"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"? Lew, You've hit the nail on the head! One of the main points being made in defense of the hotel has been how much money Penn paid for it, how much it would take to make the project work, and how those numbers translated into having to have a high-rise building there. Paying $5 million for the 43rd Street lot is great for the seller and the real estate agents, but what will the buyer have to build there to cover the costs of the land, building the improvements, and making a profit? Maybe the inability to make a project work without cramming in units indicates that it is economically untenable, a bad investment, and that the price for the land is too high. What we're seeing with the hotel project, and what you're suggesting in your analogy is, in essence, that the neighbors of a site has to sacrifice and forgo their quality of life in order to bail out a developer who could not otherwise make "the numbers" work. This is what I fear. At the HC hearing last Friday, the proponents pointed to high rises on Penn's campus east of 40th Street as a precedent for building another one in the residential area west of 40th Street. If the Campus Inn goes in, Lussenhop or Campannella or Developer du Jour will turn their sights to another location farther west, and cite Campus Inn as the precedent for building that project. What will that do to those of us who have to live in the aftermath of this?
-----Original Message-----From: Lewis Mellman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]: Mon, 12 Nov 2007 8:34 amSubject: [UC] 11-Story Hilton Hotel "...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 ---- You are receiving this because you are subscribed to the list named "UnivCity." To unsubscribe or for archive information, see <http://www.purple.com/list.html>. Email and AIM finally together. You've gotta check out free AOL Mail!
