Philadelphia 2035 (Washington: apartments, lease, condos)

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by Tweb66

Oh I like it. I was worried because their last proposal including taxpayer dollars, this doesn't. I also like that is means tearing down part of the old Gallery whose renovation, I think we now know was a huge mistake. I am wondering though, the Sixers won't move until 2031, do they build it before hand to host concerts?


EDIT: I see they won't start construction for another 4 years and scheduled to open 2031. Why on earth would this take 9 years?

Mosaic Development Partners is in on this?

Time for me to give Greg Smallwood a call.

[MarketStEl]

I'm not sure that renovating the Gallery was a HUGE mistake, but Gallery II — which is the part that will be demolished to build this arena — never worked right after one of the Gallery's original anchors (Gimbels) bit the dust and severed the connection between Gallery II's top level and the rest of the mall.

I actually understand the logic of putting the arena here. The news report explicitly referred to Madison Square Garden in New York, but we have several other downtown arenas that also serve to draw people into the city — TD Garden in Boston, Staples Center in LA, Capitol One Arena in DC, T-Mobile Center in Kansas City — and the last of those doesn't even house a major-league sports team. 76 Place would do the same.

And as for traffic, well, the New York and Boston arenas sit atop train and subway stations. So will this one. That will ease traffic fears considerably, especially since (as with MSG, sort of) there will be all-weather connections between the arena and the transit system.

In fact, what I would like to see is the interior design of the arena. Connecting it to a shopping mall raises the possibility that some of the arena-serving amenities, like restaurants and the fan shop, could be opened when the arena is not in use for the benefit of shoppers. Or that some space within the arena envelope but outside the ticket-required area could contain retail open to the rest of the mall.

Anyway, no public money, an ideal location from a transit standpoint, the likelihood of large numbers of fans hanging around downtown before and after the game (they should love this one in Chinatown rather than fight it), the chance to revive an underperforming shopping mall — what's not to like about this proposal?

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by Tweb66

Oh I like it. I was worried because their last proposal including taxpayer dollars, this doesn't. I also like that is means tearing down part of the old Gallery whose renovation, I think we now know was a huge mistake. I am wondering though, the Sixers won't move until 2031, do they build it before hand to host concerts?


EDIT: I see they won't start construction for another 4 years and scheduled to open 2031. Why on earth would this take 9 years?

2031 is when their current lease with the Wells Fargo Center ends. They can't move before then.

[cpomp]

I am all for it!
And happy to see (half) of the Fashion District go. This will also create a tourism boost for Center City as the arena can host various events outside of the Sixers season.

My hopes as a result of this project...

1. AMC/Round1 and Primark relocate nearby, as they are popular tenants.

2. The mess on the South side of Market will get a replacement (similar to the East Market development), who owns that block?

3. The Disney hole is no more due to a boost in demand for hotels, businesses, residential, etc.

Side note, of course the social media trolling is out in full force. It's like they get angrier the better a proposal is, lol.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by cpomp

I am all for it!
And happy to see (half) of the Fashion District go. This will also create a tourism boost for Center City as the arena can host various events outside of the Sixers season.

My hopes as a result of this project...

1. AMC/Round1 and Primark relocate nearby, as they are popular tenants.

2. The mess on the South side of Market will get a replacement (similar to the East Market development), who owns that block?

3. The Disney hole is no more due to a boost in demand for hotels, businesses, residential, etc.

Side note, of course the social media trolling is out in full force. It's like they get angrier the better a proposal is, lol.

Just curious: Are the brickbats all about parking and traffic? Or are they touching on other things?

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

Just curious: Are the brickbats all about parking and traffic? Or are they touching on other things?

1. Parking / traffic are big, (other cities have successfully handled a downtown arena, Philadelphia can too).

2. Crime, (a real concern, but the argument is trolling, the arena will open in 9 years in the heart of Center City).

3. Why the city can't fix schools, potholes, but build this, (misinformed comment).

4. The FD was just renovated, what a waste. (it is what is it, money poorly spend, bad investment, let's move on).

5. And just the general "what an awful idea". (stupid comments).

I don't worry about social media comments too much, but it's always sad to see the hyper negativity, which seems stronger in Philadelphia than other big cities. Literally any good/great idea is met with fierce resistance and/or trolling.

[mphilly]

Originally Posted by cpomp

1. Parking / traffic are big, (other cities have successfully handled a downtown arena, Philadelphia can too).

2. Crime, (a real concern, but the argument is trolling, the arena will open in 9 years in the heart of Center City).

3. Why the city can't fix schools, potholes, but build this, (misinformed comment).

4. The FD was just renovated, what a waste. (it is what is it, money poorly spend, bad investment, let's move on).

5. And just the general "what an awful idea". (stupid comments).

I don't worry about social media comments too much, but it's always sad to see the hyper negativity, which seems stronger in Philadelphia than other big cities. Literally any good/great idea is met with fierce resistance and/or trolling.

Yep, when the World Cup sites were announced the Philly people were the most negative about the city being selected. Every other city’s commenters were celebrating while half the Philly ones were talking about how no one should come because it’s not safe or complaining about the crowds.

[KansastoSouthphilly]

The arena seems like a good idea to me. Will the rest of the fashion district mall stay open? Seems like it could help the remaining stores quite a bit. Probably a good idea to shrink the footprint. Of course the ideal place would be the 8th and Market Parking lot.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by KansastoSouthphilly

The arena seems like a good idea to me. Will the rest of the fashion district mall stay open? Seems like it could help the remaining stores quite a bit. Probably a good idea to shrink the footprint. Of course the ideal place would be the 8th and Market Parking lot.

Yes; this project will remove only the mall's westernmost block.

But Sixers publicity raises the possibility that the rest of the mall may be retooled to serve a different clientele.

[thedirtypirate]

Originally Posted by KansastoSouthphilly

The arena seems like a good idea to me. Will the rest of the fashion district mall stay open? Seems like it could help the remaining stores quite a bit. Probably a good idea to shrink the footprint. Of course the ideal place would be the 8th and Market Parking lot.

I have this hope that since Goldenberg and Virgin Hotels were in discussion for a new hotel in Philadelphia that 8th and Market is the spot since the Broad and Lombard proposal doesn’t seem to include a hotel (which in a way is surprising because the building there will be over 500ft tall)