PHILADELPHIA | Lowrise/General Developments Thread

[Gatorade_Jim]

Originally Posted by BroadandMarket

Just pray Helen Gym doesn't become mayor...she would do everything to kill the stadium and cry when they move to Camden.
I love how the opponents assume Chinatown will just be wiped off the map immediately. The convention center and commuter tunnel proved the exact opposite, Chinatown will remain in its exact same state. Build the damn stadium.

I hope to god Gym doesn’t win. This is a city-defining primary election in so many ways.

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Agree. Perfect opportunity to clean slate and redevelop the entire block. The entire 900 block (except for the old Post Office/Court building) needs demolished and rebuilt, and the entire 1000 block needs demolished and rebuilt.

If I were the city I'd be pushing HARDCORE for this Sixers Arena to happen. This stretch is such a sad state of affairs. The south side of Market between 7th and 11th Streets is a complete shitshow. Such a bad look for the city when EVERY visitor and tourist to the city is coming through this stretch to go from Old City, to Reading Terminal Market, the Parkway and the rest of Center City.

So embarrassing.

[PurpleWhiteOut]

Originally Posted by BroadandMarket

.

Speaking of this, is this the longest-running construction site in Center City? It's consolidated under 43-49 N 10th ST as the address (despite more prominently fronting Arch). It looks like construction started between 2009 and 2011 according to Google maps (probably 2010)

[mcgrath618]

Can someone definitively lay out why Helen Gym isn’t a good candidate beyond just “she’s a performative activist?”

(She’s not my favorite by far, but a lot of younger people I know seem to like her and can’t explain why).

[chimpskibot]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

Can someone definitively lay out why Helen Gym isn’t a good candidate beyond just “she’s a performative activist?”

(She’s not my favorite by far, but a lot of younger people I know seem to like her and can’t explain why).

I think for a lot of people it's more important to know what you as a politician are against than what you support.

[Urbanthusiat]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

Can someone definitively lay out why Helen Gym isn’t a good candidate beyond just “she’s a performative activist?”

(She’s not my favorite by far, but a lot of younger people I know seem to like her and can’t explain why).

I don’t not like her, I just value the executive and financial experience that someone like Rebecca Rheinhart has more. She’s actually led people and been holding the city government accountable, whereas Gym doesn’t have that experience. In fact she’s been on the “yea” side of some controversial votes - and in some respects you’d expect that, council has a lot of very public tough choices that are more scrutinized than those of the City Controller. As a younger person myself (26) I might like Gym if we didn’t have someone better. I guess that doesn’t really answer your question though. Gym is fine in a vacuum I think but I can’t think of anything really important that she’s really been a driver of. Idk. I’d be fine with either as our next mayor.

[Jayfar]

Originally Posted by BroadandMarket

Originally Posted by PurpleWhiteOut

Speaking of this, is this the longest-running construction site in Center City? It's consolidated under 43-49 N 10th ST as the address (despite more prominently fronting Arch). It looks like construction started between 2009 and 2011 according to Google maps (probably 2010)

That has to be one of the most perplexing projects in Philly ever — continually stalling out, but while also expanding in scope (both in height and footprint) several times over the years. I periodically look through the permits for new wrinkles here, but I’d love to know the inside story. Indeed the earliest permit is from 2009 for merely a 3-story overbuild to a 1-story building at 932 Arch St only. Later 934 Arch was added to the mix and eventually consolidation with the empty lot on 10th St.

Here’s the seminal permit from 2009 for 932 Arch St: https://s3.amazonaws.com/lni-zoning-pdfs/27-71840.pdf

[PurpleWhiteOut]

Originally Posted by Jayfar

That has to be one of the most perplexing projects in Philly ever — continually stalling out, but while also expanding in scope (both in height and footprint) several times over the years. I periodically look through the permits for new wrinkles here, but I’d love to know the inside story. Indeed the earliest permit is from 2009 for merely a 3-story overbuild to a 1-story building at 932 Arch St only. Later 934 Arch was added to the mix and eventually consolidation with the empty lot on 10th St.

Here’s the seminal permit from 2009 for 932 Arch St: https://s3.amazonaws.com/lni-zoning-pdfs/27-71840.pdf

For some reason I was having issues seeing permits on Atlas when I was looking at it. Has there been anything recent at all? Or is it still stalled again?

