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  #21921  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2022, 4:26 PM
cardeza cardeza is offline
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Originally Posted by skyhigh07 View Post
^^^ Obviously, not a good situation and hopefully they can beaf up security. But I dunno, the city seems to keep moving forward despite of everything. Was walking around CC yesterday and it was the first time since I moved here two years ago that the bustle and foot traffic reminded me somewhat of New York when I used to live there. I was kinda surprised when I was waiting to cross broad on chestnut that there was a crowd of pedestrians in front of me. Usually, I’m used to waiting near the curb lol.

I’ve definitely noticed a new energy shift within the last month - probably because of Comcast employees and others returning part time.
foot traffic is up based on people being back in office- the overall conditions are not much better- especially along east chestnut/walnut/Market. Chestnut street is a mess with tons of vacancies and dilapidated storefronts often used as partial camp locations for those living on the street. People are back- but a lot of the retail establishments are long gone and you do not see much under construction in terms of tenant fit outs.
     
     
  #21922  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2022, 4:37 PM
skyhigh07 skyhigh07 is offline
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Originally Posted by cardeza View Post
foot traffic is up based on people being back in office- the overall conditions are not much better- especially along east chestnut/walnut/Market. Chestnut street is a mess with tons of vacancies and dilapidated storefronts often used as partial camp locations for those living on the street. People are back- but a lot of the retail establishments are long gone and you do not see much under construction in terms of tenant fit outs.
Hmm…stores that are currently being outfitted on Walnut are Express Edit, Van’s, Glossier, OV, Madewell, Aritizia, Faherty, Free People - several other openings have been announced within the last few months including Nike and Parachute Home.

Chestnut St has always had more problems but several retailers are in the process of opening up there or are making plans to, including the J Crew Factory outlet, Barnes and Noble and several restaurants.

Not entirely sure what “partial camp locations” you’re referring to. Like tents? You mean the homeless that sit on the sidewalks that have more or less always been there?

In any case, there’s been a pretty long discussion about this over the last few months. Summers made a post about all of the in the works retailers coming to Walnut. He was fairly upbeat about it and said it’s getting to a point where much of Walnut has been leased which is a good sign given the last few years. So unless you’re noticing a completely different trend, I’m not sure what else there is to say.

Last edited by skyhigh07; Oct 13, 2022 at 5:10 PM.
     
     
  #21923  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2022, 5:28 PM
PurpleWhiteOut PurpleWhiteOut is offline
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Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC View Post
Agreed. I like the second design more (and a larger), the downside was losing a nice building, but this project is great for N. Broad, so I'm happy.

It also has a relatively quick construction timeline - Opening late 2024.
It'll be a great use for the area, but I'm not thrilled that it has essentially a blank wall along Broad st. I get that having the entrance on Wood St will prevent lines of people from clogging up the sidewalk on Broad, but it's not exactly going to do much for the area when it's not in use. Broad St facing retail would have helped.
     
     
  #21924  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2022, 6:13 PM
Redddog Redddog is online now
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Chestnut St has always had more problems but several retailers are in the process of opening up there or are making plans to, including the J Crew Factory outlet, Barnes and Noble and several restaurants.

.
Barnes and Noble? Are they leaving the Ritt Sq location?
     
     
  #21925  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2022, 6:17 PM
Mtphilly Mtphilly is offline
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Barnes and Noble? Are they leaving the Ritt Sq location?
Yes, it’s moving to the old Forever 21 space on Chestnut Street.
     
     
  #21926  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2022, 6:18 PM
PHLtoNYC PHLtoNYC is online now
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Originally Posted by PurpleWhiteOut View Post
It'll be a great use for the area, but I'm not thrilled that it has essentially a blank wall along Broad st. I get that having the entrance on Wood St will prevent lines of people from clogging up the sidewalk on Broad, but it's not exactly going to do much for the area when it's not in use. Broad St facing retail would have helped.
This new building will house administrative and practice spaces too (not part of the original plans), so I think it will remain active more often than not.

I don't know if it is possible, but a cafe concept on Broad would have been nice.
     
     
  #21927  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2022, 6:20 PM
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Gatorade_Jim Gatorade_Jim is offline
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Barnes and Noble? Are they leaving the Ritt Sq location?
Yeah. Moving into the old forever 21 I believe. I’m happy about it. I don’t think I’ve ever been in that B&N when all of the escalators were actually working.
     
