Headlines: Important Zoning Overlay Bill For South Philly to Meet Council Today
The vacant lot on northeast corner of Broad and Washington. | Photo via Google Street View.
A bill that would create a zoning overlay called the South Broad Street Gateway will be introduced to City Council later today, PlanPhilly’s Jared Brey reports. The bill’s purpose? To pave the way for the project developer Bart Blatstein has in store for the northeast corner of Broad and Washington.
Yes, you read that correctly. There’s finally an update of note regarding the proposed mixed-use complex we last heard had called for two residential towers and a retail component. Blatstein has since refined his plans to include 1,600 units in the both towers and 180,000 square feet of retail space. According to Brey, both structures would rise to 30 stories, while the site as whole would be surrounded by “three-story retail storefronts and restaurants, with a mess of parking in the middle of the property.”
Councilman Johnson’s aide, Steve Cobb, was quoted as say the project could potentially start moving along in the fall.
Meanwhile, some folks aren’t happy with the new protected bike lines in Northeast Philly…
“…such facilities are constantly being used and crossed by pedestrians, often on their way to or from the parked cars. Magical ‘protection’ is a nice fantasy, but the reality is that these facilities are inherently dangerous to bicyclists.”
- Take a bike [Northeast Times]
Plus, Philly Mag has its eye on the Phillyscape:
- No New Prison for Philly (for Now) [Philly Mag News]
- Twee West Philly Restaurant Fences In Big Chunk of Public Sidewalk [Citified]
- Stop What You’re Doing: Skirt Boutique Is Coming to Rittenhouse [Shoppist]
In other real estate and design news…
- Board approves apartment complex at 43rd and Baltimore [PlanPhilly]
- 25 most expensive residences in Montgomery County [Business Journal]
- New development creates debate in Downingtown [Inquirer]
- Indian architect Charles Correa dies aged 84 [Dezeen]
- LEGO Invests $150 Million in Sustainable Materials Research [ArchDaily]
