Central Delaware Overlay Passed by City Council

City Council has passed a zoning ordinance designed to shape future development along the Central Delaware according to the city’s long-range plan for that waterfront. The overlay applies to most properties between Oregon and Allegheny avenues, and the pier head of the Delaware River and the east side of I-95. (Parcels zoned Port Industrial or for casinos are exempt.) Better connecting city neighborhoods to the riverfront with an extended street grid is a key principle of the Central Delaware Master Plan, which was adopted by the Philadelphia City Planning Commission.

The ordinance designates Dickinson, Christian, Race, Callowhill, and Spring Garden streets and Washington, Frankford and Columbia avenues as River Access Streets, and prohibits the building of permanent structures that would block a continuance of those streets to the river. The overlay requires active uses on ground floor frontages, and that 40 percent of riverfront parcels greater than 5,000 square be kept as open area.
It limits building height to 100 feet, but developers could earn the right to build up to 244 feet in exchange for providing certain public amenities, such as constructing a segment of waterfront trail or building to LEED standards.

The Delaware River Waterfront Corporation is the quasi-city agency that manages city-owned riverfront property, oversaw the development of the master plan, and participated in the overlay discussions hosted by Councilman Mark Squilla.

Coming Soon: Pier 53 Revisited

 On April 27, Applied Ecological Services presented their plans for the future of Pier 53. Construction will start in the fall of 2013, and is expected to be complete by the following spring. Funding has been secured for most of the project. Funding plans for a boardwalk on the south side of the pier and artwork as part of the pier are still in the works.

See: http://nakedphilly.com/pennsport/coming-soon-washington-avenue-green-phase-two/

 

Coming Soon: Pier 53 Revisited

 On April 27, Applied Ecological Services presented their plans for the future of Pier 53. Construction will start in the fall of 2013, and is expected to be complete by the following spring. Funding has been secured for most of the project. Funding plans for a boardwalk on the south side of the pier and artwork as part of the pier are still in the works.

See: http://nakedphilly.com/pennsport/coming-soon-washington-avenue-green-phase-two/

 

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Weekly Update February 8-15 Philly Fringe

Transformation from pumping station to Philly Fringe

The Philly Fringe, best known for its annual festival, began tearing out old pumps and shoring up the brick structure at the corner of Race Street and Columbus Boulevard after hitting a fundraising milestone: 90 percent of the $5.2 million it will take to complete the first phase of construction. Efforts to raise an additional $1.5 million or so are under way,

The goal is to have the new 240-seat theater, studio and offices ready for this fall’s Fringe Festival (Sept. 6-21). An indoor restaurant and bar, outdoor plaza space and further building restoration will be completed by late spring 2014,

A permanent home-base will allow Philadelphia Live Arts and Philly Fringe to become more of a year-round presence in Philadelphia, with regular performances in its new theater.   Mixed visual and performance arts installations on the waterfront are possibilities, along the pedestrian and bicycle trail, and even in some of the existing strip-malls.

See:  http://planphilly.com/articles/2013/02/12/transformation-from-pumping-station-to-philly-fringe-home-begins

Penn Street Trail Continues Along River

Over the pavement and through a casino parking lot. Here’s the link: http://planphilly.com/articles/2013/01/31/construction-of-penn-street-trail-starts-next-month

Weekly Update February 1, 2013 – I-95 Park

Engineering work to begin soon for 8-acre park atop I-95

The search is on for engineers and designers to figure out how to redevelop Penn’s Landing and connect it to the city – largely with an eight-acre park that would fully cover I-95 and Columbus Boulevard between Walnut and Chestnut streets, as well as slope down to the water.

A preliminary rendering of Penn’s Landing Park extracted from the Master Plan for the Central Delaware, shows a sloping lawn, roughly the size of Rittenhouse Square, through which people could walk from Front Street down to the water’s edge, or where they could linger to watch fireworks or concerts. The park would sit on a structure that expands the existing partial cap of I-95, which covers the highway from Front to Columbus, and from Chestnut  Street just about half way to Walnut Street.

The study and design work will also examine:

• A large, mixed-use development in what is now a Market Street parking lot. Additional space would be created by removing the Market Street scissor ramp structure.
• The extension of the South Street pedestrian bridge, which now ends on the west side of Columbus Blvd., to the southwest corner of the great water basin.
• Mixed-use development, including residences and restaurant barges, in and around the basin.

This work around Penn’s Landing, Chestnut, Walnut and Market streets “is kind of the big move that is going to really connect the riverfront back to Old City,” said Karen Thompson, project manager of the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation. DRWC is the quasi-city agency that oversaw the creation of the master plan, controls Penn’s Landing, and is looking for the engineers and designers to do this work.

