PHILADELPHIA | Lowrise/General Developments Thread

[EastSideHBG]

Originally Posted by BroadandMarket

In the past the city has used an excuse that the Broad Street medians are needed for emergency vehicles to do a U turn which is obviously bullshit. They can still landscape portions of the median and have other spots for vehicle turn arounds. I was in DC this weekend and noticed a bunch of nice elevated landscaped medians. If DC, Chicago, NYC etc can all have landscaped medians, I'm sure Philly can have it on Broad, Spring Garden, Washington, Columbus and Girard. I also think an elevated landscaped median would help tame the dirt bike / ATV crew who recklessly crosses back and forth.

It's the smaller touches like this along with the cleanliness that you notice when in cities like DC and Chicago and it's what we should be striving for.

[McBane]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

Yea, so cool... and the weeds and trash in the median add that extra pizazz. https://www.google.com/maps/@39.9607...7i16384!8i8192

In all seriousness, these light poles look cool at night (and only from the top), but they were a colossal waste of money and added nothing to the street.

For $13M, the city could have done so much more to actually beauty and pedestrianize North Broad. I hope to the the design Gods that this mistake is not made again on South Broad.

I was being sarcastic. Those things are atrocious.

[PHLtoNYC]

Originally Posted by McBane

I was being sarcastic. Those things are atrocious.

O my bad, lol. You should have added a wink!

[PHLtoNYC]

Thoughts?

Hallahan leaders, alum eye Peirce College building in Center City for new all-girls school

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...Pos=0#cxrecs_s

A group of alumnae and former leaders of the shuttered John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls' High School are eyeing Peirce's Pine Street building for the potential home of the nonprofit Center City Girls Academy starting in fall 2023. Organizers of the school say they hope to sign a lease with Peirce in the coming weeks for the building. Peirce declined to comment on lease negotiations for the space.

[3rd&Brown]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

Thoughts?

Hallahan leaders, alum eye Peirce College building in Center City for new all-girls school

https://www.bizjournals.com/philadel...Pos=0#cxrecs_s

A group of alumnae and former leaders of the shuttered John W. Hallahan Catholic Girls' High School are eyeing Peirce's Pine Street building for the potential home of the nonprofit Center City Girls Academy starting in fall 2023. Organizers of the school say they hope to sign a lease with Peirce in the coming weeks for the building. Peirce declined to comment on lease negotiations for the space.

I mean it makes sense TBH. I think having Roman Catholic (as the magnet Catholic boys school) in the city gives parents a high quality option that's not exhorbitantly expensive, and probably keeps a lot of people from moving to the suburbs. It could serve that niche for girls.

[TempleGuy1000]

Originally Posted by jaysb

Good post. Walking home from the EPL Fan Fest Saturday (fantastic event btw) I can't help but notice the striking juxtaposition between the ArtHaus and the Broad St Ministries next door with a few ppl camped out in front. The plastic barrier between then is still up and I'm guessing will probably be up longer than it's intended for.

I am baffled that the author did not mention the Broad Street Ministries. This might be the first time in my life I have to write an email/letter to the editor. I just don't understand how it's possible to not mention it when discussing Q-O-L problems on South broad.

[skyhigh07]

Originally Posted by TempleGuy1000

I am baffled that the author did not mention the Broad Street Ministries. This might be the first time in my life I have to write an email/letter to the editor. I just don't understand how it's possible to not mention it when discussing Q-O-L problems on South broad.

Thought of doing the same. The Inquirer has hired some of the worst possible “journalists” as of late.

[3rd&Brown]

Change of topic.

Does anyone have any idea of when we will start seeing the first signs of meaningful development (other than remediation) at Bellweather?

[jaysb]

Originally Posted by skyhigh07

Thought of doing the same. The Inquirer has hired some of the worst possible “journalists” as of late.

Hey at least they are correct that the "A" Avenue of the Arts signs need updating.
Took me about 3 years of wondering why Anheisuer Busch had their logo on South Broad St.

[skyhigh07]

H&M Store on Chestnut Closing


I think PHLtoNYC heard rumblings of this a few months ago. Good call!

Sounds like this has less to do with crime and more up do with the the retail reshuffling. It’s still a bummer to lose an anchor store on Chestnut but it sounds like tenants are already lining up for the space.

https://www.inquirer.com/business/re...outputType=amp

[PHLtoNYC]

Originally Posted by skyhigh07

H&M Store on Chestnut Closing


I think PHLtoNYC heard rumblings of this a few months ago. Good call!

Sounds like this has less to do with crime and more up do with the the retail reshuffling. It’s still a bummer to lose an anchor store on Chestnut but it sounds like tenants are already lining up for the space.

https://www.inquirer.com/business/re...outputType=amp

Yea. Cue the trolls on social media. "Philadelphia is over", but ignore the fact that Aritzia is opening in the H&M space on Walnut Street.

