PHILADELPHIA | The Arthaus @ 311 S. Broad | 542 FT | 47 FLOORS

[skyhigh07]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

Looks like this is about done!

Arthaus on the Avenue of the Arts Is Looking Even More Move-in Ready

https://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-phil...-move-in-ready

I think it’s more or less done. The first residents moved in back in June. For some reason, the headline and Insta post kind of made it seem like it’s still under construction and that no one has moved in yet lol.

[PHLtoNYC]

Originally Posted by skyhigh07

I think it’s more or less done. The first residents moved in back in June. For some reason, the headline and Insta post kind of made it seem like it’s still under construction and that no one has moved in yet lol.

Briefly OT, but what are your thoughts about the Broad Street Ministries re-opening next door? I've heard that stretch is sometimes not pleasant.

[skyhigh07]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

Briefly OT, but what are your thoughts about the Broad Street Ministries re-opening next door? I've heard that stretch is sometimes not pleasant.

I used to walk that stretch every day when they were open and honestly I didn’t even know they offered homeless services - I thought it was just a church. Unless there was other stuff going on at other times, I really didn’t see it.

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

Briefly OT, but what are your thoughts about the Broad Street Ministries re-opening next door? I've heard that stretch is sometimes not pleasant.

My daughter had a gig in the Doubleday Hotel IIRC across from the Merriman theatre that had an overnight week of filming. She said the scene on Broad street was like one out of a movie - with homeless junkies fighting and yelling al night long. Not a cop to be seen. She likened it to "Dawn of the Living Dead." They had to provide their own security to employees.

It is outrageous to me that there isn't more of an effort to control how the main stretches of this town look. The recent story about the new "night mayor" was such a joke to me. There is absolutely no way that this town, in it's present state, will be able to develop into a 24 hour city.

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

Looks like this is about done!

Arthaus on the Avenue of the Arts Is Looking Even More Move-in Ready

https://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-phil...-move-in-ready

[summersm343]

I agree. This one looks just about COMPLETE... we'll move this to the Completed Thread Archives soon.

[skyhigh07]

Originally Posted by Redddog

My daughter had a gig in the Doubleday Hotel IIRC across from the Merriman theatre that had an overnight week of filming. She said the scene on Broad street was like one out of a movie - with homeless junkies fighting and yelling al night long. Not a cop to be seen. She likened it to "Dawn of the Living Dead." They had to provide their own security to employees.

It is outrageous to me that there isn't more of an effort to control how the main stretches of this town look. The recent story about the new "night mayor" was such a joke to me. There is absolutely no way that this town, in it's present state, will be able to develop into a 24 hour city.

I’m in Center City quite a bit. The situation at night certainly isn’t good but I’m not sure if it’s quite like a zombie movie lol. Then again, I used to live in downtown LA so maybe my standards are pretty low. I mean just be thankful Philly doesn’t really allow homeless encampments, which is pretty much the norm in most big cities these days…

I admit I can get into the Negadelphian attitude sometimes and not that we shouldn’t be taking these issues seriously, but if you look around the sky isn’t falling probably as much as you think it is. Also I’m not really sure what a “24 hour city” is anyway. Most parts of Manhattan are more or less dead by midnight. Philly has “arrived” - it deserves more credit than people give it.

[summersm343]

I agree. I don't understand the negativity. Philadelphia is a great city. Sure, it has it's problems, but those whom don't think it's a great city obviously don't travel to other cities very often.

Plus, Broad Street never really had a bustling nightlife scene. If your daughter walked literally one block in either direction off of Broad Street, she would've hit plenty of nightlife in Rittenhouse, or plenty of nightlife in Midtown Village the opposite direction.

And while I do agree there needs to be more of a police presence, CLEARLY you didn't see the article about how understaffed the Philadelphia Police Force is right now. Furthermore, the city focusing on ramping up and reviving parts of the nightlife scene dismantled by COVID is a fantastic idea. The more people on the streets into the night, the less likely there to be scenes like what your daughter describes.

[TempleGuy1000]

Originally Posted by summersm343

I agree. I don't understand the negativity. Philadelphia is a great city. Sure, it has it's problems, but those whom don't think it's a great city obviously don't travel to other cities very often.

Plus, Broad Street never really had a bustling nightlife scene. If your daughter walked literally one block in either direction off of Broad Street, she would've hit plenty of nightlife in Rittenhouse, or plenty of nightlife in Midtown Village the opposite direction.

It's really not about being a "bustling nightlife scene" though. Its the 3 dozen hobos that have been in front of the Ministries since it reopened several weeks ago. I too have noticed a pretty large increase of anti-social behavior around there, which could not have come at a worse time for the Arthaus imo. Like the Arthaus currently has a massive wall basically just blocking the view of the building next door at street level. They can't leave that up for forever.

[summersm343]

Photo from forum member TonyTone (Tony V). You can see Arthaus peaking out in the back of the skyline:

[TempleGuy1000]

Originally Posted by skyhigh07

I’m in Center City quite a bit. The situation at night certainly isn’t good but I’m not sure if it’s quite like a zombie movie lol.

To be clear, anytime anyone is "bitching about Center City", it's usually just from 12th St. (maybe 10th and 11th along Market) to Broad St, from Vine to like Pine. East Market has always had most of the city's homeless shelters, but the neighborhood is now seeing hundreds of millions of dollars of new investment, and the city is seemingly not doing their job of improving the street-level QOL.

