Carl Dranoff's Evolving Architectural Taste
One thing you can say about Carl Dranoff's taste in architecture is that it's getting better.
Carl Dranoff's Evolving Architectural Taste
Inga Saffron, Inquirer Architecture Critic
One thing you can say about Carl Dranoff’s taste in architecture is that it’s getting better.
On Wednesday, he held a lavish ground-breaking extravaganza for his latest, and smallest, apartment building on South Broad Street, aka, the Avenue of the Arts. SouthStar Lofts isn’t great design, but it’s not pink, either, like his first foray, Symphony House, by BLT Architects.
His new, 85-unit project is a straightforward, loft-style building and was designed by JKRoller Architects, the same firm that did Dranoff’s 777 Broad Street project. They’ve dropped the frou-frou, art deco flourishes this time in favor of clean lines and big windows. Although we still need to see the materials and detailing, the design shown in the renderings has also improved since its original iteration in 2011, when it was called Casa Verde. (see my review below) The best thing about the project may be the 10,000 square feet of retail that strongly anchors the South Street corner. The entrance is on Broad Street, at the northern end of the building, and the retail wraps around to South Street. If Dranoff is able to secure a strong tenant, this project could help tie together the two rebounding ends of South Street.
Read my 2011 column here.
This comment has been deleted.— MS. LOU.- The neighborhood was gentrified more than a decade ago. Now developers are just filling in the empty spaces. — Thad Lawrence
- 100% improvement over the vegetable garden that was there. Its better than 75% of the projects going up in Philly and certainly better than Toll Brothers faux colonial suburbanesque projects sprouting up everywhere. But the reality is that South Star Lofts would be nothing more than decent run of the mill infill in cutting edge urban utopias like Manhattan,Toronto or Chicago.
Then you have the issue that South Broad Streets standards should be of the highest regard and perhaps this particular project comes up a little small.Probably so but Dranoff is one of the few developers who is actually getting things done in Philadelphia. So I can not and will not knock Dranoff as he is helping Philadelphia evolve at its glaciers pace.
I just walked down the 900-1200 blocks of Chestnut and sheesh it still blows me away how behind the times this city is.— argonne - Gentrification? Really? Only in Philadelphia - a city plagued by the blighting effects of its nearly 40,000 vacant lots - would building a relatively modest 85-unit apartment building on the site of a formerly overgrown VACANT LOT at key intersection along the AVENUE OF THE ARTS be viewed as a negative thing.
I mean The Avenue of the Arts is Philadelphia's signature street. It's supposed to be "extravagant" by definition. Its our premiere arts & entertainment corridor, home to over fifty of the City's most important institutions dedicated to arts and culture, education and hospitality, while also becoming known as a place to stay, dine and shop.
Many view this project as a model of "Smart Growth" development. High Density, compact, Mixed-use, Infill site location with direct access to a variety of transit options. You can go right down the list and check the boxes.
These are the kind of projects we should be encouraging. These are the kind of projects that grow our population. These are the kind of projects strengthen the City's downtown core and the foster greater walkability in its neighborhoods.
With the 3rd largest downtown residential population in the country, Philadelphia has a vibrant urban core and has picked up some real positive momentum the past few years experience its first population growth since it peaked at 2.07 million over 50 years ago. Still with 40,000 vacant lots and 400,000 fewer residents I'd say a healthy dose of gentrification is just what this city needs. Let's start developing those lots and growing back our city's residential population.— AvgJoe21 
I am good with Carl as long as he continues to roll with his bike share program.— Earl J- In other words, he's awesome!— Reprehensible
- There still seems to be plenty of affordable housing in the general vicinity. This was mostly a garden space for years, so only vegetables are being priced out - I guess.— StopCorruptionPhilly
- If you think $475K for a 2 bed/bath 1400Sq ft. home is affordable then by all means yes. — F. Harry Stowe
- "If you think $475K for a 2 bed/bath 1400Sq ft. home..."
That is not all that's there, and everybody but you knows it. On the other hand, what do you expect for prime location?— Tatt2 - How much of the sidewalk with Mr Dranoff be commandeering for this particular endeavor?
When it comes to public space once the guy fulfills his requirements there's no giving back - why do those people insist on using wheelchairs anyway?— He Visto Todo - What are you talking about? The sidewalk on South Street was a broken up mess that hadn't been maintained by the people who owned the plot in decades. Dranoff has no history of "commandeering" any sidewalk (unlike the dirtbag who built the lofts across South Street from this site). His 777 is set farther back from the street than any building I can think of (the outdoor seating at Tashan is not on public sidewalk). — Tatt2
- It truly looks like Inga is slipping. Not only are her articles getting shorter and mor infrequent; but now she is giving kudos to a developer who continues to throw up junjk looking projects on our major arteries. The South Star lofts would look better if the windows were on Broad Street and the stone overhang was on South. Of course all windows would be much better.— mjkfisher
- He's too full of himself,,,,— Markitup
- Just what we need - see through buildings without window coverings. Or are the apartments windowless?— gb
- Interesting. The plan that was approved by Wash West Civic Assoc. had the driveway entrance on South Street. The bait and switch is alive and well.— F. Harry Stowe
Inga Saffron came to architecture criticism after five years as a foreign correspondent in Russia and Yugoslavia, where she covered two wars and was a witness to the destruction of two great cities, Sarajevo and Grozny. She was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in criticism in 2004, 2008 and 2009.
Read previous entries on her Skyline Online blog. Reach Inga at isaffron@phillynews.com.
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