Chestnut Street East Revival - PhillyBlog

eldondre · #1 (**permalink**) 07-26-2004, 09:00 PM

Although the article doesn;t mention it, it's happening on the east end too. Where starr has already taken over half a block but more importantly, new buildings in the area from the victor to th st. james. someday someone is going to "discover" 11th st and it's buildings. it's sort of a 13th st w/o the hookers. and a plug for one of my favorite cd stores, the Sounds of MArket on 11th.

Quote:

Hot Chestnut

Once seedy street lures condos, clubs & restaurants

By SONO MOTOYAMA

sono@phillynews.com

YOU MIGHT not notice it at first glance, but it's happening. West Chestnut Street is clambering out of retail hell.

Condemned there by a Rizzo administration policy that had closed it to all traffic except buses and taxis, and suffering from competition from suburban malls, Chestnut Street has lately seen a burst of interest. New luxury condos, funky retail and high-concept clubs and restaurants are destined for the street.

"You could have your next Old City," said Realtor Mark Wade. "Hip, chic and filled with great new shops and residences."

Walk down Chestnut Street today and it may not be immediately obvious. There's still the dollar store, middling lunch spots and struggling, B-grade shops. But look a little closer, and you'll notice scaffolding littering the sidewalks and workers plastering the drywall of soon-to-open businesses.

Among the most exciting of these will be a warehouse-size Di Bruno Bros. gourmet food store and cafe, styled after New York's Dean & Deluca, slated for March 2005 in the 1700 block. Smith Bros. jeans is said to be opening on the street. The offbeat Greene Street Consignment opened just last week, also in the 1700 block.

And then there's that ultimate sign/catalyst of a neighborhood in turnaround: Next month Stephen Starr will open a (blaring red) restaurant, the Continental Mid-town, at 18th and Chestnut.

SUBHED HERE: Condos a-poppin'

Though it's seemingly ideally located between the office canyon of Market Street and the residential-retail greenery of upscale Rittenhouse Square, it's taken a while for Chestnut Street to get its head above water.

"Only in the past year have we gotten specific requests for condos on Chestnut Street, west of Broad," said Wade, operator of www.CenterCityCondos.com.

When architects James and Karen Moustafellos bought their condominium on the 1700 block of Chestnut St. four years ago, they were pioneers.

When James told his wife about the apartment, "her immediate reaction was, 'People don't live on Chestnut,' " said James, who is from New York.

Since the Moustafelloses began renovating their raw space into a home and office, other luxury condos and apartments have appeared - sometimes office conversions, sometimes mixed-use buildings. They include a conversion on the 1900 hundred block of Chestnut, the Grande at 15th and Chestnut, Pennsylvania House at the same intersection, the Lofts at Liberty across from Liberty Place. Not to mention new stores and restaurants.

"Right now on our street - between 17th and 18th streets - there's so much construction going on, it's impossible to sleep at night," James Moustafellos said.

But what took so long?

"I think it's taken Chestnut Street years and years to recover from the damage that was done" when the street was closed to traffic, said Louis Coffey, head of the Center City Residents' Association.

But now there are two new luxury high-rises proposed - one called the Residences at the Ritz-Carlton, by the Arden Group, and another unnamed condo by Mariner Commercial Properties - at 15th and Chestnut/South Penn Square.

"You're talking about something like 500 new luxury condo units" with just those two buildings alone, Coffey said. Currently, though, the two developers are mired in legal disputes.

Perhaps more of a sure thing is Le Crillon, slated to open in March. Albert M. Greenfield III, president and managing director of Albert M. Greenfield & Co., plans to turn the building at the southeast corner of 18th and Chestnut into a luxury apartment building.

With wood floors, exposed beams, high-end appliances, granite countertops and Jacuzzis, he expects to charge rents from $2,500-$6,000 per month. His clients, he said, will be "Rittenhouse Square people who can't get on the square."

SUBHED HERE: The Continental's second coming

Ask restaurateur Stephen Starr what has made Chestnut Street hot, and he'll reply with typical modesty, "I believe the Continental opening there changed it overnight."

