Even though I've never been to Philly apparently, I'd like to say that it seems a bit early to demo this perfectly fine structure. I just hope they're serious about this proposal and we don't end up with a hole in the ground for years on end. But if this is really moving forward then WOW!

The nondescript one story building with Cavanaughs is the only one getting complete demolition anyway

Yeah the three or four buildings fronting 19th and the couple fronting Chestnut are only having their rears demolished. The facades are all being restored a la Rittenhouse Coffee and the tower built behind them (a la St James).

Boom! Love it. That means work on this tower is likely starting soon :cheers:

I have to get to Cavanaughs for a last beer then

Patience grasshopper! But I too am excited to see this one get started. To me this one is a turning point of sorts for apartments in the City. Taller and probably more costly than any other built for rental. Plus, it's a pretty good looking design.

Has this been redesigned? Thought I saw a new rendering where the facade looked different (and not as good frankly).

Page 9 post #165 showcases my renderings of the tower based of the most recent documents above and below post #165. Official renderings of this new design hasn't been released, but I lined up my model with the document as best as I could to visualize what we might soon see

I believe these are the two versions we've seen.

From the CDR:
vs


From ?:
For what it's worth, centercityphila.org now has the same image as the CDR. Hopefully this bottom image is just an old mockup that leaked.

Simple logic here, the CDR rendering is higher fidelity. The devs likely paid more money for it (implying that they are more committed to that design).

Ugh that second version looks like a slightly elevated version of NYC public housing high rises. But I am pessimistic a developer would attempt a luxury tower without balconies. I feel like there was an interview with Dranoff when he was hyping Arthaus and one of his takeaways from his recent projects was that buyers wanted more balcony/outdoor space.

The Center City Phila website often has inaccurate and outdated info. I can almost guarantee that what was submitted to CDR is closer to what is being built.

What do you trust, an official submitted document with professional, high-fidelity renderings, or a website that has historically been known to post outdated info (their report every year includes projects that haven't seen movement in over 10 years) posting a 480p rendering?

I would imagine the CDR submission is more accurate, however, I don't think we know the final design of this one since the height was increased.

This will block the WSFS building when walking from the park to Market St. Somehow I hadn’t realized that. What an awesome development. I despise that building.

Whatever the final design turns to be, the devil is always in the details. Some developers care more than others, some architects will try harder than others, and some are just better than others. That continues all through the building process.

I personally like balconies from a design side, but I'm guessing they add a noticeable cost and ongoing expense if the building is going to be rental apartments. But I wouldn't be surprised if part or all of this building was designed and built with a future conversion to condos in mind. The developer can keep ownership for 10 or more years, milk the City tax and Federal depreciation for as much as possible, then sell off units as market forces dictate. I wonder if this might happen to the St. James on Washington Sq.

I hope this doesn't deter 1826 Chestnut Street

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...0c0bccd3_z.jpg1826 Chestnut Street 12-3-20

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...161562ec79.jpg1826 Chestnut Street 12-3-20 b

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...7441a76f_b.jpg1826 Chestnut Street

^ Maybe they'll feel the need to go slimmer and taller like one 'o dem Central Park South twigs.

Here is another “construction anticipated” which to me means “we need content”. If TK don’t write it it’s not worth much to me imo.

https://phillyyimby.com/2022/09/cons...nter-city.html

Demo permits pulled here for the non-historic parts:

https://eclipse.phila.gov/phillylmsp...ctId=517109906


Address
115-17 S 19TH ST, Philadelphia, PA 19103-4905
Primary Location: 115-17 S 19TH ST, Philadelphia, PA 19103-4905
Specific Location: COMPLETE DEMOLITION OF NON-HISTORIC BUILDINGS 113-119 S. 19TH PER PLANS

Doesn't anyone edit this stuff? He has 2 sentences talking about square footage of commercial space and the number of residential units, and contradicts the number of residential units.

"One of the most exciting development proposals on Philadelphia’s drawing boards is Harper Square at 113-21 South 19th Street in Rittenhouse Square, Center City. Designed by DAS Architecture and Planning and developed by Pearl Properties, the slim skyscraper is planned to rise 620 feet and 52 stories tall. The 267,874-square-foot structure will hold 215 residential units and 30,180 square feet of commercial space and incorporate existing historic buildings into the base. The development will include 30,180 square feet of commercial space at the lower floors and 183 residential units above. So far, only a preliminary approval permit had been issued, meaning that construction must await further permits to start,"

i think you know the answer to your question.

Obviously.
What do you get when you cross a riddle with a rhetorical question? :haha:

It's a hobbyist blog not the Wall Street Journal. Take it easy.

There’s a stop work notice on the building where the st pattys pop up was. I didn’t get a chance to look at it but I think they started demo work early. I saw some guys behind cavs a couple months ago doing work. They now have wood fencing up around the old cavs.

No way, get me the tar and feathers.

Jokes aside, I do agree "Construction Anticipated" Philly YIMBY articles are generally primo garbagio.

:yes:
I admire his passion and ambition.
He's trying to attract attention.
He's trying to make a living with his passion.

bunch of cats

Oh I absolutely admire and respect the hustle! I just have those fleeting moments of hope for real news and then I’m like ahh dang just a Construction Anticipated haha. Isn’t Philly YIMBY a team though? I hope I’m not mistaken there 😬, TK’s stuff is always really great I don’t mean to offend.

Yeah no, TK’s contributions to PhillyYIMBY are often the better ones, especially the historic breakdowns. Our general qualms are with some of the other contributors’ tendency to… we’ll call it stretch the truth.