This would be an ideal spot for Zara or even Williams Sonoma to return, but like the article said, it will likely be a food/social concept.

[PHL10]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

I mean it makes sense TBH. I think having Roman Catholic (as the magnet Catholic boys school) in the city gives parents a high quality option that's not exhorbitantly expensive, and probably keeps a lot of people from moving to the suburbs. It could serve that niche for girls.

You could argue that Hallahan was exactly that until the Archdiocese closed it, presumably to make money from the property sale. Now it's going to be nonsectarian and the tuition will be 50% more than when it was Hallahan. I'm not sure what they will offer that will make them more attractive than a tuition-free charter high school, outside of not being co-ed.

[skyhigh07]

Originally Posted by PHLtoNYC

Yea. Cue the trolls on social media. "Philadelphia is over", but ignore the fact that Aritzia is opening in the H&M space on Walnut Street.

This would be an ideal spot for Zara or even Williams Sonoma to return, but like the article said, it will likely be a food/social concept.

Yeah, the trolls can try to spin it all they want, but the evidence available suggests otherwise.


“Earlier this year, the chain announced plans to close approximately 240 stores across the globe. At the time of that report, they operated about 4,800 stores globally.

The company cited continuing problems from the coronavirus pandemic as the reason for their decision to close some stores including restrictions on retailers during the Omicron variant.”

https://wpst.com/hm-closing-center-city-2022/

[3rd&Brown]

Fast fashion is on its way out. Gen Z wants transparent ethical supply chains (think Everlane) and not new styles made every week in sweat shops. Also, the model itself is unsustainable, even for behemoth companies. All of the staffing and supply chain issues we're having in every industry...they're having them too.

[Dan1]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

Fast fashion is on its way out. Gen Z wants transparent ethical supply chains (think Everlane) and not new styles made every week in sweat shops. Also, the model itself is unsustainable, even for behemoth companies. All of the staffing and supply chain issues we're having in every industry...they're having them too.

Is Everlane opening a store in the city? It makes sense that they would.

[skyhigh07]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

Fast fashion is on its way out. Gen Z wants transparent ethical supply chains (think Everlane) and not new styles made every week in sweat shops. Also, the model itself is unsustainable, even for behemoth companies. All of the staffing and supply chain issues we're having in every industry...they're having them too.

They strike me as going the way of Gap - really popular for years but they seem to be slipping in terms of attracting the newer generation and keeping up with competition. They were the place to go when I was in high school during the era of skinny jeans, but like you said, I think the kids are shopping elsewhere these days. Nothing lasts forever especially in retail.

[PHLtoNYC]

Originally Posted by Dan1

Is Everlane opening a store in the city? It makes sense that they would.

Everlane opened in KoP over the summer. So I suspect a Center City store is on their radar.

Originally Posted by skyhigh07

They strike me as going the way of Gap - really popular for years but they seem to be slipping in terms of attracting the newer generation and keeping up with competition. They were the place to go when I was in high school during the era of skinny jeans, but like you said, I think the kids are shopping elsewhere these days. Nothing lasts forever especially in retell.

The motto of life.

I must mention, I made the mistake of checking the Inquirer FB page... the trolling is something... And ironic, most people probably don't read the article, just the catchy (and often misleading) headline. It's sad that these people get a kick of out negative news.
I wish social media would just ban comments... what a disaster.

End of rant.

[TonyTone]

Originally Posted by 3rd&Brown

Fast fashion is on its way out. Gen Z wants transparent ethical supply chains (think Everlane) and not new styles made every week in sweat shops. Also, the model itself is unsustainable, even for behemoth companies. All of the staffing and supply chain issues we're having in every industry...they're having them too.

You're out of your mind we do not want "Everlane" either, Fast Fashion is not out of here. H&M is an ok brand it's cool to buy when you need something quick to wear or they have some good themes, but other then that it's not special.

My Generation "Gen Z" wears designer and designer knockoffs, with a mix of local and big name brands.

But stores like H&M, Primark, Pink, Uniloq, Oldnavy are still relevent.

I can also promise you that majority of people in my age range don't know or care about the sustainability of clothing or where it comes from, some do but that will be more of the "Woke/Yippy" type.

[Jayfar]

I recall reading back when H&M was still expanding here that their business model for multiple stores in the same area was to offer a somewhat different product selection in each store. I’m not sure whether that ever made sense. At any rate they apparently got a sweetheart deal on the lease at Fashion District.

Before the pandemic, Steinberg connected H&M with its locations on Walnut and Chestnut, Philadelphia’s premiere shopping destinations. He says that the below-market rents at the Fashion District were used to attract tenants and were well under what the company was paying on the west side of Market Street.

[SEFTA]

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