enrich the city life by Gaylord

The whole darn roof by Ro DeLongis

recreational activity by Murray Miller

Hole in the Ground by A. Levitas

a no-brainer! By Roy Ziegler

Art landfill by Gary Jameson

Car Crunch by martin burian

trompe l’oeil by Amy Levine

Lovescape Center by Jason J. Thompson

add life to Market East by Ethan Quirin

indoor activity center by JENNIFER BRENNAN

Diversity Center by Sue Smith

another skyscraper by "mars"

So obvious! by Shirley J Cook

"by youth for youth" by Sharon WELLONS

enrich the city life by Gaylord

I think the DisneyHole should be used to really enrich the city life.
The DisneyHole has approximately 67,000sf of land.
The DisneyHole should be used for the following activies:
1) A flagship public elementry and middle school (which the city doesn't have) which would draw students from all over the city. The school would have four classrooms of each grade 1-8 for 20 students. With office space, this would require approximately 64,000sf of space. The advantages of such a school are clear: Educate future citizens, keep middle and upper middle class families in the city, provide hope and prototype for rebuilding public education in the city. The location of the school would be ideal to draw students from all over the city. Admission should be by lottery.
2) Public Pool
Center City has no large public pool. The site offers an ideal location for a roof top pool which could be used by the public and shared by the school. Covering the pool with a glass dome ala Kimmel Center would allow the pool to be used all year.
3) Public Park/Gym
The roof deck of the complex offers a fine place to put a public park/gym which could be shared between the school and the public.
The DisneyHole complex should run both the pool and the park/gym complex as a fee based enterprise with free access for the school.
4) Underground Parking
The site allows space for approximately 200 cars. Installing 6-7 floors would allow for 1200-1400 parking places. Since the PPA owes the site, they should enjoy the increased revenue, and downtown workers and businesses would appreciate the additional parking.
5) PleaseTouch Museum
The PleaseTouch has been looking for a new and larger home for a long time. Now the Penn's Landing development is offically dead, the DisneyHole seems like a reasonable place to put it: good transportation etc.
6) Retail Space
Center City has more than 78,000 residents. All of them in $200k+ homes or $700+/mth apartments, yet many are forced to go to outlying suburban malls for clothing, dry-goods, sporting equipment, and movies.
7) Office Space
-Gaylord

The whole darn roof by Ro DeLongis

How about this--they already have a hole there as a head start. Why not continue and create a subterranium parking facility and have a garden/park at street level with a kiosk or two selling coffee/tea/smoothies/etc. with tables and chairs and the occasional sculpture.

OR TO PARAPHRASE;

DIG A HOLE
MAKE IT LARGE
AND WHAT YOU GET
IS A BIG GARAGE.

TO MAKE IT GREAT
AND EYESORE PROOF
SCULPTURE AND PLANT
THE WHOLE DARN ROOF.

recreational activity by Murray Miller

I am not a skater and I do not have an idea about Love Park but I have a solution to a few related situations. Build a skating and Skateboard Park in the hole at 8th and Market. Use the old granite blocks, benches, etc. from LOVE park and the granite from the Grand Plaza that will supposedly be disassembled. Below is a description of the new LOVE Park. An attachment show an outline drawing.
I am going to describe a skating park in the hole. I will start from the center and work out to the perimeter.
1. A stage for entertainment.
2. State of the art skateboard park to the west of the stage. Use the granite from Love Park for parts of it.
3. Skating track east of the stage.
4. Bleachers to watch the activities. The bleacher would be made out of the granite from the Grand Plaza at Penn’s Landing.
5. Curved paths through the various areas with sculptures throughout.
6. A two story concession stand / gift shop with elevator and restrooms at 8th and Market. This will make the project handicapped accessible.
7. Near the concession stand there would be a play area with equipment for young children.
8. Round cement tables with umbrellas near the concession stand.
9. A long gradual ramp from street level to the bottom, curved and banked at the corners of the property. The ramp would provide vehicle access to the bottom for maintenance and refuse removal and provide the skaters with a great entrance to the park.
10. A stairway to go up to the top of the ramp so the skaters could use the ramp over and over.
11. Widen the sidewalk at street level for use as a walking/running track.
12. Put cardiovascular stations around the perimeter.
13. The sidewalk area along Market Street should be widened into a plaza for temporary bleachers during the Mummers Parade. The street area could then be a major performing area. Below the plaza at 8th and Market would be the entrance/ concession stand / gift-shop building. This park would be used by Philadelphia residents and would be an attraction for tourists. It would give a whole touring family a recreational activity right near the historical center.
I am Murray Miller

