PHILADELPHIA | Lowrise/General Developments Thread

[allovertown]

Originally Posted by McBane

Can someone please remind me why that is? Did the City's leaders really not foresee a need for stops along a subway line they were already building in the blocks west of Broad Street? That seems implausible but then again...I guess this City has always been plagued by poor, small-thinking leadership? They didn't even think, "Hey, let's engineer this in a way so that if this area develops, stations can be built in the future?" Someone please tell me that there's a better reason, please.

As much as it's fun for certain types to blame government for everything, the city didn't really build any of the rapid transit infrastructure in the city. It was built by something much worse than a government agency... PRIVATE CAPITAL!

Philadelphia Rapid Transit Co. built the MFL half a century before Septa even existed.

[mcgrath618]

Took a walk today in the gorgeous weather, and visited Fishtown. Holy hell, Frankford Avenue is amazing.

[ScreamShatter]

^ Which part of Frankford did you walk? It’s developed almost from Del Ave to Lehigh now.

[William Van Alen]

Originally Posted by summersm343

South Philly Substation to Become 21 Apartments + Commercial Space

Current site:



Site plans:





Read/view more here:
http://www.rising.realestate/south-p...mercial-space/

Nice! This one's very close to me, been wondering what the plan was as I saw it had been sold recently and there's been work crews in there on the weekdays.

Also nice to see both Festival Pier and 300 N Columbus moving forward!

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

Took a walk today in the gorgeous weather, and visited Fishtown. Holy hell, Frankford Avenue is amazing.

Yep. Agree 100%

Frankford Avenue in Fishtown has become one of the best commercial corridors in the city. It's incredible.

[summersm343]

Construction Underway At The Frankford Collective At 1144 Frankford Avenue In Fishtown

Current progress:





Project rendering:

A recent site visit by Philadelphia YIMBY has revealed that construction is well underway at the Frankford Collective, a five-story mixed-use building at 1144 Frankford Avenue in Fishtown, Kensington. Designed by Kore Design Architecture, the project features ground-level commercial space and 12 apartments above, as well as elevator service, full sprinkling, and a roof deck that will offer dramatic views of the Northern Liberties skyline, which is rapidly rising nearby. Permits list the Frankford Collective as the owner, Equinox Management & Construction as the contractor, and a construction cost of $1.5 million.

Read/view more here:
https://phillyyimby.com/2022/03/cons...ensington.html

[summersm343]

Construction Imminent At Mixed-Use Complex At 1148 Frankford Avenue In Fishtown

Current site:





Project renderings:

Philadelphia YIMBY’s recent site visit reveals that construction appears imminent at the site of the five-story, 59-unit mixed-use development proposed at 1148 Frankford Avenue in Fishtown, Kensington, as our recent site visit shows. Also known under its full address of 1148-62 Frankford Avenue, the project will span 42,100 square feet and will include a renovation and retail conversion of the 19th-century Kensington National Bank as well as construction of a five-story apartment building at the site of the bank’s parking lot. The Wells Fargo Bank branch currently situated in the existing building will be relocated to the new structure. Designed by OOMBRA Architects, the development will include 20 parking spaces for commercial customers, elevator service for residents, 20 bicycle spaces, and a roof deck. Permits list Wells Fargo Bank as the owner and Reed St. Builders LLC, and a construction cost of $9.25 million.

Read/view more here:
https://phillyyimby.com/2022/03/mixe...ensington.html

[CleetMcDougle]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Yep. Agree 100%

Frankford Avenue in Fishtown has become one of the best commercial corridors in the city. It's incredible.

And it's not even close to being fully realized yet. In 10 years that will be one of the best corridors in the country

[CleetMcDougle]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

Took a walk today in the gorgeous weather, and visited Fishtown. Holy hell, Frankford Avenue is amazing.

Let me know next time you're in my neck of the woods! First Citywide is on me

[mcgrath618]

A look up Germantown Ave. One of the flatiron buildings in the area is being built to the left.


Was too busy enjoying myself the rest of the day, but man there was a lot of development.

[McBane]

Originally Posted by allovertown

As much as it's fun for certain types to blame government for everything, the city didn't really build any of the rapid transit infrastructure in the city. It was built by something much worse than a government agency... PRIVATE CAPITAL!

Philadelphia Rapid Transit Co. built the MFL half a century before Septa even existed.

Ah, interesting to note. Of course, when I used the phrase, "City's leaders", I meant the collective movers and shakers who shaped this city, not just those in government but business executives, media, socialites, academics, etc.

[cardeza]

Originally Posted by Groundhog

Why do we need an extra subway stop at 22nd and Market when there IS already a trolley stop there already? There are free transfers from subway to trolley at City Hall and 30th Street. Adding a El stop there would require cutting off the trolley at 30th street.

There are hundreds of SEPTA infrastructure projects that I would say take priority over switching a minor inconvenience (transferring lines) from one transit route onto another 6 transit lines, (7 if you consider a Broad Street line rider who wants to hop on a trolley).

