Whats the number 1 parking lot you would like to see developed downtown? (Philadelphia: skatepark, hotels)

[RightonWalnut]

Originally Posted by jm02

Walked by 15th and Chestnut Monday and thought I would drop in the lobby of the W Hotel for a coffee break. What? It's still a parking lot?

I've lost count of all the "final" approvals I've read about in the last 2 and a half years that go on to state that groundbreaking will get underway "shortly."

W Hotel was never supposed to break ground yet. Developer said it would start no later than September 1st.

[RightonWalnut]

Real Estate development takes a long time guys. Sometimes years for major projects. It's a little crazy to say that no projects ever get off the ground in Philly. Either you're being dramatic or you have never stepped foot in Philly. Especially with all the new towers currently going up and a 700 foot and a 1000 foot office tower starting construction.

Even in NYC (the hottest city for Real Estate in the world) projects can take years). It took a decade to get One World Trade Center off of the ground.

Developers have to go through a lot. Get the project approved by the CDR, Planning Commission and if it needs variances, the ZBA. Then the developer needs to get financing from the project, which could take months if not years. Then the developer has to refine the design and work out all the kinks. Hire contractors for construction and excavation who then hire sub contractors to do all the little various bits and parts. It takes a LONG time to get all of this together.

However, just think about all of the major projects happening/finished in the last two years. A lot has happened and is continuing to happen in Philly.

[mancat100]

13th and Market.

Also there's a huge useless lot between 5th and 6th from Chestnut north to Arch.

[*Sweetkisses*]

Originally Posted by Summersm343

Real Estate development takes a long time guys. Sometimes years for major projects. It's a little crazy to say that no projects ever get off the ground in Philly. Either you're being dramatic or you have never stepped foot in Philly. Especially with all the new towers currently going up and a 700 foot and a 1000 foot office tower starting construction.

Even in NYC (the hottest city for Real Estate in the world) projects can take years). It took a decade to get One World Trade Center off of the ground.

Developers have to go through a lot. Get the project approved by the CDR, Planning Commission and if it needs variances, the ZBA. Then the developer needs to get financing from the project, which could take months if not years. Then the developer has to refine the design and work out all the kinks. Hire contractors for construction and excavation who then hire sub contractors to do all the little various bits and parts. It takes a LONG time to get all of this together.

However, just think about all of the major projects happening/finished in the last two years. A lot has happened and is continuing to happen in Philly.

I don't think anyone here is being dramatic just impatient lol. Especially when we keep hearing that something has been approved and then no progress. But i do understand what you are saying.

[rotodome]

Yep, even after something is "approved", before construction starts there's still tons of financial and permitting hoops to jump though, not to mention a design & bidding process that can take several months to years.

[Pine to Vine]

Originally Posted by Summersm343

W Hotel was never supposed to break ground yet. Developer said it would start no later than September 1st.

Well someone needs to tell the press. Here's a 2012 article stating the construction was due to start in 2013: W Hotel planned for Chestnut Street - Philly.com

And here are two more stating the construction was supposed to start the first part of this year:

$280M W Hotel Project in Center City | NBC 10 Philadelphia
W Hotel project to cost $280M - Philadelphia Business Journal

[*Sweetkisses*]

Originally Posted by jm02

Well someone needs to tell the press. Here's a 2012 article stating the construction was due to start in 2013: W Hotel planned for Chestnut Street - Philly.com

And here are two more stating the construction was supposed to start the first part of this year:

$280M W Hotel Project in Center City | NBC 10 Philadelphia
W Hotel project to cost $280M - Philadelphia Business Journal

Agreed

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by jm02

Walked by 15th and Chestnut Monday and thought I would drop in the lobby of the W Hotel for a coffee break. What? It's still a parking lot?

I've lost count of all the "final" approvals I've read about in the last 2 and a half years that go on to state that groundbreaking will get underway "shortly."

Are you aware that the saga of that space goes back 23 years and the One Meridian high rise fire, the years of litigation and the complete "foot dragging" to build something on that ugly corner? At least the Residences of the Ritz Carlton, which is sitting on the other part of that former mess, got built.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by Summersm343

W Hotel was never supposed to break ground yet. Developer said it would start no later than September 1st.

But is it real? Do they mean it? Is it another nonsense announcement?
Not that long ago there was talk of putting a Waldorf Astoria there? Nothing,obviously, came of it.

Originally there was an announcement a while ago about building this W Hotel at 12th and Arch, across from the Reading Terminal Market. What we got instead is ugly and cheap looking.

[kyb01]

Originally Posted by Summersm343

Real Estate development takes a long time guys. Sometimes years for major projects. It's a little crazy to say that no projects ever get off the ground in Philly. Either you're being dramatic or you have never stepped foot in Philly. Especially with all the new towers currently going up and a 700 foot and a 1000 foot office tower starting construction.

Even in NYC (the hottest city for Real Estate in the world) projects can take years). It took a decade to get One World Trade Center off of the ground.

Developers have to go through a lot. Get the project approved by the CDR, Planning Commission and if it needs variances, the ZBA. Then the developer needs to get financing from the project, which could take months if not years. Then the developer has to refine the design and work out all the kinks. Hire contractors for construction and excavation who then hire sub contractors to do all the little various bits and parts. It takes a LONG time to get all of this together.

However, just think about all of the major projects happening/finished in the last two years. A lot has happened and is continuing to happen in Philly.

No disagreement with what you are saying actually. But there is frustration with some things that go through mutiple announcements of different projects that never seem to get off the ground.

The 15th and Chestnut spot is a case in point. As I stated earlier the history of what has happened there goes back to 1991. Were you even born then or were you in the city or area then? I was.

I was in NYC yesterday. I hadn't been there in almost a year. All along Madison Ave., for instance going from at least 34th St northbound, blocks and blocks of buildings in scaffolding set for renovation or it currently underway. Inspite of all the local Philly announcements those kinds of massive projects are a rare thing to see around here.