Quote:
Originally Posted by R5Ryder
1. I didn't make any point about the financials.
4. I never said that.
5. Nice speech, but you're arguing against yourself. Again, never made any points about anything other than aesthetics.
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I suspect that this post was aimed more at
wanderer34 than you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by wanderer34
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I still don't see how the CITC is better than the ACC, considering the ACC had the better design, had the better economical plan (pension fund plus 50% of office space would've been leased to the major tenant as opposed to the Comcast Center, where 90% is leased; similar to how the Sears Tower started out and we know what happened after Sears left the building), and the aesthetics were better. But I guess that's just how Philly is: always looking to be mediocre !!!!!
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The underlined above is ludicrous.
Quote:
Originally Posted by R5Ryder
Part of me thinks that the boring box actually enhances the liberties, since the contrast serves to draw even more attention to their details.
As for Market East, until something changes that rids the area of the pawn shops, cash for gold shops, knock-off electronics shops, and the general riff raff that comes along with the convention center, I can't see it as becoming a meaningfull part of the CBD. Especially not with that Market 8 proposal, which IMO will make Market East even worse of a place. It's a shame that people come in to town for conventions or conferences and for many, that's their lasting memory of Philadelphia.
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As for Market East, I think the gaping surface lots on Market and Chestnut and the numerous vacancies are more of a problem than the existing shops. There's nothing wrong with having retail that caters to a mix of incomes. Check cashing places are terrible in their predatory business model, but are there any even left in this area? The big problem with Market East isn't what's there currently, it's what isn't there. There are many significant buildings that are vacant or mostly vacant. There are massive surface lots. And the gallery is just a huge blank wall an utterly fails as an urban building.
I agree though that Market 8 has just as much potential to make things worse as it does to make things better. If their projections are off in terms of people and revenue, we could be looking at adding a bunch of retail spots and a hotel without many new patrons. That would just cannibalize from the existing market and probably lead to more vacancy and blight. It seems very unlikely that the Gaming Board will pick Market 8 though based on recent news proposals and i suspect that this one will be dead by the end of the year.