Boyd Redevelopment

[rojnish]

I walked by today. There was a dude on a ladder working on the marquis. There were other men working on the Pearl Properties lot next door. They appeared to be putting loam in there. Does anyone know what the heck is going on with this place? If they are finally going to develop it I'll pee my pants...in public.

[Jayfar]

I don't know what might have been going on at the Boyd. The activity in the lot next door was probably removal of a temporary installation for an Earth Week event that took place last evening.

Events | PlanPhilly: Planning Philadelphia's Future

April 20, 2012 - 7:30pm - 11:00pm


WHO: NBCUniversal’s eco-initiative, “Green is Universal,” and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society celebrate Earth Week.
WHEN: Friday, April 20, 7:30-11pm

WHERE: 1906 Chestnut Street – a lot on Chestnut Street between 19th and 20th Streets

WHAT: This Earth Week, a one-of-a-kind Virtual Garden is going to green Center City Philadelphia to help mark Green is Universal’s 5th Annual Earth Week. Pioneering a cutting edge real-time technology, Green is Universal will transform a city wall into an ever-changing Virtual Garden that gets populated each time someone pledges “One Small Act” (e.g., turning off the water) via GreenIsUniversal.com. The public can pledge on their own and come see what they’ve “planted,” or they can pledge on-site with a Brand Ambassador.
Thanks to a generous donation to PHS from NBCUniversal, the first 50 people to register will receive a free tree in the fall.

Attendees can also bring the garden to life by signing up to become a “Tree Tender” with the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society and participate in the Plant One Million multi-state tree-planting project.

WHY: If we all just do one little thing – and pledge one small act – we could have a big impact on the environment.

ABOUT PHS
The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society, a non-profit organization founded in 1827, motivates people to improve the quality of life and transform communities through horticulture. PHS initiatives include Plant One Million and City Harvest, which provides fresh produce for 1,000 families in need each week. For more information, please visit phsonline.org.

Location
1906 Chestnut Street
Philadelphia, PA

[supersupper]

It would make a great Lunch/Supper Club..

I saw several movies in there, including Angel Heart- quite awesome. I hope it's never demolished

[Jayfar]

I walked by today. There was a dude on a ladder working on the marquis. There were other men working on the Pearl Properties lot next door. They appeared to be putting loam in there. Does anyone know what the heck is going on with this place? If they are finally going to develop it I'll pee my pants...in public.

No news on the redevelopment of the Boyd at this time. I've been informed that normal maintenance is being performed on the marquee.

As to the soil you saw next door, as of this morning workers are still in the process removing the temporary landscaping, following Friday evening's Earth Day event that i had noted in my previous post.

[mixiboi]

That would explain this:

[DCnPhilly]

Like Supper said, it would make a great supper club. I can't wrap my head around why this hasn't been targeted by a successful restaurant owner, in such a prime location. Does its historic status dictate its use? It's not in terrible condition either. If Phoenixville made the Colonial a hit in a small town, why can't we convince a developer that Philadelphia could support ONE boutique theater?

[DCnPhilly]

Richmond has restored a number of old movie theaters, or at least put them to good use. These are only the best ones. There are more. So why can't Philadelphia, a city with about 10 times as many people, make one work in the nicest part of town?

Byrd Theatre
The Empire Theater
Carpenter Theatre
The Hippodrome
The National

[Jayfar]

Richmond has restored a number of old movie theaters, or at least put them to good use. These are only the best ones. There are more. So why can't Philadelphia, a city with about 10 times as many people, make one work in the nicest part of town?

Byrd Theatre
The Empire Theater
Carpenter Theatre
The Hippodrome
The National

Heck, yes. Even Cleveland has restored at least 4 and I lost count of theater restorations in Pittsburgh.

Facilities and Spaces | The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust

[rojnish]

I'm not sure if this is illegal, or disrespectful, or both, or neither, but Brad Smith posted a series of old photos of grand theatres around the country on Flikr that I thought were very interesting. A few are in Philadelphia, and I'm wondering if folks can identify where they were and the building they used to occupy (if it still exists)?

Fox Audubon Theatre, New York, NY - 1929 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

[Jayfar]

I'm not sure if this is illegal, or disrespectful, or both, or neither, but Brad Smith posted a series of old photos of grand theatres around the country on Flikr that I thought were very interesting. A few are in Philadelphia, and I'm wondering if folks can identify where they were and the building they used to occupy (if it still exists)?

Fox Audubon Theatre, New York, NY - 1929 | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

You can probably find all or most of them on the Cinema Treasures website:

Cinema Treasures

Movie Theaters demolished around the world - Cinema Treasures

[mixiboi]

This is who we need to come in..and might very soon seeing they are expanding. (even if Steven Starr moves into their field)

Alamo Drafthouse Is Coming To San Francisco! : Blog : Austin : Alamo Drafthouse Cinema

[DCnPhilly]

What is up with the Boyd? Is the owner just sitting on it? The Friends of the Boyd is asking for donations for security, but says on Facebook that they don't have access to the building? Do they just hire a security guard to stand outside or are they working with the owner?

[rojnish]

I'm not sure the answer to your question, but I do know that while I've contributed (a few) dollars each year, I am getting discouraged walking by this potential treasure that now sits as blight on Chestnut. I'm unclear as to what the hold up is for investment. There is a LOT of investment being spent around the city, not only on rental residences, but also on entertainment venues (Xfinity Live, North Broad Street, North Delaware Avenue, and so on. Why, then, does this gem with the potential to transform an important block of Chestnut right in CC sit fallow? I receive the updates from the Friends of the Boyd group which has worked tirelessly and without remuneration to save this gem. I don't know enough about development etc. to truly understand this situation, but please let's help them get this thing off the ground.

[DCnPhilly]

I'm not sure the answer to your question, but I do know that while I've contributed (a few) dollars each year, I am getting discouraged walking by this potential treasure that now sits as blight on Chestnut. I'm unclear as to what the hold up is for investment. There is a LOT of investment being spent around the city, not only on rental residences, but also on entertainment venues (Xfinity Live, North Broad Street, North Delaware Avenue, and so on. Why, then, does this gem with the potential to transform an important block of Chestnut right in CC sit fallow? I receive the updates from the Friends of the Boyd group which has worked tirelessly and without remuneration to save this gem. I don't know enough about development etc. to truly understand this situation, but please let's help them get this thing off the ground.

I don't doubt the Friends tireless dedication to the site, and sadly I think they're the only ones really trying to get it up and running again. Unfortunately I think the general public is desensitized to inexplicably vacant properties. I've walked by with plenty of friends who look up and say, "Why isn't this a theater," and then rattle off a bunch of solutions that make complete sense. I don't get it and I don't think anyone else does. Last weekend I walked by Ardmore's theater, and just like Phoenixville's Colonial (and every small town theater across the country that's been reopened) wondered why the h*** it works in the suburbs but not here. The only thing that makes sense is that the property owner is holding out for a big plan. Philadelphia developers have a bit of a "go big or go home" mentality that hurts the city more often than it helps it. A small art house theater could generate enough profit to sustain the property and pay its taxes. The owner wants to make bank, and the city has no rules stopping the developer from sitting on the property and waiting for that to happen.