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Photo 8536 is interesting because it shows how the Downtown core quickly drops away to a much lower scale area. Some may think that's a good thing, others not. Is that the area south of Center City that we're seeing there?
No. That low rise area is very much part of Center City. It's the area to just above Lombard Street (Spruce, Pine).
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Photo 8536 is interesting because it shows how the Downtown core quickly drops away to a much lower scale area. Some may think that's a good thing, others not. Is that the area south of Center City that we're seeing there?
Because Philadelphia has so much historic infrastructure, it results in the inability to demolish buildings to build skyscrapers because they are historically preserved. These areas pushing up against the skyscrapers are those historic areas, but are all still a part of Center City however. The streets are charming tree-lined rowhome streets.
Also, Philadelphia has never been a highrise city. Up until 1988 there was a height limit that you could not build higher than city hall (548 feet).
Even to this day, most of the city has a height limit, even in Center City. Old City has a 100 ft height limit. The Delaware Waterfront has a 100 foot height limit. Society Hill has a 55 foot height limit. Washington Square West has a 300 foot height limit. Rittenhouse Square and Fitler Square both have 55 foot height limits. Logan Square, while it doesn't have a height limit, the Neighborhood association there makes it extremely difficult to build high (NIMBY'S)... ironically, two of the tallest buildings in the city, Comcast Center (975 ft) and Three Logan Square (739 ft) are within the Logan Square neighborhood. The Ben Franklin Parkway has a height limit of 250 feet. All these areas are WITHIN Center City. That severely limits where Highrises can be built.
So due to the extreme stock of historically preserved buildings, and the severe height limits, Philadelphia has never really been a highrise city.
These are the lowrise areas that run up to the highrises...
No. That low rise area is very much part of Center City. It's the area to just above Lombard Street (Spruce, Pine).
Today, the boundary of Center City runs to South Street which acts as the Southern border to Center City and the transition to South Philadelphia... hence South Street. When the street was originally named, it was the southern border of the city.
Now, also, the Northern border for Center City is slowly stretching to Spring Garden Street.
Philly just passed the first overhaul of its Zoning Ordinance in something like 50 years. Has that helped facilitate positive development yet?
Yes, the Zoning Code was atrocious. I wouldn't say it helped facilitate positive development exactly, because there was a good amount of positive development going on before the zoning code overhaul. I would just say it is helping in speeding the zoning process along and getting shovels in the ground faster.
Today, the boundary of Center City runs to South Street which acts as the Southern border to Center City and the transition to South Philadelphia... hence South Street. When the street was originally named, it was the southern border of the city.
Now, also, the Northern border for Center City is slowly stretching to Spring Garden Street.
If I think of those northern and southern areas of Center City, I'd think there would be a lot more opportunity to build denser buildings to the north without impinging on historic structures. That's a pretty nice area between Pine and South Streets.
If I think of those northern and southern areas of Center City, I'd think there would be a lot more opportunity to build denser buildings to the north without impinging on historic structures. That's a pretty nice area between Pine and South Streets.
There are some new high rises going up north of CC, the problems there are Chinatown, which has a huge population of NIMBYs and The Vine which makes a mental boundary.
Today, the boundary of Center City runs to South Street which acts as the Southern border to Center City and the transition to South Philadelphia... hence South Street. When the street was originally named, it was the southern border of the city.
Now, also, the Northern border for Center City is slowly stretching to Spring Garden Street.
I think Center City will always be the original city of Philadelphia. The CBD or "downtown" can go up to Spring Garden (even University City in years to come), but Vine St is still the northern border of Center City.
That's just my opinion, though, so feel free to disagree.
Philly has taller buildings and better architecture. San Francisco has more highrises and a better natural setting.
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