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From: "Architexturez." <interface.services@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
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Date: Sat, 12 Aug 2006 13:29:49 +0530
Posted on Fri, Aug. 11, 2006
Changing Skyline | Towering lack of oversight
By Inga Saffron
Inquirer Architecture Critic
It was, as Yogi Berra says, deja vu all over again. Neighborhood
advocates in Spring Garden woke up last week to discover that the owner
of a three-story art deco office on the southeast corner of 19th Street
had quietly secured a city permit to build a 40-story condo tower.
That makes two.
....
Such development pressures aren't unique to Philadelphia. Virtually
every major American city faces a high-rise building boom right now.
They've coped by undertaking fast-track master plans or by modernizing
their zoning codes.
Philadelphia also could follow the example of cities like San Francisco
and create an urban design review board, staffed by experts who would
analyze large projects - for example, anything over 50 units. No
developer could get a building permit until the review board ruled that
the building was compatible with Philadelphia's urban-design values.
Since the board's job would be to make sure skyscrapers were integrated
with the city's streets, it could help set standards that would make
Philadelphians more comfortable with having tall buildings in their midst.
cont'd....
http://www.philly.com/mld/philly/entertainment/15246856.htm