Cool pic of new Skyline ! - Page 2 - PhillyBlog

Londoner · #11 (**permalink**) 05-11-2005, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by UncleCranky

I think part of the problem is that since most of the CC office buildings are nowhere near capacity, it doesn't make sense for taxpayers to foot the bill for a new building when it is not needed and it will cause financial issues with the other buildings which now need to compete in an even more crowded environment.

The whole KOZ thing was crazy and PO'd alot of people, rightfully so.

I think they ended up getting tax breaks that were not KOZ related in the end to build this unneeded building right?

-UC

Rendell ended up saving the project with a $30million grant, it did not receive a KOZ designation so the rest of the bill is footed by the developer. Pennsylvania has roughly 13 million citizens, so the cost per citizen is just over $2...it's not a huge bill to pay, especially if it's extended out over the life of the building and given the potential reward for the project (more jobs, more prestige and international recognition).

that said, i understand why people opposed the project..so we dont need to have that argument again. rather expostfacto, might as well enjoy the architecture, the dynamic skyline, and hte fact that comcast has pledged 1000 news jobs over the next few years.

bobbyboy · #12 (**permalink**) 05-11-2005, 01:17 PM

I wonder what the ratio is of people that hate the Comcast building in comparison to people that do really well at Sim City.
A city's skyline is an organic thing that changes constantly.
you really can't dictate what an entire city will look like, only portions of it.

With so much "not" being built in town, I'm just amazed when something does get done.

by the way, they just started putting up the crane for Comcast building.

seand · #13 (**permalink**) 05-11-2005, 01:51 PM

I live walking distance from a section of Philadelphia where the occupancy rate of residential buildings is approximately 40%. I dunno I look around the city and I see an awful lot of construction going on which is fine by me. I am consistantly bewildered by the whole yammering about how many projects "aren't getting built" when it seems like an awful lot projects that are actually going up al over town. It seems many of the ones that do go ahead proceed because the fundemental financials are more sound than many of the ones that don't. It seems like there is an awful lot of flagwaving for every single high-rise that comes down the pike, when I find it kind of incidental to the meat and potatoes quality of life issues that face this city. In general some (not all) new construction helps the city but its the be-all, end-all measure of livabilty and vitality of a city, particularly a city like Philadelphia with hundreds of thousands of abandonned homes.

I will say in general it is far more exciting to me when I see real people rehabbing real houses than I ever do for seeing cranes going up because its victory for middle class home-ownership and investment in the livabilty of our neighborhoods but thats just me.

I genuinely find the slab shape of the Comcast building boring and kind of unattractive and uninspired, politics or no. Again I am happy that the concessions that were worked out about its construction were worked out because the first deal was a total political give away.

I think Philly is making huge progress these days despite the leadership City Hall but I measure that progress more by what I see going on in the neighborhoods than feeling the need to go "Rah! Rah!" for a bunch of big developers that will build one thing here this year and one in Atlanta next year.

Yes new construction is financially important at a certain level but if a building is lacking in any form of architectural grace or beauty, I see no need to cheer it on just because it happens to be getting built in our town. There are boring office buildings all over the world.

brayder · #14 (**permalink**) 05-11-2005, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Londoner

Rendell ended up saving the project with a $30million grant, it did not receive a KOZ designation so the rest of the bill is footed by the developer.

And wasn't the $30m in exchange for the infrastructure improvements to the El, public winter garden, etc. the developer agreed to?

Malloy · #15 (**permalink**) 05-11-2005, 02:01 PM

Mandeville is a long shot. (Of course, Id love to have it)

Quote:

On condition of anonymity, a person currently marketing luxury condos in Center City tells GlobeSt.com the unit prices would “certainly command more than $900 per sf,” putting these in a range of from in excess of $3 million to $12 million and upwards.

