Riverfronts and Waterfronts

Once outright avoided because of its industrial contamination, waterfronts now represent some of the most valuable and sought-after real estate and public space opportunities in our cities. William Penn knew the importance of waterfront land when he made the Delaware riverfront all common space, and later requiring public access to the river’s edge when the economic forces became too strong. With the erection of I-95 along the Delaware, we officially lost our connection to Philadelphia’s original riverfront while park space along the Schuylkill River flourishes. Different cities around the country have used different approaches to riverfront development, but the most successful ones have emphasized a balance of public space and private development. Former Mayor John Street commissioned the most recent planning process for the central Delaware, which Mayor Nutter has helped realize by reconstituting the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation and focusing them on implementing the citizen-driven vision.

Art Festival Will Line Schuylkill River Bank with Art

Art Festival Will Line Schuylkill River Bank with Art

Art in the Open (AiO), a three-day festival, will line the banks of the Schuylkill River with art and family activities this weekend, May 18 – 20.

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Music as neighborhood anchor | Mayor Blondell? | Gray’s Ferry garden fight | Delaware waterfront development limbo | reviewing Economic Opportunity

Music as neighborhood anchor | Mayor Blondell? | Gray’s Ferry garden fight | Delaware waterfront development limbo | reviewing Economic Opportunity
  • Music venues as neighborhood improvement tool
  • Blondell Reynolds Brown for Mayor?
  • Gardens in Gray’s Ferry could be divided due to sheriff’s sale
  • Proposed development near Ben Franklin Bridge ‘legal, but incompatible
  • New committee reviews city’s Economic Opportunity policies
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    Separate AVI and schools | waterfront zoning overlay update | stop-work over at Goldtex | Philly food truck scene | $1.5 billion for PA from gaming | new (old) publisher for Media Network

    Separate AVI and schools | waterfront zoning overlay update | stop-work over at Goldtex | Philly food truck scene | $1.5 billion for PA from gaming | new (old) publisher for Media Network
  • Decouple AVI and the School District’s recovery plan
  • CDAG and Planning Commission still working over waterfront zoning overlay
  • Work to resume at Goldtex
  • Philly food trucks get noticed
  • PA gambling revenue ranks third to Nevada and New Jersey
  • Greg Osberg out as Philadelphia Media Network Publisher, former publisher Bob Hall back
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    New bridge connects Schuylkill Banks with Schuylkill River Park

    New bridge connects Schuylkill Banks with Schuylkill River Park

    Thursday morning a new truss bridge was placed over the CSX tracks, creating a connection between Schuylkill Banks and Schuylkill River Park.

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    School District’s road to dissolution | Norris Square duel continues | Fairmount Fish Ladder | paying Water Works’ utilities

    School District’s road to dissolution | Norris Square duel continues | Fairmount Fish Ladder | paying Water Works’ utilities
  • Scrapping Schools: How did it come to this?
  • Norris Square Civic and Maria Quiñones-Sánchez still feuding over St. Boniface redevelopment
  • Fairmount Fish Ladder
  • Taxpayers foot utility bill for Water Works Restaurant
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    Walnut closure | School District’s September hangs on AVI | waterfront trail development | hardware history

    Walnut closure | School District’s September hangs on AVI | waterfront trail development | hardware history
  • Two blocks of Walnut closed today
  • Without AVI, School District could shut down
  • Councilwomen Brown and Quinones-Sanchez urge passage of AVI
  • Designing and developing Delaware waterfront trail
  • Fern Rock Hardware thrives
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    May Day rallies | Route 34 track improvements | casino license auction | connector street plans | SRC budget hearing tonight

    May Day rallies | Route 34 track improvements | casino license auction | connector street plans | SRC budget hearing tonight
  • May Day rallies planned in West and SW Philly; bank occupations
  • New tracks for the route 34 trolley
  • Philly might lose that second casino license
  • Progress on three waterfront-neighborhood connector streets
  • School Reform Commission budget hearing tonight
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    Vote today | 40 schools could close 2013 | I-95 alternatives study | Sunoco talks with Carlyle | Thomas U. Walter’s classics

    Vote today | 40 schools could close 2013 | I-95 alternatives study | Sunoco talks with Carlyle | Thomas U. Walter’s classics
  • Vote until 8pm.
  • 40 public schools could close in 2013
  • Studying alternatives for I-95
  • Sunoco in exclusive talks with private-equity group over refinery
  • Look Up: Classical columns in Society Hill
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    Exploring the Lower Schuylkill’s gritty and green potential

    Exploring the Lower Schuylkill’s gritty and green potential

    Come along as Eyes on the Street explores the industrial landscape of the Lower Schuylkill to see what on earth is on those 4000 acres and why we should care about the Master Planning effort underway to chart a new course for the area. Public meetings about the plan are this Wednesday and Thursday evening.

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    April 9-13: Friends of Race Street Pier, Philadelphia’s immigration history, historic windows and masonry repairs, urban biking 101

    April 9-13: Friends of Race Street Pier, Philadelphia’s immigration history, historic windows and masonry repairs, urban biking 101
  • Tuesday: Friends of Race Street Pier meeting @ Race Street Pier
  • Tuesday: Building Philadelphia: Immigration to the City @ Center for Architecture
  • Tuesday: Homeowner Workshop: Window Maintenance and Repair @ WES Health Center
  • Wednesday: Masonry and Pointing @ Roxborough Development Corporation
  • Thursday: Urban Bike Riding Classes @ Jefferson
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