Is David Grasso’s As-Yet-Nonexistent Port Richmond Venue Already Trying To Pick A Fight With The Electric Factory?
Maybe. Earlier this month, we told you about developer David Grasso’s proposed music venue in Port Richmond, and wondered aloud who in the local/national booking scene might wind up handling the space. Since that post ran, we’ve learned a few things, most of which lead us to believe that, if nothing else, it probably won’t be Electric Factory. The proposed venue would be roughly the same capacity as Electric Factory Concerts’ eponymous venue — which split from Live Nation in February — and if this oddly chest-puffy Dan Gross item is anything to go by, Grasso is heading into direct competition with the Factory. Meanwhile, a source claiming to be close to Grasso contacted us yesterday about the venue, claiming “It is slated to replace the Electric Factory which is now shut down” — a claim that is wrong at best, and blatant disinformation at worst. We tried to contact the source multiple times to no avail, and a representative from Electric Factory, while declining to comment on the situation overall, stated that the Factory remains open, and in fact hosted two shows just last weekend. At the same time, Grasso, a representative from Councilman DiCicco‘s office, and representatives from the Philadelphia City Planning Commission and the Central Delaware Advocacy Group will go before neighbors tonight, with some locals already banging NIMBY drums. Should be interesting.
August 31st, 2010 at 3:35 pm
Wonder if that guy will ever finally save the Sam Eric.
Seriously, does anyone think the city could support another music venue? A second baseball team I get, but people like to spend money on that, but a music venue? Forget it.
August 31st, 2010 at 3:57 pm
Funniest part of that Dan Gross item, but wasn’t really germane to the post:
“he has committed not to ‘do any DJ or club nights.’”
Code?
August 31st, 2010 at 4:27 pm
So on the large venue side we have the Electric Factory, The Tower, Susquehanna, The Mann, whatever they call the place in Camden, and do they still do concerts at the Convention Center ever? Seems like a pretty saturated market.
August 31st, 2010 at 5:29 pm
“there are all these restaurants. who is going to eat at all of them. no one should ever open up a new restaurant cause there are plenty of old ones. gotta go yell at a cloud now…”
August 31st, 2010 at 6:23 pm
Don’t know if you know this, but restaurants fail at an astounding rate. It’s not like every one of them that opens succeeds and gets like 4 breadsticks or whatever in the Inky.
August 31st, 2010 at 8:57 pm
mmm. breadsticks. remember little cesars crazy bread? shit was correct.
August 31st, 2010 at 10:48 pm
Where Philly might actually have an open niche is mid-sized venues, in my opinion. Unless I’m forgetting something, there is basically very little between JB’s (~250 cap) and World Cafe Live (700 cap). I guess the Blockley is in there, but they aren’t exactly impressive with their bookings to date.
September 1st, 2010 at 10:06 am
“he has committed not to ‘do any DJ or club nights.’”
Code?”
Check your Star/Spirit Joey. ORCA is giving them shite and they are claiming that any DJ nights turns the place into a Delaware ave club circa 1994. I suspect he is now saying he will have nothing but live music to make it through that zoning hurdle.
September 1st, 2010 at 5:29 pm
I Think Whoever wrote this article is trying to cause a fight between me and the Electric Factory. FOR THE RECORD… I have enormous respect for Larry M and in no way is this an attempt to target the Electric Factory. Anyone claiming to speak on my behalf about a plan to hurt the Factory is not speaking for me. I know would be a great story if it were true but it just is not.
September 2nd, 2010 at 1:54 am
I urge everyone to go have a look at 2055 Richmond St and see where this site sits and tell me this doesn’t look like the perfect spot for this venue. Seriously it’s far enough away from the residential section of Fishtown that I can’t see them affecting neighbors. I drove by there tonight to check it out and damn it if I didn’t see parking spaces underneath I-95 on either side of the entrance to the backway of the Port Richmond Shopping Center. There is nothing there but warehouses and a street behind the building they are proposing to use that is several blocks long and empty for more parking. Tons of parking spaces for a quality music venue that he is proposing for the area that will brighten a dreary warehouse district. Like it or not folks when Sugarhouse opens prepare for the onslaught of new businesses up and down the waterfront that want to bask in the new desitination spot of the city. This is the tip of the tip of the iceberg and this project David Grasso brings before you will only add to neighborhood and the city. Let the music gods grant us this venue so we aren’t only known for the casino in Fishtown but a quality music venue that brings more options to a city on the rise. The project reeks of quality.
September 2nd, 2010 at 3:18 pm
@ghostrocket what do you mean “shit WAS correct”? little caesar’s still has their crazy bread and it’s still terrific!