PHILADELPHIA | Lowrise/General Developments Thread II

[Frontst17]

Actually kind of disappointing to hear about the Manayunk beer garden. That’s such an asset to have there. Appreciate the density though

[blart]

From Friday, 5/22
Future West Collection in Fishtown, Frankford near Girard

[PurpleWhiteOut]

Pretty disappointing they repainted gray instead of restoring the red brick since i saw they had the old paint job partially removed. The containers look a lot dumber than I expected, but ill have to see it in person. Could be the bright yellow thats off putting to me. I expected a mute blue or green. The windows look nice so I'll give them that.

[Holt]

Found renderings for Penn's renovation/expansion/demolition of the DRL, looks pretty cool. http://coarchitects.com/projects/science...pennsylvania-physical-sciences-building/

[Philly Fan]

Originally Posted by Holt

Found renderings for Penn's renovation/expansion/demolition of the DRL, looks pretty cool. http://coarchitects.com/projects/science...pennsylvania-physical-sciences-building/

Wow, thanks for posting that! I was just trying to find any info on that a few days ago, and came up empty.

[Holt]

Originally Posted by Philly Fan

Wow, thanks for posting that! I was just trying to find any info on that a few days ago, and came up empty.

some additional Penn renovation info here, with renderings for the new Annenberg theatre and Commons renovations. https://www.thedp.com/article/2025/11/penn-renovations-commons-annenberg-update

[PurpleWhiteOut]

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia...builders-1527-callowhill-apartments.html

16th and Callowhill pivoting to an 8 story midrise instead of townhomes. Makes a lot more sense for the location.

[BroadandMarket]

Originally Posted by PurpleWhiteOut

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia...builders-1527-callowhill-apartments.html

16th and Callowhill pivoting to an 8 story midrise instead of townhomes. Makes a lot more sense for the location.

"underground parking garage with 65 spots."

Hmmm how will this work with the city branch tunnel? Obviously though this is a huge upgrade and makes a lot more sense. No one wants to spend that much money to have their rowhome front door essentially next to a highway. I wish PennDot would rethink the cloverleaf ramps. At a minimum they could be changed into useful park area with basketball courts, a dog park etc.

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by PurpleWhiteOut

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia...builders-1527-callowhill-apartments.html

16th and Callowhill pivoting to an 8 story midrise instead of townhomes. Makes a lot more sense for the location.

Love this. Much better than townhomes in this location. Great design. Will be a great addition to the area.

Originally Posted by BroadandMarket

"underground parking garage with 65 spots."

Hmmm how will this work with the city branch tunnel? Obviously though this is a huge upgrade and makes a lot more sense. No one wants to spend that much money to have their rowhome front door essentially next to a highway. I wish PennDot would rethink the cloverleaf ramps. At a minimum they could be changed into useful park area with basketball courts, a dog park etc.

This building is being built on the parking lot portion just south of the city branch. The parking lot portion that covers it and sits north of the branch will remain.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Love this. Much better than townhomes in this location. Great design. Will be a great addition to the area.



This building is being built on the parking lot portion just south of the city branch. The parking lot portion that covers it and sits north of the branch will remain.

I don't disagree but 30 owner occupied homes selling at $1.5MM - $2.0MM is better (in aggregate) for the city of Philadelphia.

And they would have sold. Quickly.

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

I don't disagree but 30 owner occupied homes selling at $1.5MM - $2.0MM is better (in aggregate) for the city of Philadelphia.

And they would have sold. Quickly.

Oh I agree, but this particular site is way more suited for an apartment building and density than 30 townhomes. 30 townhomes belong at 17th and Pine lot, not here.

[PHL10]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Oh I agree, but this particular site is way more suited for an apartment building and density than 30 townhomes. 30 townhomes belong at 17th and Pine lot, not here.

Did you just point to 17th and Pine as a random example or is there actually something happening there? You could sell 2-3 million dollar homes at that site - mind boggling that it's still surface lot.

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by PHL10

Did you just point to 17th and Pine as a random example or is there actually something happening there? You could sell 2-3 million dollar homes at that site - mind boggling that it's still surface lot.

Just an example lol. I walk by that damn lot like 2-3 times a week and it irks me every single time. You could easily sell $2M-$7M dollar homes here depending on the size.

[Radio5]

Anybody know if there were, are plans to complete the cap from Penns landing to the korean memorial? Was it because of air filtration, money?

[PHLtoNYC]

Some Center City retail updates (I'm sure I am missing some)...

Madis Coffee Roasters opening at 210 South 12th (also recently opened in the long vacant W/Element retail space).

Mitchell & Ness opened a few days ago at 1513 Walnut.

Palm Vintage (sushi and cocktail bar) opened in the Residences at the Ritz retail space.

Toast (British clothing retailer) opened on Locust (former Usona space).

Blank Street Coffee coming to old Starbucks space at 18th/Spruce.

The long vacant Irish Pub next to My Loup will be home to a version of Emei Restaurant (popular Sichuan spot in Chinatown).

Juice Pod at 1845 Walnut.

PVolve Fitness opening at 1735 Market Street.

Poke Bowl at 1900 Market Street.

Mini Whole Foods coming to 2221 South Street.

