PHILADELPHIA | Lowrise/General Developments Thread

[cardeza]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

Without attempting to start a massive City v City debate, DC has the worst homeless per capita. You see much worse stuff in DC. Union Station has an encampment right out front.

He didn't say homeless- he was specifically talking about the zombied addicts all over the El, Kensington and parts of downtown. He wasn't indicating DC didn't have a homeless or encampment problem- and these are his words so since he was living down there and he knows Philly well I would have to take his word for it. He was also making the point this problem was almost nonexistent or barely noticeable before he left. And I agree.

[PHLtoNYC]

Shared in the highrise thread by Cardeza, but I'll share here too.

'We have a problem on Market Street': Reviving retail in Center City's office district remains a struggle

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...Pos=1#cxrecs_s

As Center City’s High Street retail makes a comeback from the throes of the pandemic, civil unrest and competition from online shopping, many storefronts in office buildings in the Central Business District remain empty with little hope of an immediate resurgence.

Employees have yet to return to their offices full-time as many companies embrace flexible, hybrid work schedules. As a result, the fragile ecosystem that catered to office workers and commuters has been unable to regain much momentum since March 2020. From Marathon Grill and Fresco Café to Charles Shoe Repair and Starbucks, vacancies pock Market Street and John F. Kennedy Boulevard, the two main arteries in the business district.

A retreat by banks has exacerbated the issue as they close branches, which had dominated prime retail corners up and down Market Street.

Data from Center City District show that in September 2019, the business district’s retail space was 19% vacant with 22 of its 115 spaces empty. In June 2022, 25 spaces out of 108 stand empty with an overall vacancy rate of 23%.

A resurgence of the business district's retail is predicated on more workers returning to the office, which could increase after Labor Day as companies adjust hybrid policies. Still, a negative perception of the city is contributing to keeping some office workers who have a choice from coming into Philadelphia.

“I’m not sure if Friday will ever recover, but there is no reason why the other four days can’t be like they used to be,” said Michael Gorman, a retail broker with Metro Commercial Real Estate. “We just need leadership. There is a total lack of leadership — a dereliction of duty — in Philadelphia right now, which has produced more criminality, more homelessness, and an overall decline of the cleanliness of Center City. The city is dirty and it doesn’t feel safe.”

[Justin7]

Originally Posted by skyhigh07

I think it’s easy to get caught up in the neighborhood social media pearl clutching loop whether it be Facebook, Nextdoor, Twitter, Citizen’s etc.

Just delete all this dystopian shit. You'll be much happier.

(Personally find some value in twitter if you follow who you want to follow and stay away from The Algorithm.)

[skyhigh07]

Originally Posted by Justin7

Just delete all this dystopian shit. You'll be much happier.

(Personally find some value in twitter if you follow who you want to follow and stay away from The Algorithm.)

Yeah, I’ve gone cold turkey for the last few weeks and it’s really helped. Frankly, the general public doesn’t need to know every little thing that’s happening in the city. Bad things have always happened; it just gets amplified on social media. It’s probably better to find one or two news sources that you trust and let them filter out all of the noise.

Obviously, the crime situation is horrible and needs to be fixed, but it’s been horrible for awhile now. It’s a disappointing situation, but it’s no use running in circles pulling our hair out at this point. Contrary to what some people would like you to believe, every corner of the city is not akin to Kensington’s open air drug market.

In terms of good news, the ATV/dirt bike situation seems to have gotten better even with the warmer weather. I’m sure they’re still around but I haven’t heard/seen them for at least a month now. It’s a small win but hopefully it should be a step in making office commuters feel safer coming into the city.

[PhilliesPhan]

Originally Posted by Justin7

Just delete all this dystopian shit. You'll be much happier.

(Personally find some value in twitter if you follow who you want to follow and stay away from The Algorithm.)

I got semi-slammed for posting something similar once, but this is exactly what I did and I ended up much happier. At the end of the day, my block is clean, my section of the neighborhood is exciting but quiet at night, my neighbors are friendly, and the city is still way more exciting than it was when I was a little kid growing up here in the 2000s. Philadelphia absolutely has its problems, but it's essential to remember that this entire country is plagued with social problems exacerbated by a once-in-a-generation global pandemic. Philadelphia's homeless problem is also relatively tame compared to other US cities.

I also don't wish to start a city-vs-city debate, but I've done a lot of traveling between November 2021 and now. This past month alone, I visited five states (CO, IL, IN, NV, and CA). When I visited LA, San Diego, and Tijuana last November, I already knew that I'd see a lot of encampments and homeless people (although the existence of Skid Row was still hard to believe, even while walking through it). The city that TRULY shocked me, however, was Denver. I was with my fiancée and her family as we drove to Downtown Denver from the Breckenridge area about three weeks ago. As soon as we parked at 17th and Wazee, a homeless man approached us and asked for money. After her father gave him money, he asked for more, and was denied, the man threatened to slash our tires and do bodily harm to us. He ended up following us to Union Station. After they went to a hotel near the airport and I decided to explore the city by myself, I couldn't believe how dirty both the 16th Street Mall and ESPECIALLY the underground bus station by 16th and Broadway were. The state capital building was also surrounded by encampments.