See:  http://planphilly.com/articles/2013/01/29/engineering-work-soon-to-begin-for-8-acre-park-atop-i-95-columbus-boulevard#disqus_thread

Weekly Update December 14-21

Canal Street North developer meets with NLNA, hears concerns about noise, parking, traffic

Developer Michael Samschick met with the Northern Liberties Neighbors Association’s zoning committee about Canal Street North, his proposed development at Canal Street, Delaware and Frankford Avenues, which will include a 3,000-seat concert space, bowling alley and a country western bar and grill.  Feedback Samschick received from NLNA will be forwarded to the Philadelphia City Planning Commission, which gave conditional approval to Samschick’s Plan of Development.  The PCPC vote means Samschick doesn’t have to come back before the board for this project, but he must meet the conditions the commission outlined, which includes a letter from the registered community organizations in the project area, Northern Liberties and Fishtown.

Fishtown Neighbors had already met with Samschick about the development itself, and voted in support of it. Members are especially enthusiastic about the adaptive reuse of buildings.  But like NLNA, FNA members also have parking concerns, and Tuesday night voted 12-32 against a lot proposed for Richmond Street, and 1 to 44 against a lot proposed for Delaware Avenue.  ”The lots were voted against due to the fact that the community was not interested in having commercial uses and parking trickling into the residential section of the community,” said FNA Zoning Chair Matt Karp. “The Richmond and Marlborough street lot was the most disliked due to the need to demo existing buildings for only 49 spaces, max.”   Most of this phase of the development is in Fishtown. More of Phase II, which would begin at Laurel Street, will be in Northern Liberties.  Freedman said Samschick, who is known for not sharing much until he has secured tenants and nailed down a lot of details, didn’t say much about the second phase. “But he talked about how Phase II is just around the corner.”

See:http://planphilly.com/canal-street-north-developer-meets-nlna-hears-concerns-about-noise-parking-traffic

Weekly Update November 30-December 7

Spring Garden Street improvement project will better link NoLibs with the Delaware River

 

The RBA Group, the same firm designing and building the Penn Street portion of the Central Delaware multipurpose trail, will design the Spring Garden Connector project.  The Spring Garden Connector will likely include lights, landscaping, art and signage and will be geared toward making the use of Spring Garden Street as a means of getting between Northern Liberties and the river more obvious and pleasant. Other consultants working with RBA include Leni Schwendinger Light Projects Ltd. and the Lighting Practice.   The project goals are similar to those of the completed Race Street Connector, which ties Old City to the river at Race Street Pier, and the in-the-works Columbia Avenue Connector, which will do the same for Fishtown and Penn Treaty Park.

See:  http://planphilly.com/design-firm-hired-spring-garden-street-improvement-project-will-better-link-nolibs-delaware-river

Bill creating zoning regs for Central Delaware Waterfront not likely to be introduced until 2013

 

 

Legislation aimed at translating the principles of the Central Delaware Master Plan into zoning code won’t be introduced until the new year, according to First District Councilman Mark Squilla.   Squilla said he’ll introduce a bill creating the Central Delaware Overlay early in January, even if the stakeholders he’s been discussing potential language with aren’t completely satisfied. “You can’t just have meetings forever,” he said.  Squilla said he’s willing to have just one more, if it’s needed, before introducing the overlay.Representatives of the CityPlanning Commission, the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation, the Central Delaware Advocacy Group and the Development Workshop have been discussing the overlay with Squilla.  Major issues include:  How much access the public would have to the waterfront through private property, what mechanism would ensure access, and would that mechanism include a payment or other compensation for landowners. Liability issues have also been part of the discussion – who would be responsible if someone was hurt? This was resolved recently when the DRWC said it would include any future areas accessible to the public in its insurance policies.

See:  http://centraldelawareadvocacygroup.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post-new.php

Weekly Update November 16-23

Turning Pier 53 into a Park

What was once Philadelphia’s Ellis Island will become the gateway of a Delaware River wetlands park.  Before the pier was Philadelphia’s Ellis Island, it was the city’s first Navy Yard.  About 50 people attended the first public input session on the future of Pier 53 at Southwark House.   They learned – and helped fill in – information about the pier’s history and present condition, and provided guidance to Applied Ecological Services, which will design and build the new park.  Washington Avenue Green, which was one of the first projects the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation tackled under the city’s Central Delaware Master Plan, is on the uplands portion of Pier 53. The discussion Thursday considered what should be done with the pier itself.

Participants said they want to be able to touch the water. They want an arbor or other structure that helps bring attention to the park. They want a walking trail that leads to prime viewing spots, and nature tours, and a place to fish.  Suggestions included activities for kids, benches and picnic tables.   Construction is expected to be completed in 2014.

See:  http://centraldelawareadvocacygroup.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post-new.php