PHILADELPHIA | Lowrise/General Developments Thread

[summersm343]

Dalian on the Park
Update from BuildingPhilly





More photos here:
https://www.facebook.com/BuildingPhilly

[1487]

I went past there earlier in the week- the site is huge, its really going to be a prominent building when complete and totally change that section of town. The mobile crane that is on the southern end of the site is huge.

[br323206]

Originally Posted by iheartphilly

Assuming you can legally have an adult beverage, buy a beer/glass of wine and gawk away from the bar/restaurant. And, it will probably be cheaper than the admission ticket for the observation deck at Liberty 1.

Good point. But I had a sour experience at R2L the other day. I was drinking at the bar and decided to walk over to a window to see the sunset. I was immediately asked to return to the bar because the area near the windows was for guests in the dining area only. Ten minutes later I watched another group get ushered back to the bar area as well. What's the point of having a beverage at the top of the building if I'm not allowed to look out the windows? Hopefully the bar at the top of CITC will have a better layout.

[techchallenger]

Originally Posted by br323206

Good point. But I had a sour experience at R2L the other day. I was drinking at the bar and decided to walk over to a window to see the sunset. I was immediately asked to return to the bar because the area near the windows was for guests in the dining area only. Ten minutes later I watched another group get ushered back to the bar area as well. What's the point of having a beverage at the top of the building if I'm not allowed to look out the windows? Hopefully the bar at the top of CITC will have a better layout.

Wow. Were you in any way encroaching on diners in the area?

[cafeguy]

Originally Posted by br323206

Good point. But I had a sour experience at R2L the other day. I was drinking at the bar and decided to walk over to a window to see the sunset. I was immediately asked to return to the bar because the area near the windows was for guests in the dining area only. Ten minutes later I watched another group get ushered back to the bar area as well. What's the point of having a beverage at the top of the building if I'm not allowed to look out the windows? Hopefully the bar at the top of CITC will have a better layout.

They have an entire lounge area just west of the bar that is not for diners. Unless it was a special night where they reserved that whole section for dinner only, I can only imagine you were not in the area designated for "looking out the window as you only drink a martini"

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by br323206

But I had a sour experience at R2L the other day. I was drinking at the bar and decided to walk over to a window to see the sunset. I was immediately asked to return to the bar because the area near the windows was for guests in the dining area only. Ten minutes later I watched another group get ushered back to the bar area as well. What's the point of having a beverage at the top of the building if I'm not allowed to look out the windows? Hopefully the bar at the top of CITC will have a better layout.

Gawd. It's pretty clearly a defined restaurant and bar space. It's not an observation deck for everyone's amusement, it's a restaurant, and the folks eating at the restaurant are paying an awful lot of money to enjoy their food without sight-seers traipsing around and through their meals. if you want to enjoy the broader view, pony up some cash to eat there, otherwise enjoy the beautiful view from the bar space.

[Born Pure Philly]

Originally Posted by Londonee

Gawd. It's pretty clearly a defined restaurant and bar space. It's not an observation deck for everyone's amusement, it's a restaurant, and the folks eating at the restaurant are paying an awful lot of money to enjoy their food without sight-seers traipsing around and through their meals. if you want to enjoy the broader view, pony up some cash to eat there, otherwise enjoy the beautiful view from the bar space.

I'm hoping that was sarcasm. I'm pretty sure he didn't move up behind a table full of people, and asked them to scoot in so he can have a clear walk up to the window.

For a restaurant that the main draw IS its location and views, I don't think they should be taking offense to patrons actually wanting to see the views up close. Seems silly. I was at Nineteen last year with a few friends and we were able to sit at a table on the balcony of the restaurant and just order drinks. It's part of the reason you go to these places. To be honest, you can find better food at many other places in the city. They should embrace the people coming regardless of the reason. Money is money.