A few Yemeni coffee spots around Center City have recently opened.

Pandora on Walnut closed.


I'm loving all the food/drink concepts, hopefully that soon extends into retail.

[BroadandMarket]

Originally Posted by Radio5

Anybody know if there were, are plans to complete the cap from Penns landing to the korean memorial? Was it because of air filtration, money?

The cap will stop at Walnut so no. And yes it was probably because if Chestnut to Delancey were fully capped, it would qualify as a tunnel and need more costly fire suppression and air filtration systems. I don't see that last section being capped anytime soon, if ever. The grade changes pretty dramatically there too.

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

Some Center City retail updates (I'm sure I am missing some)...

Madis Coffee Roasters opening at 210 South 12th (also recently opened in the long vacant W/Element retail space).

Mitchell & Ness opened a few days ago at 1513 Walnut.

Palm Vintage (sushi and cocktail bar) opened in the Residences at the Ritz retail space.

Toast (British clothing retailer) opened on Locust (former Usona space).

Blank Street Coffee coming to old Starbucks space at 18th/Spruce.

The long vacant Irish Pub next to My Loup will be home to a version of Emei Restaurant (popular Sichuan spot in Chinatown).

Juice Pod at 1845 Walnut.

PVolve Fitness opening at 1735 Market Street.

Poke Bowl at 1900 Market Street.

Mini Whole Foods coming to 2221 South Street.

A few Yemeni coffee spots around Center City have recently opened.

Pandora on Walnut closed.


I'm loving all the food/drink concepts, hopefully that soon extends into retail.

Osteria AMA (BYOB) 120 Market street

The Monto 200 block Market street

[3rd&Brown]

I don't want to be a negative nancy, but I'm gonna be a negative nancy.

The World Cup is weeks away and the city looks like dogsh*t.

The twice a week trash collection is not working. The densely packed neighborhoods on the outskirts of Center City that don't have the benefit of the Center City District look like sh*t. There's trash everywhere, exacerbated by the 2X a week and this twice yearly citywide cleanup is useless. Fishtown and Northern Liberties supposedly had their cleanup days already in this go around and I didn't see evidence of a single finger lifted by the city. There is litter EVERYWHERE.

I'm losing patience with this administration. Doing everything but the most logical things and spending the most doing it. JUST GIVE US STREET CLEANING ALREADY. The conditions of the streets are horrific. Potholes, sinkholes everywhere. Streets being pulled up entirely to replace utilities (without burying power lines) and then re-opened within weeks due to poor planning and utilities re-opening them weeks or months later.

I have distinct memories of how good the city looked prior to big national events in the past (ex: RNC, DNC). You would have no idea so many blockbuster events were happening in the city this year.

[BroadandMarket]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

I
The twice a week trash collection is not working.

I've been emailing my council member constantly about this and encourage you to do the same. It's a dumb solution to a problem that has already been solved. Every dollar going to twice per week trash collection should be for street sweeping and more public trash cans.

There were 13 trash holidays last year which means that 25% of twice per week trash pick ups are cancelled. This doesn't include the cancellations we had last year for snow (twice) and PGW (once). So that was 16 times (30.7%). So 16/52 times, the trash sat out on Sunday night until Friday morning because of a dumb system that thinks people will actually follow those rules.

[PHLtoNYC]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

I don't want to be a negative nancy, but I'm gonna be a negative nancy.

The World Cup is weeks away and the city looks like dogsh*t.

The twice a week trash collection is not working. The densely packed neighborhoods on the outskirts of Center City that don't have the benefit of the Center City District look like sh*t. There's trash everywhere, exacerbated by the 2X a week and this twice yearly citywide cleanup is useless. Fishtown and Northern Liberties supposedly had their cleanup days already in this go around and I didn't see evidence of a single finger lifted by the city. There is litter EVERYWHERE.

I'm losing patience with this administration. Doing everything but the most logical things and spending the most doing it. JUST GIVE US STREET CLEANING ALREADY. The conditions of the streets are horrific. Potholes, sinkholes everywhere. Streets being pulled up entirely to replace utilities (without burying power lines) and then re-opened within weeks due to poor planning and utilities re-opening them weeks or months later.

I have distinct memories of how good the city looked prior to big national events in the past (ex: RNC, DNC). You would have no idea so many blockbuster events were happening in the city this year.

Not Philadelphia, and it may not make you feel better lol, but since Mamdani took office in NYC, I've noticed daily QOL and safety improvements in Manhattan (and I'm sure in other boroughs).

Repaving avenues
More and better bike lanes
Repainted bus lines and larger pedestrian crossing areas on busy corridors like 42nd Street
Trash containerization pilots in each borough
More street sweeping (which I notice)
Plans to introduce park space and green space

Besides some of his more polarizing views, I find these simple fixes far more impressive than the lofty ideas politicians usually pitch and never deliver.

Back to Philadelphia... When it comes to simple fixes, it often feels like the process is to commission a study (or several), reinvent the wheel, change course midway, and then deliver a half-ass final product. Street sweeping and above ground utilities have long been a pet peeve of mine.

Why not simply adapt and replicate what has already worked in New York, Chicago, DC, and Boston?