Quote:
Originally Posted by Insoluble
Blumenfeld has got a lot of irons in the fire on North Broad at this point. I would love to see that building redeveloped, Broad and Spring garden seems ripe for a mass of development, but I'm concerned about the developer's ability to manage this project on top of the Divine Lorane AND Metropolitan Opera House. He's got a lot invested in some serious treasures on North Broad and I would love to see all of them developed successfully. Does he actually have the resources to pull off all three of these major projects simultaneously or will one or two of them continue to languish for a few years while he concentrates on the others?
|
He mentioned at a community meeting (and personally I really liked his vision) that he's been talking to Drexel and wants to build a Drexel Medicine campus at Broad & SG. It would be both residential and medical/educational. The idea is they work so much with Hahnemann and have a Drexel Med building right there and basically that people who are training to be doctors don't want to be all the way in N. Philly, they want to be in center city.
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1487
not much seems to be happening with the DL thus far. I am wondering what is really going on.
|
As far as I know they are waiting on some key grant paperwork to get through the PA government. Once that grant is released, the bank will release the financing to begin construction. Last I heard this should be happening very early 2015.
Quote:
Originally Posted by josef
He does. I feel like he's trying to be to North Broad what Blatstein is/was to Northern Liberties. I don't know anything about his successes, if he has the resources. I forgot about the Met project, too. Hm..
|
He's got a lot of projects, but he's proved he can do it with 600 and 640 N Broad. They seem to be smashing successes in a lot of ways. He's also working on the former Studebaker building which is one block south of the DL. He apparently has two restaurants planned for the space, and Starr Catering is already in there.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Londonee
Based on his track record of doing what exactly?
Perhaps less ego-based photo shoots and more in the way of action. North Broad is still an absolute shit show.
|
Are you going to conveniently ignore his three major developments on N. Broad? 600, 640, and the Studebaker building, all of which have tenants and brought a lot of life to the area? N. Broad is light years better than what it used to be. He's got three in the bag, has begun the Mural Arts Building project.