A Stroll Around the Future 76 Place

With a major vote signaling a likely arena, we check out what's about to change at 11th & Market

If you’re reading this bolg [sic] - or if you checked out our article yesterday on a potential affordable housing project in West Philly - you are most certainly aware of the ongoing drama that is the 76 Place arena proposal. But after a delay yesterday afternoon, a vote in City Council earlier today signaled a major step forward for a new Market East arena, tentatively planned to open in 2031. We knew this vote was coming earlier this week, so in lieu of offering another version of what we have already written, we decided to take a somewhat different approach to today’s news.

An aerial view of the now towerless arena proposal, from Gensler

A rendering from 11th & Market, currently the western third of the Fashion District

There are already countless takes, planned traffic jams, and a few informed updates, so we’ll spare you yet another. Instead, we are going on a visual journey around the site. As much fun as it is to be force-fed yet another biased version of what’s at stake, we snagged some photos along the edge of the proposed arena to give a taste of what the area is like today.

An aerial view of the Fashion District today, with the 76 Place location highlighted

Without further ado, let’s explore the area.

The NE corner of 11th & Market, home to AMC, Primark, Round1, and more

Looking south down 11th towards Market, with Jefferson Station to the left

Looking east down Filbert, which will be stricken from the map here to make space for the arena

Venturing further down Filbert, some surface parking and the closed Greyhound/Peter Pan station, also to be incorporated into the arena

The closed station looking gloomy as its surrounded by larger structures

A look at the empty bus parking area, also part of the arena’s footprint

The Fashion District and City Winery at 10th & Filbert, future neighbors to the arena

A large parking garage sits on the NE corner of 10th & Filbert, immediately across from the future arena site

The mysterious hotel at 10th & Arch, soon to be catty-corner to the arena

An appropriate final stop: the Chinatown Friendship Gate at 10th & Arch

This is just a small taste of the immediate vicinity, but it gives a clearer idea of what will be immediately impacted. I am unabashedly a giant Sixers fan, and I am also unabashedly a fan of Chinatown; this is not meant to sway you one way or another, just inform. With $60 million marked to benefit the community over the next few decades, we hope that we can return to this spot in 2054 to witness a classic sports venue next to a thriving Chinatown community.