"...Also, I don't think Lussenhop said anything about a Hilton affiliation
of his project. I think this is something Glenn just made up all by himself.
-- Tony West"
Tony,
Unlike Glen, YOU weren't at the Historical Commission Architecture
Committee review meeting where it was stated that Penn "needs" Hilton to
make this work, and that any such flagship will insist on this many rooms,
even though one of the architects on the ArchComm stated that he is
currently working on an extended stay hotel at the airport with far fewer
rooms for another brand. (Although I can't remember the name since it
doesn't have a famous daughter.) So, like the rest of us, you don't have all
the facts either.
Hilton HAD a hotel on campus with a ped bridge to CHOP and a parking
lot that is now offices. Is there any chance that the demand for extended
stay rooms has been miscalculated and some of the rooms will "need" to be
converted to short-stay rooms and/or offices to avert a financial hardship?
If such a change is a possibility, will these added guests, office workers
and clients also be provided with free valet parking to a nearby Penn lot,
or will they be circling the neighborhood looking for a parking spot,
dialing their cell phone to say they're late for their appointment and
parking in some resident's driveway? Or will they be directed to make a
left onto Baltimore into the Vet School grid-lock. Can we get a commitment
that this hotel will always have a required minimum stay and that is the
only use it will ever have during the zoning process? My magic eightball
is a little fuzzy, but I think it says, "Unlikely."
What concerns me about this project is that it may set a precedent that
will impact what goes in on top of the community garden on the SE corner of
43rd and Baltimore. If someone really did spend $5 million to acquire the
property, how many units will they "need" to cram in there to "make the
numbers work"? Are we going to get a study indicating that our beloved park
and coffee shop park will only be in shadow for a few hours during certain
months? a Starbuck, a WaWa and a CVS? Beyond plowing the garden under,
does anyone know who is buying this property and what are their plans? Will
it have 2 dedicated off-street parking spots for every unit? Or is Clark
Park expected to provide the parking for this highrise?
For benefit of partial disclosure: I was born and raised in the
historical monstrosity on the site of the Swain Mansion at 45th and Spruce.
-Lew
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