Click here
to see a larger image

Hole in the Ground by A. Levitas

A Proposal for the DisneyHole: Hole in the Ground Interactive Educational Site, Independence National Park
Hole in the Ground Interactive Educational Site, Independence National Park could be created with a minimum of change to the existing site. All that would be necessary would be a fence with view ports next to video screens. A row of video cameras would be mounted at approximately 1 meter height, approximately 1 meter behind each view port, and connected to the video screen immediately adjacent to that view port. Park visitors could then see before them the hole in the ground and a video view of their behinds, thus permanently educating them to the difference between their ass and a hole in the ground.
–A. Levitas, Cherry Hill, NJ

a no-brainer! By Roy Ziegler

C'mon folks. This is a no-brainer!
With all of the confusion about Love Park and a potential replacement, we are staring right down into it every day at 8th & Market. Whatever happens in the air above the hole, we can create a world-class skateboard Mecca in that hole. Look at Rockefeller Center and its fantastic space for ice-skaters and just imagine what an incredibly awesome place this can be. Lots of room for spectators and media coverage and with the dollars saved that an alternative site would cost, we can create a perfect space. And imagine the good will that we could retrieve. And we have great medical centers just seconds away. Let's go for it!
Roy Ziegler
Pennsylvania Avenue
Philadelphia, PA

Art landfill by Gary Jameson

The National Landfill of Art
This proposal is for the site at 8th and Market Streets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Inasmuch as presently there is an excessive abundance of art being created, produced, and otherwise clogging the environment, this proposal is for a simple and timely solution, The National Landfill of Art.
Artists continue to produce excessive amounts of art. Museums continue to acquire excessive amounts of art. The definition of “what is art?” continues to become excessive. The solution to such excessiveness is to develop The National Landfill of Art.
The City of Philadelphia, given its excessive history of artists and museums would be an ideal location for the landfill. From historical, aesthetical, and environmental viewpoints, the site at 8th and Market would be a most fitting.
The National Landfill of Art would readily accommodate a wide variety of art, from Disney to Duchamp, from Thomas Kinkaide to Jean-Michael Basquiat. And the landfill would solve the ages-old problem of what to do with Joseph Beuys’ pound of butter.
The National Landfill of Art would accept entries only through the jury process. The jury would be composed of art professionals and civic leaders who would determine the aesthetic value of each object to be included in the landfill. Rejected items would remain the property of the submitting artists and/or museums.

Car Crunch by martin burian

I have lived in Philadelphia for four years, having moved here after college. Old cities are very attractive to me, and urban issues are
of great interest to me. I am an occasional observer of city politics and real estate development. I believe in creatively mixing uses and adaptive reuse of old sites. In addition, since I have lived in Philadelphia I have tried to fulfill my desire to see a real live automobile demolition derby. I did go to a monster truck rally, but it was not really the same thing. It is in this spirit that I came up with a multifaceted concept for the 8th and Market site.
Proposal
I propose that the City of Philadelphia build an abandoned car recycling and demolition derby site that is open to the public. The
facility would use abandoned cars towed by the city, use them for entertaining demolition runs, and then the remains would be recycled in the most environmentally efficient manner possible while educating the general public about abating the toxic byproducts of old cars. If done correctly, the venture could be a net financial gain for the city. Abandoned car recycling and demolition derby (let's call it "Car Crunch" for short) can be a permanent facility, or it could exist until a better development idea became a reality. Entertainment Eighth and Market was originally intended to be a tourist destination and an entertainment/shopping complex. I do not want to stray very far from this original concept. I realize that the general path of revitalizing old urban cores involves a significant measure of entertainment and tourist dollars, and the Market Street is going to be part of that. I envision Car Crunch as wholesome family entertainment at an affordable price complete with an array of concessions. The spectacle is watching drivers smash into each other on purpose for good fun.
Quality of Life
Car Crunch serves the interests of the general public of Philadelphia and our quality of life in several ways. First, it is in the public's
interest to occupy the site on safety and aesthetic grounds. In addition, this proposal will create jobs and generate revenue for the city. Most importantly, the city has been towing abandoned cars at a record rate over the last two years to great applause from
neighborhoods. However, resources for storing and processing these vehicles is limited. The city has attempted to use temporary storage in public parking lots to the dismay of local residents (such as with the lot at 47th St and Warrington Ave in West Philadelphia). I support towing abandoned vehicles, and this proposal is a great way to put former eyesores turned city financial liability to productive use.
Environment
Cars have a lot of hazardous materials that need to be discarded properly. This facility will be state of the art. Prior to and after
the demolition derby entertainment, Car Crunch workers will strip the cars of reusable parts which the city will then be able to sell. All waste fluids, batteries and other hazardous materials will be separated and recycled. Noise pollution will be minimized through soundproofing the facility. The demolition derby itself will be held after business hours as not to be a nuisance to nearby businesses. And the traffic of shipping cars in and waste out will take place primarily in the overnight hours.
Education
There is great potential for education in this proposal, particularly since this is a family-oriented attraction. Children can learn about
car safety, physics, chemistry, the auto industry and what goes into making cars, and much more. There could even be an auto recycling museum. Adults can learn, too. Car Crunch serves to reuse and recycle and to promote recycling of all kinds. All citizens can learn about recycling hazardous waste from all over the household and in their cars. The facility will be a drop-off for used motor oil, batteries and other waste products.
Site Plan
The demolition derby itself would take place in the depth of the pit, in the northeast quadrant of the site. The rise out of the pit to the
south and west furnishes a useful area for spectator stands. Car storage and processing would take place along Ranstead St west to the wall of the existing building. The 9th St side of the lot would house the merchandising and main concessions areas of the facility, as well as the educational installations. The final stages of waste recycling and a loading dock to transport those materials would be located along 9th St. Spectators would enter Car Crunch on Ranstead near 8th St, and exit at 9th near Market. There is a parking lot very close to the entrance and the site is accessible by numerous public transportation lines.
Financing
Initial financing for this project would come from the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Additional funding could be procured in the form of grants from domestic and foreign auto makers. The operating costs of the facility would be supported by retail and wholesale sales of auto parts, sale of scrap metal and recycled materials, and admission price and concessions from visitors. Remember, the raw materials are free.
Conclusion
I think that the Car Crunch idea will solve many significant problems all at once. To my knowledge, no other entertainment/recycling extravaganza like the one I have proposed exists anywhere in the United States or the world. In the face of a festering wound in the middle of the city, Philadelphia needs to take the lead and innovate in order to overcome this civic embarrassment.