[PHLtoNYC]

Originally Posted by summersm343

Agree. Perfect opportunity to clean slate and redevelop the entire block. The entire 900 block (except for the old Post Office/Court building) needs demolished and rebuilt, and the entire 1000 block needs demolished and rebuilt.

If I were the city I'd be pushing HARDCORE for this Sixers Arena to happen. This stretch is such a sad state of affairs. The south side of Market between 7th and 11th Streets is a complete shitshow. Such a bad look for the city when EVERY visitor and tourist to the city is coming through this stretch to go from Old City, to Reading Terminal Market, the Parkway and the rest of Center City.

I've asked before (I forget the answer). But who owns this block? It's mostly vacant crappy buildings at this point, why not kick the last few tenants out and demolish everything? And even if the current owner doesn't have means to develop the land, sell it as a blank slate. Surely someone would scoop it up.

I wish National Real Estate development would take over this block. What they did one block West is fantastic.

My hope is that these embarrassing blocks are redeveloped (or in development) by the time the city hosts the World Cup.

[Mtphilly]

Just to give a sense on why the Inquirer, PBJ, Philly Magazine etc. run negative articles instead of positive ones. On the PBJ Facebook page, their positive article on 15 new restaurant openings has 6 comments and 20 likes whereas the negative article on Marshalls closing has 1,000 comments and 1,000 likes. What articles do you think they’re going to write?

[Redddog]

Originally Posted by BroadandMarket

Just pray Helen Gym doesn't become mayor...she would do everything to kill the stadium and cry when they move to Camden. This area has now lost DSW, Marshalls, Century 21, Starbucks, Burger King, Rite Aid, Dunkin, Field House Bar, Aramark and probably others I'm forgetting......

I saw yesterday that Shoppers World had an "Everything Must Go" sign in the window.

The swap of Century 21 to Shoppers World was one of the great downgrades of all time.

Marshalls is a loss as well. They definitely filled a gap. We need large format mid-grade shopping badly on that stretch. It's such a huge shame how embarrassingly crappy south Market street is. It's unbelievable.

[Mtphilly]

Originally Posted by Redddog

I saw yesterday that Shoppers World had an "Everything Must Go" sign in the window.

The swap of Century 21 to Shoppers World was one of the great downgrades of all time.

Marshalls is a loss as well. They definitely filled a gap. We need large format mid-grade shopping badly on that stretch. It's such a huge shame how embarrassingly crappy south Market street is. It's unbelievable.

I’m certainly not going to cry over the loss of Shoppers World but it is just unbelievable how nothing can work on Market East, it really defies logic.

[skyhigh07]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

Another one bites the dust... Apparently another tenant is in the works. Why can't the owners knock down this whole block and build a nice hotel and an apartment building?...

Marshalls to close Center City location, becoming latest retailer to leave East Market Street
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...Pos=3#cxrecs_s

The Marshalls at 1044 Market St. is closing, leaving another empty storefront along an increasingly vacant stretch in the heart of Market East.

The department store will shutter on January 14, according to a spokesperson for TJX, the chain's parent company. The nearby T.J. Maxx at 1130 Market St., also a part of TJX brands, will stay open.

Michael Hirschhorn, president of Jenel Real Estate, said the company is currently in talks for a new retail tenant for the space. He declined to identify the prospective tenant, but said a deal is "imminent" and could come in the next two to three weeks.

"It will be something that's very complementary to the downtown and that Philadelphians will be really excited about," Hirschhorn said.

The hundreds of comments on the Facebook link to the article are nuts. People are making all kinds of apocalyptic assumptions as they always do. It’s amazing how so many people can clutch their pearls over a discount store closing. They all act like Market East used to be so glamorous and well kept 10 years ago lol…

I mean of course a decently run business closing is never good, but were they honestly expecting it to be there for 100 years or something? These store closing headlines can be pretty click baity and they keep feeding into an extremely negative narrative about the city. While the city does have challenges, every store closing shouldn’t send people into thinking things are catastrophic. I think local media needs to step it up and provide more context in their headlines. Is it only because of crime? Or does it also involve decreased foot traffic, economic factors etc?

We need these people to come into the city to help strengthen our recovery. A lot of them seem to think they’ll instantly be stabbed if they step foot into Center City. Kenney is obviously useless, but I’d like to see local media highlight more of the positives and perhaps provide clearer context in terms of the narrative they're creating.

[CleetMcDougle]

The constant negativity about Center City by Philadelphians is pretty funny to me. All things consider, it's doing pretty well! And I think there are obvious ways to improve it (looking at you, Market East) that I think will eventually get done.

