PlanPhilly weekly news recap 2-06-08

2-06-2008

Dear PlanPhilly member,

This week in Philadelphia design and planning:

1. SugarHouse pulls workers from site

The proposed casino site in Fishtown was silent Tuesday morning, as SugarHouse pulled idle equipment and workers from the site, citing a need to save money until work permits are issued. SugarHouse estimates it is $100 million over budget due to the prolonged approval process. Click here for the full report: http://www.planphilly.com/node/2685.

2. Wreckers at work on North Broad Street

Despite protest and citywide news coverage, the Pennsylvania Convention Center Authority took a wrecking ball to the PLICO buildings on North Broad Street, taking down the walls of both structures.

Check out PlanPhilly video of the wreckage: http://www.planphilly.com/node/2685.  Also, see a webcam set up by the Convention Center Authority for live updates from 13th and Arch Streets: http://www.paconvention.com/exp/expand.asp.

3. Creating a preeminent planning commission

PlanPhilly’s Thomas Walsh reports that members of the City Planning Commission are optimistic that Michael Nutter’s early emphasis on the agency signals the dawn of a new era in Philadelphia planning. Click here for the full story: http://www.planphilly.com/node/2669.

In related news, check out PennPraxis director Harris Steinberg’s editorial in the Philadelphia Inquirer about what the appointment of Andrew Altman as Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development could mean for the city: http://www.planphilly.com/node/2665.

4. ImaginePhiladelphia forums conclude

The next step is for the City Planning Commission to issue a public report summarizing the citizen input that will help inform the city’s comprehensive planning process. Check out the story on the final forum (http://www.planphilly.com/node/2669) as well as Michael Nutter’s appearance at the forum in Germantown (http://www.planphilly.com/node/2667).

5. Results from Kimmel Center Public Space Forums

PennPraxis and the Penn Project for Civic Engagement completed its series of forums gathering citizen input on how to reinvigorate the Kimmel Center public spaces last week. 

Both Chris Satullo (http://www.philly.com/inquirer/columnists/chris_satullo/20080202_Chris_Satullo__Gaining_ideas_on_fixing_the_Kimmel__and_losing_an_icon.html) and Inga Saffron (http://www.philly.com/inquirer/magazine/15099797.html) wrote about the forums in the Inquirer. Also check out PlanPhilly’s interview with Saffron about the Kimmel after she attended the January 27 forum: http://www.planphilly.com/node/2664.

View the Kimmel Center Feedback Page on PlanPhilly for complete data from all five forums as well as citizen ideas submitted by email in response to Satullo’s column last week: http://www.planphilly.com/kimmelfeedback.

For general project information, check out: www.planphilly.com/kimmel.

Upcoming Events

Feb. 8: Philadelphia City Planning Commission meeting — http://www.planphilly.com/node/2666
Feb. 12: Landmark Lecture Series: Penn’s plan and the founding of the city — http://www.planphilly.com/node/2680
Feb. 13: Zoning Code Commission monthly meeting — http://www.planphilly.com/node/2682
Feb. 19 – March 5: Great Expectations Agenda Neighborhood Forums — http://www.greatexpectations07.com/

Best until next week,
Matt Golas, Managing Editor