He added, "I'm not that smart, really, but everyone else is not smart enough. A block from the hottest area in the city - Rittenhouse Square - and I saw this unbelievable building empty. It takes just one entrepreneur to smack everyone in the head and say, 'Wake up, look at this.' "

The new Continental Mid-town seems geared to smacking people upside the head. It may be channeling Starr's modest Continental diner/lounge in Old City, but it has decidedly grander design ambitions.

Global tapas will be served in a soaring space with a sunken lounge on the ground floor, wicker chairs suspended from the ceiling on the mezzanine and a rooftop dining and cocktail area, complete with a reflecting pool.

But the Continental won't be the only game on the street.

Fellow club owner/restaurateur Avram Hornik gives Starr his props but says that he brokered his deals for a club and restaurant on Chestnut Street before the Continental's coming.

"I think Chestnut Street is one of the more exciting streets in the city, both historically and currently," Hornik said. "Don't look at the security grates on the first floor but at the wonderful architecture - art deco and art nouveau."

Sandwiched between commercial and residential districts, Chestnut Street is ideal for someone in the restaurant business, Hornik said. He plans a second-floor, Argentine-inspired lounge - above the rather scroungy-looking Snow White Diner. (The space was last seen as Denzel Washington's law office in the movie "Philadelphia.") Tentatively called Noche, it will feature small plates and colorful decor.

Next door Hornik plans Amedeo, named for the Italian artist Modigliani, which will be a kosher vegetarian Italian restaurant (go figure). The new spots are slated for late summer and fall, respectively.

Also tentatively on the agenda is the stalled revitalization of the Sameric/Boyd Theater. Owned by the Goldenberg Group, it may pick up steam in the fall. In cooperation with Clear Channel, the Goldenberg Group hopes to turn the theater in the 1900 block of Chestnut St. into a multi-use entertainment venue with theater, music and other live acts.

Said Goldenberg development director Leslie Smallwood, "With the magnitude of our project, we felt confident that other development would come. We saw our project as being a catalyst. Now we're just in addition to other projects that will be going on and are going on... .We feel West Chestnut has a lot of potential."

That potential may soon be realized.

As Stephen Starr put it, "Build it and they will come."

http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/news/local/9243927.htm

niel · #2 (**permalink**) 07-27-2004, 08:58 AM

The article points out something important about Chestnut - the architecture is really pretty stunning, though for the most part you have to look above street level. This is particularly true around 1600-1900 blocks and also in the 700-800 block.

One good thing about the Meridian building being gone is that now, coming south on 15th into Center Square, you get a great view of that French chateau-style building in the 1400 block of Chestnut - again, it's most spectacular above street-level, but it's really a beautiful building. Enjoy it while it lasts, before all you have to look at is parking garage.

snooble · #3 (**permalink**) 07-27-2004, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Rizzo administration policy that had closed it to all traffic except buses and taxis

I'm confused... only buses and taxis are supposed to drive down Chestnut? I see SUVs there all the time. :?

Jayfar · #4 (**permalink**) 07-27-2004, 10:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snooble

Quote:

Rizzo administration policy that had closed it to all traffic except buses and taxis

I'm confused... only buses and taxis are supposed to drive down Chestnut? I see SUVs there all the time. :?

That was the case until several years ago. Back in the late 70s, Chestnut Street was reconstructed as a 'transitway,' utilizing funding from the federal agency then known as the UMTA. The use of these funds stipulated keeping it as a transitway for 20 years.

snooble · #5 (**permalink**) 07-27-2004, 04:49 PM

Ahhh I see. I just thought maybe since some drivers ignored the "Right lane bus only" and "no turn" signs they also ignored "bus and taxi only" rules. Thanks for clearing that up.

eldondre · #6 (**permalink**) 07-27-2004, 07:30 PM

there are a number of buildings covered with cheap facade at street level that could be restored. a favorite of mine is the building at juniper and chestnut with a dollar store in it. that is a gorgeous building. I hope someday it's juniper and drury st entrance is restored.

