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Residential, commercial projects require rezoning

3/7/2014 | Real Estate Blog

Philadelphia may have two new editions to its skyline if the City Planning Commission grants their rezoning requests. The two projects would create the tallest residential and the tallest commercial towers in the city, so it is likely that the commission will pay special attention to the requests.

Even though a new condominium and hotel and business high-rise would bring money to the city and people of Philadelphia, businesses must still comply with local zoning regulations or get exceptions to them. By bringing money to the city, however, it will likely help these respective businesses with their pitches before the commission. Ultimately, however, one of the best things a business or individual seeking a zoning exception or making a rezoning request can do is to work with a real estate attorney.

Real estate law can be incredibly complex, and it is not like big businesses have the time available to deal with zoning issues while trying to get a building built. Moreover, if a business tries to handle its zoning issues by itself and fails to get the exceptions it needs, it could stand to lose a considerable amount in investment.

Both projects, a hotel/condo at Broad and Spruce streets and the Comcast Tower at 18th and Arch streets, require their blocks to be rezoned to a higher density. The Comcast Tower would also need wider streets to help move services vehicles through the area.

The chairman has made it quite clear that these projects need to be “proprely managed,” as residents in the neighborhood have expressed some concerns about traffic.

Source: CBS Philadelphia, “SLS International Hotel/Condo Project, New Comcast Skyscraper Seek Zoning Changes,” Steve Tawa, Feb. 18, 2014