Things were getting hairy there for a hot second. After years of legal battles and tears surrounding the uncertain future of "Philadelphia's Art Deco Palace," Pearl Properties' first attempt at plans for the corner next to the Boyd Theater's historical facade left us all feeling a little bit icky.
Reactions to the developer's initial plans for the site ranged from ire to "Told ya so:"
"Whatever people! You let them tear down the Boyd. Now you care?" —Guest [Well, That was Close. Historical Commish Rejects New Boyd]
But here now, a salve in the shape of a bull's eye that might just make the still-quite-boxy new building planned for the corner adjacent to the Boyd's historical facade a tad more palatable. The Inquirer reports that "Target Corp. will open in miniature at the Boyd Theater development site, tapping Center City's growing base of workers and residents amid the retailer's nationwide introduction of smaller shops tailored to urban storefronts."
Slated for a July 2016 opening, the TargetExpress will boast two floors of retail, and offer groceries, cosmetics, and "cellphone supplies" adjacent to the Boyd's 1920's facade.
More from The Inky:
The 19th and Chestnut location places it in the Raymond Pace Alexander building, a historic two-story structure that would be enlarged through construction of an adjacent three-story retail building, according to the most recent plans. The building is a piece of the redevelopment plan partially approved Friday by Philadelphia's Historical Commission. It also includes the restoration of the Boyd's 1950s marquee, with a restaurant to be set in the space behind the facade. [They mean the lobby, which is ear-marked for preservation.]
At the hearing, Pearl Properties withdrew a plan for a 341-foot-tall apartment tower where the Boyd's Art Deco auditorium once stood, to seek more neighborhood input.
· TargetExpress store planned for part of Boyd site at 19th & Chestnut [Philly.com]
· Complete Boyd Theater Coverage [Curbed Philly]
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