PHILADELPHIA | Lowrise/General Developments Thread

[Philly Fan]

Originally Posted by christof

Look at the apartment complex that was developed privately on Walnut Street between 39th and 40th Street. There is retail shops on street level, much like what Drexel is doing on Chestnut and what they have planned for Lancaster.

The new Penn dorm will be much like my freshman year dorm, King's Court. And I hate to say it, KC (and for that matter, the Quad, Hill, etc) are fortress style buildings on the street level.

Doesn't look that way to me based on the renderings. And incidentally, I lived in the Quad, myself (Hurrah, hurrah Pennsylvania! ), and very much appreciated the traditional, cloistered, collegiate atmosphere it provides once inside.

I think this is part of the larger tension and balance that a school like Penn must constantly confront as an urban university maintaining and expanding a green, more traditional campus befitting its historic, Ivy League pedigree. In fact, I think it's that very balance--especially given Penn's close proximity to Center City--that makes it unique among the Ivies and attracts many of Penn's applicants.

While I agree that the Radian at 40th and Walnut succeeds as a private dorm for upperclass students just outside the perimeter of campus--including the ground-level retail that serves the entire campus community--you have to look at the freshman/underclass college houses a bit differently, especially given their location on the campus proper. Some of the best development decisions Penn has made over the last 50 years have involved closing off several of the streets that traverse campus--Locust, Woodland, etc.--and turning them into lovely pedestrian-only walkways that give Penn the unique character it has today. I--and I believe Penn--view the new college house on Hill Field as part of THAT tradition, and not the commercial development just beyond the perimeter of campus that has done so much to enhance the neighborhood surrounding the Penn campus. Fortunately, with Penn's 300-acre campus and the greater University City District, there's plenty of room--and NEED--for both, and Penn is in a much better position to do that than are the top urban universities with which it competes for students (cough . . . Columbia . . . cough ).

[christof]

Originally Posted by Philly Fan

Doesn't look that way to me based on the renderings. And incidentally, I lived in the Quad, myself (Hurrah, hurrah Pennsylvania! ), and very much appreciated the traditional, cloistered, collegiate atmosphere it provides once inside.

I think this is part of the larger tension and balance that a school like Penn must constantly confront as an urban university maintaining and expanding a green, more traditional campus befitting its historic, Ivy League pedigree. In fact, I think it's that very balance--especially given Penn's close proximity to Center City--that makes it unique among the Ivies and attracts many of Penn's applicants.

While I agree that the Radian at 40th and Walnut succeeds as a private dorm for upperclass students just outside the perimeter of campus--including the ground-level retail that serves the entire campus community--you have to look at the freshman/underclass college houses a bit differently, especially given their location on the campus proper. Some of the best development decisions Penn has made over the last 50 years have involved closing off several of the streets that traverse campus--Locust, Woodland, etc.--and turning them into lovely pedestrian-only walkways that give Penn the unique character it has today. I--and I believe Penn--view the new college house on Hill Field as part of THAT tradition, and not the commercial development just beyond the perimeter of campus that has done so much to enhance the neighborhood surrounding the Penn campus. Fortunately, with Penn's 300-acre campus and the greater University City District, there's plenty of room--and NEED--for both, and Penn is in a much better position to do that than are the top urban universities with which it competes for students (cough . . . Columbia . . . cough ).

Quad has beautiful architecture and King's Court isn't too shabby. The renderings of the new dorm are better than I expected and does fit into the overall feel of campus.

My beef is with the street level situation on Chestnut Street. Part of the problem is that Penn will be giving up two full block of street, since the Law School & KC/EH does the same thing between 34th and 36th Streets as the new dorm.

There is a chance to develop a stretch of retail on Chestnut similar to what you have on Walnut from 34th thru 40th Street. But on Chestnut, it would go roughly from 30th through 37th Street. Most of this will be up to Drexel, but Penn could help out a little with this new dorm.

[Philly Fan]

Originally Posted by christof

Quad has beautiful architecture and King's Court isn't too shabby. The renderings of the new dorm are better than I expected and does fit into the overall feel of campus.

My beef is with the street level situation on Chestnut Street. Part of the problem is that Penn will be giving up two full block of street, since the Law School & KC/EH does the same thing between 34th and 36th Streets as the new dorm.

