid-fire development going on in Center City and "Greater Center City" (Girard Avenue, Tasker Street, Delaware River, 40th Street, R3 Media/Elwyn ROW, Baltimore Avenue if I remember correctly), I hereby dedicate this thread to the surface parking lots that just need to be done away with! Here are my top 5 surface parking lots that I want developed:

1.) 22nd and Market
There is absolutely NO reason why a prime parcel of real estate situated by transit should be a surface parking lot. If this site isn't already zoned as CMX-5, it needs to immediately. I would LOVE to see a mixed-use supertall here. With a combination of ground floor retail, residential/hotel units, and commerical office space, Market Street West/Penn Center would continue its renaissance while adding more life to the area.

2.) 8th and Market
Here is another prime parcel of real estate sitting as nothing more than a surface parking lot. How about we build something taller than City Hall east of Broad in order to help assist the revitalization of Market East. Hopefully, it will include a residential component as this is the second best transit spot in Philly (City Hall comes in 1st).

3.) 30th-32nd and JFK
As University City continues to expand east towards the Schuylkill River, this is an area that desperately needs to be developed. I took the Megabus to DC about two weeks ago. When I arrived back at that spot around 10:55 PM, I realized that there is absolutely no reason to be over there unless someone is catching a bus. That area is dark and lifeless. I do realize that Drexel has plans to develop that lot and possibly over the Penn Coach Yard, but I hope this gets developed sooner than later. 30th Street is livelier than ever with the Porch and EVO. Once the FMC Tower is complete, there will only be more life around that area.

4). Surface parking lots around Rittenhouse Square
I'm talking about two in particular: the one on the corner of 20th and Walnut and 20th and Samson. I would also like to include the grass lot right by Rittenhouse Square although its not a surface parking lot. I would love to see residential units anywhere from 300'-700' tall. Such prime real estate should not be surface lots.

5.) Parcel bounded by 23rd Street, Cherry Street, and the CSX Right-of-Way
This plot of land would make for an excellent spot for condos/apartments. I know about the Riverwalk proposal, but if that doesn't come to fruition, then someone else should really develop this parcel


Honorable Mention:
-Plot bounded by 22nd, JFK, and Commerce Street
-Surface lot in between 22nd, 21st, Market, and Ludlow Streets
-Both surface lots in between Broad and Callowhill
-Surface lots on Broad and Spring Garden
-Every lot between Arch and Vine Streets

Number 1. Does PECO(Excelon) own it? If so don't count on them selling it.

Number 2. You do know, right, that Ken Goldenberg, the Goldenberg Group, keeps holding on to this hoping for some lame "entertainment" complex solution. The latest failure was not getting a casino license rather than doing something like you suggest. The only way something will happen to it is if someone else buys it.

Number 3. Give it a year or so before anything happens. John Fry knows what he's doing and will see to it that every Drexel development proposal will be finished. The core of Drexel campus is probably the next major focus given that the old Firestone Tire store has been bought.

Number 5. Prone to flooding. If a housing development goes there it needs to be on stilts.

[cpomp]

There should not be one vacant parcel or parking lot in the Rittenhouse vicinity.

And 8th and Market is the most embarrassing under utilized space in CC.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by cpomp

There should not be one vacant parcel or parking lot in the Rittenhouse vicinity.

And 8th and Market is the most embarrassing under utilized space in CC.

Couldn't agree more.

Why is the Goldenberg Group continuing to hold up ANYTHING going on at 8th and Market?

Likewise what the heck does Bart Blatstein really propose to do with the old abandoned Inquirer Bldg site now?