It was built to allow for skyscrapers above, but as far as adding retail levels, they've had a very difficult time trying to stimulate traffic to the present upper levels, so I wouldn't think building more retail levels to be a likely prospect.

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Cheers,
Jayfar
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“I am indeed well aware of the history of Conventional (sic) Hall, both globally and locally, and can assure you that we are carefully exploring avenues for its future.” -- Penn President Amy Gutmann 5 days before demolition began.

What, they don't like shelling out $4.75 per 15 minutes for the right to dodge copius amounts of bums, and avoid the maniac cab + bus drivers while they cross 16th + walnut? On top of that, the merchandise prices at most of the better stores are ridiculously high to compensate for their outrageous leases they have to sign.

60 years ago Philadelphia had a monopoly on the regions shopping and fine dining, for whatever reason they fail to recognize that is no longer the case. I was at King Of Prussia Mall last Saturday afternoon, there are 15,000 free parking spots there, which were 99% full. Fgure 2.5 passengers per vehicle= 37,500 shoppers + 5,000 others arriving by Septa. How many people do you see in Center City on a typical saturday? 1,000 maybe 2,000 at the most.

I'm afraid Philadelphia is a little out of touch with reality when it comes to shopping, it could and should be so much more dynamic. Until they change their archaic ways I don't see Macy's or Bloomingdales ever returning.

Eh!? From what source do you derive those numbers? You may be off by a couple orders of magnitude.

Always room for improvement, but Center City shopping is pretty damned robust as is. I don't see where the addition of a couple anachronistic (at least insofar as Macy's and Bloomie's are still considered department stores) retailers is crucial.

__________________
Cheers,
Jayfar
--
“I am indeed well aware of the history of Conventional (sic) Hall, both globally and locally, and can assure you that we are carefully exploring avenues for its future.” -- Penn President Amy Gutmann 5 days before demolition began.

On a rainy or cold day the main Shopping district of Walnut + Chestnut is lucky to receive 1,000 shoppers a day. On a nice day they may get a quarter amount of shoppers that the King of Prussia Mall receives. Lets not get it twisted, Center City is mainly a destination for Diners, Theatre goers and white collar workers looking for a bite to eat at lunch. The shopping leaves alot to be desired.

THe Banana on Broad has way better stuff than the one at The Court at KoP and sells out of it way quicker. There's reasons why Anthropologie and Urban are downtown--Mick, I think you're a little off-base here.

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Resident of Fishtown, Moderator of Fish/No. Libs/Kenzo forum, Real Estate Agent-Prudential Fox & Roach

I personally don't like the shopping in the suburbs, it's the same as the dining. No flavor. Also I don't like malls and the experience of driving from one to another. In my experience you pay a big premium for anything unique in the burbs. There is some sort of hipster tax levied on people out in the burbs who are bored with the run of the mill, jcrew, pottery barn type of products.

There is a great variety of shopping in CC, the problem for non-residents is that unless you walk the city often you'll never know where it is. New places open and close very frequently. Also the shopping might not all be collocated. As was reaffirmed for us last weekend a lot of suburbaners have an aversion to walking. Asking them to walk 4 blocks carrying bags is asking for a sermon on the ills of urban living. With that said Philadelphia doesn't have an over abundance of shopping, especially for mens clothing. So I do the only sensible thing, buy in NYC where the selection and prices are better. I never have a problem buying one off items at the smaller stores around me though.

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Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want and deserve to get it good and hard. - H.L. Mencken

I could be, but from personal experience of being at both locations many times over, right now there is simply no comparison in the abundant quality of stores and the pleasant experience. King Of Prussia is very much ahead of Center City for an overall shopping experience. That being said Center City has come a long way in the last 10 years , especially Walnut west of Broad, and I applaud them for it. As someone said, as the condo assembly line keeps on happening things will only get better and better.

Must've missed that. Was this a thread on PB?

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I also think that says a lot about what you want in shopping. not there is anything wrong with K of P stores but i the burbs that's abotu as good as it gets. some peopel are more akin to boutiques in Queen's Village, or other off beat shops or something that sets the trends that show up in those mall stores. I do notice that the chain stores are mroe apt to carry plain vanilla merchandise in the suburbs. to say teh only deent shopping is walnut west of broad is kind of like saying, I only want large chain stores. good shopping shoudl have good selection, which the mall does not. However, it is more pleasant, marginally, to shop in the mall in the winter although the recycled air makes me irritable. and there is no better place to ruin christmas cheer than the king of prusia mall.

Aw c'mon, you're talking about shopping districts of undefined boundaries on two streets (free clue: CC has several more streets) on a cold and/or wet day and still not saying anything to indicate from whence these numbers are derived (you count? methodology please).

I'll do your homework for you; here are actual pedestrian traffic counts done by the CCD this past June for a number of popular retail blocks:

http://www.centercityphila.org/docs/pedcountreport.pdf

And they tell you how they arrived at the numbers. Unfortunately they don't include weekends and are limited to 11:30 am - 2:30 pm.

__________________
Cheers,
Jayfar
--
“I am indeed well aware of the history of Conventional (sic) Hall, both globally and locally, and can assure you that we are carefully exploring avenues for its future.” -- Penn President Amy Gutmann 5 days before demolition began.