This, from the latest minutes of the City Planning Commission (complete and unexpurgated) You read it here, first, on the ever-popular Popu-List
Courtesy of Al Krigman 4) Information Only: Hilton Homewood Suites Hotel proposed at 41st & Walnut Streets David Adelman, of Campus Apts, gave updates on the projects they have been working on for 2 ½ years. There are main 2 updates here. The first update, the last time we stood here this Commission approved the project at 40th and Pine Streets. It is ironic that going into this project we had no financing. We took a great project that was at 40th and Pine, and we are proposing to move it. There were some controversies with the community, but not about the use. This new project, which will support the Penn Medicine’s Roberts Proton Therapy Center when it opens in November, will be an extended stay hotel near the hospitals. The good news here is that we have located a site that Campus Apts already owns. We are moving it to the 4100 block of Walnut Street. They will continue the redevelopment of 4100 block of Walnut. It will be a mixed-use project of retail, residential and offices for Campus Apts. All told they are looking at an 80 or 90 million dollar project. It is a really large private investment, that we have not seen in West of the University of Pennsylvania in some time. Tom Lussenhop stated Campus Apts has been active in the acquisition of property in the neighborhood for about 6 years now. Having the degree of ownership enables them opportunities to make moves that they would not have had. The entrance of the extended stay hotel will be on Walnut with a drop-off in the interior of the lot, and exit on 41st Street. This plan is the backbone of the proposal. There will be 130 rooms, much larger than a regular hotel. Phase I will be the 100,000 sq. ft. extended stay hotel. But because of the degree of ownership that we are putting into this street the opportunity to extend that development further, we don’t have a definitive development plan other than to know that we have the capacity to development and the financing. We anticipate retail and garage parking below grade with 45 or 50 spaces. It will be a mixed-use building with possible office space. We had to work with Hilton PCPC to get them comfortable with the layout. We worked with the State’s Department of Economic Development and PIDC, they have been very supportive of the project. This is really the largest single private investment in this area. This is a chance to see Chestnut and Walnut Streets and north of there to see some of the large fallow sites that exist along there to hopefully attach themselves to this private investment. In addition we have excellent transit. There is a 5 to 10 minute walk between 2 major transit nodes. This will help both CHOP and Penn. They don’t want to invest their money in hotels, even though they are critical. Their money goes to cancer treatment and related research. They are very supportive of this project. Mr. Syrnick replied the previous time you had community opposition. Could you expand on that? Mr. Lussenhop replied we met with Spruce Hill Community Association in August on a very conceptual level. We weren’t asking for any decision. I think the people, who were against the last location, approve this location. Mr. Adelman replied the last time we didn’t have opposition to the use. The problem was we had an old historic property that we were adding to our building and we were creating height. The height was the problem. Ms. Rogo Trainer asked when you come again for a Commission vote, what would you need from us. Ron Patterson, attorney, replied what we would be looking at is an adjustment on the FAR. We are not asking for “C5” but a “C4” with some adjustment; and we want to discuss if it is a plan of development or a Master Plan. Mr. Syrnick stated this is an information only item, we are not voting on it. How long has it been vacant? Mr. Adelman replied the site itself has been cleared for about a year and a half, but prior to that it was an abandoned old house. Mr. Syrnick stated you were talking about “L” shaped street. Is it a public street or driveway serving your development? Mr. Adelman replied driveway. Ms. Olson Urtecho replied there is a big lack of hotels in West Philadelphia.
