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Away_Swimming_5757 t1_jacoq4c wrote

11.5 acre park, leading right into all the northern waterfront developments that are emerging and all the recently rennovated and recently established fun of Spruce Harbor park, leading directly into Olde City and Market St is going to be such an awesome change. Night time along the waterfront is going to way more dynamic.

EDIT:

Here is a comment I made previously that adds more perspective into what the delaware ave projects are shaping up to be:

Delaware Ave and the waterfront are going to be very different by the end of this decade. Here's other in-progress or planned things, starting from North and moving southward:

Graffiti Pier Park

Northbank Phase 2 (Phase 1 is nearly complete with over 150 homes already lived within)

PECO Substation next to Penn Treaty Park turned into residential units

The site next to the casino

The site across from Club ROAR and the brewery right before Spring Garden

The old festival pier location having 1,300+ units and a waterfront park

The two projects across from festival pier's former site also making steady progress

The capping of I-95 and the 11.5 acre park being built upon it to replace Penn's Landing

All of this waterfront will be connected by the recently rennovated Delaware River Trail (which will extends through Northbank and into Graffiti Pier and may even extend further north as time goes on)

Spruce Harbor park enhancements

The site that is the 1-story Comcast facility is being sold and turned into some type of dense project

The Giant just finished construction in S Columbus

There's supposed to be some type of South Philly version of Northbank proposed for that area near the Walmart trail as well

^ That's a lot of foot traffic from over 3,000 new households alone, not to mention the attract it will draw from nearby Spring Garden, Fishtown (and the American Ave cooridoor that is massively building up, Northern Liberties and Olde City and disposable income being injected into the waterfront. We may see a whole new comercial cooridoor full of things to do at night time, more walkability/ quality of life improvements, more recreational open public spaces and new night life scenes. This will be a major tourism hub and will generate a lot of tax revenue and will be a key part of "things to do in philly".

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Rotaryknight t1_jacyj4q wrote

I can already see any fireworks event at the water front are gonna be awesome already from the park

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Edison_Ruggles t1_jadjex5 wrote

Heck yeah. Lets use that rail line as a new waterfront trolly

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Firm_Airport2816 t1_jadk07i wrote

That'd be cool, but pretty sure it's still considered an active rail and owned by CSX (Not 100% sure...but I've read this before)

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pookypocky t1_jadtsxh wrote

They used to run a trolley on at least the north end of it back in the day, hopefully they can do it again.

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TheArchitect_7 t1_jad1jjc wrote

I love your sentiment and hate that "dynamic and nightlife" kinda freak me out these days.

C'mon New Mayor. Let's get this ship righted ffs.

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themightychris t1_jaeniio wrote

The DWRC site's master plan page has a lot of great information about current and upcoming projects: https://www.delawareriverwaterfront.com/planning

The South Wetlands Park is what I'm most excited about: https://www.delawareriverwaterfront.com/planning/projects3/south-wetlands-park-project

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Away_Swimming_5757 t1_jaew70q wrote

Those piers behind the Walmart are going to be a game changer. Can’t wait to hang out there when it’s complete and possibly even kayak

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electric_creamsicle t1_jae9393 wrote

> The site next to the casino

What site is this? Are you talking about Penn Treaty Park and Northbank or something else?

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Away_Swimming_5757 t1_jae9k08 wrote

There's a building between Penn Treaty Park and on the northern side of the casino. It was in a weird financial limbo for a few years, then it magically burnt down and has been just the early stage concrete foundation/ supporting structures remaining, but it was purchased by a new developer in 2022 and there is some plan to make some type of density-style development on that lot (I think it was like 190 units or something)... there is also another development right on the southern side of the casino that I think is recently broke ground as well. South, north and across the street from the Casino are a handful of projects currently going up or soon to begin going up.

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electric_creamsicle t1_jae9yw7 wrote

Oh that's great news. Now here's to hoping they cap 95 up there too so it doesn't feel like a wasteland in the couple of blocks between Girard and Delaware Ave.

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Away_Swimming_5757 t1_jaec8do wrote

It will be unlikely to see much capping of 95 around that side since the 95 is at the roof height of the surrounding neighborhood, but they did a bunch of rennovations under the 95 which is technically a "walking trail". I've walked it dozens of times since it finished a few months ago and its actually pretty nice during the day, but at night time its pretty uncomfortable and doesn't feel safe (although there is a lot of lighting which is a major enhancement). Right across the street there is a construction material warehouse that is up for sale (according to the sign above it) and directly behind it is the entire Northbank Phase 1 construction site (nearly complete) which just started up phase 2. Once phase 2 completes and the streets are paved, the Delaware River Trail from Penn Treaty via Dyott St (the road full of potholes immediately north of Penn Treaty) into Northbank and directly onto Graffitti Pier's trail (which is planned to be a managed park).

If you haven't been back in Northbank, go take a walk and see how much has changed. The entire phase 1 waterfront section is publicly accessible and has a great view. It's shaping up really nice

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BigBrownDownTown t1_jaenzbf wrote

Don't call the secret little pocket neighborhood a wasteland - they're over there enjoying relatively easy parking and going to Murph's for italian food

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electric_creamsicle t1_jaev4ck wrote

I live 2 blocks on the other side of Girard. Walk down to Other Half/the Filmore plenty. Once you get a block away from under 95 and the el it's nice in all directions but under both of those is not great.

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Sigma_Noodle t1_jadj5t8 wrote

I live by the 1 story Comcast building and am interested to know what it will be. What is meant when you say “dense project”?

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Away_Swimming_5757 t1_jadk5qd wrote

I forget where I read it about the status of that building (its owned by Comcast), but this is what's going up next to it which is bring major density to that corner. The development on the comcast lot is after this first one gets built

https://www.rising.realestate/855-units-retail-planned-in-south-philly-on-the-delaware-river/

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Sigma_Noodle t1_jadpw9o wrote

Thanks for the link! I’d love it if some retail space around here because it feels like Pennsport is all residential

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