Retail coming to Philadelphia (Taylor: lesbian, winter, drive)

[steeps]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Steeps is delusional. He goes on and on about how fantastic and breathtaking Chicago iswhile at the same time he will ignore the 50 shootings Chicago had over Memorial Day weekend. The rude "screaming", wrt capital letter use, should indicate how his mind actually works.

Anyhow back to all the things going on here... Walking north on 15th St is a thrill! All the construction. Weeeee!

You failed to address why parked cars on the median of Broad street? Why a median of green with COLOR Would not show the street in a different light?. I use caps as my style . At times CAN use more then I should.
I find when someone runs out of comebacks? They result to irreverent insults. Of course it is aimed at discredit. All can make their own opinion.
But you really better to address specifics that SHOULD NOT be tried and WHY? Philly is not a separate entity from the rest of the would. ALL CITIES can take EXAMPLES FROM OTHERS TOO.

Again "rotodome" of NYC answered the BEST. When he gave the thread WHY the Big Gun High-End Retailers are not flocking to Center City Philly yet?

Originally Posted by rotodome

In regard to Center City losing retail tenants to KoP:
Something I was told by a developer who has done commercial work in Philly is that one reason that some retailers pass on Center City is that there has been a shortage of the size/scale/configuration of retail spaces that best fit their standard business models.
Retailers don't like unconventional.

And Center City is not at the buzz point (yet?) where, as in SoHo, retailers are happy to invest and take a loss on a location that doesn't work well sales-wise just for the prestige & advertising value of having a location there.
So it's not ALL about foot traffic or the perceived wealth of CC/Philly residents or those sort of sane fundamentals.

And YES it takes a FIRST. But they need a LOCATION with the SIZE they desire. They WILL build NEW TOO, if the land and IDEAL LOCATION IS FOUND in this response

Originally Posted by cpomp

I still say we need a huge fancy department store to come in and kick start the trend.

Thanks to the CIVIL even if in disagreement replies.

Yes kyb01 You can get back to what new changes are happening and DOING YOUR "gees" and "weeeee"

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by asiandudeyo

Right. Such as Atlantic Building....
What is going on with that space btw

For a long time that is where Bloomingdale's was rumored to be looking, but that seems to have fizzled. IMO that would be a fantastic location.

[asiandudeyo]

Originally Posted by kyb01

Steeps is delusional. He goes on and on about how fantastic and breathtaking Chicago iswhile at the same time he will ignore the 50 shootings Chicago had over Memorial Day weekend. The rude "screaming", wrt capital letter use, should indicate how his mind actually works.

Anyhow back to all the things going on here... Walking north on 15th St is a thrill! All the construction. Weeeee!

I know right?
I am so excited!
I just hope the PREIT building across of Cheesecake Bldg. will be done and occupied before the Papal visit.

[asiandudeyo]

Originally Posted by cpomp

for a long time that is where bloomingdale's was rumored to be looking, but that seems to have fizzled. Imo that would be a fantastic location.

indeed!

[rotodome]

Originally Posted by kyb01

FYI, the Talbot's space, plus the store next to it, used to be the home of Nan Duskin. A huge, double store, that was broken up. Nan Duskin was the premier fashion shop in CC for years. A much bigger operation than Joan Shepp.

Borders? Wasn't it where Walgreens is at the NE corner of Broad and Chestnut?

The first H&M in CC, SE corner of 16th and Chestnut, was the Bailey, Banks, and Biddle flagship store.

I actually worked on the renovation of the building where Talbots is, among others on the block, so I am very familiar with it. The right side "twin" of the left facade (1715 Walnut), where The Talbots store entrance is, is actually new ground-up construction, while the left side(1717Walnut) is a renovated older building. 1715-1717, as well as 1719-1721 Walnut (where Zara is, and all new construction) were done at the same time.

The first Borders in Philly (and the first on the east coast I believe?) was on the 1800 block of Walnut street, in the (now-renovated) building where Steve Madden, Ann Taylor Loft, and H&M are now. It was incidentally also the first Starbucks coffee in Philly (at the Borders Cafe on the 2nd floor). Back when Borders was "cool". And "still in business". That location closed around 2001 when they moved to Broad Street, but that spot will always be "the old Borders" to me.