Extend Broad Street to the Navy Yard, add a museum district spur, add a Delaware Ave line to give more options to more neighborhoods. Fix up 30th Street and build a new bus station there to improve the city's image and ability to attract business (maybe). Adding a redundant stop and/or chipping farther away at the accessibility of the trolley network should not be a priority for our limited funding.

22nd street station isnt being looked at right now, it just isnt a justifiable expense when there is a trolley station there currently. Much more important is getting elevator access to 19th and 22nd street.

[cardeza]

Originally Posted by McBane

Can someone please remind me why that is? Did the City's leaders really not foresee a need for stops along a subway line they were already building in the blocks west of Broad Street? That seems implausible but then again...I guess this City has always been plagued by poor, small-thinking leadership? They didn't even think, "Hey, let's engineer this in a way so that if this area develops, stations can be built in the future?" Someone please tell me that there's a better reason, please.

The MFL wasnt built by the city and back in the day there was nothing there but a bunch of factories and similar buildings. There was no need for a stop there, plus the chinese wall was a barrier along market street that really choked off development on west market until the 50s. Not every decision made in the past that doesn't align with our current priorities was a matter of stupidity or incompetence.

[McBane]

Careful. I didn't accuse the City of being stupid or incompetent. More about the general leadership being short sighted, small thinking, and not seeing the future's potential, even at a time when the City was booming. In this regard, Puritan Boston and Quaker Philadelphia may offer insight into the psyche of the City's collective leadership.

Anyway, in the grand scheme of things, the lack of a subway stop here is nothing but a minor inconvenience, so I'll stop right here.

[PHL10]

Originally Posted by cardeza

...plus the chinese wall was a barrier along market street that really choked off development on west market until the 50s.

I imagine this was the biggest issue. All that office space we have now is only possible since the viaduct was demoed in the 1950s as you mention.



(credit: https://www.lykensvalley.org)


Here's a good article by TK as well:

A Look Back At “The Chinese Wall,” An Elevated Viaduct That Once Ran Through Center City

https://phillyyimby.com/2021/03/a-lo...nese-wall.html

[skyhigh07]

^^^ Wish they would have preserved the head house and redeveloped everything behind it :/

[chimpskibot]

Anyway, looks like the VA hospital in West Philly May close. Honestly, this would be a blow to the veteran population in and around Philadelphia, but this will be a great redevelopment opportunity for CHOP, UPENN or another developer looking for life science space or mixed use close to the hospital district.

I do think the closure of the beautiful VA complex in Coatesville will be a real blow to the city and result in a long time abandonment/blight.

lastly, I dont think it makes sense to build a VA in KOP or Camden. Its not central enough and there is no reliable public transit infrastructure for older Vets to get there. All roads lead to philly, and there is no shortage of good space in the city.

These 17 Medical Centers Would Close and More Than 30 Built or Replaced Under VA Plan

[PhilliesPhan]

Originally Posted by cardeza

The MFL wasnt built by the city and back in the day there was nothing there but a bunch of factories and similar buildings.

This rationale is similar to why a subway station was placed between Ellsworth and Federal Streets instead of Washington Avenue. Not many people realize that there used to be an active four-tracked railroad in the middle of Washington Avenue, along with massive factories that flanked both sides of the street.

Peddling back to the El, the original tunnel between City Hall and 23rd Street was actually the first subway project in the nation built entirely with private capital. Additionally, the El used to loop around City Hall mostly the same manner* that the trolleys do today.

*Part of the northwestern end of the trolley tunnel was modified during the construction of the Commuter Tunnel. This is why, if you go to the far northern end of the BSL's platform, you'll notice an abandoned balcony that used to be connected to a staircase.

[PhilliesPhan]

Originally Posted by skyhigh07

^^^ Wish they would have preserved the head house and redeveloped everything behind it :/

I agree: demolishing Broad Street Station as a MAJOR mistake, almost to the same level as demolishing Dock Street and most of what is now called "SoNo". I realize that the building suffered from a fire (I'm not sure if it was severe enough to warrant a demolition), but imagine how epic it would've been if, instead of building Penn Center, Broad Street Station would've been preserved and had the upper levels converted into office space. It would sure as hell be a much better use of space than the barren, run-down open space that sits between two of the Penn Center buildings today.

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by chimpskibot

Anyway, looks like the VA hospital in West Philly May close. Honestly, this would be a blow to the veteran population in and around Philadelphia, but this will be a great redevelopment opportunity for CHOP, UPENN or another developer looking for life science space or mixed use close to the hospital district.

I do think the closure of the beautiful VA complex in Coatesville will be a real blow to the city and result in a long time abandonment/blight.

lastly, I dont think it makes sense to build a VA in KOP or Camden. Its not central enough and there is no reliable public transit infrastructure for older Vets to get there. All roads lead to philly, and there is no shortage of good space in the city.

These 17 Medical Centers Would Close and More Than 30 Built or Replaced Under VA Plan

Interesting. Redeveloping the VA medical center in UCity would be a huge opportunity for CHOP and Penn Med to expand their main medical campuses, but I don’t think the VA should leave the city altogether.

What about redeveloping the Hahnemann Hospital campus? Perfect opportunity for the VA to move to an even more central location.