Web Search powered by YAHOO! SEARCH
share
email
print
font size
options
 
Thursday, July 31, 2008
PennPraxis Unveils Redesigned Riverfront Casinos

A panel of architectural and traffic experts convened this week by PennPraxis unveiled this morning the rough drafts of plans to redesign two proposed riverfront casinos.  The results will be presented in final form on Aug. 8 to Mayor Nutter, who last month asked for the casino study after declaring that the current designs for casinos do not fit into the city's long-range plan to redevelop the banks of the Delaware River.

The redesign plans, drawn by architectural designer Tim Magill of 5+Design in Hollywood, Calif. after more than 18 hours of panel work, suggest significant changes in how the casinos would look.  The panel suggested removing grand "porte-cocher" entrances from the front of the casinos, replacing them with courtyard-style arrival points in the center of the two properties.  That has the effect of splitting down the center the casinos -- SugarHouse in Fishtown and Foxwoods in South Philly -- to create a pedestrian friendly passage from the street to the riverfront.  Those passages would be used by drivers to drop off passengers and enter parking garages.  The redesigns also offer alternative entrances to the garages and direct access from parking to the riverfront without the need to pass through the casinos.

As for the garages, the panel says SugarHouse and Foxwoods should conceal them from view.  Foxwoods parking would be set behind retail stores and condos while SugarHouse would be concealed by condos and restaurants.  Both casinos had planned parking garages in their first phases of construction, to be followed by retail, condos and hotels. The panel says those "mixed-use" parts of the projects should be built at the same time as the casinos and garages. 

Foxwoods and SugarHouse, which have been developing their site plans for three years and are not bound by the panel's suggestions, are waiting until they see the PennPraxis report to comment.

Posted by Chris Brennan @ 1:32 PM  Permalink | 2 comments
Comments   
Posted 02:34 PM, 07/31/2008
dww2001
I really think the casinos should pay attention to the Penn Praxis suggestions. They are not obligated in any way to heed to their every suggestion, but I think these are practical solutions for some of the concerns people have about the aesthetic of the buildings and how they would function with the riverfront. And it would go a long way to clearing any more legal hurdles that the city might try to impose. I think if they consider some of the concerns of the Penn Praxis study they would help become a catalyst in a more coherent strategy for the riverfront.
Comment removed.
2 comments
About Chris Brennan and Catherine Lucey
PhillyClout
Chris Brennan, a native Philadelphian and graduate of Temple University, joined the Daily News in 1999. He has written about SEPTA, the Philadelphia School District, the legalization of casino gambling, state government, the mayor, the governor, City Council and political campaigns.

Catherine Lucey joined the Daily News in 2002. Since then she has written about murderous drug gangs, political protesters and Harry Potter. For the past two years, she covered the 2007 mayoral election. Now that the battle is over, she has moved down to the City Hall bureau where she will report on the Nutter administration.

Share your tips

Catherine Lucey
luceyc@phillynews.com 		Chris Brennan
brennac@phillynews.com
Advertise Here