[shadowbat2]

Forgot to post this one from last Sunday:
589 by tehshadowbat, on Flickr
Renovation at Broad and Chestnut....
....and just for fun, here's what it used to look like before the Mid Century butchers came along:

source

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by Born Pure Philly

I'm hoping that was sarcasm. I'm pretty sure he didn't move up behind a table full of people, and asked them to scoot in so he can have a clear walk up to the window.

For a restaurant that the main draw IS its location and views, I don't think they should be taking offense to patrons actually wanting to see the views up close. Seems silly. I was at Nineteen last year with a few friends and we were able to sit at a table on the balcony of the restaurant and just order drinks. It's part of the reason you go to these places. To be honest, you can find better food at many other places in the city. They should embrace the people coming regardless of the reason. Money is money.

The first room you enter at 19 is a room for drinks/hors d'ouvres. The proper restaurant space (on the other side of the building through the middle bar--noted for the massive pearls and circular raw bar features) restricts wanderers and access as well. At R2L the bar space provides a very clear, very wonderful view, and is generally packed. The restaurant space is clearly separated and funneled through a hostess stand b/c they want to "embrace" everyone but respect the diners who are forking out hundreds $$ to eat a meal cooked by one of the city's most acclaimed chefs.

The point for keeping the spaces separate isn't to restrict the single elderly man and his fanny-pack who invisibly tip-toes through the diners and quietly and respectfully snaps a few photos - it's to prevent groups of college kids taking selfies, 6 super drunk expense accounters, bachelerotte parties (of which they get a TON at the bar), etc. I don't know how old you are but this feels like the dichotomy of the "me" generation vs the "there's a rule for a reason so shut the F*^& up and enjoy the perfectly wonderful view at the bar" generation.

[alasi]

Originally Posted by Londonee

The first room you enter at 19 is a room for drinks/hors d'ouvres. The proper restaurant space (on the other side of the building through the middle bar--noted for the massive pearls and circular raw bar features) restricts wanderers and access as well. At R2L the bar space provides a very clear, very wonderful view, and is generally packed. The restaurant space is clearly separated and funneled through a hostess stand b/c they want to "embrace" everyone but respect the diners who are forking out hundreds $$ to eat a meal cooked by one of the city's most acclaimed chefs.

The point for keeping the spaces separate isn't to restrict the single elderly man and his fanny-pack who invisibly tip-toes through the diners and quietly and respectfully snaps a few photos - it's to prevent groups of college kids taking selfies, 6 super drunk expense accounters, bachelerotte parties (of which they get a TON at the bar), etc. I don't know how old you are but this feels like the dichotomy of the "me" generation vs the "there's a rule for a reason so shut the F*^& up and enjoy the perfectly wonderful view at the bar" generation.

My God, what a totally rational and adult view

[Philly-Drew]

Here is a cool pic I just took of the skyline on a cloudy day. I guess we know why some buildings are called skyscrapers!

[Flyers2001]

Here's a couple that I took of Ucity's emergence.

[hammersklavier]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Taney and Girard - 2600 block of Girard
Nice sized development. Update from NakedPhilly



http://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-philly

Nice rat.

[Boku]

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/br...duct_park.html

Great news!

[BenKatzPhillytoParis]

Originally Posted by Boku

http://www.philly.com/philly/news/br...duct_park.html

Great news!

This is really great news! It will make the completion fo the other phase inevitable (though hopefully not the trench/cut which should be transit. This will squarely put Erasorhood within an active, lively greater Center City envelope. Also exciting after the completion of Dilworth, Sister Cities, and the Boardwalk to see another great park project get started.

[jsbrook]

Nothing really we don't know, but a nice look at some of the larger (and smaller) projects going on. Great picture of FMC too!

http://www.phillymag.com/property/20...nging-forward/

[br323206]

Originally Posted by Londonee

The first room you enter at 19 is a room for drinks/hors d'ouvres. The proper restaurant space (on the other side of the building through the middle bar--noted for the massive pearls and circular raw bar features) restricts wanderers and access as well. At R2L the bar space provides a very clear, very wonderful view, and is generally packed. The restaurant space is clearly separated and funneled through a hostess stand b/c they want to "embrace" everyone but respect the diners who are forking out hundreds $$ to eat a meal cooked by one of the city's most acclaimed chefs.

