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Poll: Which major Philly project needs to happen most?

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City-altering proposals are popping up left and right, but which is the most crucial concept for Philly?

A rendering of the 30th Street Station District Plan at night.
Which major development does Philly need most?
Rendering by Skidmore, Owings, & Merill

Welcome to Friday Open Threads, wherein we'll pass the mic to readers to speak up about topics of interest, distress, horror, and more. This week’s topic: Which big-time development does Philly need the most right now?

Earlier this week, we released a cheat sheet of megadevelopments planned or already in the works for Philly. The full list of multi-billion dollar projects and smaller, but still significant developments shed light on Philly’s ever-changing skyline. Thought Philly was different today? You ain’t seen nothing yet.

So for this week’s Open Thread, we decided to put the question to Philadelphians themselves and see which mega-project the city needs most right now. It’s poll time!

For the purposes of this poll, we’ll keep options limited to those on the cheat sheet that still have yet to break ground.

The seven contestants are ...

Schuylkill Yards

A $3.5 billion mixed-use project led by Drexel University and Brandywine Realty Trust to transform 14 acres in University City into the region’s leading innovation district.

A rendering of Schuylkill Yards in Philadelphia. In the foreground is a park with trees and a lawn. In the distance are tall skyscrapers and buildings.
Renderings by SHOP Architects/West 8
Renderings by SHOP Architects/West 8

30th Street Station District

The City of Philadelphia and a host of developers, designers, and transportation heads have embarked on an ambitious 35-year plan to create 18 million square feet of new development—including a new neighborhood and 40 acres of green space surrounding 30th Street Station.

Penn’s Landing Capping

The city plans to change the damage of I-95 by capping four acres of it and building an eight-acre park at Penn’s Landing. Also in store: 1,500 new housing units, 500 hotel rooms, and more than 100,000-square-feet of retail, restaurants, and entertainment.

Rendering by Hargreaves Associates/redsquare

Liberty on the River

This 17-acre project will bring 10 residential high-rises totaling 2,000 units, 100 townhouses, and one 22-story hotel to the expansive site on the Delaware River near Pennsport.

1001 S. Broad Street

Long a vacant eyesore, this 195,000-square-foot site at Broad and Washington could eventually be home to a 34-story tower with some 1,000 residential units, office space, and 160,000-square-feet of retail in what Blatstein has referred to as a “shopping village.”

SLS Philadelphia Hotel & Residences

Developer Carl Dranoff wants to build a 45-story hotel and condo residence directly on South Broad Street. When completed, the tower will be the tallest ground-up residential building in Pennsylvania.

River Walk

One of the last remaining undeveloped lots on the Schuylkill is expected to become home to two glassy, skinny towers totaling 600 total units.

Now to the poll!

Poll

Which major development project does Philly need most?

This poll is closed

  • 28%
    Schuylkill Yards
    (504 votes)
  • 40%
    Penn’s Landing Capping
    (719 votes)
  • 2%
    Liberty on the River
    (51 votes)
  • 5%
    1001 S. Broad Street
    (98 votes)
  • 15%
    30th Street Station District
    (264 votes)
  • 2%
    SLS Philadelphia Hotel & Residences
    (50 votes)
  • 4%
    River Walk
    (72 votes)
1758 votes total Vote Now