Philadelphia developer Dennis Maloomian hopes to build a parking garage near the southern corner of Broad and Arch Streets that would serve visitors to the Convention Center and a proposed new hotel.
But advocates for Arch Street United Methodist – which would be the garage's next door neighbor – worry that construction of the parking facility would damage the 144-year-old church before they can finish shoring it up.
The project was presented to the Philadelphia City Planning Commisison at its Tuesday meeting for information only, with Maloomian, of Realen Properties, represented by attorney Peter Kelsen and architect David McHenry.
The church is located on the corner of Broad and Arch Streets. Its Broad Street neighbor is the Masonic Temple. The parking lot next door on Arch Street is where Maloomian hopes to build the garage. The lot is in a commercial zone – C5. That zoning would not allow its construction, Kelsen said. First District Councilman Frank DiCicco has introduced zoning bill 100678 which would change C5 requirements for this parcel. No hearing date has been set.
While this garage would technically be a not-allowed, non-accessory structure, it would provide 530 parking spaces for the expanded Convention Center – the construction of which gobbled up 1,000 spaces - and a hotel proposed to be built on Arch Street, across from the garage and the church.
The ground floor of the garage on Arch Street would include 16,000 square feet of retail and commercial space, Kelsen said.
Architect McHenry presented what he called a very preliminary design that showed the massing more than anything. He said the shape was “an ice cube, as much as anything.”
McHenry said design decisions have been made with Arch Street Methodist in mind.
While the ground floor on Arch Street, where the retail would be located, hugs the sidewalk, the other floors are set back to preserve the sight lines of the church, he said.
He pointed out that the church facade is stone along the three streets it faces: Broad, Cuthbert and Arch. But the majority of the east side of the building, where the garage would go, “it is common brick,” he said. This material suggests that from the beginning, it was assumed another property would be built close by, and an “urban condition” was anticipated there.
About 20 feet of stone wraps around the east side, McHenry said, and the upper-floors setback would allow this stone to be visible, so that the structure of the church is apparent.
It is anticipated that most people using the garage would walk back to their cars from Broad Street, McHenry said. But the stack containing the stairs and elevators – which is not set back - would be placed closer to Juniper Street, again so as not to detract from the church.
Prior to its demolition in about 1990, the parking lot was a multi-story parking garage for decades, McHenry said. He does not think there was a setback. Traffic in the garage will flow in a double helix and will be one way, he said.
The garage, Kelsen said, is a $27-million project, not including the value of the land. The retail would provide 92 full-time jobs, the garage would provide 10. The building of it would generate “dozens” of construction jobs, he said.
Even as he asked the commission to postpone any action on the bill, Arch Street Methodist Pastor Robin Hynicka said the project “presents the church and the community at large with a great opportunity, especially in this season of economic uncertainty.”
What the 375 members of his congreation want is a chance to talk to the developer about the project in detail, and have their questions and concerns addressed, he said. “The congregation, and other key stake holders, like the Masonic Temple ... have not been consulted as to the specific scope and scale of the project,” he said.
A community meeting with the developer will be held at 6:30 p.m., Dec. 6, at the church, Hynicka said.
Hynicka said his church is very concerned about the massing of the proposal, and how it will impact the church's plans for the future. Under the current proposal, the garage would be built up to the property line on all sides. This, said architect Shawn Evans, who has been guiding the church in restoration, is a big problem.
The biggest concern is that there are stained glass windows three feet from the property line, he said.
“This is a very fragile building,” Evans said. “We are nearing completion of the restoration of the great window on Arch Street, which is 30 feet tall and16 feet wide. We completely disassembeld it. There are numerous additional structural concerns in the building. It is very fragile, and we're working as fast as we can to address these issues. But construction in immediate proximity to this building is something of great concern.”
Evans said that any distance that can be provided between the garage and the church would be of great assistance to on-going maintenance and continued preservation of the building – which would likely not be finished in the near term.
Commissioner Nancy Rogo Trainer asked if the hotel was a sure thing. “We really want that to be a hotel,” Commission Chair and Deputy Mayor Alan Greenberger said. But it is in the idea stages only, he said. When it is a project, it will be back before the planning commission.
Trainer told Kelsen and McHenry that they will need to bring the commission a lot more detail on the proposal before she can decide whether to support it or not. Greenberger agreed it “seriously needs to be architected.”
Greenberger told the developer's representatives that he knows the site is tight, but he thought it was important for them to look at the issue of just how close the construction gets to its neighbor, and what steps might be taken to mitigate the effects of the vibrations that construction would cause.
