Museum of the American Revolution Breaks Ground

Concrete is flowing and things are progressing nicely toward completion of the Museum of the American Revolution in Old City, Philadelphia. Last week, an array of politicians and benefactors gathered beneath a vast party tent beside a very deep hole along South Third Street to celebrate the symbolic groundbreaking and the start of construction on the $119 million project.

The 118,000-square-foot museum, designed by noted architect Robert A.M. Stern, is being built by Intech Construction.

Museum president and chief executive, Michael Quinn, says that construction had been fully funded and the grand opening is set for late 2016 or early 2017.

“We are on schedule with construction,” he said. “The Visitor Center on the site has been completely demolished, and we’re continuing to remove the foundations and are finishing up the archeological work as well.”

Archeology was necessary because the building will be at 3rd and Chestnut, deep in Colonial Philadelphia.

When the deep hole is filled and the $119 million building opens in two years, it will be, officials believe, the nation's first museum to tell the whole story of the American Revolution - from the disgruntled grumbling over British taxes in the 1760s through the desperate days of the Continental Army in the 1770s and on to eventual independence in the 1780s.

To see more on the museum project, check out the museum’s website, webcam, and Tumblr page.
   

DeWALT Commences Cordless Tool Production in the USA

Leading Toolmaker Ramps up Production in Carolinas for Power Tools to Be Built in America.   

Continuing its commitment to build America, DeWALT, a leading manufacturer of high-quality industrial power tools, is proud to expand its product offerings built in the USA using global materials to include more than 600 different cordless power tools, hand tools and accessories.

Given a choice between a product made in the United States and an identical one made abroad, 78 percent of Americans would rather buy the American product, according to a 2013 survey by the Consumer Reports National Research Center.

“Our users are professional contractors and builders themselves. When given the option, most prefer to spend their money on a product that is built in the USA because it’s in line with what they do on a daily basis—building America,” said Frank Mannarino, president of DeWALT Professional Tools. “There’s a great deal of pride that goes into making things at home—we’re thrilled to bring some jobs back to the US and reconnect with our users.”

DeWALT began production of its first line of American-built cordless power tools in its Charlotte Manufacturing Operations facility in early October, using global materials, which will be fully up and running in November. The 75,000-square-foot facility straddles the border of the Carolinas. DeWALT’s investment in the revamped facility will help boost the local economy and create more than 250 new jobs.

The facility will allow DeWALT to deliver products with greater efficiency, while keeping the same Guaranteed Tough quality customers have come to know and expect from the brand. The new line of products built in the USA with global materials includes 32 different hand tools, 48 power tool products and 562 types of accessories.

The impact of DeWALT’s products that are built in the USA with global materials will be felt beyond the Carolinas. The brand has committed to donating a minimum of $250,000 to the Wounded Warrior Project from a portion of the sales of these products. Additionally, this year alone DeWALT has committed to hiring more than 100 veterans.

“DeWALT is a global brand with American roots,” said Jim O’Sullivan, president of retail operations. “We are committed to rebuilding the American economy through job creation for those who continue to build our country—US Veterans—and through our participation with the Wounded Warrior Project. Our goal is for the impact of our products that are built in the USA with materials from around the globe to be felt beyond the Charlotte Manufacturing Operations facility.”

For more information on DeWALT’s initiative to build products in the USA using global materials, and to view a full list of product offerings, visit www.toolsofthebrave.com.

For more information, visit www.dewalt.com

Massive $660M Delaware Riverfront Apartment Complex

A massive 2.5 million square foot development project will be built on a vacant, 5.3-acre site along the Delaware River waterfront. The Philadelphia City Planning Commission approved Waterfront Renaissance Associates’ $660 million plan to build Renaissance Plaza at the corner of Callowhill Street and Columbus Boulevard. Construction of four mixed-use towers will kick off by the summer of 2015 and will be divided into four phases, with one tower completed in each development stage.  