Come on. Almost all of the apts at 'Symphony house, tivoli, Waterfront square, old city 108, etc.' are well under a mil. Waterfront started in the high 200s, Tivoli in the 400s, 108 in the 300s, and Symphony in the 300s.

giovanni sasso · #16 (**permalink**) 05-11-2005, 02:10 PM

heyho, i'm glad you guys like the composite. i did the best i could with the angles and what not but concede that it's not perfect. i also tried photoshopping in the pedestrian bridge at locust street that's part of penn's long term campus plan, but its perspective and coloring were a little too off.

as for the projects themselves -- cira centre is far too far to the left to be in this picture. comcast center: well, the design's not knock-em-dead, but i think it fits well in its context, and as londoner mentioned, depending on the glass they use, it could end up surprisingly impressive. the cut-out square and crown parts will likely be illuminated in some manner, so it stands to look even better at night. as for mandeville place? well, yes it'll need zoning variances to make it reach 43 stories (and what i estimate at just over 600ft), but why shouldn't it happen? mandeville place's design is knock-em-dead, one which should bring architecture back to the table as a non-dorky topic of conversation. american express is moving out of the rosenbluth building in june, there's a freaking parking lot there now, and i haven't heard of any neighborhood opposition as yet. i live five blocks south of the site and use the schuylkill river park all the time, so i for one eagerly anticipate this building coming to fruition.

brayder: the infrastructure and improvements to suburban station are indeed justification for using $30M of PA tax money, more than a fair tradeoff for not getting the KOZ (and rightfully so at 17th & JFK).

Boardslide · #17 (**permalink**) 05-11-2005, 02:22 PM

Oh my goodness that building is skinny.

fivetonine · #18 (**permalink**) 05-11-2005, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by seand

I live walking distance from a section of Philadelphia where the occupancy rate of residential buildings is approximately 40%. I dunno I look around the city and I see an awful lot of construction going on which is fine by me. I am consistantly bewildered by the whole yammering about how many projects "aren't getting built" when it seems like an awful lot projects that are actually going up al over town. It seems many of the ones that do go ahead proceed because the fundemental financials are more sound than many of the ones that don't. It seems like there is an awful lot of flagwaving for every single high-rise that comes down the pike, when I find it kind of incidental to the meat and potatoes quality of life issues that face this city. In general some (not all) new construction helps the city but its the be-all, end-all measure of livabilty and vitality of a city, particularly a city like Philadelphia with hundreds of thousands of abandonned homes.

I will say in general it is far more exciting to me when I see real people rehabbing real houses than I ever do for seeing cranes going up because its victory for middle class home-ownership and investment in the livabilty of our neighborhoods but thats just me.

I genuinely find the slab shape of the Comcast building boring and kind of unattractive and uninspired, politics or no. Again I am happy that the concessions that were worked out about its construction were worked out because the first deal was a total political give away.

I think Philly is making huge progress these days despite the leadership City Hall but I measure that progress more by what I see going on in the neighborhoods than feeling the need to go "Rah! Rah!" for a bunch of big developers that will build one thing here this year and one in Atlanta next year.

Yes new construction is financially important at a certain level but if a building is lacking in any form of architectural grace or beauty, I see no need to cheer it on just because it happens to be getting built in our town. There are boring office buildings all over the world.

Hear, hear! :clapping:

bobbyboy · #19 (**permalink**) 05-11-2005, 02:48 PM

If you look at Skyscraper.com, it gives you a lot of the projects that were proposed but not built.
this is just a drop in the bucket of what is not built here for one reason or not.
a few projects spring to mind that either are on hold or were never built
Disneyquest. the hole sat there for years, without any interest in developing there even after Disney pulled out.
Pennslanding. Don't get me started. The giant concrete block suppossedly for the Tram is like a giant marker for "failure" in that area.
the World Trade Center at Callowhill street. That has been turned into Waterfront square. but the original plan would have finally given Philly it's WTC.
The Calder musuem, already is years behind.
Eakins Oval has had several suggested projects, and what do they choose? a parking lot.
new Market, Washington and Broad...The royal Theater.

It just takes a LOT longer if ever to see projects completed in Philly.
and where I live, there are PLENTY of old homes being renovated.into LUXURY townhomes.
Don't get me wrong, I love this place more then most...but if one out of every 20 projects gets done, I'm astounded.

bobbyboy · #20 (**permalink**) 05-11-2005, 02:52 PM

from what i remember there is suppossed to be a pretty spectacular fountain at the base of the tower. at least when it was originally proposed. They made a big point of it, since it was to be computer programmed and such.

Rouse made a big deal about it.

so hopefully, even though the outside is "boring" it might be at street level where the most fun will be.