Jayfar · #7 (**permalink**) 07-27-2004, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by eldondre

there are a number of buildings covered with cheap facade at street level that could be restored. a favorite of mine is the building at juniper and chestnut with a dollar store in it. that is a gorgeous building. I hope someday it's juniper and drury st entrance is restored.

I have that same thought every time I walk by there (even just yesterday too). I'm wondering if the original stonework beneath the facade is intact or partially hacked away to accomodate the newer surface

I'm not going to have time to format this, so I'm just going to copy and paste from an email I had sent to a friend a few months back (the Juniper St building is the next to the last link below, but the other building is also a Willis Hale design). To add some context, my friend Rob Bender had photographed a building in the 700 block of Chestnut, which turned out to be just a small remaining section of the original building and by the same architect as the Juniper St building.

> BTW, I found an interesting pic on the Bryn Mawr site:
>
> http://www.brynmawr.edu/iconog/king/k27b.jpg
>
> Then see:
>
> http://robbender.com/photos/philadel.../Pages/42.html
>
> This is a building that Rob photgraphed in the 700 block of Chestnut, but
> it turns out Rob's photo is only the remaining western fragment of the
> original building and minus the turrets or spires. Photo is from around
> the turn of the century. I already showed this to Rob.

Adding CC to Rob, as I've found that Willis G. Hale was the architect for
both that:

http://www.brynmawr.edu/iconog/ajnls/kcom05.jpg

...and this fave gnarly building at Chestnut & Juniper (which I read was
widely criticized within the decade after it was built):

http://www.brynmawr.edu/iconog/ajnls/kcom06.jpg

Both are dated 1889 (not sure if that's date of photos or building, but I
know they were built close to that year).

Here's the page those pics are linked from:

http://www.brynmawr.edu/iconog/ajnls/ktyp.html

eldondre · #8 (**permalink**) 07-27-2004, 10:59 PM

wpw, that's a shame about the 700 block building. I like this Hale character's style. rather distinctive. The on on Juniper St. looks like it could be well restroed. perhaps as apt's if they tear down that dumpy 1960's era bldg behind it and put in something more substantive. it'll just be another building that I love but can't afford (see Victory bldg.) It would also do wonders for Juniprt which is still alive and kicking somehow. With McGillin's, Lil Spot, the coffee shop, tarot cards, and hair salon. so, if anybody is willing to lend me a couple mil...here's who owns it
http://brtweb.phila.gov/accountDetai...?an=2282001326

Barbie · #9 (**permalink**) 08-29-2004, 03:50 AM

Hi,
I know 13th street isn't the greatest area but I was wondering how 12th and Chestnut is? A friend of mine asked me but I don't know what to tell her and she's got a job interview over there next week.

Jayfar · #10 (**permalink**) 08-29-2004, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barbie

Hi,
I know 13th street isn't the greatest area but I was wondering how 12th and Chestnut is? A friend of mine asked me but I don't know what to tell her and she's got a job interview over there next week.

It's a middling commercial area and an important crossroads for patrons of a methadone clinic a block away on Walnut. These folks hang out in the western food court at the Gallery II and I see several of them on my morning reverse commute home on the R6 (some I surmise board at Norristown; others I see board at East Falls). When I lived in Wash. Sq. West in the 80s, I observed that at least a few of them appeared to supplement their sanctioned drugs with casual street deals amongst themselves and their hangers-on for other substances (I'm not in the area enough nowadays to say if that's still true). In spite of that I think it's a perfectly safe area.

12th & Chestnut is also the corner of one proposed site for the mother of all slots parlors, which, if located there, would be expected to involve razing the entire area area from Chestnut to Market, 11th to 12th.

That would entail the loss of the block long art deco (or maybe it's more art moderne) retail facade built under the auspices of the Chestnut Street Assn. in 1940 and designed by Harry Sternfeld (also known for the former WCAU building, now AIPH). One notable aspect of this building is how effectively it conceals a very large parking garage on its upper levels. It also provided a Chestnut Street entrance to the Snellenbergs department store on Market St.

http://www.philadelphiabuildings.org...EDC824C1290245

There was a great article on this building in the March 2003 issue of the AIA's Philadelphia Architect newsletter, but they don't seem to put the content online.

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