Philadelphia 2035 (King of Prussia, Paoli, Thorndale: outlet mall, hot, exercise)

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by PhilliesPhan2013

Exactly! More of us Republicans should be like Dwight. He believed in public transportation, set up the Interstate Highway system, and got it done. Despite opinions on urban freeways, the Interstate highway system has paid for itself. I'll do you one better (if it can even be described as such), however: I'm seriously considering running for public office later on in life. I'm 19 right now and focusing on a career in medicine (potentially business if I choose it as my minor), but politics has always been of interest to me. I'm not like rural Republicans; I'm an urban/suburban Republican who realizes what a city needs to thrive. I realize that a city needs a robust transportation network to thrive, NOT just a large highway that destroys neighborhoods and cuts people off from attractions such as a waterfront. I also realize that returns (aka revenue) is dependent upon the amount of investment (aka spending). We should spend money to make money.

I don't know how you feel about politicians in general, but that's my two cents. I didn't mean for this to sound like a campaign speech lol!

IKE, even Reagan, are essentially rinos to your party's current base. Since you are SO young you have a chance to reform your party. Please try.

I used to split my voting ticket all the time between parties. But because of all the Tea Party racism, the rampant homophobia, evangelical Christian hysteria... I just can't vote for any Republicans now.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by PhilliesPhan2013

That's true. If the Boulevard Subway-Elevated ever does become realized, then this provision should absolutely be included in the plan. Boulevard trains should continue as express towards Walnut-Locust, in my opinion. I would imagine that most Boulevard riders would be attempting to reach points in Center City, rather than, say, North Philadelphia.

I don't know if you've ever been to the intersection, but I refer to the junction of Broad Street and Erie and Germantown avenues in North Philly's Nicetown section as "the transit-oriented development we've wasted." There's a shell of a skyscraper, a 14-story Italianate tower built in 1926, that dominates the intersection; unlike the similarly situated Divine Lorraine Hotel further south, no one's talking about rebuilding this building.

There are reasons having nothing to do with the infrastructure for this. That's a subject for another discussion.

Trust me, I did read your article (which was well-written), and I do agree with the overall basis of it: transportation on the Boulevard needs immediate improvement. If provisions are kept for HR rapid transit, then I will be happy. I just have a collective frustration at all of the potential lines that were never built. Back when private companies ran the show with big dreams and even bigger capital budgets, some great proposals came out of the pipeline: the Roxborough Subway-Elevated, the Chestnut Street Subway, the Woodland Avenue Elevated, the Front Street Elevated, and the Center City Loop. The system that we have now is a mere vestige of what it could have been. We could have easily been the best transit city in the world if we had all of the potential rapid transit lines, along with the Commuter Tunnel. Now, all we can do is dream big and watch our budget grow smaller and smaller. I didn't mean to sound ignorant and I'm not being a Negadelphian; rather, I'm just disappointed that my city isn't getting the best system possible. We deserve a world-class system of the likes of what I have seen in New York, DC, and Paris. I believe that SEPTA is one of the best systems out there, but there's still room for improvement.

P.S. I agree with your sentiment about the CHW. If the CHW was taken off the NEC, then both SEPTA and Amtrak could increase frequencies. SEPTA could especially increase capacity on the Trenton Line. Another option would be to build the Swampoodle Connection and run the CHW through the ex-Reading main.

1. History time: All of those rapid transit lines you list above were first put forth in a document produced by a new city department, the Department of City Transit, in 1913. The department was created because the city was dissatisfied with the length of time it took to complete the original Market Street subway-elevated (five years start to finish), a project which nearly bankrupted its builder, the Philadelphia Rapid Transit Company. (More trivia: The subway tunnel under Market Street from 2d to 22d streets, which the City Councils mandated in the franchise agreement with the PRT, is the only privately built and financed subway tunnel in the United States.) The sad thing is, it took the city even longer to build what it did manage to build of A. Merritt Taylor's proposed lines - and most of them never got built.

2. Yep. The Swampoodle Connection looks like it may join the Boulevard subway as another Idea That Refuses to Die, probably because it makes so much sense.