Combined, the four glass and metal high-rises will comprise 1,411 market-rate apartments and 70,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space.

The complex will also include two sport centers, several bars and restaurants and an enclosed parking garage with 500 spaces.

Renaissance Plaza is being developed by Waterfront Renaissance Associates, along with its affiliate Carl Marks & Co., the New York investment firm that pieced together four tracts that make up the plot about three decades ago.

The $660 million development will consist of four buildings that range in height from 21 to 31 stories. The tallest tower will reach 240 feet into the sky, a significant change from the original proposed height of 480 feet. The project will also include a green roof, and will seek LEED Gold Status

Building the first phase would take about 16 months, with each phase of development comprising about 360 apartments. Plans also include 16 townhouses, nearly 70,000 square feet of retail space, and 653 parking spaces along with more than an acre of landscaped public plazas.

A swath of landscaped public space would run through the property, which the developer believes will draw people from the neighborhoods through the property, and down to the river.  Some roofs would offer additional green space.

Since the complex will be built on the west side of Delaware Avenue, not the river side, the developer will pay for a crossing signal to get people to the river itself, and will make improvements between the project and the Spring Garden transit stop.

Soil conditions at the site require piles to support the buildings - 700 are required. They will be drilled, not driven, because of sewer infrastructure.

The project is within the area covered by the newly adopted Central Delaware Overlay, which sets a height limit of 100 feet, but allows developers to earn height bonuses up by providing public amenities.

A developer who maxed out the public amenities – which include building a section of waterfront trail, building to LEED environmental standards, making transit improvement and providing public green space – can build up to 244 feet.

The site along the Delaware River waterfront had many bold ambitions that never came to fruition.

The site had been known for the last 15 years as the future address of the Greater Philadelphia World Trade Center.

That development would have entailed more than 3 million square feet of space consisting of a residential tower and three office buildings, parking for more than 2,000 vehicles and 118,000 square feet of retail space. That never happened.

Last fall, Waterfront Renaissance Associates, made a leap across the river and decided it would move the Greater Philadelphia World Trade Center project to Camden, New Jersey, where the developer has proposed building a 2.3-million-square-foot campus on 16 acres at the former Riverfront State Prison.
  

La Salle University Constructing New $35M Business School

La Salle University announced it will construct a new 87,000-square-foot facility for its school of business at the intersection of Wister and Chew avenues in Northwest Philadelphia.  A 300-seat auditorium, a sales training laboratory and corporate-style boardroom are among some of the building’s features. The University held a groundbreaking ceremony on Sept. 16, 2014 at the building site. 
 

The $35 million project will create approximately 600 construction jobs. The six-story structure is expected to be completed in January 2016.

The University announced last November that it planned to construct a state-of-the-art facility to house its School of Business.

The new building has been designed to include amenities and spaces that facilitate the collaborative learning, networking, and teamwork necessary in today’s business world.

“This is one of the most significant projects that La Salle has undertaken in its 151-year history,” said William Sautter, Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

Highlights of the new $35 million School of Business building:

• six-story 87,000 square foot facility
• A large atrium space that can be used to host networking and social events
• A completely wireless infrastructure that will allow students to interact in real time with other students and executives from around the world
• A 300-seat auditorium that can be used to host symposia and conferences
• Flexible collaborative learning rooms that will reinforce student / faculty and student / business executive interaction
• An array of computer classrooms and simulation facilities
• Video conferencing capabilities throughout the building
• A sales training laboratory
• A corporate-style boardroom

The 87,000-square-foot building will be located on the University’s West Campus and will extend the University’s frontage from Olney to Chew Avenue. The project will also have a positive impact on the community, creating approximately 600 jobs during construction.

The School of Business facility’s state-of-the-art amenities will include a dramatic atrium space that can be used to host networking and social events; a sales training laboratory and simulation facilities; a corporate-style boardroom; a 300-seat auditorium, and flexible collaborative learning rooms, gathering spaces, and technology-equipped breakout rooms that will reinforce interactions among students, faculty, and business executives.

