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Mon
Aug 27
2012

205 Race Street Project Back on Track?

A long stalled project may be on the horizon as developers for the vacant lot across from the Ben Franklin Bridge at 205 Race St. are scheduled to appear tomorrow before the Old City Civic Association Zoning Committee to seek support for newly revised plans for a mixed-use apartment building. This project has been discussed on and off for years, and may finally move forward, provided the developer and the community can see eye-to-eye.

Lot and bridge

Brown/Hill Development will seek the community group’s approval for a 16-story 128-unit building, according to the zoning refusal. That would make it perhaps the tallest building in the area, a 197-foot structure, three times that of the current height allowed by zoning. The building, as proposed, will have 34 interior parking spaces, as well as bicycle parking.

These plans are a departure from the most recent plans for this site, from October 2011, which called for 122 mid-income rental apartments in a 178-foot-tall building, according to PlanPhilly. Those plans differed still from 2006 renderings produced by Brown/Hill Development, depicting a 10-story, 135K sq ft, 53 high-end-unit condo building.

Six year old rendering

“I was briefed by the developer about a year ago. I don’t know how outdated the information shared in that briefing may be now,” said Joe Schiavo, vice chair of OCCA’s developments committee. “I think it would be best if I reserved comment until after the presentation the 28th.  However, the refusal issued by L&I does tell a story.”

We’ll have more on this following the meeting.

–Lou Mancinelli

20
COMMENTS
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Posted in Old City | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments
  • veggie

    … is there any ground flour retail/commercial space?

  • veggie

    floor*

  • http://www.facebook.com/michaelpennphotography Michael Penn

    I prefer the 6 year old plan over the last two they’ve introduced. The one from last year was hideous. Also for those that say any building is better than an empty lot. Well it wasn’t an empty lot until they (developer) demolished the lithograph building that was there.

  • http://www.facebook.com/michaelpennphotography Michael Penn
  • thegreengrass

    Agree with others who say the last-year rendering is hideous compared to the 2006 rendering. What’s this lot zoned for in the new code, anyway? (Is that possible to find out?)

  • http://twitter.com/F1rstCitizen First Citizen

    It was C3 under the old code, which should be CMX-3 (Community Commercial Mixed-Use) under the new code. The city is updating its maps to reflect the new classifications, which inconceivably is supposed to take 5 years. I hope I’m misinterpreting their 5 year determination…

  • thegreengrass

    Yeah, that sounds about right. The thing I don’t really understand yet is what people can now develop by right without a variance. That’s why I assume developers go to neighborhood groups to present their projects, to get support for variances. Otherwise, why do it? (Not that I’m saying developers should be able to build whatever hideous crap they want to, I just always wonder about the actual, technical and legal need to do so.) I heard that Old City people rejected the much more awesome 2006 rendering, so I’m left wondering how the project’s changed with the new code coming into effect.

  • http://www.facebook.com/michaelpennphotography Michael Penn

    From what I remember the original project was a go but they couldn’t presell any units and then the housing bubble burst.

  • Anonymous

    Low density reigns? You do realize Philadelphia is 2nd densest city in the country with a population over 1 million.

  • Noah

    Old City looks like Beirut ? Just another keyboard warrior who needs to go outside.

  • Noah

    Old City looks like Beirut ? Just another keyboard warrior who needs to go outside.

  • blurb

    YOU LIVE IN A CITY
    YOU LIVE IN THE DOWNTOWN OF THE 5TH LARGEST CITY IN THE USA
    WHY ARE YOU UPSET THAT SOMEONE WANTS TO BUILD A TALL BUILDING?

  • Bob

    Old city civic association as always is opposing this and all projects in old city. They have not done anything as a group but torture delvelopers and cause them incresed legal expences ,intrest fees due to delays and have caused the city job loss, city taxable loss , loss of occupency. Joe shiavo ,and the old city civic association need to be sued for all the damages they have caused property owners and buisness. Only thing they are good for is picking up dog poop!

  • Anonymous

    Good point: you could learn a thing or two from NoLibs.

  • Brian N.

    For More Information, or to SUPPORT THE PROJECT, visit http://www.205race.com

  • Brian Novello

    Please visit http://www.205race.com for more information or to SUPPORT 205 RACE

  • Brian

    I’ve lived in Old City for the better part of 10 years. I can’t help but question the logic behind continual approvals of condos/apartment complexes without the approval of commercial properties such as restaurants, BYOBs, and God-forbid, bars. It seems that the OCCA is laser visioned on preserving the historic nature of North Old City at the peril of residents who live there, and the businesses that want to invest there. There are successful templates in the city where restaurants/bars live in harmony with the surrounding residential area (Art Museum area comes to mind). With the invariable influx of people due to large scale projects such as 205 Race St, I think its time that someone starts to think about where all these people are going to eat/drink. Race Street Cafe is going to be very crowded…..

  • OldCityResident

    Someone who wants quaint living experience should not live in any of the top five metropolises of the most developed nation on earth. Perhaps one should consider moving to a small town or suburbs.

  • http://twitter.com/lildarkcloud little dark cloud

    Already done. The newest proposal is fabulous and sensitive to the location. This new design makes the rental spaces desirable even though they are right next to a high traffic bridge. This is much more exciting and forward thinking than the previous un imaginative proposals. Sign the petition.

  • phillyjoe

    i looked at the plans on the link from Brian N below… it appears they are going to have a blended cement/glass facade. mostly cement gradually becoming mostly glass as you move up the building. i hope it doesnt turn out like the spanish embassy in DC.

    its a hard design to pull off, not sure its worth it

    http://www.ilariamogno.com/photo/images/DC_trip_with_Saylors_2007/images/spanish_embassy.JPG

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