Philadelphia 2035 (Washington, Fort Washington, Penn: farm, sale, apartment)

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by cpomp

Agree with all.

Getting off topic, but I wrote to the Inquirer countless times with regard to bogus headlines, negative headlines, poor journalism, even fact checking. NEVER ONCE heard back...

I think that my Inquirer-reporter colleagues on the Pen & Pencil board are dedicated professionals who do a good job, btw. You just cited approvingly the work of one of them, Juiia Terruso, over on the crime-discussion thread.

But one thing several newspapers implemented in the 1970s and 1980s that I think could be revived is the ombudsman or readers' editor. They were tasked with responding to readers' comments and complaints. The Inquirer even had one. Maybe we need to bring them back?

I think we in the journalism dodge fail to appreciate how not paying attention when readers make legit complaints like yours erodes their confidence in our work. Simple acknowledgement would probably go a long way, though actually fixing the errors (if errors they are; sometimes, they're not) would go further.

[thedirtypirate]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

I'm not sure I'd favor abolishing district seats completely, having lived in a sizable city that had a completely at-large City Council (Boston) that ignored some neighborhoods completely; I worked on a successful 1981 campaign to replace that council with a district-based one (which would benefit the completely ignored neighborhood I lived in at the time, as it was to have nine seats, and the city's geography was such that the part of the city that included it was guaranteed its own Council seat).

But in this case, I can understand fully why you would recommend that option.

The more I think about this, the more I think you’re right. It’s the at-large members who apparently can’t be held to any standard because they think they are accountable to no one.

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by thedirtypirate

The more I think about this, the more I think you’re right. It’s the at-large members who apparently can’t be held to any standard because they think they are accountable to no one.

Given how our current Council works, they are accountable to no one because by representing everyone, they represent no one in particular. I think that, by having each at-large member also be rooted in a Council district, my proposal fixes that. The member still has a "district base" but must also take citywide concerns into account.

[cpomp]

Hot of the press... Per another forum and Twitter, it appears Toll Brothers sold their Jewelers Row plot to Pearl Properties.

Hopefully a snazzy new building to come.

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by cpomp

Hot of the press... Per another forum and Twitter, it appears Toll Brothers sold their Jewelers Row plot to Pearl Properties.

Hopefully a snazzy new building to come.

Thank god.

Criminal what they did there. I hope they lost a fortune.

[cpomp]

Crane Watch: More than 2,700 new residential units in the works across Greater Philadelphia

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...new-units.html

Since our last update in October, progress has been made on several new residential developments that would collectively bring 2,760 new units to the city and surrounding area.

Two of those are luxury apartment buildings. Horsham-based Toll Brothers (NYSE: TOL) recently topped off an 18-story building at 435 N. Broad Street. It is expected to bring 344 luxury apartments to the market when it is completed in summer 2023.

Parkway Corp. is planning a towering luxury apartment building of its own in Center City. Plans call for a 31-story structure with 304 apartments and 15,600 square feet of first-floor retail space a few blocks from Rittenhouse Square at 21st and Ludlow streets.

Residential buildings continue to radiate out from Northern Liberties and Fishtown, as well. The Keystone, a multifamily project from Pittsburgh-based Linden Street Investment, will add 220 units on Callowhill Street. Just blocks away, Rodin Development's 373-unit development called the Carson was recently topped off at 570 N. 5th St.

Also in the works is Phase 2 of Riverwards Avenue V in Olde Kensington, which will total 200 new apartments, a 55-unit building planned on Front Street in Fishtown, and a seven-story apartment project in Northern Liberties.

Outside of the city, an expansive mixed-use development is being proposed in King of Prussia from Piazza Management. It will include two 171-unit apartment buildings and a 147,000-square-foot addition to the office building at 1100 First Ave.

[Duderino]

Originally Posted by cpomp

Hot of the press... Per another forum and Twitter, it appears Toll Brothers sold their Jewelers Row plot to Pearl Properties.

Hopefully a snazzy new building to come.

Best development news in a while.

Toll Brothers should be barred from any further development in Philadelphia unless they pay into a historical preservation fund for financial damages to Jewelers' Row.

Truly a travesty how they've disrespected a cultural asset in their home region.

[Flyers Girl]

Originally Posted by cpomp

Crane Watch: More than 2,700 new residential units in the works across Greater Philadelphia

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...new-units.html

Since our last update in October, progress has been made on several new residential developments that would collectively bring 2,760 new units to the city and surrounding area.

Two of those are luxury apartment buildings. Horsham-based Toll Brothers (NYSE: TOL) recently topped off an 18-story building at 435 N. Broad Street. It is expected to bring 344 luxury apartments to the market when it is completed in summer 2023.

Parkway Corp. is planning a towering luxury apartment building of its own in Center City. Plans call for a 31-story structure with 304 apartments and 15,600 square feet of first-floor retail space a few blocks from Rittenhouse Square at 21st and Ludlow streets.

Residential buildings continue to radiate out from Northern Liberties and Fishtown, as well. The Keystone, a multifamily project from Pittsburgh-based Linden Street Investment, will add 220 units on Callowhill Street. Just blocks away, Rodin Development's 373-unit development called the Carson was recently topped off at 570 N. 5th St.

Also in the works is Phase 2 of Riverwards Avenue V in Olde Kensington, which will total 200 new apartments, a 55-unit building planned on Front Street in Fishtown, and a seven-story apartment project in Northern Liberties.

Outside of the city, an expansive mixed-use development is being proposed in King of Prussia from Piazza Management. It will include two 171-unit apartment buildings and a 147,000-square-foot addition to the office building at 1100 First Ave.

Perhaps off-topic, but I just looked at the floor plans at The Carson and have some thoughts. How can any of these developers call these "apartment homes" when the main bedroom is right off the living room? That's fine for young folks, but as someone who would consider moving into the city in retirement to have one-floor living and a walkable lifestyle to keep me young, I want it to actually feel more like a home. Some separation between the living/socializing areas and the sleeping areas would be welcome. Also, is it really that foreign to have an extra bathroom that is only a half-bath in a rental? I don't want or need guests to see my bathtub. I understand that there are always going to be limitations when renovating old buildings, but this is new construction here!

I don't know, maybe I'm just being a curmudgeonly suburbanite. Now get off my lawn!!

[MarketStEl]

Originally Posted by Redddog

Thank god.

Criminal what they did there. I hope they lost a fortune.

Not the first time Toll did this, either.

They demolished the historic Society Hill Playhouse on 7th Street above South in order to build apartments on the site, then walked away from that project and sold the lot to another developer.

A very bland box of an apartment building now stands on the site.

Which makes their completion of an 18-story apartment building on North Broad Street interesting. They also have built several duplex townhouses at the huge Northbank development on the Delaware River right next to the Girard Avenue interchange on I-95.

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by MarketStEl

Not the first time Toll did this, either.

They demolished the historic Society Hill Playhouse on 7th Street above South in order to build apartments on the site, then walked away from that project and sold the lot to another developer.

A very bland box of an apartment building now stands on the site.

Which makes their completion of an 18-story apartment building on North Broad Street interesting. They also have built several duplex townhouses at the huge Northbank development on the Delaware River right next to the Girard Avenue interchange on I-95.

Welp. If the city doesn't give a $hit, they're gonna keep doing it.