Philly plans: 800 new homes, apartments
On the agenda at Tuesday's Planning meeting.
Philly plans: 800 new homes, apartments
Joseph N. DiStefano
The Philadelphia City Planning Commission plans a "special meeting" Tuesday May 29, 1 pm upstairs at 1515 Arch St., to review plans for more than 800 new Philadelphia homes, traffic features at Penn and Temple, the revised billboard-limitation proposal, expansion at Finnigan's Wake, and other business. Agenda here. Some highlights:
- In Eastwick near Philadelphia International Airport: After a long court fight with factions of the Korman family, Philadelphia is taking back 93 acres where the Kormans were granted development rights in the 1960s but failed to do much.
The city wants to hold the ground along Septa's Airport Line and Bartram Ave. for airport expansion, though there's no specific plan. Planners will review a proposal to strike streets, sidewalks and utility rights-of-way.
Korman retains development rights for 35 acres near the apartments at 84th and Lindbergh and single-family homes nearby, where the group plans to build more than 700 homes - some day - though plans haven't been submitted. (Update: Public Record says some Eastwick residents aren't too eager.)
- Center City: Planners will review Carl Dranoff's plan for 85 rental apartments and 39 underground parking spaces at Broad and South (521-31 South Broad St.). - Old City: Planners will review David Perlman/Forth Four North Front LLC's plan for 32 single-family townhouses with 11 garage car spaces and 22 other parking spaces at 412 North Front Street.
- Zoning Code: A sign control ordinance that would force billboard owners to remove four "accessory" signs for every new billboard, among other changes; also, "zoning clean-up amendments" - Finnigan's Wake expansion: The block-long taproom and party hall at 3rd and Spring Garden plans to turn a block of Bodine St. into a walkway, among other changes.
- At Penn: A proposed pedestrian barrier will make it harder for HUP employees, visitors and others to run across the triangle that separates 33rd and 34th Sts. between the food cards, restaurants and medical offices south and west of the Penn museum.
- At Temple: LCD sign and planters proposed for the middle of Broad Street.
Yet Market East still looks like the birthchild of Detroit and Norristown.Unbelievable.
How about building a couple of these new new 9 story 250 apartment/condo projects on Market East + Chestnut East?— joe smith- because only a fool would live there.— The Boston Strangler
- Touchee but there are fools living in new housing that abut Point Breeze and the badlands of N philly. Its odd that Nortern Lib and 26th + warton is seeing vast improvement but Market East is stuck in some depression era time warp. No Libs has probably seen over $1 b of investment(new housing) yet the key Convention Center area- the stretch that connects Center City to the tourist district seriously looks like a snapshot from 1968.— joe smith
- Seems clear that the major reason Market East is stuck in the time warp is the time warp known as The Gallery. I guess it seemed like a good idea in the 80s to import a suburban-style shopping mall into a subterrainean urban space, but in retrospect, it's brought crime, low-end stores, and long, blank blocks with no store fronts that are not friendly to walk past. I think if they can get rid of the Gallery, Market East could become a great location (close to regional rail, subways, Jefferson Hospital, Olde City).— ChrisInConshy
I'm betting all this new housing is abated for real estate taxes like the new homes at the old Byberry site. Meanwhile, Nutless and City Council are getting ready to hammer the rest of us big time with this new scheme called "Actual Value Inititaive". Just another day in Taxadelphia...— The Monk- There goes the neighborhood :)— Happyface
The Gallery does need to go as do many of the stores on market and chestnut east. I hate that I have to say that because I grew up on some of those stores but the reality there is undeniable.
As far as real estate abatements, I'm not mad at it. Get me more middle class folks in my city and give me that 4% wage cut. The housing isn't going anywhere. We'll collect on it in 7yrs.- As far the Actual Value Initiative (AVP), I'm not a full-fledged fan but I'm not mad at it. OUR PROPERTY TAX IS TOO F#CKIN LOW!!!! Ppl lose more money in the couch than they pay in Philly real estate tax.
That said, I read through the proposal and it needs serious revisions, particularly in regards to "smoothing." They made it so damn complicated that it defeats the purpose of having it. I feel like they need to change it so it would allow for a flat rate increase of say 10%/yr until you're in compliance with the new rates. Just my thoughts. - Schools are zoo. If we could send kids to Norteast or Lincoln that would be a different story. Double my taxes and I am gone. We pay 6k in wage tax, and 2K in property, 6K High School and 4K grade school.
I can't beleive we have not left yet. White flight will do the rest of the city in this time.— BushisGood - @BushisGood With a household income of about $146K and a property worth about $130,000 judging from the tax numbers you submitted, the city would surely hate to see you go. If you find it absolutely necessary though, please have it. The grass isn't much greener on the other side. Kids attending schools in the districts outside of Philly are ending up at the same colleges as those attending school here and at a higher price; we, even with our tax assessment reform, have the lowest real estate tax in the area, about 1.4% of market value on average (9.4% of assessed value). This doesn't include the money that you're still going to likely spend on sending your kids to private school once you move. You're not getting a bad deal and a better deal means paying up whether you choose to stay or go. That's the unfortunate reality. Sorry. That said, again, I hope you do stay and work with other concerned residents like myself to make the city better.