trompe l’oeil by Amy Levine

During the Renaissance, palaces often had ceilings painted with elaborate trompe l’oeil scenes that make a visitor think he is looking up to heaven, with a beautiful sky full of angels and putti fluttering about. Using these Renaissance ceilings as inspiration, we could adapt the underlying idea for a decorative theme at 8th and Market Streets.
Here are three ideas that reverse the treatment, as visitors to the Disney Hole look down instead of up:
1. A View of the Bottom of China
When I had a digging hole as a child, the theory always was that if you dug far enough you would reach China. We could create a trompe l’oeil scene that makes it seem as though you had reached China and were just about to break through to the surface. You would see the bottom of the junks in Hong Kong harbor, the Shanghai subway, the caves of Dunhuang, and other things that might appear on the bottom of China.
2. A View into a Parking Lot in China
Since China has been modernizing itself and building, you might have the bad luck to dig through precisely to a parking lot. In that case, you would see the bottom of Chinese cars, bicycles, and perhaps a cart or two.
3. A View into Hell
We could treat the hole so that a visitor thinks he is looking into the bowels of hell, with flames flickering about and monsters grinning. Suggestions for characters who might appear in the scene include Osama Bin Ladan and Saddam Hussein, as well as Ken Goldenberg, John Street, and various Philadelphia City Council members and other people who want to pave paradise and put up a parking lot.

Lovescape Center by Jason J. Thompson
SANDVOLD BLANDA architecture+interiors

Components:
LOVESCAPE
Robert Indiana environmental skateboard park incorporating elements of the original LovePark
SOLARPARK
Mid-rise parking structure with rooftop PECO prototype solar field
LOVECENTER
Retail arcade, Philadelphia Museum of Art Downtown, cafes, future office/residential tower

indoor activity center by JENNIFER BRENNAN

I think Philly needs to build up the area with new tourist attractions. While living in the past has been fun our tourism traffic numbers have dwindled in recent years. Keep O'l Betsy's House open and add some new flair... How about an ESPN 2 Zone like the one at the Baltimore Inner Harbor but add more comfy leather seating and two seater chairs for couples! Or an indoor activity center that's open late! It could have an indoor racetrack for go-carts, rock climbing, air hocky, and ice/roller rink, skee-ball, sumo wrestling ring, etc... You could use the facility to house local "After Prom" or "Post Graduation" parties offering a safe alternative to many post parties that promote alcohol and drugs use among today's youth.