[skyhigh07]

Originally Posted by TempleGuy1000

It's really not about being a "bustling nightlife scene" though. Its the 3 dozen hobos that have been in front of the Ministries since it reopened several weeks ago. I too have noticed a pretty large increase of anti-social behavior around there, which could not have come at a worse time for the Arthaus imo. Like the Arthaus currently has a massive wall basically just blocking video of the building next door at street level. They can't leave that up for forever.

To be fair, I haven’t really taken a hard look at that block for a least a month. From what I remember, things seemed to be fine but maybe that has changed over the last few weeks since BSM reopened hence the wailing night junkies.

It’s getting irritating that people in charge just can’t seem to sort out these issues before they happen and become untenable.

[PHL10]

Originally Posted by Redddog

My daughter had a gig in the Doubleday Hotel IIRC across from the Merriman theatre that had an overnight week of filming.

Do you mean the Doubletree Hotel and the Merriam Theater? It's like you are purposely getting them wrong, lol.

[summersm343]

YIMBY Observes Philadelphia’s Rising Development From Citizens Bank Park Stadium



https://phillyyimby.com/2022/08/yimb...bank-park.html

[TempleGuy1000]

Originally Posted by skyhigh07

To be fair, I haven’t really taken a hard look at that block for a least a month.

and that's not uncommon which, IMO, has always been a bit part of the problem. South Broad just doesn't have that many retail things that bring regular residents out on to the street so it's always a bit dead. With The Atlantic and Arthaus open now, the street has gained a significant amount of new wealthier residents. I just worry about it all.

[PHLtoNYC]

Originally Posted by TempleGuy1000

and that's not uncommon which, IMO, has always been a bit part of the problem. South Broad just doesn't have that many retail things that bring regular residents out on to the street so it's always a bit dead. With The Atlantic and Arthaus open now, the street has gained a significant amount of new wealthier residents. I just worry about it all.

I walked briefly on S. Broad 2 weekends ago and to your point it was a pass through going from Rittenhouse to Old City (and a quick picture of City Hall). I generally avoid "strolling" on Broad Street because it's meh (not great not awful, just meh).

But add Dranoff's next project, the Broad & Lombard tower, the Hyatt revamp, which will hopefully improve the street level feel in the coming years.

A dream, but a high traffic store like The Container Store, Home Goods, Crate & Barrel or even the return of Williams Sonoma would add energy to that stretch, at least until ~8pm. And Whole Foods may arrive at the Broad & Lombard project.

[skyhigh07]

Originally Posted by TempleGuy1000

and that's not uncommon which, IMO, has always been a bit part of the problem. South Broad just doesn't have that many retail things that bring regular residents out on to the street so it's always a bit dead. With The Atlantic and Arthaus open now, the street has gained a significant amount of new wealthier residents. I just worry about it all.

One thing I don’t understand is why aren’t the developers/owners of the buildings (or at least the people that work for them) picking up the phone and screaming at the city to handle these QOL issues? Or why didn’t Dranoff’s team try to work with BSM to make sure the homeless situation there doesn’t become an issue?

[Frontst17]

My observation being on broad everyday is that there’s more foot traffic in the early morning and nights than there has been in years. It’s downright bustling with students, office workers and literally dozens of people running. I’ve never seen so many runners on broad. Hell I saw a guy in a suit hugging a homeless man this morning. It needs major sprucing up but there’s definitely energy squeezing the broad street spine from either side, stretching from spring garden well past Washington Ave

[TempleGuy1000]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

I walked briefly on S. Broad 2 weekends ago and to your point it was a pass through going from Rittenhouse to Old City (and a quick picture of City Hall). I generally avoid "strolling" on Broad Street because it's meh (not great not awful, just meh).

But add Dranoff's next project, the Broad & Lombard tower, the Hyatt revamp, which will hopefully improve the street level feel in the coming years.

A dream, but a high traffic store like The Container Store, Home Goods, Crate & Barrel or even the return of Williams Sonoma would add energy to that stretch, at least until ~8pm. Whole Foods might happen at the Broad & Lombard project. And Whole Foods may arrive at the Broad & Lombard project.

Oh the potential is 100% there and I do think if all the residential and commercial projects happen, the retail and nightlife will come along with it. The container store, home goods, etc. is exactly what Center City needs imo.

[TempleGuy1000]

Originally Posted by Frontst17

My observation being on broad everyday is that there’s more foot traffic in the early morning and nights than there has been in years. It’s downright bustling with students, office workers and literally dozens of people running. I’ve never seen so many runners on broad. Hell I saw a guy in a suit hugging a homeless man this morning. It needs major sprucing up but there’s definitely energy squeezing the broad street spine from either side, stretching from spring garden well past Washington Ave

Few streets in America have as much "positive energy" (investment $$$) being pumped into than Broad Street. I just don't want it to get derailed by something that can be solved.

Originally Posted by skyhigh07

One thing I don’t understand is why aren’t the developers/owners of the buildings (or at least the people that work for them) picking up the phone and screaming at the city to handle these QOL issues? Or why didn’t Dranoff’s team try to work with BSM to make sure the homeless situation there doesn’t become an issue?

I don't know how other people feel, but I think it's time the Center City District business org had a bit of a shake-up at the top. Paul Levy deserves a damn statue in Rittenhouse for what he has done for the city, but imo, the small things that CCD was really created to take care of have been falling by the wayside. CCD does a good job on most blocks, but little things like keeping alleyways straightened up have completely gone out the window. I think some youth could refocus the organization and meet residents concerns better.