[skyhigh07]

Originally Posted by PhilliesPhan

I also don't wish to start a city-vs-city debate, but I've done a lot of traveling between November 2021 and now. This past month alone, I visited five states (CO, IL, IN, NV, and CA). When I visited LA, San Diego, and Tijuana last November, I already knew that I'd see a lot of encampments and homeless people (although the existence of Skid Row was still hard to believe, even while walking through it). The city that TRULY shocked me, however, was Denver. I was with my fiancée and her family as we drove to Downtown Denver from the Breckenridge area about three weeks ago. As soon as we parked at 17th and Wazee, a homeless man approached us and asked for money. After her father gave him money, he asked for more, and was denied, the man threatened to slash our tires and do bodily harm to us. He ended up following us to Union Station. After they went to a hotel near the airport and I decided to explore the city by myself, I couldn't believe how dirty both the 16th Street Mall and ESPECIALLY the underground bus station by 16th and Broadway were. The state capital building was also surrounded by encampments.

I’ve lived in quite a few cities including LA and I’ve found that by far Philadelphians are the biggest complainers, which is a good thing. We take a great deal of pride in our city and we’re not going to take BS when things start to slide. I’m all for complaining, but I think it’s important to maintain some perspective that the entire city isn’t some dystopian hellscape.

Edit: BTW, I also lived in Denver for a year and used to hang out in LoDo quite a bit. When I was there in the late 2000’s it was incredibly clean and I can’t even recall seeing one homeless person there. Sounds like things have gone downhill sadly.

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by PhilliesPhan

I got semi-slammed for posting something similar once, but this is exactly what I did and I ended up much happier. At the end of the day, my block is clean, my section of the neighborhood is exciting but quiet at night, my neighbors are friendly, and the city is still way more exciting than it was when I was a little kid growing up here in the 2000s. Philadelphia absolutely has its problems, but it's essential to remember that this entire country is plagued with social problems exacerbated by a once-in-a-generation global pandemic. Philadelphia's homeless problem is also relatively tame compared to other US cities.

I also don't wish to start a city-vs-city debate, but I've done a lot of traveling between November 2021 and now. This past month alone, I visited five states (CO, IL, IN, NV, and CA). When I visited LA, San Diego, and Tijuana last November, I already knew that I'd see a lot of encampments and homeless people (although the existence of Skid Row was still hard to believe, even while walking through it). The city that TRULY shocked me, however, was Denver. I was with my fiancée and her family as we drove to Downtown Denver from the Breckenridge area about three weeks ago. As soon as we parked at 17th and Wazee, a homeless man approached us and asked for money. After her father gave him money, he asked for more, and was denied, the man threatened to slash our tires and do bodily harm to us. He ended up following us to Union Station. After they went to a hotel near the airport and I decided to explore the city by myself, I couldn't believe how dirty both the 16th Street Mall and ESPECIALLY the underground bus station by 16th and Broadway were. The state capital building was also surrounded by encampments.

I once had to deal with this one homeless guy who hung out between Old City and City Hall on Market. That guy was easily the most aggressive homeless dude I ever knew. Tried to go through my pockets once. He ended up on the ground. Ironically, he used to say he was from Denver.

I wonder what happened to that d0uche-bag.

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by skyhigh07

....

In terms of good news, the ATV/dirt bike situation seems to have gotten better even with the warmer weather. I’m sure they’re still around but I haven’t heard/seen them for at least a month now. It’s a small win but hopefully it should be a step in making office commuters feel safer coming into the city.

Agreed! I'm negative Nancy these days but this has definitely improved.

[skyhigh07]

Originally Posted by Redddog

Agreed! I'm negative Nancy these days but this has definitely improved.

And it should continue to improve this fall, fingers crossed. I believe the new statewide confiscation initiative goes into effect next month.

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by skyhigh07

I’ve lived in quite a few cities including LA and I’ve found that by far Philadelphians are the biggest complainers, which is a good thing. We take a great deal of pride in our city and we’re not going to take BS when things start to slide. I’m all for complaining, but I think it’s important to maintain some perspective that the entire city isn’t some dystopian hellscape.

Edit: BTW, I also lived in Denver for a year and used to hang out in LoDo quite a bit. When I was there in the late 2000’s it was incredibly clean and I can’t even recall seeing one homeless person there. Sounds like things have gone downhill sadly.

I lived in Boulder for a year in 2018. Did a lot of work in Denver, too.

I would call the homeless situation slightly worse there then in Phillay. Boulder though, was CRAZY. There were more homeless in that town than people in houses. Couldn't believe it!

[japmes]

Originally Posted by Redddog

I once had to deal with this one homeless guy who hung out between Old City and City Hall on Market. That guy was easily the most aggressive homeless dude I ever knew. Tried to go through my pockets once. He ended up on the ground. Ironically, he used to say he was from Denver.

