PHILADELPHIA | Highrise Development Thread X

[Urbanthusiat]

Originally Posted by Gatorade_Jim

I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to see late night service. I wonder how late they’ll be open. I’m hoping to god for midnight but I’ll take 10pm.

I would guess at least 11pm, probably midnight, I don't consider 10pm to be "late-night." That said I'm not sure of the market for upscale fish places... this is a way different location but The Fin next to the Fillmore opened less than a year ago and is already closed. Just don't hear of people going to fish places too often... We'll see!

[PHLtoNYC]

Originally Posted by Gatorade_Jim

I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to see late night service. I wonder how late they’ll be open. I’m hoping to god for midnight but I’ll take 10pm.

The other locations (Houston, Baltimore, Boca Raton) are open until 12am-2am most nights. I imagine Philadelphia will be similar, which would be great.

Originally Posted by Urbanthusiat

I would guess at least 11pm, probably midnight, I don't consider 10pm to be "late-night." That said I'm not sure of the market for upscale fish places... this is a way different location but The Fin next to the Fillmore opened less than a year ago and is already closed. Just don't hear of people going to fish places too often... We'll see!

The Loch Bar in Houston is also across from a Steak 48, the owner mentioned the concepts compliment each other. And as you said, S. Broad is a much different location than the Fillmore. Being located on a strong residential, business, and tourist corridor will likely make this place successful.

[TonyTone]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

The other locations (Houston, Baltimore, Boca Raton) are open until 12am-2am most nights. I imagine Philadelphia will be similar, which would be great.



The Loch Bar in Houston is also across from a Steak 48, the owner mentioned the concepts compliment each other. And as you said, S. Broad is a much different location than the Fillmore. Being located on a strong residential, business, and tourist corridor will likely make this place successful.

Late night is 100% 12-4am. Now will they stay open that late probably not.

1 bad thing about the pandemic that still occurs to this day is reduced hours, and 24 hour places, it's a shame the pandemic destroyed all the momentum built in the city from transit to restaurants.

I was shocked to visit NYC This summer, and go to a bar at 2am and they are open and have a Late Late night menu that still served food, I was blown the hell away, I've seen a 12am menu but a 2am menu, I was upset that we only have a few places that stay open to at least 2am in the city on the weekends, none on the weekdays, and very few that serve food that late besides fast food, and Wawa.

[PHLJD13]

Originally Posted by Urbanthusiat

That said I'm not sure of the market for upscale fish places... this is a way different location but The Fin next to the Fillmore opened less than a year ago and is already closed. Just don't hear of people going to fish places too often... We'll see!

Yes, that's because it was next to the Fillmore. Center City has a much stronger market for upscale seafood and raw bars (e.g. Oyster House, Vernick Fish, Pearl & Mary). Very excited about this new concept.

[JohnIII]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

What was the original planned height?

I know it was under 900' but that was decades ago so I don't remember off the top of my head. When my father did work in Liberty One they were saying that Mellon Bank would be between 850-900' but the funny thing was that many were also saying that Liberty One would be 1000'. Many were excited to see the towers built but many also opposed them.

[TK2001]

Originally Posted by JohnIII

I know it was under 900' but that was decades ago so I don't remember off the top of my head. When my father did work in Liberty One they were saying that Mellon Bank would be between 850-900' but the funny thing was that many were also saying that Liberty One would be 1000'. Many were excited to see the towers built but many also opposed them.

While lots of sources say 945 feet and 965 feet, I have seen "over 1,000 feet" and specifically 1,005 feet. Mellon was planned to originally be 880 feet, but that one elevation I posted the tower looks close to 850 feet (yet on the two model images, the pinnacle of the pyramid nearly lines up with One Liberty Place's roof). I think they were toying with the height a lot during the design process, as we can see on the sketches and models on the previous page. Early articles I found stated they first proposed at 35-story tower, then in June 1984 it was revealed the tower would be 60 or more stories, then in August 1986 when the tower was revealed, it was 53-stories.

[JohnIII]

Originally Posted by TK2001

While lots of sources say 945 feet and 965 feet, I have seen "over 1,000 feet" and specifically 1,005 feet. Mellon was planned to originally be 880 feet, but that one elevation I posted the tower looks close to 850 feet (yet on the two model images, the pinnacle of the pyramid nearly lines up with One Liberty Place's roof). I think they were toying with the height a lot during the design process, as we can see on the sketches and models on the previous page. Early articles I found stated they first proposed at 35-story tower, then in June 1984 it was revealed the tower would be 60 or more stories, then in August 1986 when the tower was revealed, it was 53-stories.

This news is remarkable regarding Liberty and Mellon Tower because I remember around 1986 many workers said Liberty One would be 1000,; they even had sweat shirts with an image of Liberty One on the back saying it. If Liberty One is 1005' it would make sense.

I know that downtown is about 30 feet above sea level so that probably isn't playing a factor in the height of Liberty One however now a new question arises. If Liberty One is 1005' in height; then Comcast One is taller that many say as is the Comcast Tech Tower. Should the heights be revised to reflect the alternative?