Stop work order on 113 S 19th in the window.

What does that mean?

There’s a violation for that specific address dated Sept 7: https://li.phila.gov/Property-Histor...CF-2022-091899

Case number
CF-2022-091899
Priority
STANDARD
Date added
Sep. 07, 2022
Date updated
Sep. 07, 2022
Resolution date
Not Available
Violation number: VI-2022-067454 - A-301.1/6
+
Code
A-301.1/6
Type
PARTIAL DEMOLITION
Date
Sep. 07, 2022
Status
OPEN
A-301.1/6 short description
A BUILDING PERMIT IS REQUIRED FOR THE PARTIAL DEMOLITION OF A STRUCTURE.

Still an overbuild?
 

Uh oh, this is suddenly looking like less of an overbuild per a demolition zoning permit issued September 15 for complete demo of 113-119 S 19th St, but retaining 121 S 19th; the latter is protected by designation.

From the Eclipse daily zoning report from Sep 15:
ZP-2022-010409 Sep 15, 2022 115-17 S 19TH ST, Philadelphia, PA 19103-4905 113-119 S 19TH STREET LLC
Complete demolition of non-historic buildings 113-119 per plans

…and here’s the permit in eclipse: https://eclipse.phila.gov/phillylmsp...ctId=517109906

Note that this is only the zoning permit for demo. I believe they still need a separate actual demo permit.

The recently amended building permit CP-2020-006042, on the other hand, doesn’t specify demolition per se: https://eclipse.phila.gov/phillylmsp...ctId=284474070

Amendment:
**Amendment dated 09/12/2022: Including alterations to facades of 113-19 S 19TH ST (no work to exterior facades of 121 S 19TH ST), changing from deep foundation to mat foundation based on revised geotech report and foundation plans, changes to required special inspections and to special inspection agency (w/o change to DPRC-SI), and no other changes to previously approved work.**

Everyone seems to have overlooked this September 16th post, including me:

What is the deal with this project? Is it moving forward

Yes, apparently.

Well I saw this was issued last Friday 10/7/22. i was a bit confused and didn't know what to fully make of it. It was for 1824 Chestnut St. Maybe it will help to clear things up :shrug:

ZONING PERMIT: ZP-2022-010244
TYPE OF WORK: NEW CONSTRUCTION, ADDITION, GFA CHANGE

The typo(s) certainly don't help specifically but additional info:

https://eclipse.phila.gov/phillylmsp...ctId=515250927

Ugh! That does clarify for sure, particularly with the attached plan pdf showing demo of the 113-119 S 19th.

https://eclipse.phila.gov/phillylmsp...ctId=515250927

https://eclipse.phila.gov/phillylmsp...ctId=525864267

I know the address is slightly different, but I thought we already knew it was Cav's Rittenhouse getting demo'd.

The attached plans and description don’t seem to be saying the same thing weirdly.

I’m wondering if perhaps 113-119 S 19th will be getting a facadectomy while the townhouse on the corner is getting rehabbed?

Demolition Permit Could Be First Sign of Skinny Rittenhouse Tower

Read/view more here:
https://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-phil...tenhouse-tower

Hey McGrath (and others of course) I just happened to look at the commercial permit that was issued back on December 14th, 2022 and I noticed a minor update and/or some movement:

Approved Scope of Work:


AMENDMENT DESCRIPTION

https://eclipse.phila.gov/phillylmsp...ctId=537857108

Alright! Movement!

Lights have been on inside over the past month or so when passing by. Not construction light since it's not gutted, but people have definitely been in and out.

Demo permits are up for this one.

That makes me happy to hear since the site started to seem unsecured. The historic structures had started to take damage from graffiti and broken windows

By up, I assume you mean the demo permit notices are posted at the site? The extent of demolition was shown in a zoning permit attachment previously, but I see the actual demo permit was issued in October: https://eclipse.phila.gov/phillylmsp...ctId=621061794

Demolition Permit DP-2023-000905 (Issued)
Status: Issued
Application Date: Jul 13, 2023
Issue Date: Oct 13, 2023
Completed Date:
Expiration Date: Apr 13, 2024

We’ve known since late 2022 of the apparent pivot by Pearl Properties from the original façadist or overbuild plan to the complete demolition of 3 non-designated buildings, but this is a very disappointing outcome just the same.

Yes, I meant the demo notices are posted on the actual buildings now. They weren’t before. Are they demolishing the entire structures or just parts of the rears as originally planned?

So, it looks like they are going to knock down everything but the house on the corner? And apparently, they plan to clear the site of buildings without even having released renditions of what the building that takes their place might look like on the lower levels. If that's the case, it should not be permitted.

EDIT: Nevermind, you're right, only the corner building is in the rittenhouse/filter historic district. I'm surprised they aren't all in it.

I guess we'll have to see. I feel like I've seen projects pull complete demo permits even if they're leaving part of the structure

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...6ea620ee_b.jpg115 South 19th Street diagrams by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...c5e9d2f2_b.jpg115 South 19th Street diagrams by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr

Source:
http://s3.amazonaws.com/eclipse-docs...021-002518.pdf

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...281da3f6_b.jpg115 South 19th Street massing by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...b3cf422a_b.jpg115 South 19th Street massing by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...3e41ca9d_b.jpg115 South 19th Street massing by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...abb7b144_b.jpg115 South 19th Street massing by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...115726bf_c.jpg115 South 19th Street massing by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...153110b2_b.jpg115 South 19th Street massing by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr

I just wonder if this is still this version that will be built