A two-mile walking/hiking/biking trail along the Delaware could be completed as early as Labor Day.
Pier 70, top, should begin its makeover by Labor Day when the Center City District's early action plan is in place and a greenway, which will create a scenic view, will follow in the coming years, bottom. Photo and artist's rendering courtesy of PennPraxis
The Schuylkill and Delaware rivers may soon mirror each other when an extreme makeover -- highlighted by a seven-mile hiking/walking/biking trail along the waterfront -- begins as early as this month.
The path along Columbus Boulevard and the Delaware is anticipated to extend from North Philadelphia's Allegheny Avenue to Oregon Avenue. Thanks to the Center City District, which works to enhance the vitality of Center City Philadelphia, first two phases of the project are expected to be paved over to begin the path this summer.
The initial phase is expected to be completed by Memorial Day, district's Executive Director/CEO Paul Levy said. The first section, spanning Lombard Street to Washington Avenue, will utilize the existing sidewalk by stripping it and adding signs. He said the goal is to have the construction contract awarded by month's end.
"The idea here is to create a safer place, particularly for parents riding with kids, to be off the street," he said.
The next phase, slated to be completed by Labor Day, will cut along the river's edge at the Sheet Metal Workers' parking lot at 1301 S. Columbus through the one-time Foxwoods site and end at Pier 70 at 1601 S. Columbus. The second portion will consist of cutting weeds and pouring macadam, Levy said.
"This trail is being done with easement agreements with the owners," Levy said of the properties. "They are allowing the trail to go past their site."
The riverfront trail is slated to run along the Delaware, including the parking lot behind the Sheet Metal Workers' building at 1301 S. Columbus Blvd. Staff photo by Greg Bezanis
The district's two-mile strip eventually will expand as a part of PennPraxis' Action Plan for the Central Delaware.
The idea for a trail formed well before PennPraxis arrived on the scene, Levy, a former Queen Village resident, said. When $250,000 from the William Penn Foundation came along in 2007, a matching grant by the City was presented the next year and Foxwoods announced its possible relocation to the Gallery at Market East, the trail began to take shape.
The process of rejuvenating the Delaware began during the John Street administration when 1st District Councilman Frank DiCicco spoke with the former mayor, DiCicco's legislative director Brian Abernathy said.
"The councilman approached the administration about an idea about having a vision for the Central Delaware waterfront," Abernathy said. "Mayor Street -- much to his credit -- issued an executive order for the Central Delaware Advisory Group, which became CDAG [a citizen advocacy group with 26 civic associations]. CDAG hired PennPraxis as a consultant and that's how the vision was created."
The entire revitalization was later planned out and released by PennPraxis last summer. The 10-step concept to a green, accessible waterfront included parks, public access, additional public transit, extended streets, a 100-foot greenway along the river in addition to the trail. Also included was the appointment of a waterfront manager -- the Delaware River Waterfront Corp., which happened in 2008 -- and adopting zoning policies that were introduced in City Council last month.
Pennsport residents soon will have a direct link to Center City, as well as access along the riverfront, via a light rail system. Officials said the $364 to $514 million project will stretch east of City Hall on Market Street to the Delaware River and span Girard Avenue to Pier 70, near Snyder Avenue, on Columbus Boulevard. Other local stops will include South, Christian and Reed streets.
The morning was offset by a light drizzle with dreary clouds in the sky. Sprouts of green surfaced soil and mulch; a promise of what is to come for a new park on the edge of the Delaware River.
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1. NITTERS said... on Apr 2, 2009 at 04:31PM
“There is an extensive Feral Cat colony (supposedly managed by the the Philadelphia Community Cats Council) that would be greatly unsettled and harmed by this project. Have they been notified and if so have they done any planning on the cats futures. I am gravely concerned that there is no mention of the presence of these cats who have been here for years and years (as this has been the dumping ground for the Great City of Philadelphia pet owners). ”
2. kris said... on Apr 6, 2009 at 09:57AM
“maybe someday i'll be able to safely bike to trenton :)”
3. C.A.T.S said... on Apr 9, 2009 at 10:03AM
“Yes, I agree these cats have been here for years and alot of volunteer hours are put in to make sure these harmless cats are provided for. It is not fair to put them at risk to the cruel intentions of some humans. If the city of "Brotherly Love" would provide a living space for ferals and dumped cats, volunteers would assist in their caretaking. I'am a trapper in the South Philly area and I strongly believe in T.N.R.M. this city and some of the neighborhoods I trap in, are really disappointing. These cats pose no threat to anyone and now they are being threatened, just to satisfy a few people. This plan would create a area where crime will rise because of the out-of-the-way location. ”
4. Uncle Meat said... on Apr 9, 2009 at 12:11PM
“The cats will adapt and adopt a new location as the jobsite progresses. This could take YEARS.Even with cousin Vinnie out of the graft pile.”
5. Dolores polce said... on Apr 25, 2012 at 11:18PM
“The cats have homes and territories, similar to our neighborhoods. They are dependent on volunteers like myself for daily food, shelter, medical attention and comfort. How would a neighborhood of people deal with bulldozers suddenly tearing their homes down. Not very well, and we're supposed to be the smart ones. The volunteers like myself live on budgets and work long. Hard hours. It would be cruel not to join hands with us to carve out a living space for these cats who already have so little and appreciate it so much. We really love them.”