PHILADELPHIA | Lowrise/General Developments Thread

[allovertown]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

Franklin Square Station is planned to be finished by 2023 last I heard.

As of December, they were still planning to start construction at some point this year and finish by 2024. Port Authority is hemorrhaging cash though due to the pandemic and they had plenty of caveats when discussing the future of the project.

I wouldn't hold your breath.

[mcgrath618]

Originally Posted by allovertown

As of December, they were still planning to start construction at some point this year and finish by 2024. Port Authority is hemorrhaging cash though due to the pandemic and they had plenty of caveats when discussing the future of the project.

I wouldn't hold your breath.

The running joke at SEPTA is that they’re going to take over PATCO. If finances are that dire, that joke might start to stop being just that.

[allovertown]

Originally Posted by mcgrath618

The running joke at SEPTA is that they’re going to take over PATCO. If finances are that dire, that joke might start to stop being just that.

I remember reading ridership is still not even a quarter of pre-pandemic numbers.

To be fair, prior to the pandemic apparently they were having record setting numbers every year, so if you compare it to just 10 years back, they're probably not doing THAT bad, still though, it ain't great news.

[hammersklavier]

Re the East Callowhill proposals: Technically there are some people living there IIRC. There are loft apartments (condos?) in the 444 Lofts at 4th & Willow, which AFAIK is a converted former Acme warehouse.

Another issue with the square bounded by 2nd, Callowhill, 5th, and Spring Garden is that the Social Security site takes up a lot of it. Approximately a third of it, in fact. There are also two other institutional uses that take up large parts of the district: the Fire Administration HQ at 3rd and Spring Garden, and the Gift of Life properties at 3rd and Callowhill and at 4th & Callowhill. While I am optimistic a lot of this area will fill in, I'm tempering my expectations--I don't think it will feel like a *neighborhood* until the SSA's parking lot can be developed on.

Also Noble from 8th to American, and again from 2nd to Front is stricken from the street grid, but its easement remains (strange as that may sound). I don't recall which underground infrastructure is installed there, but it's a water or sewer or gas line IIRC. There's a townhome development that straddles this easement at Front which had to keep it clear and used it as a gated parking lot. Since the easement can't be built on anyway, it would make sense to reclaim it in some form IMO. (A previous planning study suggested turning it back into a street, but it might actually make sense as a woonerf or a pedway.)

[El Duderino]

Originally Posted by hammersklavier

Another issue with the square bounded by 2nd, Callowhill, 5th, and Spring Garden is that the Social Security site takes up a lot of it. Approximately a third of it, in fact. There are also two other institutional uses that take up large parts of the district: the Fire Administration HQ at 3rd and Spring Garden, and the Gift of Life properties at 3rd and Callowhill and at 4th & Callowhill. While I am optimistic a lot of this area will fill in, I'm tempering my expectations--I don't think it will feel like a *neighborhood* until the SSA's parking lot can be developed on.

for a while now i’ve thought that subdividing and selling off that parking lot would be the best thing that could happen for that chunk of the neighborhood. it will def be a hole for a while, but i think that area is starting to make a turn already.

the entire spring garden streetscape/circuit trails project is going to be even more key to get right now given that there will be 1000+ people on the east end of it soon enough. having this connect to the revamped waterfront is going to be such an insane boost to the pedestrian experience for this entire corridor.

[Redddog]

Honestly...that parking lot is hay-yuuuuge.

Did they ever fill that up by more than 25%?

The whole building and lot looks like it belongs in Conshohocken.

[reparcsyks]

Originally Posted by Redddog

Honestly...that parking lot is hay-yuuuuge.

Did they ever fill that up by more than 25%?

The whole building and lot looks like it belongs in Conshohocken.

It's worse in person. It's an absolute killer. Zero foresight when they built that monstrosity.

[Philly Fan]

Höweler + Yoon’s FloatLab will offer a new perspective of Philadelphia’s Schuylkill River

[Aaamazarite]

Originally Posted by hammersklavier

Re the East Callowhill proposals: Technically there are some people living there IIRC. There are loft apartments (condos?) in the 444 Lofts at 4th & Willow, which AFAIK is a converted former Acme warehouse.

Another issue with the square bounded by 2nd, Callowhill, 5th, and Spring Garden is that the Social Security site takes up a lot of it. Approximately a third of it, in fact. There are also two other institutional uses that take up large parts of the district: the Fire Administration HQ at 3rd and Spring Garden, and the Gift of Life properties at 3rd and Callowhill and at 4th & Callowhill. While I am optimistic a lot of this area will fill in, I'm tempering my expectations--I don't think it will feel like a *neighborhood* until the SSA's parking lot can be developed on.