The point for keeping the spaces separate isn't to restrict the single elderly man and his fanny-pack who invisibly tip-toes through the diners and quietly and respectfully snaps a few photos - it's to prevent groups of college kids taking selfies, 6 super drunk expense accounters, bachelerotte parties (of which they get a TON at the bar), etc. I don't know how old you are but this feels like the dichotomy of the "me" generation vs the "there's a rule for a reason so shut the F*^& up and enjoy the perfectly wonderful view at the bar" generation.

Well I've eaten there many times but on this particular day I was not hungry, I just wanted a drink and a view. The fact of the matter is you can't see as well from the bar area. The dining room was empty. There were no diners anywhere near where we tried to stand for five minutes to get a glimpse of the view that the bar exists to take advantage of. It is a silly policy when the place isn't that busy and they lost the goodwill of one customer at least.

But thank you for your input. Now back to development...

[BenKatzPhillytoParis]

Originally Posted by br323206

Well I've eaten there many times but on this particular day I was not hungry, I just wanted a drink and a view. The fact of the matter is you can't see as well from the bar area. The dining room was empty. There were no diners anywhere near where we tried to stand for five minutes to get a glimpse of the view that the bar exists to take advantage of. It is a silly policy when the place isn't that busy and they lost the goodwill of one customer at least.

But thank you for your input. Now back to development...

Ya, I get that certain restrictions exist for reasons Londonee suggested, but this sounds just downright petty. And I actually see it as part of a pattern. Having lived years on and off in Philly and Europe, I see that many nice places in Philly (and elsewhere in the States) try to borrow a certain upscale charm from Europe, mainly drawing on French and Italian traditions. This is welcome and adds to the great culinary and bar scene in Philly. Yet, many of these efforts end up leaving a bad taste in patrons' mouth because they often come with a laundry list of rules. The end result is making a potentially fun occasion feel overly precious, when the traditions these places are trying to borrow from or evoke succeed precisely because they meld casual with elegant.

[Philly-Drew]

Originally Posted by br323206

Well I've eaten there many times but on this particular day I was not hungry, I just wanted a drink and a view. The fact of the matter is you can't see as well from the bar area. The dining room was empty. There were no diners anywhere near where we tried to stand for five minutes to get a glimpse of the view that the bar exists to take advantage of. It is a silly policy when the place isn't that busy and they lost the goodwill of one customer at least.

But thank you for your input. Now back to development...

I agree that R2L misses out on the view, and I've told the maitre d on two separate occasions. The lounge is terribly designed for the view. There is a large bench up against the window for crying out loud, which forces guests to Sit with their back against the view.If sitting across from that bench, then you have to stand up and look over other people to see some of the view. If you want to get close to the window, well then your crotch is in someone's face. Also, considering the number of tables in the restaraunt, I would expect many more tables to have a decent view. Some tables barely have a view at all.

I told management at R2L that they should redesign the dining by taking a page out of what the Signature Room in the John Handcock building in Chicago did. The designer of the SR knew exactly how to maximize the view for the pleasure of the guests.

The view from R2L may be considered better than say at XIX, but the view from XIX is much, much more accessible and enjoyable imho.

[shadowbat2]

3/15 updates....

15th and Walnut:
007 by tehshadowbat, on Flickr

009 by tehshadowbat, on Flickr

040 by tehshadowbat, on Flickr

1100 block of Chestnut:
013 by tehshadowbat, on Flickr

027 by tehshadowbat, on Flickr

029 by tehshadowbat, on Flickr

028 by tehshadowbat, on Flickr

Some activity at Penn South:
059 by tehshadowbat, on Flickr