Diversity Center by Sue Smith

I do not live in the city of Philadelphia but I live nearby in upper Bucks County. I believe the best thing about the city is the diversity of its residents. I suggest you use the Disney site to create a kind of Diversity Center. This would be a place where a visitor could experience the many cultures that make up the city of Philadelphia. It could also be a place that is much more authentic than the artificial culture of Disney's own Epcot Center. I would love to see a ground floor that was a giant ethnic food court, somthing like Boston's Quincy Market. Other floors could be devoted to ethnic gift shops art gallerys, historical displays, movies, and music centers. Everyone in the city should be included in the planning and represented in the final design. I believe this should be a place that welcomes the city's residents and visitors alike. I do not often come into the city but I would love to visit a central location where I could experience new foods, culture, and shopping.
Thank You,
Susan L. Smith

another skyscraper by "mars"

Well I think they should built another skyscraper and tall one not a small one. This skyscraper will be great
I think the architect is Kling Lindquist . If it can't be build some sort of shopping center connected to The
Gallery or some sort of Entertaiment Complex. I really whish Maket St. would have alot of lights like
Time Square :-)But it should not in no way be a parking lot That part of Market St. wouldn't look good.
I really like that skyscraper.

So obvious! by Shirley J Cook

I’m just putting in my vote, actually 6 votes! –no time to create a stunning project!
About 6-8 weeks ago, my neighbors and I (6 middle-aged ladies in Queen Village without much of an athletic bone in any of us!), decided on the best use of The Hole. So obvious! And, it appears we’re not the first. The SKATE PARK. The Love Park replacement. How much more brilliant and obvious can this
be?
Easy transportation for all kids in all the PA, DE and NJ suburbs. Heck the Gimble’s station is still there! The kids can exit on the correct level. Smack-dab in the middle of the city with plenty of residents, tourists and conventioneers (OK, that one is open to debate not knowing what the unions are going to do.) Put the ramps, etc IN the hole. Build plenty of terraces, and café’s (heated for winter and open for good weather) on the upper levels for the non-athlete observers.
How ‘bout a few stores? Skateboard stores, Foot Locker, and a few cutesy stores for the women! Market East is developing nicely. Why not ‘pull’ that a few more blocks West and ‘connect’ to other parts of the City… Chinatown, Avenue of the Arts, etc. Bring more life to the city!!
The city has already invested $10 million in the hole. How much more could it possibly cost to d this right? Let’s invest the $1 million wisely.
I’m sure Steven Starr, Neil Stein, and a variety of other-priced restaurateurs could create a wonderful environment. What is to be gained by a parking lot??!!! Nothing!!!!
The infrastructure is already in place!
How many others like this idea????
SJC

I sent my email re: turning the hole in the skate park. Now that I’ve read the remainder of your site, it seems that I’m not alone. And, have you noticed that many of us are NOT skaters?? We’re supporting this…why won’t the City?
SJC

You mean there might be hope for The Hole?! I appreciate your offer re: WHYY, but, I'm committed to clients during that timeframe. I trust you will convey all the great ideas eloquently. BTW, the women who suggested a skating rink for the winter and skate board for the summer - great concept!! In some respects I like The Hole "as is". It's one of the few sunny spots in the middle of the city. We don't need another x-story office building. Let's be original! Think outside the box! Let's be bold! What other city would have the guts to put their citizens before a developer? Think about this - no developer seems to want to build there - no mega million loans (except the city), tenants or stores are rushing to line-up. Money is already set-aside for this project. Clearly, a parking lot is a temporary solution. It only serves a couple of hundred people 5 days a week from 6 AM to 6 PM. I would think a Skate Park, terraces, etc could be built for about the same as a parking lot. Yet, this option could serve multiple times more people for more hrs a day 7 days a week and bring great PR to the City. This is a much better 'temporary' solution than the parking garage. The Hole was originally designated for 'entertainment'. A parking lot does not satisfy that intention. The Skate Park does. Good luck on Tues!
SJC

One other thing....if there appears to be momentum with "interested parties" including the Skateboaders, and there's a seriousness to pursuing this, let me know! It's just a matter of pulling together all the right people.
Thanks!
SJC

"by youth for youth" by Sharon WELLONS

I have an idea for the DisneyHole - a place "by youth for youth" which would provide space for their businesses and a section for simulations of different careers with opportunities for assessment, interest inventory, and information about these careers as well as linkages to education and training. Maybe add a skateboarding/ recreation area to replace what was lost at Love Park. Youth should be surveyed in multiple ways to find out what they want (more important than being bound by my vision) and be included in the design and decisionmaking team. City of Philadelphia youth agencies, the Philadelphia Workforce Investment Board and its Youth Council, and the rich array of youth-serving organizations here would need to be consulted. Area universities, businesses, unions, nonprofits, etc could lend expertise and staff to the project. These institutions could also provide internships and mentoring to area youth in the context of completing and sustaining this youth center. Some of the college students who work on the project just might want to stay in Philly after graduating because they helped create something of lasting value here..... The above are quick thoughts on a Monday morning stimulated by an e-mail from a friend. If more information is needed,
please contact me.
Sharon E. Wellons
Youth Services Team Leader
Office of Youth Services and Job Corps
U.S. Department of Labor
Employment and Training Administration