Also Noble from 8th to American, and again from 2nd to Front is stricken from the street grid, but its easement remains (strange as that may sound). I don't recall which underground infrastructure is installed there, but it's a water or sewer or gas line IIRC. There's a townhome development that straddles this easement at Front which had to keep it clear and used it as a gated parking lot. Since the easement can't be built on anyway, it would make sense to reclaim it in some form IMO. (A previous planning study suggested turning it back into a street, but it might actually make sense as a woonerf or a pedway.)

Re: Noble Street--

The local zoning overlay requires that anyone developing a property that includes a segment of the former Noble Street has to keep it open and can use it as part of the open area requirement of that development-- I think the Yards Brewery/Target Store was the first to do this, the street in front of the target is the Noble Street ROW.

442 N 8th is listed right now, if that gets redeveloped we'll see this in action again.


https://codelibrary.amlegal.com/code...a/0-0-0-208042

[summersm343]

Brandywine Realty Trust dips toe into industrial real estate with latest proposal

Brandywine Realty Trust is proposing to develop two industrial buildings off Roosevelt Boulevard in Northeast Philadelphia. Plans call for development of two buildings on 50 acres zoned as a Keystone Opportunity Zone.

Article behind paywall here:
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...Pos=3#cxrecs_s

[summersm343]

More Center City office landlords are seeking refuge in lab space conversions

Miller Investment Management is marketing 2323 Chestnut St. in Philadelphia to life sciences companies. So far, 1.5 million square feet of space is being marketed to life sciences tenants as office demand wanes.

Article behind paywall below. Can see rendering of 2301/2323 Chestnut conversion:
https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...lab-space.html

[summersm343]

7-11 Closing Near Front & Girard, Apartment Building Planned

Current site:


Rendering:


Aerial:


Read/view more here:
http://www.ocfrealty.com/naked-phill...ilding-planned

[summersm343]

Steel Continues To Rise At 701 South Broad Street In Hawthorne

Rendering:


Current progress:


Read/view more here:
https://phillyyimby.com/2021/05/cran...ladelphia.html

[summersm343]

Permits Issued For 152-Unit Development At 900 North 8th Street In Poplar

Permits have been issued for the construction of two multi-family developments at 900 North 8th Street in Poplar, North Philadelphia. The larger of the buildings will be situated at 901-965 North 9th Street. The building will rise five floors tall and include a commercial space. 152 residential units will be situated within the building with each set to be an apartment according to the permit. The structure will be separated into multiple wings and connected by a pedestrian walkway. In total, the building will hold 118,541 square feet of space. Construction costs are estimated at $11,854,100. The other structure will be situated at 900-18 North 8th Street, and will also rise five stories tall. A commercial space will be included in the building, as well as 60 residential units, with each planned to be an apartment according to the permit’s listing. A roof deck is planned on the building at the second floor. Twelve surface parking spaces will be included with the building, with two set to be accessible. Additionally, the building will also have 20 bike spaces. In total, the structure will hold 48,275 square feet of space, with construction costs estimated at $4,827,500.

Read/view more here:
https://phillyyimby.com/2021/05/perm...th-street.html

[Urbanthusiat]

Where on earth is Philly Yimby getting their construction cost "estimates." Do they seriously believe these buildings are going to cost $80k/door?? Getting real tired of them putting forth baseless speculation as if its fact.

[summersm343]

Originally Posted by Urbanthusiat

Where on earth is Philly Yimby getting their construction cost "estimates." Do they seriously believe these buildings are going to cost $80k/door?? Getting real tired of them putting forth baseless speculation as if its fact.

?? Really don't think $11-12M for a 152 unit residential building is that much at all.

[Urbanthusiat]

Originally Posted by summersm343

?? Really don't think $11-12M for a 152 unit residential building is that much at all.

Exactly, I'm saying it's way too low to be correct. It's not even close.

[mcgrath618]

Originally Posted by summersm343

This is one of the funniest depictions of SEPTA in a rendering that I’ve ever seen. I’m laughing my ass off right now.

[Busy Bee]

At least it's not the Shinkansen like some these idiot renderings I've seen.

[cardeza]

Originally Posted by Urbanthusiat

Where on earth is Philly Yimby getting their construction cost "estimates." Do they seriously believe these buildings are going to cost $80k/door?? Getting real tired of them putting forth baseless speculation as if its fact.

I think these figures are from the permits. Not that they are accurate but thats where the cost info is from.