CENTER CITY QUARTERLY Newsletter of the Center City Residents' Association Vol. 3 No. 4 December 2013 Table of Contents One Riverside: Why CCRA Has Not Joined One Riverside: Why CCRA Has Not Joined the “Underground Parking” Appeal ...................1 the “Underground Parking” Appeal By Jeffrey Braff, CCRA President Dog Contest in Schuylkill River Park ...................2 President’s Report: A Long Day at the As reported in our November 15 weekly we decided not to join the appeal because Planning Commission and Next Editor ................3 eNewsletter, a recent development in a victory in the appeal would likely result Bike Share is Coming to Philadelphia! ...............4 the One Riverside 21-story high-rise in virtually the same building, but with 29 proposed for 25th and Locust Streets is fewer parking spaces. Happy Hour: Where Is Your Favorite? .................4 a near neighbor’s appeal of the project’s Introducing the PFS Theater at the Roxy ..........7 Zoning Permit issued by the Department The confound presented by this project is The City, Then and Now: the Léger of Licenses and Inspections. Following a that it has been designed to be built “by Exhibit at PMA ............................................................8 well-attended Community Meeting held right,” i.e., without the need for variances on August 13, the CCRA board voted to from the Zoning Board or any special Center City Artist Exhibits Wallpaper and Textiles at ExperienceDesign! ..............................9 oppose the project as inconsistent, in several approvals. Furthermore, neither CCRA’s ways, with our Neighborhood Plan, and zoning counsel, nor its zoning committee, CCRA Pays Attention to because of concerns regarding its impact on have identified any viable legal theories Families and Education .........................................11 the adjacent Community Garden, parking, to stop this project and, though openly Philadelphia Futures: Doing What It Takes traffic congestion, noise, and safety. solicited, no such theories have been for Low-Income Students To Be First in Nevertheless, after careful deliberation, presented to the Association. Accordingly, Their Family to Attend College ...........................13 CCRA Merchant Member Continued on page 2 Discount Program ...................................................14 MANNA Pie-Tasting in Rittenhouse Square ...15 CCRA’s 55th House Tour vs. Philadelphia EAGLES ..............................................17 Friends Select School Celebrates New School Year and Building Renovations ..........................19 A Special Gift for CCRA Members ......................21 South x Schuylkill: Not a Movie Title ................21 CCRA Neighborhood Winter Events .................25 Zoning Committee Report ...................................26 CENTER CITY RESIDENTS’ ASSOCIATION 1600 Market Street, Suite 2500 Philadelphia, PA 19103 215-546-6719 [email protected] www.centercityresidents.org One Riverside, viewed from 25th St. Upper level of parking is visible in low-rise structure to right of tower. ONE RIVERSIDE DRANOFF PROPERTIES DATE: 08.13.13 210 SOUTH 25TH STREET 27 One Riverside: Why CCRA Has Not Joined the “Underground Parking” Appeal cont'd. our negotiating power is limited to appealing appeal. Do we think the appeal is frivolous? to the developer’s interest in favorable Absolutely not. The case presents a genuine Dog Contest in community relations, his public image, and issue of statutory interpretation. A strong his desire to build something he can truly argument can be made that the L&I flood Schuylkill River Park be proud of. Toward that end, a CCRA level interpretation contradicts the purpose Task Force has met several times with the of the underground parking bonus which On Saturday, October 19, dog owners developer’s team to address a number of is to provide a substantial incentive for the lined up in Schuylkill River Park to design issues (including the effect that glass placement of parking where it will not be show their dogs and answer an eco- sheathing might have on the Garden, the seen. So why not join the appeal? friendly question at Philly Water’s massing of the tower immediately adjacent Best Friend Spokesdog contest, to the Garden (we have suggested a set- Under the present Zoning Code, a developer sponsored by the Philadelphia back from the plinth at the south side), of residential housing in an RMX-3 district Water Department and organized by and the impact of the raised podium and need only provide parking spaces for 30% of Partnership for the Delaware Estuary. the three 25th Street curb cuts on the 25th the units. One Riverside, with its proposed The first-prize winners of the dog Street pedestrian experience), and to come 147 units, is only required