Waterfront

 

NKCDC Riverfront Plan (8 MB)

NKCDC Riverfront Plan - Executive Summary

NKCDC coordinated a community-driven plan for four miles of the Delaware Riverfront from Spring Garden to the Betsy Ross Bridge. The overall goal of the plan is to reconnect residents to the river through a series of gateways that will make the waterfront more publicly accessible, safe and vibrant. 

As pressure for redevelopment of vacant piers and large tracts of former industrial land begins to move north into Fishtown, Kensington and Port Richmond, it is crucial that the community develop a vision for the waterfront in order to help preserve the character of each neighborhood, ensure public access, and truly benefit from development within the community. 

NKCDC and Neighbors Allied for the Best Riverfront (NABR) allied to coordinate this process with the help of Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC). NABR is a grassroots organization of residents from river wards who formed in an effort to 'promote community-based planning and development which is sensible, sustainable, and inclusive of positive public involvement.PEC is currently collaborating on the alignment of the East Coast Greenway, a mostly off-road biking and pedestrian path linking major East Coast cities from Florida to Maine that will connect the Schuylkill River trail to the K & T bike trail in Northeast Philadelphia. 

As a riverfront plan for near northeast Philadelphia develops, NKCDC's plan serves as a separate but complementary piece to the larger Central Delaware Riverfront Plan undertaken by Penn Praxis and the Philadelphia City Planning Commission. Whereas the citywide plan focuses on grand civic gestures, some of which may take 20-50 years to realize, NKCDC has concentrated on smaller efforts within this community that could enhance the riverfront immediately and over the next few years. Elements such as a continuous bike and pedestrian path, enhanced underpasses on I-95, improved street crossings and green street connections to riverfront parks could be implemented using relatively few resources in comparison with some of the bigger projects. 

This plan is an opportunity for the communities of Port Richmond, Fishtown and Kensington to leverage the energy and investment currently surrounding Philadelphia's riverfronts as well as the reconstruction of I-95 in order to provide a real boon for the river wards. For too long, riverfront development has taken place without comprehensive planning and with little regard for local impacts. Our goal is to give residents of this community a real say in what goes on in their neighborhood and on their waterfront. 

We will continually offer opportunities for public involvement. Check this web page often to find out how you can get involved and be sure to sign up on our mailing list to get the latest information on the riverfront. 

Our Partners:

Pennsylvania Environmental Council
www.pecpa.org

Pennsylvania Dept. of Conservation & Natural Resources
http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/

Neighbors Allied for the Best Riverfront
www.nabrhood.org

Port Richmond Community Group
http://www.inportrichmond.com

Port Richmond on Patrol and Civic

Fishtown Neighbors Association
http://www.fishtownlife.com

East Kensington Neighbors Association
http://www.ekna.org

Old Richmond Civic Association

Penn Praxis
http://www.design.upenn.edu/pennpraxis/

Delaware River City Corporation
http://www.drcc-phila.org/

Northern Liberties Neighbors Association
http://www.nlna.org/

Philadelphia City Planning Commission
http://www.philaplanning.com

Other Riverfront Plans in Philly:

Central Delaware Riverfront
www.planphilly.com

North Delaware Riverfront
www.northdelariverfront.org

Navy Yard
www.navyyard.org/MasterPlan.htm

Schuylkill Riverfront
http://www.schuylkillbanks.org/home.aspx?topicID=25

Northern Liberties Waterfront Plan
http://www.nlna.org/images/NLNA_WaterfrontPlan_Web.pdf

Other Planning Resources in Philly:

www.planphilly.com

www.greenplanphiladelphia.com

www.sustainablephiladelphia.com

www.nextgreatcity.com

www.phillyskyline.com