So Now We Know....

There goes my quiet running path to Columbus Blvd when I have dogs out...but I'm always a fan of revitalization. I just hope this leads to that horrible intersection of East Laurel, Frankford and Columbus Blvd getting reconfigured. That corner is whack.

Very interesting. Let the speculation begin as to what specifically he has in mind for the 'entertainment venues'. Its undoubtedly wishful thinking, but a movie theater would be cool. Maybe like Ritz Frankford?

I concur. A movie theater is WAY overdue in our part of town.

I'd like a movie theater as well. Just as long as it doesn't turn into something like the Riverview.

I hope some of the industrial texture is maintained

great site for retail entertainment - great access, few neighbors.

even if it turns out to be more cheesy jersey bro attracting stuff if the casino expands there is potential for a nice little entertainment district over there

preferable to big box stores anyway

The term "entertainment" scares me as I find it's often synonymous with cheesy but that area is such a wasteland. If he builds with care it could definitely be a good thing.

No definite dates yet, but I *think* it will be coming through zoning soon. Stay tuned....

I'm so glad we turned the screws to L&I to make sure that CASH-4-GOLD shop didn't open at that intersection. Having that there might have nix'd the whole deal since (if the neon sign had been allowed to remain), that would be the first thing to greet you turning on to Canal Street.

Didn't help matters any when the owners left the neon sign off their L&I permits and then also stopped paying property tax while they were renovating. That property was one of the first that I complained about in open-air at a City Council session back in 2011. After I pointed out that idiocy, that's when the rules were changed requiring tax certificates from zoning applicants before they get their permits cleared.

In my dream world, they would unearth Cohocksink Creek, make a canal from say Liberties Park to the Delaware River (under Bodine, Laurel, Canal). Have shops, a boardwalk, etc....a little Venice (San Antonio) in Philly!

I vote for a lazy river.

Seconded. Emphatically.

Please God, no. San Antonio...*shudder*

I like San Antonio's Riverwalk. Of course, I haven't been there since the early '90s, but I spent a good amount of time down there in the early '80s when I went to college for a semester at Incarnate Word. Of course I was partying a lot, so maybe I was seeing things through the proverbial rose colored glasses.

The Riverwalk in San Antonio is pretty nice until you realize it is the only thing in San Antonio. The 3rd night in a row that you go there is usually pretty lame.

I could see Canal Street being like the Distillery District in Toronto, which is rather nice unless you actually want to buy something. The prices were high even for Toronto standards.

San Antonio has a ton of other stuff but it requires you rent a car to go see it.

I kinda know... I only grew up out there.

I can get you in to the Tower of Americas to do an illegal BASE jump. Youll have to do it at night though.

Also, Shiner Boch is not that bad of a beer.

1. Yep.
2. Soundsaboutright.
3. Awesome. I'm in. Is it clothing-optional? If not, can it be?
4. Put that on the memorial "Lord Chesterfield" list of unappreciated garbage beers.

That would be really cool. Same thing for a piece of the old Aramingo Canal by the river. If only they weren't sewer outflows now... it wouldn't be a very pleasant river walk.

I vote for this too.

I'd love to see a movie theater as well, it is strange there isn't one nearby. Also, a nice deli to pick up groceries and meals would be very convenient. As it stands there isn't a single convenience store or deli in Riverside. I know Core owns a few small corner parcels that would be ideal for that.

I could've sworn I read that Palm Market was planned to go into the area under construction across the street from EGG (same side of Girard) but I don't know if that's true or not. Cornerstone didn't fare too well but I think it was all about the high prices. Agreed that it's a need.

Pretty sure that's where the Palm is going in. At least that's what we were told in zoning.

Cornerstone was a strange little store selection was limited and expensive, i went in there once and never felt the need to go back - Palm is a far more useful and typical place - I think it will do well in spite of fierce competition from Penn Treaty Market .

Does Palm have fresh produce? I can't remember.

Limited--but not bad at all the few times I picked something up there. Definitely had fresh fruit.

Palm (and all their various permutations) also has the best/most exotic snack selection. Lots of Asian weirdness. I know of no finer place to get Malaysian coffee candy.

Isn't Palm building supposed to have underground parking? I assume that's why they have the steel beams set up. That will be interesting as the basement of the place next door already has walls, thus making a very small parking area. Looks like it will be hard to turn around.

Maybe its like a roach motel, they go in, but they don't come out?

I love this store! The owners are super nice and I can't say enough good things about this place.

I think that was the old plan approved previously? The new plan, approved a few months ago, had no on-site parking. The hole in the ground there now will be basement storage for the store.

Is this the place that didn't really have a name for a while?

An oldtimer (I think it was Deborah) told me it was called "The Store" for years. Back then, it was on the corner near the street.