New Market, the outdoor mall that was part of Society Hill's mid-1970s revitalization, is on the cusp of reinvention now that Toll Bros. has received tentative conceptual approval from the Philadelphia Historical Commission to build on the site. The meeting to discuss the four-story condo development wasn't without drama, particularly when Toll Bros.' Brian Emmons articulated a cost-saving measure: "...when he added that the builder was considering the use of cast stone instead of better-quality materials in some places to save on costs, a look of surprise crossed the face of Committee Chair Dominique Hawkins. She efficiently batted away the attempt at a hardship claim..." Somehow the words "hardship" and "Toll Bros." feel funny when you say them together. [PlanPhilly]
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