There is a chance to develop a stretch of retail on Chestnut similar to what you have on Walnut from 34th thru 40th Street. But on Chestnut, it would go roughly from 30th through 37th Street. Most of this will be up to Drexel, but Penn could help out a little with this new dorm.

But Penn IS planning retail on the north side of Chestnut, across the street from the new college house. Can't have retail everywhere, however, or we'll start to lose--rather than GAIN, which is Penn's long-term intention--a more traditional college campus atmosphere surrounded by fun and hip retail and dining. Think Harvard/Cambridge, Brown/Providence, Yale/New Haven, etc. No offense intended to Drexel and Temple, but Penn's campus is a whole different animal than those more decidedly urban--albeit increasingly residential--campuses. To me, it's kind of like comparing Harvard's campus and environs to those of Boston University. Development around Penn--especially right across the street from the campus gateway of the new college house--has to be finessed a bit more to maintain the traditional Ivy League feel of the place. At least in my humble opinion. (Is it acceptable to use "humble" and "Ivy League" in the same paragraph? )

[summersm343]

Wistar Institute


http://buildingphilly.com/steel-rising-at-wistar/

[christof]

Originally Posted by Philly Fan

But Penn IS planning retail on the north side of Chestnut, across the street from the new college house. Can't have retail everywhere, however, or we'll start to lose--rather than GAIN, which is Penn's long-term intention--a more traditional college campus atmosphere surrounded by fun and hip retail and dining. Think Harvard/Cambridge, Brown/Providence, Yale/New Haven, etc. No offense intended to Drexel and Temple, but Penn's campus is a whole different animal than those more decidedly urban--albeit increasingly residential--campuses. To me, it's kind of like comparing Harvard's campus and environs to those of Boston University. Development around Penn--especially right across the street from the campus gateway of the new college house--has to be finessed a bit more to maintain the traditional Ivy League feel of the place. At least in my humble opinion. (Is it acceptable to use "humble" and "Ivy League" in the same paragraph? )

Construction on the new dorm is expected to start in Jan.

http://www.thedp.com/article/2013/03/51429d914f646

I'm not surprised that Penn has yet to find a naming donor for the new dorm. Who wants to donate $50 million for a dorm?

[Philly Fan]

Originally Posted by christof

Construction on the new dorm is expected to start in Jan.

http://www.thedp.com/article/2013/03/51429d914f646

I'm not surprised that Penn has yet to find a naming donor for the new dorm. Who wants to donate $50 million for a dorm?

Well, Penn DID just conclude a fundraising campaign in which it raised $4.3 billion (with a "b"), and it always is one of the top 3 or so schools in terms of number of alums on the Forbes 400 list of richest people in the world (thanks in no small part to the presence of Wharton). And this will be a college house with academic and extracurricular activity (like the residential colleges at Yale, Princeton, etc.), and not just a dorm.

On the other hand, Meg Whitman only had to give $30 million to Princeton to get its new residential college named after her.

[christof]

Originally Posted by Philly Fan

Well, Penn DID just conclude a fundraising campaign in which it raised $4.3 billion (with a "b"), and it always is one of the top 3 or so schools in terms of number of alums on the Forbes 400 list of richest people in the world (thanks in no small part to the presence of Wharton). And this will be a college house with academic and extracurricular activity (like the residential colleges at Yale, Princeton, etc.), and not just a dorm.

On the other hand, Meg Whitman only had to give $30 million to Princeton to get its new residential college named after her.

If I were donating $50M to Penn, I wouldn't put it toward a dorm. Come on now, SEAS, SAS, School of Education, Law School - they all have yet to be named. Think about the bang and prestige for you buck!

[Philly Fan]

Originally Posted by christof

If I were donating $50M to Penn, I wouldn't put it toward a dorm. Come on now, SEAS, SAS, School of Education, Law School - they all have yet to be named. Think about the bang and prestige for you buck!

I think it takes a lot more than a paltry 50 mil these days to have a school at Penn named after you. The Perelmans had to donate $225 million to name the Med School.

But you never know--it's worth a shot if you want to give them a call and make an offer.