     
  #21928  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2022, 6:23 PM
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Gatorade_Jim Gatorade_Jim is offline
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Speaking of retail vacancy, anyone have an idea why the gym space on 15th and walnut has been vacant for like 8 years? It’s a good location and looks pretty clean but on google maps it’s been vacant since LA Fitness moved out in 2014.
     
     
  #21929  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2022, 6:24 PM
TempleGuy1000 TempleGuy1000 is online now
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I don't know if it is possible, but a cafe concept on Broad would have been nice.
I mean, there's a cafe about 15 feet from where the new building will be.

     
     
  #21930  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2022, 6:29 PM
TempleGuy1000 TempleGuy1000 is online now
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Speaking of retail vacancy, anyone have an idea why the gym space on 15th and walnut has been vacant for like 8 years? It’s a good location and looks pretty clean but on google maps it’s been vacant since LA Fitness moved out in 2014.
Yeah, I love that building. I'm sure the Sporting Club at the Belleuve on the same block didn't help the gym concept. It should be a best buy or a Micro Center. We need somewhere bigger to buy electronics in Center City. I will pay good money to not have to drive to the suburbs or Columbus Ave. hell.
     
     
  #21931  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2022, 6:37 PM
Redddog Redddog is online now
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Yeah. Moving into the old forever 21 I believe. I’m happy about it. I don’t think I’ve ever been in that B&N when all of the escalators were actually working.
Any plans for the B&N space on the Square?

That place is Yuuuge.
     
     
  #21932  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2022, 6:58 PM
reparcsyks reparcsyks is offline
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Not sure if any of you are following what's going on with the Warner/Discovery debacle that been/currently unfolding over the past few months. Why am I bringing this up in this thread? The rumor mill is on fire that Comcast will buy Warner/Discovery next Spring. I imagine that will have major implications for our city - one company will own NBC, Universal IP, Warner Bros IP, HBO and Discovery.
     
     
  #21933  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2022, 7:17 PM
PHLtoNYC PHLtoNYC is online now
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I mean, there's a cafe about 15 feet from where the new building will be.

Gabi is more of an evening restaurant. I was thinking something smaller (coffee shop).

And you can never have too many options! Either way, I wasn't the one who brought up the retail component. I am happy with the project either way.

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Originally Posted by reparcsyks View Post
Not sure if any of you are following what's going on with the Warner/Discovery debacle that been/currently unfolding over the past few months. Why am I bringing this up in this thread? The rumor mill is on fire that Comcast will buy Warner/Discovery next Spring. I imagine that will have major implications for our city - one company will own NBC, Universal IP, Warner Bros IP, HBO and Discovery.
I've heard this. If only some of the jobs would relocate to Philadelphia, even administrative operations would be cool.
     
     
  #21934  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2022, 7:23 PM
TempleGuy1000 TempleGuy1000 is online now
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Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC View Post
Gabi is more of an evening restaurant. I was thinking something smaller (coffee shop).

And you can never have too many options! Either way, I wasn't the one who brought up the retail component. I am happy with the project either way.
Lmao, I can eat my words on this one. Gabi is closed for good now anyway. Damn.
     
     
  #21935  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2022, 7:51 PM
PHLtoNYC PHLtoNYC is online now
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Lmao, I can eat my words on this one. Gabi is closed for good now anyway. Damn.
O wow, I didn't know it closed. I wonder why?

* Edit - Looks like because of Covid, I missed this article.

https://www.inquirer.com/food/gabi-m...-20220927.html
     
     
  #21936  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2022, 7:52 PM
skyhigh07 skyhigh07 is offline
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Lmao, I can eat my words on this one. Gabi is closed for good now anyway. Damn.
I went there a few months ago. It wasn’t particularly busy and it seemed like they had already cut back on staff quite a bit. Great service, but I don’t think the location was best suited for it. Hopefully, the PA Ballet will add some vibrancy to the area.
     
     
  #21937  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2022, 8:03 PM
skyhigh07 skyhigh07 is offline
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O wow, I didn't know it closed. I wonder why?

* Edit - Looks like because of Covid, I missed this article.

https://www.inquirer.com/food/gabi-m...-20220927.html
Yeah, sounds like they opened at the worst possible time sadly. I also agree with the article that it wasn’t exactly in an “A+ location”. Even with all of the development and things reopening on N Broad, it still feels a bit “tumbleweedy”. That being said, Spring Garden west of Broad started bustling after LVL North and the new Giant opened. It’s getting to be at CC levels.

