JFK VOTECH Condo conversion - Page 3 - PhillyBlog

Malloy · #21 (**permalink**) 11-08-2005, 03:42 PM

Absolutely. This is what I always preach. I LOVE it, and will always have dedicated parking in Phily. Having a motorcycle, or scooter is another huge plus

I love running errands around the city on my cycle as you can park it short term just about anywhere without getting in trouble.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaizen

I do say that the conveience of going out and using the car is rather enticing - its the best of both worlds. Center City living with access via walking to almost everything and a car to do the run to Ikea etc if necessary.

Cochise · #22 (**permalink**) 11-11-2005, 12:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jayfar

Well, considering its original purpose it might just be more than a little bit sturdy. Isn't it more cost-effective and green to recycle the original building materials in place?

There's no compelling reason to spend time, money and energy to demolish and truck away the debris. You'd then be spending a fortune on new concrete and steel, the costs of which has been going through the roof over the past couple years. You'd be spending boku bucks to replace the present building with one that would by force of economics be relatively flimsy comapared to its predecessor.

I generally agree with renovations where profitable but this building does not deserve to be saved. It's a bland,blah, ordinary 70 year old brick garage. Switzenbaum is spending $80 Million on the renovations. Why? Spend the extra demolition costs and start anew with a 21st century design. We've reached our quota on uninspiring, vanilla, red brick edifices.

eldondre · #23 (**permalink**) 11-11-2005, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cochise

I generally agree with renovations where profitable but this building does not deserve to be saved. It's a bland,blah, ordinary 70 year old brick garage. Switzenbaum is spending $80 Million on the renovations. Why? Spend the extra demolition costs and start anew with a 21st century design. We've reached our quota on uninspiring, vanilla, red brick edifices.

I think it sounds pretty cool. condos with a basement and a garage. nice. I'm probably not the only one. plus it's going to have a 1 acre rooftop garden. given the sturdy construction it woudl probably be a tough demolition project.

kaizen · #24 (**permalink**) 11-11-2005, 12:18 PM

Thats one building where I think that all the walls (if it doenst have one of those posts in it) are clearly non load bearing.
I bet the sound doenst come through those floors either

(sorry - dealing with waffer thin floors in our new home... sigh... at least NOW I can rip up the ceiling and do something about it... #207 on the list)

Is this building the industiral looking thing just to the NORTH of the "Naval Homes" Toll Brothers project?

Cochise · #25 (**permalink**) 11-11-2005, 12:29 PM

What is the story with the energy plant(Trigen ?) in Grays Ferry just to the south of the JFk Building? With this new emphasis on river living this eyesore needs to be eliminated. Cities with a high quality of living do not have energy plants smack dab in the middle of the city.

ahbinpa · #26 (**permalink**) 11-11-2005, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kaizen

Is this building the industiral looking thing just to the NORTH of the "Naval Homes" Toll Brothers project?

It's more to the west. "Behind" the Naval Square development and adjacent to the beer distributer near the South Street bridge. You might be thinking of the AT&T/Verizon building that's on the north side of the bridge. There's a thread running on that one too but I'm not sure how to post a link. (figured it out -- see below) It was built to store tanks and munitions during WW2. There are large support columns inside that I'm guessing are load bearing.

AHB

ahbinpa · #27 (**permalink**) 11-11-2005, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cochise

What is the story with the energy plant(Trigen ?) in Grays Ferry just to the south of the JFk Building? With this new emphasis on river living this eyesore needs to be eliminated. Cities with a high quality of living do not have energy plants smack dab in the middle of the city.

It's been there for years and years. There is an interesting image of it on the Bryn Mawr website with boats coming up to it. See
http://www.brynmawr.edu/iconog/king/k8dd.jpg

It is also still in use. There's a bit of discussion about it in the same thread that mentions the Verizon/AT&T building which is here
http://www.phillyblog.com/philly/sho...6&page=1&pp=10

AHB

krewstown78 · #28 (**permalink**) 11-11-2005, 01:09 PM

I agree with other posters notions that you really can't avoid the fact that this new luxury condo will share a block with a large coal (?) fire plant? Its like living across the street from an open dump. People may like the apartments and the view, but seriously folks, how can you not avoid the eyesore!

kaizen · #29 (**permalink**) 11-11-2005, 02:05 PM

Have you seen what $$$ housing in Brooklyn or Manhattan sometimes has next to it?

Yeah - it would be worth even more in say... Society Hill.
But I think alot of people are thinking... hmmm.. this is Society Hill Circa 1978. So if we get in and then start improving things...

eldondre · #30 (**permalink**) 11-11-2005, 03:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by krewstown78

I agree with other posters notions that you really can't avoid the fact that this new luxury condo will share a block with a large coal (?) fire plant? Its like living across the street from an open dump. People may like the apartments and the view, but seriously folks, how can you not avoid the eyesore!

if you're referring to Trigen, it's a steam plant not a coal plant. if you're too fancy to be near something non residential perhaps an estate might be more to your liking. I don't get the attytude...hey, now that I'm here we need to eliminate taxpaying businesses to I can have picture perfect views. part of city life is having things integrated, and not just people.