Sixers apartment tower plans hit for ‘six’

Article posted by Coliseum, November 12^th, 2024

Image: Gensler and Philadelphia 76ers

A spokesperson confirmed recently that the National Basketball Association (NBA) team Philadelphia 76ers scrapped plans to build a $250 million apartment tower above their controversial proposed Center City arena in Philadelphia (US).

‘CBS NEWS’ stated that in September, the City Councilmember Mark Squilla said residents in Chinatown (neighborhood in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), which would border the 76 Place, saw the apartments above the arena as a “middle finger” to the neighborhood.

‘CBS NEWS’ further stated that in a latest development, bills that would authorize the proposed new Sixers arena, 76 Place, were introduced in the Philadelphia City Council recently beginning a legislative process that could end with the team having the go-ahead to build the project.

The First District Councilmember Mark Squilla introduced 13 Bills about the arena and the surrounding areas. The Bills would create an arena district in the Market East section of the Center City as well as a transit oversight plan with other measures he says will preserve the adjacent Chinatown neighborhood.

The legislation includes a combination of bills and resolutions regarding construction, real estate transactions, tax increment financing, zoning, street closures, and various other items.

The Philadelphia 76ers, also known colloquially as the Sixers, is an American professional basketball team based in the Philadelphia Metropolitan area. The 76ers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference.

The 21,000-capacity Wells Fargo Center is a multipurpose indoor arena located in Philadelphia (US). It serves as the home of the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League (NHL), the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League.
The 18,500-capacity 76 Place at Market East is a proposed indoor arena in Center City, Philadelphia (US). It would be the future home of the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and is planned to open in 2031.

Squilla said he requested the removal of the tower from the Sixers’ development plan – “Some members of the Chinatown community did not see this as a development that was affordable or benefited them. They thought that the plan was an insult and disingenuous that the developer added the tower for the Chinatown community.”

In August 2023, the Sixers released renderings of the proposed arena including plans for a high-rise, mixed-use building labeled as the ‘76 Tower’ that would’ve included residential space next to the proposed arena. The plans included 395 units and 20 percent of them would’ve been designated as “affordable housing”, according to the Sixers.

The Save Chinatown Coalition has strongly opposed the arena’s construction saying the development would harm the neighborhood.

The Save Chinatown is a nonprofit organization that opposes the construction of a 76ers arena in Philadelphia’s Chinatown neighborhood.

A spokesperson for the Save Chinatown Coalition sent out a statement which read, “The billionaires behind the arena don’t care about affordable housing and the tower was always a PR sham. Councilman Squilla gave fuel to their lies and is pushing the Mayor’s disgraceful deal that secures exactly $0 for the Housing Trust Fund and affordable housing. They’re letting the rich developers off the hook despite housing being a central mission of the City and a stated priority for this Mayor of Philadelphia (Cherelle Parker). The City’s getting taken for a ride and Mayor Parker and Councilman Squilla are helping push the cart lowering the bar for every development yet to come.”

Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker endorsed the Sixers’ controversial plan to build a $1.3 billion arena on Market Street. She believes building the arena would be the “right deal for the people of Philadelphia”.

The Sixers have remained committed to bringing a new arena to Philly but New Jersey believes it’s in the mix after the proposal stalled for years.

The New Jersey officials, including Governor Phil Murphy, gave the Sixers ownership a tour of the site to build a new arena on the Camden waterfront last month.

The proposed arena has been met with opposition from several neighborhoods on the proposed site in Market East, especially Chinatown.

In late August, the City released four highly anticipated independent studies on the impacts of the proposed arena.

The reports found that the Sixers’ proposed arena could indirectly displace businesses and residents in Chinatown and that public transportation would be key for the arena to succeed.

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