Before moving to Philly, I lived in St. Louis. If you want an example of a downtown area that is depressing, dangerous, and not worth going to (the way some people talk about CC), go there. It's insane how bad that downtown core has become.

[skyhigh07]

Originally Posted by CleetMcDougle

The constant negativity about Center City by Philadelphians is pretty funny to me. All things consider, it's doing pretty well! And I think there are obvious ways to improve it (looking at you, Market East) that I think will eventually get done.

Before moving to Philly, I lived in St. Louis. If you want an example of a downtown area that is depressing, dangerous, and not worth going to (the way some people talk about CC), go there. It's insane how bad that downtown core has become.

Same. I moved here from downtown LA a few years ago. It was sort of getting better when I was there but it’s really gone down hill within the last few years. I visited a few months ago and was trying to see the positives but overall it’s pretty bad. Philly is doing quite well relatively speaking.

There’ve always been Nagadephian suburbanites even during the boom of the last decade. I used to think it was just political but I’m really not so sure anymore. Perhaps a lot of them still have this vague nostalgia of putting on white gloves to go shopping downtown at Gimbel’s and Strawbridge and Clothier or they’d hear their parents and grandparents reminisce about it. It’s like they’ve been in a coma between 1970-2020.

[skyhigh07]

THIS is how you provide context to the retail store closings narrative. Even the Minneapolis mayor weighed in.

Marshalls closing, Ameriprise cutting office space in downtown Minneapolis

https://m.startribune.com/marshalls-...=n&clmob=y&c=n

[PHLtoNYC]

Originally Posted by Mtphilly

Just to give a sense on why the Inquirer, PBJ, Philly Magazine etc. run negative articles instead of positive ones. On the PBJ Facebook page, their positive article on 15 new restaurant openings has 6 comments and 20 likes whereas the negative article on Marshalls closing has 1,000 comments and 1,000 likes. What articles do you think they’re going to write?

Originally Posted by skyhigh07

The hundreds of comments on the Facebook link to the article are nuts. People are making all kinds of apocalyptic assumptions as they always do. It’s amazing how so many people can clutch their pearls over a discount store closing. They all act like Market East used to be so glamorous and well kept 10 years ago lol…

I mean of course a decently run business closing is never good, but were they honestly expecting it to be there for 100 years or something? These store closing headlines can be pretty click baity and they keep feeding into an extremely negative narrative about the city. While the city does have challenges, every store closing shouldn’t send people into thinking things are catastrophic. I think local media needs to step it up and provide more context in their headlines. Is it only because of crime? Or does it also involve decreased foot traffic, economic factors etc?

We need these people to come into the city to help strengthen our recovery. A lot of them seem to think they’ll instantly be stabbed if they step foot into Center City. Kenney is obviously useless, but I’d like to see local media highlight more of the positives and perhaps provide clearer context in terms of the narrative they're creating.

A sad reality that positive news is met with little interaction...

My New Year's resolution is to not read social media comments anymore. I've tried my hardest to respond in a level-headed factual manner to the suburban and rural trolls (most of whom haven't been to Philly in 20 years or if ever). But no matter what you say, their minds are made up. A sad existence really...Angry people trolling social media all day...

The closure is more bad news for that stretch, but it's not like that stretch was Rittenhouse Square to begin with. I anxiously await redevelopment at this point.

[skyhigh07]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

A sad reality that positive news is met with little interaction...

Agreed. Sounds like the replacement could potentially be an upgrade. Hopefully, a Container Store or something, but it’ll likely be crickets from them I’m sure…

[UrbanRevival]

A lot of people assume that negative social media comments even originate from residents of the Philadelphia metro area.

We all know there's a certain cadre of individuals out there who live for nothing more than to take potshots and get their jollies from any misfortune to befall cities like Philadelphia, and they tend to be of a certain extreme political persuasion and are led to these reposted online stories from politically-charged websites that love to fuel the fire of the "dying cities" narrative.

I'm not convinced that they don't post these comments from their sad, miserable holes in the most remote places you can think of, hundreds of miles from Philadelphia. That, or they're Russian bots (also not out of the question).

[Mtphilly]

https://www.inquirer.com/business/re...-20221230.html

Some additional info from the Inquirer, the store replacing Marshalls is a national chain that is already in Philly and relocating. Watch it be the Shoppers World