Monthly Archives: December 2013

Mulch ado about farmland preservation in Montgomery County

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in Land Use & Zoning on Dec 31, 2013.

Earlier this month, we wrote about a Philadelphia city councilmember’s efforts to attract a Sriracha sauce manufacturer to the area. The neighbors of the current plant have complained about the odors and fumes that come from the facility during chili mashing season. If city residents would like more first-hand information about what it’s like to live next to a troublesome neighbor, they may want to drive out to Douglass Township in Montgomer County.

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Everything old is new again at Philly’s Franklin Mills Mall

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in Commercial Real Estate on Dec 30, 2013.

The Franklin Mills Mall was one of the first outlet malls in the country. Its location in Northeast Philadelphia was unique among outlet malls when it opened in 1989. Most outlets were far outside city limits in converted manufacturing facilities, but Franklin Mills was just off Interstate 95. Its size — 1.7 million square feet — made it a destination for tourists; its proximity made it a destination for locals.

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Salvation Army collapse: Demo and negotiations took too long

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in Construction on Dec 27, 2013.

We continue to learn more about the circumstances leading up to the Salvation Army Thrift Shop disaster. As most of Philadelphia knows, a wall at a demolition site adjacent to the Salvation Army site collapsed on June 5, 2013, killing six and injuring more than a dozen other people in the store at the time.

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Sandy taught us region must change land use approach to survive p4

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in Land Use & Zoning on Dec 26, 2013.

We are returning to our discussion of the Urban Land Institute’s recommendations, in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, for making the region more resilient to natural disaster. Rather than coming up with a long list of projects — redrawn flood maps and changes to zoning — the report lays out a framework that every part of the country, not just Philadelphia, New York and New Jersey, can adopt.

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Could new troubles fire up Sriracha maker’s move to Philly? p4

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in Development on Dec 23, 2013.

We are finishing up our discussion of the California-based Sriracha manufacturer that has recently run up against its neighbors and state regulators. The problem is, you have to crush some chilis to make Sriracha, and the fumes from the Huy Fong Foods Inc. plant posed a public nuisance to the surrounding residential neighborhoods.

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Could new troubles fire up Sriracha maker’s move to Philly? p3

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in Development on Dec 21, 2013.

We have been talking about some legal challenges facing the California company that manufactures Sriracha sauce. Just two weeks after the company, Huy Fong Foods Inc., received a court order for a partial shutdown, the California Department of Public Health started to enforce regulations that would hold the company’s products for 30 days before shipping.

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Could new troubles fire up Sriracha maker’s move to Philly? p2

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in Development on Dec 19, 2013.

Three years ago, Huy Fong Foods Inc. wanted to expand. A city not far from the company’s location made an offer that included favorable loan terms and tax abatement — the kind of offer that cities like Philadelphia make to growing companies that are looking to relocate or to expand. Huy Fong accepted the deal and was soon producing its world-renown Sriracha sauce at its new California plant.

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Could new troubles fire up Sriracha maker’s move to Philly?

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in Development on Dec 17, 2013.

A hot prospect for Philadelphia may be even hotter now that a judge has ruled against Huy Fong Foods Inc., the manufacturer of the most popular Sriracha sauce on the market. We posted about the dispute between the chili sauce company and its neighbors in early November (see “One city’s ‘chili’ reception could mean a hot deal for Philly“); the neighbors had a problem with the strong odors coming from the plant, especially in chili mashing season.

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Hill International’s move to Philadelphia hinges on lease terms

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in Commercial Real Estate on Dec 16, 2013.

Philadelphia could find itself as the new home to a construction consulting company with business that extends into multiple states and even countries. This company employs 4,000 individuals and has approximately 100 offices across the world. The company is Hill International.

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PHL Tax LOOP includes a sliver of relief for commercial property

On behalf of Kaplin Stewart Meloff Reiter & Stein, P.C. posted in Real Estate Law on Dec 14, 2013.

Have you put down roots in Philadelphia by purchasing a residence? Have you been there for 10 years? You could be getting a little more money back in your pocket, said Mayor Michael Nutter on Tuesday, Dec. 3. How? By way of the implementation of PHL Tax LOOP, a program that addresses the significant property tax increases that have occurred in the recent past.

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