The facility is scheduled to open for classes in January 2016. The project is being funded with $20 million from the University and $15 million in alumni donations.

La Salle’s School of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, a designation held by less than 5 percent of business schools worldwide. La Salle University was established in 1863 through the legacy of St. John Baptist de LaSalle and the Christian Brothers teaching order, which St. LaSalle founded in 1680.  LaSalle is an educational community shaped by traditional Catholic and Lasallian values.

$500M East Market Redevelopment to Get Underway Oct 2

An entire city block bound by Market, Chestnut, 11th and 12th streets will soon be transformed into a retail-residential development. The project, called East Market, will encompass 4.3-acres and cost approximately $500 million to build. The $230 million first phase of East Market will include demolition of the existing building fronting Market Street, followed by construction of a 17-story tower totaling 650,000 square feet. 
  

An official ground breaking to mark the beginning of demolition and construction of the project is scheduled for Thursday, October 2nd. 

Lt. Governor Jim Cawley and Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter are expected to be on hand for the ceremony.

The initial structure will include 160,000 square feet of retail space on two levels, topped by a 325-unit apartment building.

Phase I will also renovate the 200,000-square-foot family court building into retail and office space.

"We're going to have grocers, we're going to have restaurants, entertainment, fashion," said Jeff Kanne, CEO of National Real Estate Advisors, the $2.2 billion-asset, Washington-based firm backing the project.

The project will be built with 100% union labor, including IBEW electricians. The development team was glad to note that union crews delivered the NREA-backed tower at 2116 Chestnut Street ahead of schedule.
The $500 million-plus project is aimed at upgrading Philadelphia's worn downtown retail district and spreading Center City's apartment revival east of Broad Street.

NREA counts the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers and other labor unions among its investors.

Planned are new store buildings facing Market Street, lit by Times Square-style signs, that will be topped by 325 apartments - at $2,300 a month for a one-bedroom unit - with underground parking.

The builders will strip and replace the outside walls of the eight-story former Snellenburg warehouse facing 11th Street, now used by the city's Family Court. The developers are talking to office tenants, but could end up putting more apartments there.

Retail stores are planned for the first floor of the nearby 12-story Girard office building, with the upper floors upgraded for office, hotel, or apartments, depending on market demand.

"We're going to make Market Street cool again," said Daniel Killinger, director at NREA Development Services.

If the initial space sells well, the group plans to replace buildings in the 1100 block of Chestnut Street with new stores and apartments - bringing the residential count for the entire project to as many as 1,000 units.

PA’s Highest Residential Tower to Rise on South Broad St

A sleek 47-story hotel/condo tower planned for the corner of South Broad & Spruce streets has been approved by the Civic Design Review Committee. The SLS International Hotel and Residences will soar 590 feet and will house 125 luxury condo units, 150 hotel rooms, an Olympic sized swimming pool, a restaurant and retail space. The $200 million building will be Pennsylvania’s tallest residential structure, and its units will be among its most expensive. Construction is expected to take about two years to complete.

Dranoff Properties is clear to begin construction of SLS International Hotel and Residences - a 47-story, 590-foot tower with 125 condos and 150 hotel rooms at Broad and Spruce streets, across the street from the Kimmel Center.

There are currently two buildings on the site. These will be torn down, but first asbestos must be removed.

Remediation will begin in late fall or early winter, with demolition to follow and construction to begin as soon as the site is clear.

The new building will be designed by Kohn Pederson Fox, architects of the world's highest hotel, the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong.

Project details:

• 47 stories and 590 feet tall
• Approximately 423,000 square feet
• 162 five-star hotel rooms
• 125 luxury condos, ranging from one-bedroom units to penthouses
• The hotel and condos units will have separate lobbies

• Ground-floor retail stores
• 6,000-square-foot, double-height glass ballroom on the fifth-floor
• Olympic sized swimming pool, fitness center and spa
• A ground-floor corner bar and restaurant

• Target groundbreaking: next fall
• Construction time: two years
• Cost: more than $200 million

• Total parking spots: 233
• One level of underground parking; three levels above-grade
• The garage will be limited to residents and hotel-uses, and all parking will be by valet.

