Philadelphia Metropolitan Area Real Estate Law Blog

Going up against restrictive ordinances can be a real challenge for developers. Sometimes zoning restrictions are out of date and the community is ready for a change. Other times there is considerable opposition to be faced. Moving forward with a project can quickly become political.

According to Philadelphia development planners, the six miles along the Schuylkill River, from University City to Philadelphia International Airport, is valuable from a commercial development perspective and represents 68 percent of the city’s underutilized and vacant industrial land. At present, the land is filled with refineries, utilities, scrap yards and freight rail.

Development projects, even those that are years in the making, often face major setbacks. Last month, we wrote about a dispute that arose between Philadelphia Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez and the Norris Square Civic Association over a proposal to allow only single-family housing to be built in one section of the Norris Squire neighborhood.

Our Philadelphia readers may be aware of the advances in zoning and development in Philadelphia over the past 10 years.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reports that landscaping contractors will be replacing roughly 3,400 trees in Norristown and four other Philadelphia suburbs which were lost in development projects. The effort, which will reportedly cost $2.2 million, is being funded by the Pennsylvania Infrastructure and Investment Authority, and the Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission and the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society are partners in the project. The goal is to help manage storm-water runoff, revitalize neighborhoods, and improve air quality.

Last week, a dispute between Philadelphia Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez and the Norris Square Civic Association reportedly arose when Quinones-Sanchez introduced a measure that would permit only single-family housing to be built in one section of the Norris Squire neighborhood.

Last week, City Council President Darrell Clarke proposed the creation of a Neighborhood Improvement District for the Temple University neighborhood in North Philadelphia. The bill was apparently introduced based on longtime complaints that developers have been short-dumping construction debris on the streets and in vacant lots, as well as that students routinely party and make loud noise late into the night.

On Tuesday, the Philadelphia City Planning Commission voted to approve a new master plan for development of the Delaware Riverfront, which will include the construction of more low-rise buildings, a waterfront trail, improved public access to the river, parks ever half-mile and extension of the street grid to the waterfront.

Our Philadelphia readers may be aware of the new hockey arena to be built in Allentown. The new arena will reportedly be a multi-purpose complex, and is estimated that it will cost $160 million. The complex is set to open next year.

Philadelphia’s Point Breeze section is currently the subject of ongoing controversy regarding a plan to turn dilapidated properties into high-end homes. The developer, Ori Feibush, plans to build 13 high-priced apartments, and the project is going to raise the cost of living for neighborhood members. That news is worrisome to those who are struggling to get by right now.