Philadelphia 2035 (York, Plymouth, Plymouth Meeting: sale, real estate, leases)

[thedirtypirate]

Originally Posted by Tweb66

Not blocking anyone's view, but it becomes more difficult to look at the bridge and not see that steaming pile. May seem trivial but next time you are in a NYC gift shop, or the art section of IKEA, take note how carefully they photograph the Brooklyn Bridge to avoid that ugly Verizon building from being in the shot.

Well I was going to say the "Down under the bridge" shot of the Benny Frank was usually captured from the south side. In which, "The Bridge" condo's really blocked the view lol.






I'm not a big believer in anyone "owning" views. It should be our goal as a civilization to just keep building better ones

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by Tweb66

Not blocking anyone's view, but it becomes more difficult to look at the bridge and not see that steaming pile. May seem trivial but next time you are in a NYC gift shop, or the art section of IKEA, take note how carefully they photograph the Brooklyn Bridge to avoid that ugly Verizon building from being in the shot.



Yes, I am aware I am being picky.

But not unreasonably so, IMO. One Water Street is indeed a bland box right next to a grand structure.

You can keep it out of pictures, though, by either photographing the Ben Franklin Bridge from its south side or photographing it from the same side of the street as One Water, facing southeast.

That Durst building, OTOH, looks way cool.

Haven't seen recent renderings of the building that's going up next to the Sheraton Society Hill Hotel. I understand that the city — any city, for that matter — is a dynamic, always chaing organism, but there's something about the arrangement and siting of Society Hill Towers that I think deserves preserving, too. I would hope that whatever tower goes up on that site complements rather than attempts to upstage the towers.

[Tweb66]

Things change, but you can do it correctly. Look at the The Lourve Pyramid, perhaps fittingly also designed by IM Pei. Then there is the other side. I recall a scene from Herbie Rides Again where the villain, a real estate developer, is visiting Rome and comments how it would be if they replaced the Coliseum with a parking garage.

[thedirtypirate]

Originally Posted by Tweb66

Things change, but you can do it correctly. Look at the The Lourve Pyramid, perhaps fittingly also designed by IM Pei. Then there is the other side. I recall a scene from Herbie Rides Again where the villain, a real estate developer, is visiting Rome and comments how it would be if they replaced the Coliseum with a parking garage.

Well aren't most developments replacing under used space instead of the reverse? I'm pretty sure half the foot print of the new One Dock Street condos was just an under utilized garden attached to the Marriott.

I think my biggest problem with the design is that they tried to match "but not really match" the hotel at the podium level.

One Dock Street Northwest angle

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by thedirtypirate

Well aren't most developments replacing under used space instead of the reverse? I'm pretty sure half the foot print of the new One Dock Street condos was just an under utilized garden attached to the Marriott.

I think my biggest problem with the design is that they tried to match "but not really match" the hotel at the podium level.

One Dock Street Northwest angle

Looks to me like the architect did a better job of not upstaging Society Hill Towers. The upper floors strike me as complementing rather than clashing with them.

[thedirtypirate]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

Looks to me like the architect did a better job of not upstaging Society Hill Towers. The upper floors strike me as complementing rather than clashing with them.

Yeah, I agree. I will say this about the renderings: they definitely try to minimize the size of the building and show it being near the same height as the Society Hill towers even though the listed height will be 380ft. To put that in perspective, the Society Hill towers are 292ft. This building will look a good deal tower.

[henrychen]

Aaaah ... House of Chen ... open 'til 5 a.m. The good old days - drinking at the Locust Bar, hitting 1820 Ludlow, then fried fish from Mr. Chen. Where have all the good times gone?

I like that the sign says 'Oriental Dining.'

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by thedirtypirate

Yeah, I agree. I will say this about the renderings: they definitely try to minimize the size of the building and show it being near the same height as the Society Hill towers even though the listed height will be 380ft. To put that in perspective, the Society Hill towers are 292ft. This building will look a good deal tower.

How high is the hill on which the towers sit?

I'm sure it's less than 80 feet, but it may be high enough to reduce the height difference.

[Tweb66]

https://www.phillyvoice.com/frontier...hicago-boston/


New routes to Chicago, KC, Cincy, Boston, Cleveland and San Antonio. Nice to see Frontier adding services, even with the upcoming merger with Spirit. Far too often mergers lead to less consumer choice.

[cpomp]

Big news, thoughts?...

City Council voted to restrict redevelopment of West Philly subsidized townhouses

https://www.inquirer.com/real-estate...-20220311.html

"City Council on Thursday passed a bill that would suspend demolition of a subsidized housing complex in University City and drive future development there away from commercial use and toward residential. It’s a case that highlights the fragile position of subsidized housing as property values in the city climb, and federal housing contracts continuously come up for renewal."

"The legislation, sponsored by Councilmember Jamie Gauthier, would restrict to the ground floor future nonresidential uses at the site and a neighboring housing complex with the goal of keeping and adding affordable housing there. The townhouses are within an area where City Council will require certain percentages of below market-rate housing units in new residential developments of 10 or more units. That ordinance takes effect in July."

"Gauthier envisions her legislation as a framework for zoning mixed-use developments in high-density and amenity-rich places “to encourage sustainable residential development” in areas throughout the city, according to the text of the bill."

"If Mayor Jim Kenney signs it, Gauthier’s bill would prevent demolition of any building within the boundaries of Market Street, 39th Street, Ludlow Street, and 40th Street — the block that contains the University City Townhomes — for 12 months, barring any dangerous conditions. Gauthier said the pause is meant to ensure thoughtful planning for the future of the site. A Kenney spokesperson said Thursday that the administration is reviewing the legislation."

"City Council passed the bill, 15-1. Councilmember Allan Domb was the lone dissenting vote, a rare defiance of the tradition known as councilmanic prerogative, in which land-use decisions are led by the member whose district includes the area in question and all other members fall in line."

"Domb said he opposed the bill because it violated the owners’ “property rights” by targeting one plot. This type of legislation could discourage future affordable housing development, he said, because other property owners may be reluctant to enter into 30- or 40-year affordability agreements if they come to believe that Council could punish them for transitioning to market-rate uses when the agreement expires."