Greenberger also said the commission will have to consider the possible future of the site for which the garage is proposed. It is probably not a site that is a good candidate for any of the types of uses generally considered good for center city in any market, let alone the current one, he said. It's not a suitable site for an office building, and it is too small for a hotel that could be funded right now. A residential building would be the best other option, he said, but it is not in a very residential area.
Contact the reporter at kgates@planphilly.com
Comments
Good Christ.
Yeah if there's one thing that part of the city doesn't have it's parking.
I like that the church suggests an "urban condition". That's a nice little turn of phrase. Why the hell are we still accepting buildings in the city that destroy any kind of urban condition?
Atrocious Idea. Seems to me there is space nearby the proposed site that would benefit far more from development and have far less negative impact on the environment of center city. Surely this is motivated by the greed of an influential millionaire land owner. The space should be taken by imminent domain and turned into green space to enhance center city, not some private citizens pocketbook. There are so many insignificant low rise buildings along Arch and Market Streets, why not look for a site were such a project might add, not take away.
Arch Street United Methodist Church is a Philadelphia landmark, and deserves much more consideration in the development of the proposed box of a parking garage. The design presented is too close to the historic building, and lacks any kind of grace or respect towards its neighbors, the church and the Masonic Temple. This space shoudl be used for a hotel not just a parking garage.
Yet another Frank VARIANCE DiCicco Bill, . This guy never stops
While parking garages may be a "necessary evil," Philadelphia chronically fails to consider many alternatives for such structures. Considerations should be made for placing more parking underground (see Washington, DC; many buidlings downtown are built above 4-5 story underground garages) as a component of a building, rather then stand alone structures. Is there a zoning rule against this in Philly, or is it simply a cost issue for why structures are only built up, not down and therefore be hidden from the urban scene?
also....that tall tan brick building building you see in the photo thats 101 city place aka 101 N. broad its currently empty... its going to be another high end hotel.....for which parking will be absolutely necessary its already built thus there is no way to build parking underneath it economically.... even if a building goes where this proposed parking lot is to be built and 3 or 4 levels parking are build underneath that parking will be used by that building leaving none for the hotel patrons making the hotel unviable.. thus by not allowing this garage we will be killing a great adaptive reuse project that will add jobs and tax revenue to the city as well as help make the convention center a success....we currently have a hotel room shortage..for the kind of conventions it will need to attract.......at this point in time and for the foreseeable future due market conditions in philly.... relying on mass underground parking is not economically feasible no matter hot ugly parking garages are....that being said there are deffinitely ways of making parking garages less aesthetically offensive...ie wrapping...creative facades requiring ground level retail...etc.... by the way trust me everyone in DC asks why they dont have vertical garages like other cities I lived their until a year ago and still own property their parking there is awful
Unfortunately because of market functions( demand, rent per/sq ft) and unions the cost of construction is much higher in Philadelphia than in Washington, DC...I'm no union buster but in dc there is virtually no union power in the construction/development business this lowers cost of construction..... DC also has much higher demand thus the ability to charge double the price /sq ft as philly... the cost of underground garages can add up to 25% to the cost of building thus making it uneconomical in philly unless its a skysckraper at this point ...... DC's demand is driven by the height restrictions of DC buildings nothing can be taller than the Washington monument....Government agencies and overall lack of land due to its sizes...So for DC..its more expensive in terms of lost revenue to build garages about ground..
Yes parking is ugly but its a necessary evil....this parking is not for residential use for which one could argue parking isn't necessary and TOD is appropriate this parking is for a hotel and convention center which generate and will alway generate heavy automobile traffic...so you absolutely need parking and as was mentioned the convention center expansion destroyed 1000 parking spaces....
We don't need any more parking garages! They're so ugly, and I'm sure the same thing that happens when you add extra road capacity (it quickly fills up and you need more) happens with the garages. What happened to TOD? Ths doesn't support that at eaither end of people's commutes. All this, and you're putting it right downtown next to that beautiful church! ARRGH!
Many hotels in Center City do not have attached or even adjacent parking. Is there a study that reviews this issue in realation to occupancy rates? Moreover, Philadelphia needs an overall plan that addresses traffic flow, pedestrian drop off, and deliveries.
Lou Kahn's proposal for garage structures at major vehicular access points should be reconsidered. This site in particular, with the light and air space needs of the adjacent historic structures, is a great opportunity for a public park. Open parking lots should be considered for additional green space, and land-banked. 100 years from now, Philadelphians will thank us.