[christof]

Originally Posted by Philly Fan

I think it takes a lot more than a paltry 50 mil these days to have a school at Penn named after you. The Perelmans had to donate $225 million to name the Med School.

But you never know--it's worth a shot if you want to give them a call and make an offer.

School of Ed could be had for $50M. Same amount for the Vet School. School of Social Policy would take $10M in a heartbeat. Penn Law would go as high as Perelman for sure. SEAS for $100-$200M. SAS, a little less than SEAS.

[Philly Fan]

Originally Posted by christof

School of Ed could be had for $50M. Same amount for the Vet School. School of Social Policy would take $10M in a heartbeat. Penn Law would go as high as Perelman for sure. SEAS for $100-$200M. SAS, a little less than SEAS.

Nah, SAS would go for more than SEAS--it's much larger and is the historic heart of the university.

How much do you think to rename Annenberg or, even better, Wharton?

Or how about you and I pool our resources to get them to rename the entire university?

[christof]

Originally Posted by Philly Fan

Nah, SAS would go for more than SEAS--it's much larger and is the historic heart of the university.

How much do you think to rename Annenberg or, even better, Wharton?

Or how about you and I pool our resources to get them to rename the entire university?

SAS may be the largest and oldest of the schools at Penn. It will not, however, garner the most in naming rights. Nothing sexy about sociology or art history. But medcine, law, engineering, that is where the money is.

I could see Annenberg being renamed for a $1B (i.e., Annenber School in the X Sugardaddy College at Penn). Wharton, forget that. Wharton remains Wharton until the end of time.

Speaking of naming donors for schools, I imagine the next humongous naming donation will be the Drexel Medical School. It is after all the largest private medical school in the country. Wouldn't be surprising to see the naming rights go for the same or even more than Perelman.

[Philly Fan]

Originally Posted by christof

SAS may be the largest and oldest of the schools at Penn. It will not, however, garner the most in naming rights. Nothing sexy about sociology or art history.

Tell that to the Dornsifes, naming donors of USC's College of Letters, Arts and Sciences:

David and his wife Dana, longtime supporters of the university and international philanthropists, have given $200 million, the largest single gift in USC’s history to name its college of letters, arts and sciences.

http://dornsife.usc.edu/dornsife

Don't underestimate the prestige associated with the arts and sciences in academia, and among academic donors. It ain't all about the professions--especially at the most elite schools.

Still, I doubt that we'll be seeing Penn's School of Arts and Sciences being named for a donor any time soon, or any of Penn's other schools, for that matter. Naming a school for a donor is a pretty rare thing, at ANY college or university.

[Jelly Roll]

This was posted over on Philly Speaks
http://library.constantcontact.com/d...ER_3_draft.pdf

Soko Lofts if is 311 unit rental building purposed for 2nd and Thompson. There is a render in the pfd. It looks a lot like the Piazza imo.

[Kidphilly]

Originally Posted by Jelly Roll

This was posted over on Philly Speaks
http://library.constantcontact.com/d...ER_3_draft.pdf

Soko Lofts if is 311 unit rental building purposed for 2nd and Thompson. There is a render in the pfd. It looks a lot like the Piazza imo.

A bit yes, except with parking in the piazza

[summersm343]

University Place 2.0 at 41st and Powelton is nearing completion.



http://nakedphilly.com/university-ci...getting-close/

[summersm343]

Workers have been clearing out the lot at the northeast corner of Broad & South in anticipation of tomorrow's official groundbreaking for the Southstar Lofts building. The 85-unit luxury loft building will feature ground floor retail space

http://philly.curbed.com/archives/20...d-tomorrow.php

[summersm343]

Canus Corp. plans to construct a 311-unit apartment complex at the former Absco Inc. steel site at 2nd and American streets in the South Kensington section of Philadelphia. The three-building complex will be called Soko Lofts.

http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelp...for-phila.html

Are render can be found here:
http://library.constantcontact.com/d...ER_3_draft.pdf

Tallest building looks to be 7 or 8 floors.

[summersm343]

Southstar Lofts groundbreaking


http://blog.philadelphiarealestate.c...uthstar-lofts/

[Kidphilly]

http://phila2035.org/DP_Centralbook_3_12.pdf

[summersm343]

Goldtex update:

http://hiddencityphila.org/2013/03/g...after-the-war/