Philly Condo Boom or Boomerang?

[city guy]

Here is an insightful article by the Phila. Inquirer Architecture Critic.

She says.. "projects are whizzing through Philadelphia's zoning process with almost no review and no consciousness about how they fit into the greater whole."

"Philadelphia's zoning practices are out of date in many other ways. Most neighborhood zoning doesn't permit skyscrapers or their garages. So instead developers seek - and usually receive - major variances for their high-rises, infuriating residents and provoking bitter lawsuits. Four major condo projects are tied up in litigation."

The entire article is here:

Boom or boomerang?

Of the three photos in the article...the second one the 39 story tower will replace an ugly car rental agency. From the same developers of the 47 story St. James. So you know it will

be done right.

[Everest]

25 to 36 new condo towers in the next 3 years in Center City? Can center city Philadelphia support 36 new towers? That seems like an absurd amount in that short of time span.

[city guy]

25 to 36 new condo towers in the next 3 years in Center City?  Can center city Philadelphia support 36 new towers? That seems like an absurd amount in that short of time span.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Everest - I agree it seems unbelievable - Five years ago if you told me this was going to happen in Phillly I would say your crazy. But there does not seem to be an end to it.

I am in a shorehouse in Avalon with 23 other people and 11 of them are looking for places to buy in the city. Two of my buddies are on the waiting list at naval square. There are 700 units and there is a waiting list. This is Toll Brothers first big push into the city and it is a massive development.

http://www.navalsquare.com/

The strange thing is it is just not all the towers but all the houses that are being built and the

prices.

Take a look at the open house list in Philadelphia Weekly - Crazy!

http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/?inc=open_house

As the Inquirer article says:

[SouthJersey7]

On the flip side, there is Waterfront Square, five 30-story towers on the Delaware River at Fairmount Avenue. Although it is the biggest high-rise development in Philadelphia, it was never reviewed by city planners. Rather, it was approved by a special City Council vote. No one seemed bothered that the five towers will be gated, cutting off a large stretch of the Delaware from the public. "We never saw a presentation of the project," said Richard Lombardo, the Planning Commission's new executive director.

That sucks. I hate it when a waterfront is divided up into private sections. It's a lot less plesant.