Philadelphia 2035 (Harrisburg, Girard, Lincoln: cushions, crossing, basic)

[AJNEOA]

Originally Posted by cpomp

Sorry I'm posting a lot of articles today. This was a good read.

Philadelphia has 2,172,896 parking spaces. So how come you're still circling the block? - Philly

An excerpt that stood out to me.... This year, Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, who represents part of West Philadelphia, revived a two-year-old bill that would require many developers to significantly increase the number of parking spaces they provide in the majority of Philadelphia’s zoning districts.

Blackwell’s parking ambitions were scaled down in May, and the revised version of Blackwell’s bill remains held in committee. Council President Darrell Clarke has previously supported increasing parking minimums.

“Years ago, when I would call meetings, people would not discuss parking,” Blackwell said Wednesday. “Now, it’s on the front of everyone’s lips. … It needs to be discussed to help us maintain the quality of life in our city.”

Blackwell complaining about maintaining the quality of life in our city, yet she wants to increase parking minimums.... HAs she ever traveled outside of West Philadelphia, maybe to a major city in Europe or even Montreal to see how they function?
How about advocating for improvements to public transit, public transit usage, and bringing amenities into your district so people don't have to drive.

I can't wait for the day that we can have city leaders with at least a college education...

Also someone brought up a good point in the comment section, increasing the permit cost per vehicle under the same name or household, OR the size of the vehicle. The city of Chicago has similar legislation.

All of these simple fixes are light years away due to our inept leadership. Everyone needs to spread the word about cleaning house in Philadelphia politics.

They are trying to build a city of 1985. College educations would be nice, but I'd settle for someone that understands cities and isn't a crook. Can you imagine what the inner workings of City Counsel are like?

[AJNEOA]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

The funny thing about the East Market development is that it does have a "town square."

But it's only open to residents and guests of The Ludlow - and presumably the apartment tower going up next to it. It's also three stories up in the air.

One of the problems is that to get the rents they desire, the developers have to make the open space a gated amenity as well. Combined with the desire to have street-facing retail and/or parking, that pretty much dooms ground-level public plazas in these newer projects.

I didn't know about that, but too bad it's a private amenity. I am very interested to see how the complete street works between the towers. Sadly, I expect there to be idling cars and people honking the horn unfortunately. It would be nice if they just, wait for it....restricted vehicle access most of the day (minus deliveries for vehicles earlier in the day.

It's kind of like Hollywood. The days of making something that's incredible, interesting and for the people is largely over. It would require the city to pitch in and work with developers/architects to build something like this. Seems like a no-brainer to me, but it's really all about money at the end of the day.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by AJNEOA

What is completely missing from today's developments are public squares and parks. This is a key lot where a park/pedestrian-focused multi-building development could make for amazing and different public space. I really hope we don't get just more of the same boring stuff.

Personally, I fantasize of a modern day gothic quarter with walking paths, residential above and retail below with unique architecture and a center square/piazza with fountains and cobble in the middle. Rarely does a lot this size in a city like Philadelphia become available, making something of the sort a potential reality. But, of course, no one will ever build that.

Something like that was the original idea for Piazza at Schmidt in N. Liberties at 2nd and Girard. Obviously it didn't turn out that way. So someone did think of it. Back in the 90s.

I find it interesting that a 5 square parks design of the 17th century is what CC is still based on and nothing better has happened in the mean time. Well, for me it's ideal as is.

Until something happens at 8th and Market (Gimbel's was torn down in the 70s) I will try not to get any degree of enthusiasm about it..

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by cpomp

If you are ever in New York, check out the public spaces within Hudson Yards, all of the buildings are massive, but the development team is paying close attention utilizing open space.

Sadly I think the days of designing a Barcelona or Paris-eque public square are over.

One of my favorite new-ish spaces in Philadelphia is the Liberty walkway in Northern Liberties across from the Piazza. That isn't repeatable on that lot, but having a grand entrance surrounded by cafes and shops on Market with slender towers on each corner would look fantastic, and then maybe a Whole Foods, Giant or some kind of home goods store along 8th and Chestnut.

Let's not forget that the original Philadelphia was a planned city with its 5 squares.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by cpomp

Sorry I'm posting a lot of articles today. This was a good read.

Philadelphia has 2,172,896 parking spaces. So how come you're still circling the block? - Philly

An excerpt that stood out to me.... This year, Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, who represents part of West Philadelphia, revived a two-year-old bill that would require many developers to significantly increase the number of parking spaces they provide in the majority of Philadelphia’s zoning districts.

