PHILADELPHIA | Lowrise/General Developments Thread II

[PHLtoNYC]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Man Walnut Street can’t catch a damn break with these brands struggling and filing for bankruptcy. What’s that this year alone? 4 or 5? More? Outdoor Voices, Allbirds, Express, Bonobos… Scotch & Soda - was that this year? Atmos - was that this year? Just craziness. One step forward and one step back continuously for Walnut Street.

Yea, stinks to have 3 spaces filled and then another 3 open up... But at least most of the recent closures are big-picture retail issues versus Philadelphia specific.

Hopefully the success of new mainstream retailers will catch the attention of others to consider (or return to) Walnut.

Originally Posted by Skintreesnail

I get that these lists are bogus, but it just gets annoying just not seeing Philadelphia even mentioned. https://preply.com/en/blog/most-walkable-cities-in-us/

Philadelphia overlooked for one of its strongest traits... what else is new...

I didn't bother reading the entire "study", but measuring steps to specific landmarks is a narrow study. Part of a walk-able city is the experience of walking from Landmark A to Landmark B, no matter how far apart.

Downtown Dallas in a nutshell is a few pockets of landmarks/sites and a generally barren auto-oriented streetscape everywhere else. A test for tourists, visit Dallas without a car and see how walk-able it is.

[UrbanRevival]

Originally Posted by Skintreesnail

I get that these lists are bogus, but it just gets annoying just not seeing Philadelphia even mentioned. https://preply.com/en/blog/most-walkable-cities-in-us/

Good Lord! I've seen a lot of utterly useless urban-focused rankings in my day, but that has to be the worst I've ever seen.

LOL, Texas being the most walkable state for tourists. I saw more elevated highways all over Dallas in just a mere few days than I've seen before in my entire life.

Perply should stick to tutoring.

[Radio5]

I'd rather see the CSX rails capped
Schuylkill Banks 3-17-24 b cropped by , on Flickr

thank you very much [/QUOTE]

Has capping the CSX rails ever been proposed or analyzed?

[Knight Hospitaller]

Originally Posted by Philly Fan

But ONLY if you drink to OUR BELOVED CORPS! SEMPER FI!

I belong to multiple organizations founded there, but I'm sure I can quaff a pint for the jarheads too.

[mcgrath618]

Originally Posted by Radio5

Has capping the CSX rails ever been proposed or analyzed?

Unlikely given their eventual desire to run double stacks on that route. I also don't see them electrifying any time soon, so any cap would need ventilation.

[Philly Fan]

Originally Posted by Knight Hospitaller

I belong to multiple organizations founded there, but I'm sure I can quaff a pint for the jarheads too.

In homage to the likely 1775 Tun Tavern menu, the U.S. Marine Corps National Museum located in Quantico, Virginia, contains a Tun Tavern-themed restaurant, whose lunch menu includes beer and other fermented (alcoholic) beverages, peanut soup and bread pudding, the non-alcoholic recipe of which remains a traditional staple among some U.S. Marine food services to this day.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tun_Tavern

[ok-ez]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

Unlikely given their eventual desire to run double stacks on that route. I also don't see them electrifying any time soon, so any cap would need ventilation.

curious and could not google the answer are they still running "bomb" trains through center city?

[mcgrath618]

Originally Posted by ok-ez

curious and could not google the answer are they still running "bomb" trains through center city?

If by "bomb" you mean ethanol, yes.

[SEFTA]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

Unlikely given their eventual desire to run double stacks on that route. I also don't see them electrifying any time soon, so any cap would need ventilation.

The cap is the same height as the bridges that cross over the rails. It spans from bridge to bridge, If double stacks can go under the bridges they can go under the cap.
The face of the cap is a growing green screen (with infused LEDs) with places for art installations the entire length, so ventilation is not an issue.
This would be a Chicago-like solution.
The only problem is with problematic CSX

[reparcsyks]

SEFTA - saw this photo and thought of you. Imagine if you had this blank slate.

[SEFTA]

plan resized by , on Flickr
scale inspired by 30th Street Station District & Schuylkill Yards and the parks required

vast parkland, 2 super talls blocks from station
I only place "towers" in place of parking lots, generally
View 2 resized by , on Flickr
CSX elevated lined with 5' LED tracers
A continuous boat-friendly boardwalk from University Avenue to MLK, both sides

MARKET STREET transformed into a triumphal entrance to the city from all angles. Grand water features to match the edifices.
Landscaped plazas and parks.
THE BULLETIN BUILDING ROOFTOP INDOOR/OUTDOOR EVENT CENTER
SEPTA cap with giant pink glass atrium above the regional rail platforms and enclosing a shopping complex. Access to SEPTA CAP.
Pedestrian bridge across Arch Street leads to the BUS TERMINAL concealed behind riverfront residences and SUPERTALL above.
High-speed party ferries under Market Street to Rehobeth/CapeMay in 4 hours
eVTOL landing pads on roof
All a part of the PENNSYLVANIA TRANSPORTATION CENTER
View 3 resized by , on Flickr

The park, the Race Street and Museum bridges are from AMTRAKs "30th Street Station District" plan.
I capped SEPTA's yards as this much density will require mass green space.
The rail lines are topped with a solar array and lined with windmills powering all of the districts public spaces, emergency facilities, traffic lights, street lights...
Lemon Hill pedestrian bridge to zoo, 38th Street beautified
View 4 resized by , on Flickr

every space utilized

[Radio5]

Originally Posted by SEFTA

plan resized by , on Flickr
scale inspired by 30th Street Station District & Schuylkill Yards and the parks required

every space utilized

Heaven. Although, my favorite view is watching the train cross the river, so not sure about capping that