I wonder what happened to that d0uche-bag.

The homeless have been creeping further up into my neighborhood (Spring Garden/Fairmount) since the beginning of the pandemic. Crime in the area is definitely up. A family member was even physically assaulted recently by an unstable guy. In this area, it seems to be mostly mental illness. I don't know what the answer is, but I can tell it's starting to wear on residents.

[PHLtoNYC]

Wow, this came at a good time (I just posted the struggling retail along Market / JFK article).

Comcast workers told to come back to office in-person 3 days a week

https://www.inquirer.com/business/co...-20220804.html

Starting Sept. 12, U.S.-based Comcast cable and corporate workers will need to work three days a week in the office, according to a company memo and spokespeople. That includes the 8,000 employees who will work in the two downtown Philadelphia towers.

Comcast is designating “common” days — Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday — for in-office work, while on Mondays and Fridays, employees can work remotely.

[bonfire]

Anyone else think it is kind of odd how radio silent the Rail Park is on their future plans/timeline? They opened a quarter mile park in 2018 and have heard nothing about it since. I believe it would be such a vital project for the future Callowhill, Poplar, Brewerytown etc..

[skyhigh07]

Originally Posted by Redddog

I lived in Boulder for a year in 2018. Did a lot of work in Denver, too.

I would call the homeless situation slightly worse there then in Phillay. Boulder though, was CRAZY. There were more homeless in that town than people in houses. Couldn't believe it!

I stumbled upon this article a few weeks ago. Apparently, the homeless situation here has gotten better since 2019 lol.

“In 2020, a total of 5,634 people experienced homelessness. In 2019, that figure was 5,735 people.”

“Last year, a total of 4,302 people experienced homelessness.”

I mean, could the homeless situation be better? Of course. But I have to admit maybe some of my pessimism about the issue is due to confirmation/negativity bias rather than context and data. As I’ve said before, I remember a time when Dilworth Plaza was more or less a homeless encampment.

https://whyy.org/articles/philly-hou...mpacts-report/

[Raja]

Originally Posted by PhilliesPhan

I also don't wish to start a city-vs-city debate, but I've done a lot of traveling between November 2021 and now. This past month alone, I visited five states (CO, IL, IN, NV, and CA). When I visited LA, San Diego, and Tijuana last November, I already knew that I'd see a lot of encampments and homeless people (although the existence of Skid Row was still hard to believe, even while walking through it). The city that TRULY shocked me, however, was Denver. I was with my fiancée and her family as we drove to Downtown Denver from the Breckenridge area about three weeks ago. As soon as we parked at 17th and Wazee, a homeless man approached us and asked for money. After her father gave him money, he asked for more, and was denied, the man threatened to slash our tires and do bodily harm to us. He ended up following us to Union Station. After they went to a hotel near the airport and I decided to explore the city by myself, I couldn't believe how dirty both the 16th Street Mall and ESPECIALLY the underground bus station by 16th and Broadway were. The state capital building was also surrounded by encampments.

This was our experience in Denver last year. Truly shocking, and it jolted us out of our dystopadelphia funk. Sad to hear about Portland, though. It was nice and clean when I was last there in 2016.

[Groundhog]

Originally Posted by Redddog

Agreed! I'm negative Nancy these days but this has definitely improved.

Is this because of city action or is it the result of a summer long heat wave and the fact that these bikes don't have AC? Hoping they stay at bay, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them return as soon as the asphalt isn't baking anything touching it.

[skyhigh07]

Originally Posted by Raja

This was our experience in Denver last year. Truly shocking, and it jolted us out of our dystopadelphia funk. Sad to hear about Portland, though. It was nice and clean when I was last there in 2016.

About a year ago, I had a long lay over in Seattle and decided to take the train into downtown. When I got off at the station the very first person I saw was a guy shooting up on a sidewalk. Fortunately, I haven’t had the same cultural enrichment experience at 30th.

[Raja]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Is this because of city action or is it the result of a summer long heat wave and the fact that these bikes don't have AC? Hoping they stay at bay, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them return as soon as the asphalt isn't baking anything touching it.

They were out last night on South for the first time in a while. Not nearly as bad as pre-shooting, but definitely an unwelcome change. We had a really nice quiet six weeks.

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Is this because of city action or is it the result of a summer long heat wave and the fact that these bikes don't have AC? Hoping they stay at bay, but I wouldn't be surprised to see them return as soon as the asphalt isn't baking anything touching it.

Yeah, my experience has been that hotter = more ATV/dirtbikes. I know that PA has this new law on those things but I'm not sure if Philly is enforcing that. I believe the PA law does not compel Philly to enforce.

[mcgrath618]

Alright, we're starting to get a litttttttle away from conversation to do with Lowrise development. I'm fine with political discussion in this thread but when it gets too far from buildings I think we should take it over to the politics thread.
https://skyscraperpage.com/forum/sho...lphia+politics