PHILADELPHIA | River Walk | Two Towers | 363 FT & 315 FT | 32 FLOORS & 28 FLOORS

[City Wide]

Originally Posted by 1487

dont see that ever happening. You don't see new rail lines run in urban areas for a reason. This route is likely very valuable and any diversion of trains around this area would probably add many hours to each trip. Which of course would cost CSX many millions per year.

no new lines would be needed. The high line would need to be double tracked and some new inter line connections made in south Philly and somewhere either in N or NW Philly.
There are/used to be Cities where all/most of the freight rail lines were owned and managed by some sortof co-op. Back in the day this was done to get rid of needless rail crossing and overlapping tracks, in other words it served the railroads first and foremost. But I'd like to see the same model used to help in different directions.
The State of Pa. paid to deepen tunnels and make other improvements to allow double stacked rail cars. If losing use of the east side rail lines costs CSX alittle extra in time----tough. Maybe if city council figured out how to tax freight trains running through CC the practice would end. Seems like the soda tax is having that effect for soda!
I come back to asking everyone to think what the park could be like without those dam tracks running tight up against Center City, and what the cost has been and will be to continue to keep them there. I know its not a over night fix, but if it could be made a goal then at least the costs could be counted.
Its very easy to pull up rail maps of Philly for any who are interested.

[hammersklavier]

Originally Posted by City Wide

no new lines would be needed. The high line would need to be double tracked and some new inter line connections made in south Philly and somewhere either in N or NW Philly.
There are/used to be Cities where all/most of the freight rail lines were owned and managed by some sortof co-op. Back in the day this was done to get rid of needless rail crossing and overlapping tracks, in other words it served the railroads first and foremost. But I'd like to see the same model used to help in different directions.
The State of Pa. paid to deepen tunnels and make other improvements to allow double stacked rail cars. If losing use of the east side rail lines costs CSX alittle extra in time----tough. Maybe if city council figured out how to tax freight trains running through CC the practice would end. Seems like the soda tax is having that effect for soda!
I come back to asking everyone to think what the park could be like without those dam tracks running tight up against Center City, and what the cost has been and will be to continue to keep them there. I know its not a over night fix, but if it could be made a goal then at least the costs could be counted.
Its very easy to pull up rail maps of Philly for any who are interested.

The High Line not being double-tracked isn't actually the problem here. A much bigger issue is that the structure itself probably needs to be rebuilt to handle two trains passing. CSX also maintains a yard down by Forgotten Bottom that it uses the east side line to access. There are a lot of interwoven issues going on; if it isn't one thing, it's another.

[mcgrath618]

Originally Posted by hammersklavier

The High Line not being double-tracked isn't actually the problem here. A much bigger issue is that the structure itself probably needs to be rebuilt to handle two trains passing. CSX also maintains a yard down by Forgotten Bottom that it uses the east side line to access. There are a lot of interwoven issues going on; if it isn't one thing, it's another.

The structure and original layout was and is 2 tracks, just one isn't used and has been torn up in most places

[hammersklavier]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

The structure and original layout was and is 2 tracks, just one isn't used and has been torn up in most places

I've been watching that viaduct for a while. CSX periodically shifts the active track, I suppose to keep the overall wear on the viaduct even. It's the biggest reason why I think the problem is a weight one much more than a capacity one.

[City Wide]

Now back to regular programing!

[Boku]

PMC's Schuylkill-side towers come before city commission in step forward for project

http://www.philly.com/philly/busines...permarket.html

PMC Property Group is moving forward with its plan for a pair of residential towers along the Schuylkill’s eastern bank near Arch Street, with legislation to permit the proposal about to come before the Philadelphia Planning Commission.

The commission is scheduled to consider a bill Tuesday that would extend through 2020 a previously passed — and since lapsed — zoning change allowing the towers at the site. It also would permit above-ground parking to be built there, which PMC says is necessary because the site’s location on a flood plain makes an underground garage unfeasible.