The compelling 47-story tower is intended to act as a catalyst for the future of development to the south of Center City, said architect Gene Kohn.

Developer, Carl Dranoff, says the building will be the Pennsylvania’s “tallest structure built for residential use.“

The 590-foot tower will be taller than the William Penn statue on top of City Hall, and its units will be among the City’s most expensive.

Construction will require the demolition 301-309 South Broad Street, the longtime home of Philadelphia International Records. The building suffered significant fire damage in 2010.

The name, SLS International, is a nod to Philadelphia International – which was famous for the “Philadelphia Sound,” showcased in the recordings of artists such as The Three Degrees, Teddy Pendergass, and The O’Jays.

311 South Broad will also be demolished, and the University of the Arts lot at 313 South Broad Street will be taken and used as a loading dock.

The SLS International Hotel and Residences will be one of Philly's most upscale properties once complete. Not only will it be the tallest building on Broad Street, it will also house an Olympic sized swimming pool, a spa and boast the highest penthouses in the city.

The project calls for condos from floors 20 to 47, hotel rooms on lower floors, and amenities including restaurants, a gym, swimming pool and a spa near street level.

The new building will feature stone at the base, but will be primarily made of metal and glass. The glass will have a high-performance coating, and the metal will be covered with a bright metallic paint.
  

La Salle University Constructing New $35M Business School

La Salle University announced it will construct a new 87,000-square-foot facility for its school of business at the intersection of Wister and Chew avenues in Northwest Philadelphia.  A 300-seat auditorium, a sales training laboratory and corporate-style boardroom are among some of the building’s features. The University held a groundbreaking ceremony on Sept. 16, 2014 at the building site. 
 

The $35 million project will create approximately 600 construction jobs. The six-story structure is expected to be completed in January 2016.

The University announced last November that it planned to construct a state-of-the-art facility to house its School of Business.

The new building has been designed to include amenities and spaces that facilitate the collaborative learning, networking, and teamwork necessary in today’s business world.

“This is one of the most significant projects that La Salle has undertaken in its 151-year history,” said William Sautter, Chairman of the Board of Trustees.

Highlights of the new $35 million School of Business building:

• six-story 87,000 square foot facility
• A large atrium space that can be used to host networking and social events
• A completely wireless infrastructure that will allow students to interact in real time with other students and executives from around the world
• A 300-seat auditorium that can be used to host symposia and conferences
• Flexible collaborative learning rooms that will reinforce student / faculty and student / business executive interaction
• An array of computer classrooms and simulation facilities
• Video conferencing capabilities throughout the building
• A sales training laboratory
• A corporate-style boardroom

The 87,000-square-foot building will be located on the University’s West Campus and will extend the University’s frontage from Olney to Chew Avenue. The project will also have a positive impact on the community, creating approximately 600 jobs during construction.

The School of Business facility’s state-of-the-art amenities will include a dramatic atrium space that can be used to host networking and social events; a sales training laboratory and simulation facilities; a corporate-style boardroom; a 300-seat auditorium, and flexible collaborative learning rooms, gathering spaces, and technology-equipped breakout rooms that will reinforce interactions among students, faculty, and business executives.

The facility is scheduled to open for classes in January 2016. The project is being funded with $20 million from the University and $15 million in alumni donations.

La Salle’s School of Business is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business, a designation held by less than 5 percent of business schools worldwide. La Salle University was established in 1863 through the legacy of St. John Baptist de LaSalle and the Christian Brothers teaching order, which St. LaSalle founded in 1680.  LaSalle is an educational community shaped by traditional Catholic and Lasallian values.