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by rotodome

Not sure where you're going with that, but Rappaport was also a big political campaign contributor. And, not coincidentally, very chummy with Everyone's Favorite Mayor, Ed Rendell.

I tried to determine which block of Sansom St the How to do it bookshop was on (I think it was the 1600 block) & found this. The younger posters should read this. Speculation Breeds Decay And Dismay - philly-archives Knowing the past may help them figuring out the future.

[cpomp]

Originally Posted by southbound_295

I tried to determine which block of Sansom St the How to do it bookshop was on (I think it was the 1600 block) & found this. The younger posters should read this. Speculation Breeds Decay And Dismay - philly-archives Knowing the past may help them figuring out the future.

Were his buildings all auctioned off after his death?

And I shake my head at how head of the Historical Commission, Wayne Spilove was leading the demolition of the historic block for a parking garage..

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by cpomp

Were his buildings all auctioned off after his death?

And I shake my head at how head of the Historical Commission, Wayne Spilove was leading the demolition of the historic block for a parking garage..

A lot of his buildings were torn down. There was not enough structural integrity to rehab them. It was awful. That article gives enough details to give an idea of what was going on. I knew all about the Rappaport buildings. Just the same, I found that article to be sickening.

[rotodome]

Originally Posted by southbound_295

I tried to determine which block of Sansom St the How to do it bookshop was on (I think it was the 1600 block) & found this. The younger posters should read this. Speculation Breeds Decay And Dismay - philly-archives Knowing the past may help them figuring out the future.

Good find with that article!. Everyone should read it. Either to learn something, or just be reminded.

This short excerpt describes the sort of thing that used to happen that makes the whole Boyd situation so maddening today:

"When Rappaport bought his historic buildings, he vowed to preserve and restore them.
The restoration never came to be. Rappaport abandoned his plans. He and his architects are squabbling in court over fees. And the buildings at the center of their dispute are empty and looking worse by the month.
The homeless sleep in the doorways, vandals break the windows and litter piles up on the steps.
Many in the neighborhood are upset.
"We're distressed," said Joann Weeks, who, until January, was the executive director of the Washington Square West Civic Association. "The main thing we're concerned about is that if these buildings are allowed to deteriorate, we could lose them, and their condition could go rapidly downhill.

"Then a hardship case could be developed, and the whole block could be torn down. It's a very vibrant block, very marketable," Weeks said. "If you can't succeed in the 700 block of Walnut Street, where can you?"

When the iPic folks claimed hardship to get a demolition permit, and then since they never apparently had a viable plan in the first place, just flipped the site to another party who rushed ahead with the teardown before having approved development plans of their own... it was an unpleasant reminder of the willful neglect, inexplicable decay, and shady dealings that plagued Center City for a long time, when many things of value were lost. We have to do things differently now.

[southbound_295]

Originally Posted by rotodome

Good find with that article!. Everyone should read it. Either to learn something, or just be reminded.

This short excerpt describes the sort of thing that used to happen that makes the whole Boyd situation so maddening today:

"When Rappaport bought his historic buildings, he vowed to preserve and restore them.
The restoration never came to be. Rappaport abandoned his plans. He and his architects are squabbling in court over fees. And the buildings at the center of their dispute are empty and looking worse by the month.
The homeless sleep in the doorways, vandals break the windows and litter piles up on the steps.
Many in the neighborhood are upset.
"We're distressed," said Joann Weeks, who, until January, was the executive director of the Washington Square West Civic Association. "The main thing we're concerned about is that if these buildings are allowed to deteriorate, we could lose them, and their condition could go rapidly downhill.

"Then a hardship case could be developed, and the whole block could be torn down. It's a very vibrant block, very marketable," Weeks said. "If you can't succeed in the 700 block of Walnut Street, where can you?"

When the iPic folks claimed hardship to get a demolition permit, and then since they never apparently had a viable plan in the first place, just flipped the site to another party who rushed ahead with the teardown before having approved development plans of their own... it was an unpleasant reminder of the willful neglect, inexplicable decay, and shady dealings that plagued Center City for a long time, when many things of value were lost. We have to do things differently now.

There was another, similar, article about the Rappaport buildings from later in the 90s. I didn't post it because I didn't want to go overboard. Buildings & businesses were lost for no good reason. It wasn't like it was a secret.