All the while, we knew that we would not go to City Hall without the full support of the community and the special interest groups. We quickly realized that we would need to exceed Old City’s 65’ height limitation if the design was to be sensitive to those areas warranting sensitivity while maintaining a financially viable project. These 2.5 acres of ground and buildings, some aspects of which contain significant historical properties, are in an area accustomed to seeing mostly rehabilitation of older builders and a few new construction initiatives on single lots.  The National would be a first.

The first order of business was to assemble a highly skilled development team dedicated to “the public-private process.” We engaged the best urban designers, historical consultants, traffic engineers, structural engineers, whatever it took. Whenever a question was raised or an alternative was proposed, we asked ourselves; “who is the best person to answer this question”. Probably the most important element of the process was the “blank sheet of paper” approach to negotiations and design -- everything was open for consideration and discussion.  No idea was too outrageous, no suggestion too bold.  We were, however, very disciplined in defending those concepts we felt rejected views that comprised the integrity of the project or the strict tenants of involved civic organizations. 

In the early days of “the process,” we were a sponge. We all learned about the history and planning of Old City; saw how the early planning evolved to serve the needs of the landowners and residents; and examined the progression of the area from a dark, forgotten neighborhood to the vibrant, eclectic Philadelphia hot spot it has become today.  Setbacks, however, were encountered and the process of consensus building became painful and elusive.  At one critical step in the process, Steve Patron remembers thinking that maybe The National was not an achievable objective. Yet, at this most desperate point, Mr. Patron recalls the wise words of a resident, “This project is too important to abandon.”

That resident was right. Eventually, The National received the overwhelming support of the Old City Civic Association. Some will argue that the support came because of the merits of the project; other will say that it came from the process. The reality is that it was the right plan, at the right time.  Whatever your point of view it was and is clearly a public private process that is the model for intelligent and responsible development.