“Gabi’s closing is “completely, 100% pandemic-related,” said Kenneth Bush, who operated the French restaurant, a sibling to Queen Village’s Bistrot La Minette, since its opening in November 2019 in a new multiuse building on a stretch of North Broad Street just outside of Center City.

It wasn’t exactly an A-plus location, but interest in the neighborhood had potential from a restaurateur’s standpoint. The Philadelphia Police Department’s headquarters was being built in the former Inquirer and Daily News Building a half-block away, next to School District of Philadelphia’s headquarters. Fans of urban life envisioned a quickly growing Broad Street scene stretching north, past South Jazz and Osteria, up to Cicala, at the Divine Lorraine Hotel.

The pandemic sent all of Gabi’s business outside to the sidewalk, past a cacophony of traffic coming off the Vine Expressway. Construction on Broad Street was brought down to a single lane, eliminating on-street parking. They got a $309,900 loan through the Paycheck Protection Program in 2020, of which $174,870 was forgiven, “but the rent and debt service were high,” Bush said in a phone chat.”
     
     
  #21938  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2022, 9:00 PM
McBane McBane is offline
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Yeah, sounds like they opened at the worst possible time sadly. I also agree with the article that it wasn’t exactly in an “A+ location”. Even with all of the development and things reopening on N Broad, it still feels a bit “tumbleweedy”. That being said, Spring Garden west of Broad started bustling after LVL North and the new Giant opened. It’s getting to be at CC levels.
Here's the problem with N. Broad: too many institutional type establishments that don't exactly drive a lot of foot traffic and activity. Starting at City Hall...

Municipal Services Building and that awful plaza. They can redo the plaza for sure, but with Love Park and Dilworth Park right there, it feels like another park/plaza is the last thing this area needs. Across the street, there's the Masonic Temple and a church - beautiful buildings but they don't really activate the street, unless you count the homeless who hang by the church. It's likely this block of N. Broad will be forever dead.

The next block is better with the aloft hotel, the Convention Center, and PAFA but still not exactly a thriving, vibrant block either.

As you go further up, there are garages, a few shabby office/medical buildings, parking lots, what used to be Hahneman Hospital. The retail offerings for this stretch include a McDonalds (still open?), a Walgreens, a nondescript pizzeria, a 7-11, and the PAFA shop (which seems to maintain erratic hours).

And then you hit Vine Street. Ironically, it's after Vine Street where they seems to be some momentum but there's still too many holes (parking lots, that giant data center, Roman Catholic High, etc.) that prevent a critical mass from forming and being able to support a contiguous string of retail and dining. That data center in particular is awful - wish they could include some ground floor retail there but I get it that there's not enough pedestrian traffic.
     
     
  #21939  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2022, 9:06 PM
Philly Fan Philly Fan is online now
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Originally Posted by reparcsyks View Post
Not sure if any of you are following what's going on with the Warner/Discovery debacle that been/currently unfolding over the past few months. Why am I bringing this up in this thread? The rumor mill is on fire that Comcast will buy Warner/Discovery next Spring. I imagine that will have major implications for our city - one company will own NBC, Universal IP, Warner Bros IP, HBO and Discovery.
Given the antitrust/regulatory hurdles that Comcast had to surmount when it purchased NBC Universal, I can't imagine that an acquisition like this wouldn't face similar opposition, if not even greater given that it now already owns NBCU. I'm not saying that it wouldn't ultimately be approved, but I definitely wouldn't assume that it would be.
     
     
  #21940  
Old Posted Oct 13, 2022, 10:03 PM
PHLJD13 PHLJD13 is offline
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The retail offerings for this stretch include a McDonalds (still open?), a Walgreens, a nondescript pizzeria, a 7-11, and the PAFA shop (which seems to maintain erratic hours).
Truly a retail desert until south of the Spring Garden Street intersection. Both the McDonalds and non-descript pizzeria have been closed several years, and neither has been replaced. In fact, none of One City's retail spaces have been filled since the apartments opened. There's a newer Starbucks in Aloft which keeps odd hours. And there's a Palm Tree Gourmet across from the now-closed Gabi which keeps busy from nearby apartment residents and the police HQ.
     
     
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