Blackwell’s parking ambitions were scaled down in May, and the revised version of Blackwell’s bill remains held in committee. Council President Darrell Clarke has previously supported increasing parking minimums.

“Years ago, when I would call meetings, people would not discuss parking,” Blackwell said Wednesday. “Now, it’s on the front of everyone’s lips. … It needs to be discussed to help us maintain the quality of life in our city.”

Blackwell complaining about maintaining the quality of life in our city, yet she wants to increase parking minimums.... HAs she ever traveled outside of West Philadelphia, maybe to a major city in Europe or even Montreal to see how they function?
How about advocating for improvements to public transit, public transit usage, and bringing amenities into your district so people don't have to drive.

I can't wait for the day that we can have city leaders with at least a college education...

Also someone brought up a good point in the comment section, increasing the permit cost per vehicle under the same name or household, OR the size of the vehicle. The city of Chicago has similar legislation.

All of these simple fixes are light years away due to our inept leadership. Everyone needs to spread the word about cleaning house in Philadelphia politics.

Fwiw Blackwell was a teacher so, hmmm, I think she went to college. I'm not a big fan of hers at all. But she either has to die or quit like Bob Brady has. If there are any local millennials who have a yen to challenge her I'm not aware of any.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by cpomp

With $24 million parking lot deal, Goldenberg Group mulls Market East development - Philly

Could something actually be brewing for these lots?!



Some more Philadelphia news:

Art Institute of Philadelphia closing leaves students and employees with hard decisions - Philly

Comcast boosts Sky bid to $34M, topping Fox offer in global standoff - Philly

The sage of Comcast buying the world. Good news for the Philadelphia economy if any of these transactions were to happen.

Disney got in the way of Comcast buying Fox Entertainment so we'll see what happens with this.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by cpomp

With $24 million parking lot deal, Goldenberg Group mulls Market East development - Philly

Could something actually be brewing for these lots?!



Some more Philadelphia news:

Art Institute of Philadelphia closing leaves students and employees with hard decisions - Philly

Comcast boosts Sky bid to $34M, topping Fox offer in global standoff - Philly

The sage of Comcast buying the world. Good news for the Philadelphia economy if any of these transactions were to happen.

Fwiw, 1622 Chestnut was the site of WCAU radio when CBS was building/growing decades ago. It's a great example of Art Deco architecture.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by AJNEOA

They are trying to build a city of 1985. College educations would be nice, but I'd settle for someone that understands cities and isn't a crook. Can you imagine what the inner workings of City Counsel are like?

Semi-snark coming up.

Go to an open Council meeting and find out. Have any of you ever gone on the City Hall tour just to see some of what's in there at the very least?

Encouraged millennials to run for office and vote. And, yes, I know it's hard. The future is theirs but they have to make it so.

Encourage Brian Sanders to leave Harrisburg, stop butting heads with Trump acolytes in the state legislature, come home and challenge Kinney in next year's mayoral primary.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by AJNEOA

I didn't know about that, but too bad it's a private amenity. I am very interested to see how the complete street works between the towers. Sadly, I expect there to be idling cars and people honking the horn unfortunately. It would be nice if they just, wait for it....restricted vehicle access most of the day (minus deliveries for vehicles earlier in the day.

It's kind of like Hollywood. The days of making something that's incredible, interesting and for the people is largely over. It would require the city to pitch in and work with developers/architects to build something like this. Seems like a no-brainer to me, but it's really all about money at the end of the day.

Wow, this is a very depressive sounding post.

[AJNEOA]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Wow, this is a very depressive sounding post.

Well, name any grand public spaces that have been added to the city any time in the recent past. And I'm not talking about makeovers of existing spaces (e.g. Dlworth, Love, etc.). When talking about any non-Center City neighborhoods, I bet I could count the number of grand, centralized public spaces on one hand. That was one of the reasons I wanted to live near Passyunk Square's Singing Fountain. But yet again, it's surrounded by obnoxious traffic and parked cars.

I'd be all for the positive if something had a real chance to be built. But it's all individual developers looking to make as much as possible, stacked next to one another. And worse yet, the non-Center City neighborhoods have even less. Most just have streets open to car traffic with no real interesting public spaces that serve as a center-point to the neighborhood.