to have 45 contest were Josie Fineberg and her up with a development agreement that: (a) parking spaces. However, the project’s plans dog, Josie. The purpose of the contest addresses such construction issues as work call for 81 parking spaces, 36 more than was to encourage dog owners to keep hours, sound control, dust control, parking, required by the Code. More importantly, 52 Philadelphia water clean by proper laydown space, and measures to protect the of those spaces, seven more than required, pet-waste disposal. Garden and those gardening; (b) imposes are in the lower level of the parking area, appropriate controls on the proposed café; which is underground by everyone’s and (c) ensures ongoing maintenance of the definition. Accordingly, the developer could project’s extensive landscaping. moot the appeal, and retain the 28,000 gross square foot bonus, simply by eliminating all The basis of the so-called “underground 29 parking spaces presently planned for the parking appeal”is that, while the Zoning second level. Code provides for a 100% Gross Floor Area bonus for underground accessory parking Anyone who attended the August 13 (amounting in this case to almost 28,000 Community Meeting can attest to the gross square feet), only the lower of the two fact that parking was a major issue for Bonnie Eisenfeld levels of parking at One Riverside is really many individuals who spoke out against Bonnie Eisenfeld underground; the second of the two levels is this project. Aside from the loss of the Dog contest competitors located above grade, at the same level as the 76 monthly spots on the lot upon which proposed lobby and café. Accordingly, the One Riverside is to be built, there was appeal contends that One Riverside is not considerable concern expressed that 81 entitled to the underground parking bonus, and parking spots are not nearly enough for 147 the project must be reduced by some 28,000 residential units. In this context, CCRA gross square feet (almost 15 percent of the concluded that there was little likelihood of proposed total of 167,000 gross square feet). an upside to this appeal. While it is within the realm of possibility that a victory and the Asked to clarify its interpretation of loss of the 29 second floor parking spaces underground parking and One Riverside’s could persuade the developer that the project entitlement to the bonus, L&I has pointed is no longer economically feasible, we to §14-202(5) of the Zoning Code, titled determined that it was far more likely that a Average Ground Level, which provides in victory would not stop the project. Rather, part: “When a lot is located within a 100-year the developer would move forward anyway, floodplain, any point located one foot above resulting in virtually the same building, but the regulatory flood level shall be considered with 29 fewer parking spaces. Indeed, for all to be at the average level of the lot.” It is of the foregoing reasons, CCRA attempted undisputed that the One Riverside lot lies to persuade the appellant to drop the appeal. within the 100-year floodplain. Using the We were unsuccessful. reference point of one foot above the flood level (which at that location is 12.93 feet), Editor’s Note: An appeal hearing was held L&I concluded that both floors of parking before the Zoning Board of Adjustment on Bonnie Eisenfeld are "underground," thereby reaffirming One November 20. As of the time this article went Riverside’s entitlement to the bonus. to the printer, the ZBA had not yet rendered Contest winners Josie Fineberg and dog, Josie a decision. As for CCRA’s negotiations with After discussions with the appellant and the developer, with the appeal pending, the his attorney, CCRA decided not to join the developer has placed them on hold. Page 2 Center City Quarterly | December 2013 CCRA BOARD OF DIRECTORS President’s Report: A Long Day at the Planning Jeffrey Braff........................................... President Commission and Next Editor Maggie Mund .............Executive Vice President Charles Goodwin .........................Vice President On the morning of generally ugly. Our Plan strongly encourages Judy Heller ..................................Vice President November 18, under the underground parking, and it provides that John Maher..................................Vice President subject heading “First accessory parking garages should only David Rose ...................................Vice President and foremost, let there be aboveground if they are wrapped with Dawn Willis ..........................................Secretary be parking . .,” former actively inhabited building areas so that the Virginia Nalencz .................. Assistant Secretary Zoning Committee garage is not apparent from the street. Walter Spencer