A rendering of the 76ers proposed arena for Center CityGensler
Philadelphia’s latest review of the 76ers’ Center City arena proposal ended for the second time in four months with officials “pushing the development team to make the project more of a year-round destination,” according to Paul Schwedelson of the PHILADELPHIA BUSINESS JOURNAL. During yesterday’s Civic Design Review Committee meeting that lasted more than six hours, the “overwhelming majority” of public commenters “questioned the plan and raised concerns about the arena’s effect on traffic, parking and surrounding neighborhoods” while committee members critiqued the $1.55B proposal’s public spaces. Committee member Daniel Garofalo said he thought the project was a “little bit undercooked.” The 76ers plan for the privately funded, 18,500-seat arena to open in 2031, but it “requires city approval.” The franchise projects that the arena would host 150 events per year, leaving more than 200 non-event days per year. Because of that the 76ers added more ground-floor retail, “doubling the ground-floor retail space that would be accessible on both event and non-event days.” Schwedelson also noted the franchise is still waiting on the city to release its findings from reports on the arena’s projected impact -- nearly two years after the arena was initially proposed (PHILADELPHIA BUSINESS JOURNAL, 4/2). Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment SVP/Head of Development Alex Kafenbaum said that he “agreed with the committee’s critiques” but cautioned that the team’s plans represented a “first pass,” with more study, inquiry, and refinement ahead. He added that the “design process has not fully begun” and that the team “envisions incorporating the suggestions made by committee members" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 4/2).