If the builders said Liberty One was over 1000' it makes sense to believe them I guess; at the time I was just glad they built it.

Mellon Tower is also a really good tower; one of the best on the East Coast. While Liberty One was record breaking; it seems Mellon Bank Tower sets a trend that gives Philadelphia an expectancy of classy and tasteful trophy towers.

[iheartphilly]

^
A great example of postmodern architecture style. 792ft and 54 floors. Beautiful both inside and outside, with details not found in today's builds. Hard to fine another comparable building IMO. We will probably not see another one built like this again.

[TK2001]

I also want to point out that the tower was stated to be 53-stories before and during the construction process. Overlooking the rendering and an elevation, it looks as if where Pyramid Club is now was supposed to be open air, including seemingly no large floor to floor glass panels and definitely an open air roof with the columns supporting the "roof" and crown

Mellon Bank Center rendering--Image by KPF by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr

Mellon Bank Center rendering close up--Image by KPF by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr

Mellon Bank Center crown elevation--Image by KPF by Philly SkyGuy, on Flickr

[SJPhillyBoy]

Construction to begin capping I-95, creating new park at Penn's Landing

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...struction.html

Philadelphia Business Journal

[Mr Saturn64]

Originally Posted by SJPhillyBoy

Construction to begin capping I-95, creating new park at Penn's Landing

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...struction.html

Philadelphia Business Journal

This is the best project started in Philadelphia in years.

[reparcsyks]

A small update on what we didn’t miss out on. https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/4/23...rters-virginia

[Plokoon111]

Wow! They are having a tough time. There is a amazon fresh store in Bensalem that was supposed to open a year ago and is just sitting on hold.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by reparcsyks

A small update on what we didn’t miss out on. https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/4/23...rters-virginia

It still belongs here. I also read they stopped construction on their Nashville operations center. I'm sure it's related to cost cutting but there's also a chance it's tied to the ongoing political shenanigans in Tennessee.

[EastSideHBG]

Originally Posted by Plokoon111

Wow! They are having a tough time. There is a amazon fresh store in Bensalem that was supposed to open a year ago and is just sitting on hold.

And this, lots of money put into the conversion and now it is just sitting:

Amazon warehouse in converted Walmart in East Norriton listed as delayed
https://morethanthecurve.com/amazon-...ed-as-delayed/

It was unfortunate losing the Walmart. Say what you will about it but it was important to a large subset of the people in the area.

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by reparcsyks

A small update on what we didn’t miss out on. https://www.theverge.com/2023/3/4/23...rters-virginia

I mean...a campus to house 14,000 employees is still a full go and will open in June.

[reparcsyks]

Originally Posted by Londonee

I mean...a campus to house 14,000 employees is still a full go and will open in June.

True - but this is not an HQ2, or what was sold, in any stretch. Amazon is a different company today from when they puffed up their chest and made cities walk over hot coals for them. I honestly don't feel like we missed out, based on where we are today. In fact, if someone were to ask me if I wanted a gene therapy campus or Amazon campus for SY, the answer would be easy: gene therapy. I think we lucked out. I'm incredibly excited more excited for Spark to open.

[Londonee]

Originally Posted by reparcsyks

True - but this is not an HQ2, or what was sold, in any stretch. Amazon is a different company today from when they puffed up their chest and made cities walk over hot coals for them. I honestly don't feel like we missed out, based on where we are today. In fact, if someone were to ask me if I wanted a gene therapy campus or Amazon campus for SY, the answer would be easy: gene therapy. I think we lucked out. I'm incredibly excited more excited for Spark to open.

I think the initial number was 25,000 employees. Still, 14,000 employees in a large brand new complex is about what Comcast's HQ towers in Center City hold? Like, these aren't nominal numbers of employees. And obviously their promises were pre-pandemic so I'm not sure how fair it is to crush them for scaling office needs back a bit given the conditions.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by reparcsyks

In fact, if someone were to ask me if I wanted a gene therapy campus or Amazon campus for SY, the answer would be easy: gene therapy. I think we lucked out. I'm incredibly excited more excited for Spark to open.

I want both. Either way, it made us (as a city) flex our muscles and in the end, I think it was a good civic exercise. By many accounts (including those at Amazon HQ), it is accepted and well known that we had the best bid and I believe we scored the highest. In the end, they didn't follow their own stated criteria...nothing demonstrates that more than their decision to include Nashville as a winner.

[MadhattersLT]

I have a legit question about development in the city, not trying to have it become too political though ������. From the announcement of a Larger Project let’s say in the city, one could assume it has been in the works for a while. Then after it’s announced there’s sometimes many years before any movement. Why is that? If someone has put money out to acquire land and pay for engineering and architectural firms to come up with a plan hasn’t the demand been present for those moves to occur in the first place?? In Philly what’s the hold up with a lot of projects? Zoning, Unions, City government? PMC is an obvious exception to the example. Office Buildings I understand to an extent with signing a Tenant but residential buildings I don’t understand it as much. The demand is clearly there.