PMC’s proposal calls for 32- and 28-story towers with 321 and 291 units, with space for retail tenants that are to include a large supermarket.

[McBane]

Good news.

Not related, but wondering if anyone can tell me what work is being done on JFK Blvd in this vicinity?

[wondertwinalpha]

Originally Posted by McBane

Not related, but wondering if anyone can tell me what work is being done on JFK Blvd in this vicinity?

They are redoing the viaducts over 21st, 22nd, & 23rd. They are also supposed to be building a stair/ramp combo with access from JFK @ 23rd down to 22nd street level on the north side of JFK.

[summersm343]

Very nice!

[1487]

Originally Posted by wondertwinalpha

They are redoing the viaducts over 21st, 22nd, & 23rd. They are also supposed to be building a stair/ramp combo with access from JFK @ 23rd down to 22nd street level on the north side of JFK.

yes and the next big project will be rebuilding the chestnut street bridge from 22nd st to 30th and the section over 76 which is called Schuykyll Ave. I believe. I would expect significant pedestrian and bike lane improvements from that project.

[Flyers2001]

Hopefully that vote from city council can happen soon.

I know there is some things that could be done better with this project, but this empty lot has been there far too long. I think in the end these buildings will fit in nicely.

[El Duderino]

Hasn't been mentioned here yet, but the Inquirer article was updated and the extension was approved. Pending the yet-to-be-scheduled city council vote, hopefully we'll get a summer start (per the article).

[mcgrath618]

Ok, I'm really confused.
Idk if this has been brought up, but on their official website, this is one of the renderings:

What is that thing in the top right, over the train tracks?

[cafeguy]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

Ok, I'm really confused.
Idk if this has been brought up, but on their official website, this is one of the renderings:
What is that thing in the top right, over the train tracks?

This seems like a modified version of what they initially presented using air rights for the tracks. As for the building alignment, that's awful. Half your residents wouldn't have the ability to see any of the river. Pretty sure this is just one of the ideas they had floating around initially.

[iheartphilly]

I thouhgt this was the most recent version. See article and pics. Definitely better to building up for the views. More marketable and more money for each unit with view of city skyline or the river.

http://philly.curbed.com/2016/11/28/...mc-information

[Knight Hospitaller]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

Ok, I'm really confused.
Idk if this has been brought up, but on their official website, this is one of the renderings

Please, God, no. How about a link? I don't see Riverwalk at all on either PMC website that I visited (consumer or corporate).

[iheartphilly]

Originally Posted by Knight Hospitaller

Please, God, no. How about a link? I don't see Riverwalk at all on either PMC website that I visited (consumer or corporate).

Not that much more of info, but here you go:

http://corporate.pmcpropertygroup.co...ved-tweaks-pmc

[Knight Hospitaller]

Originally Posted by iheartphilly

Not that much more of info, but here you go:

http://corporate.pmcpropertygroup.co...ved-tweaks-pmc

Thanks. I just went to this and the rendering is of the two towers that we're expecting. Maybe they goofed and updated it in the interim? Not sure where McGrath got his photo.

[Brandywine Rocks]

Personally not a fan of PMC's work but they seem to be to the one mid level company that actually gets things done in Philadlephia.

I like buildings designs with symmetry + adequate proportions. These look like they are about 30 stories tall and 2 stories wide. No good even at that they look like an improvement on their past work.





https://cdn0.vox-cdn.com/thumbor/qYM...c__Gensler.jpg

[City Wide]

Damn, these look ugly. I don't understand the slight angle on the south building; maybe its trying to look like its in parallel with the SEPTA tracks. And the architect in usual architect speak talked about the "power of having twin buildings", such bullshit.
These are so cheap looking that they make "One Riverside" look like a real gift to the City!
All I can say is that they'll fit right in with the other junk that's been built over the years right there along the river.
Personally I would be more then ok with nothing being built there until a reasonable design was presented. It burns me when the City is so willing to hand out changes to the law regulating zoning and/or give variances and then asks for nothing in return. I would think that would the perfect time to try to cut a deal for better design.