The Phillies offense is not the only thing being downsized these days at the South Philly sports complex.
Remember those big plans for a nightlife and entertainment complex to be called “Philly Live” that would rise in the spot where the Spectrum sits, after they knocked the old sports palace down?
Call it another victim of the economy.
The plan was first rolled out as a $100 million, 35,000-square-foot complex, including a hotel, that would basically run from the site of the Spectrum to the Wachovia Center across the parking lot.
Not anymore.
Right now the developers, the Cordish Company, the folks who did a lot of the work at the Inner Harbor area of Baltimore, are still looking to build in Philly, but on a much smaller scale.
They’re now looking at a single, 40,000-square foot building, with the hopes of adding more when the economy improves.
So far they apparently have failed to lure even one tenant for the site.
All of which makes you marvel at the ability of the Philadelphia Union to build that 18,500-seat stadium in Chester during one of the worst economies in history.
Then there’s the huge plan for a “walkable community” at the site of the former Franklin Mint on Baltimore Pike in Middletown.
That plan was rolled out at a township planning committee hearing last night. The place was packed.
It’s not yet known how much interest will be shown in the project by tenants.
But one thing’s sure. It has drawn the attention of residents, many of whom do not want it in their town.
They packed a meeting last night to air some of their concerns.
You can read our story on the meeting here.
Comments