Originally Posted by kyb01

IKE, even Reagan, are essentially rinos to your party's current base. Since you are SO young you have a chance to reform your party. Please try.

I used to split my voting ticket all the time between parties. But because of all the Tea Party racism, the rampant homophobia, evangelical Christian hysteria... I just can't vote for any Republicans now.

"Think globally, act locally."

I agree with your assessment of the damage done to the GOP by its bargain with the Unreconstructed. Trouble is, too many at the top of the party today don't see this as a negative.

But when it comes to city elections, I will consider Republicans who pass muster on the social issues I care about as well. The Democrats have been in power for almost as long as the Republicans had been when reformer Joseph S. Clark booted the GOP from City Hall in 1951, and Lord Acton's observation about power remains in full force. The Democratic Party has become complacement and corrupt at the local level, and I seriously doubt that my vote for a Republican candidate for local office in Philadelphia will mean Jeb Bush in the White House in 2016. In fact, it might help the Republican Party regain its left wing.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

"Think globally, act locally."

I agree with your assessment of the damage done to the GOP by its bargain with the Unreconstructed. Trouble is, too many at the top of the party today don't see this as a negative.

But when it comes to city elections, I will consider Republicans who pass muster on the social issues I care about as well. The Democrats have been in power for almost as long as the Republicans had been when reformer Joseph S. Clark booted the GOP from City Hall in 1951, and Lord Acton's observation about power remains in full force. The Democratic Party has become complacement and corrupt at the local level, and I seriously doubt that my vote for a Republican candidate for local office in Philadelphia will mean Jeb Bush in the White House in 2016. In fact, it might help the Republican Party regain its left wing.

Sorry, Sandy, but this sounds too much like the excuses Log Cabin members use to justify their continued support for a party that wishes LGBT people would die, disappear or, at the very least, go back in the closet.

[asiandudeyo]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Sorry, Sandy, but this sounds too much like the excuses Log Cabin members use to justify their continued support for a party that wishes LGBT people would die, disappear or, at the very least, go back in the closet.

Log Cabin Republicans is an oxymoron at best.
Even if one wants to see from the perspective that they are fiscally conservative and socially liberal, their involvement with GOP is rather a form of self-deprecation.

[thwanko]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

I don't know if you've ever been to the intersection, but I refer to the junction of Broad Street and Erie and Germantown avenues in North Philly's Nicetown section as "the transit-oriented development we've wasted." There's a shell of a skyscraper, a 14-story Italianate tower built in 1926, that dominates the intersection; unlike the similarly situated Divine Lorraine Hotel further south, no one's talking about rebuilding this building.

This is kinda tangential, but I really like the way that Black and Noble is situated on the second story above others stores. Not sure if there is a name for that kind of thing in planning circles but it's a kind of retail density that is everywhere in say, Seoul but very rare in America.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by asiandudeyo

Log Cabin Republicans is an oxymoron at best.
Even if one wants to see from the perspective that they are fiscally conservative and socially liberal, their involvement with GOP is rather a form of self-deprecation.

Most gay people I know do not understand them at all. It's a form of internalized homophobia, IMO.

How in the world can you continue to support a political party, with very vocal members, who are actively doing as much as possible to keep you from gaining very fundamental civil rights?

[gwillyfromphilly]

It's about time.

Refurbished rail cars finally roll on PATCO

[gwillyfromphilly]

SEPTA Plans To Spend $154 Million On Locomotives | NBC 10 Philadelphia

[cpomp]

New Details Emerge About So-Called "Fergie's Tower" Project - Property

Looks like another tower will soon be rising!

[asiandudeyo]

Philly City Council considers Gallery at Market East proposal

Can somebody enlighten me why there are so much hurdles in the Gallery redevelopment?
Why can't it be as timely manner as East Market Development across the street?
I feel that PREIT is all talk. Gosh and that last sentence that Coradino said at the end of the article:
"I remain optimistic," Coradino said. "Wouldn't it be a shame if we left here at the end of this process and ended up with a hole in Philadelphia?"
Not cool Coradino...not cool...