So I guess the talks of someone buying the divine Lorraine have died down?

**MariusPontmercy** · 08-07-2012, 05:27 PM

Ten dollars says it gets demolished and a "mixed income" housing development goes up on the lot. Ultimately being a net loss of taxpayer money and ensuring petty crime, drug dealing, quality of life issues, garbage and blight stick around Broad and Fairmount for decades to come.

**OffenseTaken** · 08-07-2012, 06:48 PM

Originally Posted by MariusPontmercy

Ten dollars says it gets demolished and a "mixed income" housing development goes up on the lot. Ultimately being a net loss of taxpayer money and ensuring petty crime, drug dealing, quality of life issues, garbage and blight stick around Broad and Fairmount for decades to come.

Middling-quality PHA schlock sounds like a fantastic improvement over what's there right now.

**MariusPontmercy** · 08-07-2012, 07:33 PM

Originally Posted by OffenseTaken

Middling-quality PHA schlock sounds like a fantastic improvement over what's there right now.

Personally I'd rather have a vacant lot. At least it would still have potential.

**Titus** · 08-09-2012, 01:15 PM

Blumenfeld Expected To Move Forward On Divine Lorraine (Updated) | Hidden City Philadelphia

**John Goodman** · 08-09-2012, 01:44 PM

Originally Posted by Titus

Blumenfeld Expected To Move Forward On Divine Lorraine (Updated) | Hidden City Philadelphia

Excellent news

**AbortedWalrus** · 08-09-2012, 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by Titus

Blumenfeld Expected To Move Forward On Divine Lorraine (Updated) | Hidden City Philadelphia

Great news, but I hope that school project isn't what gets done. I'd rather see condos and commercial there personally.

**raider.adam** · 08-09-2012, 10:22 PM

Originally Posted by AbortedWalrus

Great news, but I hope that school project isn't what gets done. I'd rather see condos and commercial there personally.

Yeah, a school is rather unexciting, especially since they have that hulk on Broad several blocks up.

**AbortedWalrus** · 08-09-2012, 11:57 PM

Originally Posted by raider.adam

Yeah, a school is rather unexciting, especially since they have that hulk on Broad several blocks up.

Supposedly that would get closed. But yeah, the boring is the thing. It's because of my age, but I don't want to live in a boring family oriented neighborhood.

**raider.adam** · 08-10-2012, 12:08 AM

Originally Posted by AbortedWalrus

But yeah, the boring is the thing. It's because of my age, but I don't want to live in a boring family oriented neighborhood.

Not sure what you mean.

**AbortedWalrus** · 08-10-2012, 12:14 AM

Originally Posted by raider.adam

Not sure what you mean.

I live on Fairmount and walk in the area a lot. The vast majority of the residents I see and have met don't have kids. If the schools for the catchment really improve under that plan I can't help but feel it would turn from all recent college grads to middle aged families seeking a nice neighborhood with a good school. I'm young enough that I'd rather see more nightlife and less family oriented stuff. I'll take either one, obviously, but if I could have my wish I'd rather the neighborhood was hip and exciting with good nightlife more than anything.

**raider.adam** · 08-10-2012, 12:24 AM

Originally Posted by AbortedWalrus

I live on Fairmount and walk in the area a lot. The vast majority of the residents I see and have met don't have kids. If the schools for the catchment really improve under that plan I can't help but feel it would turn from all recent college grads to middle aged families seeking a nice neighborhood with a good school. I'm young enough that I'd rather see more nightlife and less family oriented stuff. I'll take either one, obviously, but if I could have my wish I'd rather the neighborhood was hip and exciting with good nightlife more than anything.

Why do you think the schools will improve just because it is a newly built school? Is there something about the plan I am missing?

**the mule** · 08-10-2012, 12:31 AM

Originally Posted by Titus

Blumenfeld Expected To Move Forward On Divine Lorraine (Updated) | Hidden City Philadelphia

Well I'll be damned. I'll keep my expectations in check, but this is much better news than expected. There were some serious rumblings of another potential buyer whose project would have left people gnashing their teeth.

We know Blumenfeld wanted the land all along (the most valuable part), so let's hope this actually results in the redevelopment of the building first and not just a move to develop the land (which would also be good at some point).

**BarryG** · 08-10-2012, 09:29 AM

They are saying market rate housing plus commercial

Phila. developer aiming to buy blighted landmark Divine Lorraine

**Titus** · 08-10-2012, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by BarryG

They are saying market rate housing plus commercial

Phila. developer aiming to buy blighted landmark Divine Lorraine

From their lips to God's ears!

**carloss** · 08-10-2012, 10:48 AM

He's trying to buy it BACK, which raises the question of why he even sold it off to deadbeat investors to begin with if he was so serious about restoring it.

I wish I could be more optimistic. I think it'll come down to Blumenfeld trying to milk as many funds from City Hall and Harrisburg as he can for the restoration. City Hall and Harrisburg will balk and taxpayer outrage (some of it justifiable) will seal the death of the project. I would love to see restoration come about from philanthropic efforts; a non-profit redevelopment would be the surest way to make it happen, if only the munificence was out there. (I'm thinking of the $40 million Gerry Lenfest just tossed out to the American Revolution Museum, whose architecture will be considerably more boring than this building.) Housing is still a non-starter because of the location.

So, not the ideal development, but Blumenfeld's restoration record is respectable enough, so I guess it could be worse.

**raider.adam** · 08-10-2012, 10:53 AM

Originally Posted by carloss

He's trying to buy it BACK, which raises the question of why he even sold it off to deadbeat investors to begin with if he was so serious about restoring it.

Well, if you sold something for $X and can later buy it back for $X - 10...

**BarryG** · 08-10-2012, 11:08 AM

Originally Posted by carloss

He's trying to buy it BACK, which raises the question of why he even sold it off to deadbeat investors to begin with if he was so serious about restoring it.

I wish I could be more optimistic. I think it'll come down to Blumenfeld trying to milk as many funds from City Hall and Harrisburg as he can for the restoration. City Hall and Harrisburg will balk and taxpayer outrage (some of it justifiable) will seal the death of the project. I would love to see restoration come about from philanthropic efforts; a non-profit redevelopment would be the surest way to make it happen, if only the munificence was out there. (I'm thinking of the $40 million Gerry Lenfest just tossed out to the American Revolution Museum, whose architecture will be considerably more boring than this building.) Housing is still a non-starter because of the location.

So, not the ideal development, but Blumenfeld's restoration record is respectable enough, so I guess it could be worse.

Seems like City Hall is ready to cut a deal -- like forgive most of the back taxes.

**raider.adam** · 08-10-2012, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by BarryG

Seems like City Hall is ready to cut a deal -- like forgive most of the back taxes.

If it goes to sheriff sale, it would wipe it.

**Titus** · 08-10-2012, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by carloss

Housing is still a non-starter because of the location.

So, not the ideal development, but Blumenfeld's restoration record is respectable enough, so I guess it could be worse.

Yeah, but the reason housing remains a problem at that location is this very building, which if restored, would be a game changer.

**AbortedWalrus** · 08-10-2012, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by raider.adam

Why do you think the schools will improve just because it is a newly built school? Is there something about the plan I am missing?

I figured that if that plan did happen it would be such a big deal that it would get extra money thrown at it. I mean, a Vetri cafeteria? It'd be big news, plus they wanted to put Masterman and such in there which is already a great school, so the Masterman folks would make demands saying the other schools needed to either be brought up to their level so as not to bring them down, or they would try to back out of the plan, etc. There's nothing about the plan itself, per se, just my personal speculation about what would have happened around the plan.

But it's moot now!