The Delaware River
Waterfront Corporation (DRWC) is proud to announce it is the recipient of a $5 million grant from the William Penn
Foundation to further implement the Master
Plan for the Central Delaware, which advances “public access” as the
organizing principle guiding redevelopment of the waterfront. The funds are
intended to support projects that facilitate public access to the waterfront, improve
connections between neighboring communities and the river, and facilitate further
public and private investment and natural resource protection. This follows on a 2010 grant of $5 million
from the Foundation which helped to leverage over $14 million from other
sources.
This new grant is expected to allow DRWC to continue its work on key projects, including:
This new grant is expected to allow DRWC to continue its work on key projects, including:
- Funding the construction of the permanent Delaware River Trail between Washington Avenue and Pier 70
- Design for the central section of Delaware River Trail between Spring Garden St. and Washington Avenue
- Design and construction of a new pier park at Pier 68 in Pennsport
- Design and development of connector street amenities on Tasker St.
- Phase II archeology at the West Ship Yard site at Vine St. and Delaware Avenue
These new projects will continue the implementation of the Master Plan, which began in 2010 with another grant from the William Penn Foundation. This initial investment allowed for the development of signature waterfront projects over the last three years, including:
- Race
Street Pier
- Washington
Avenue Green and the in-development park at Pier 53
- First
segment of Delaware River trail
- Connector street projects at Race Street,
Spring
Garden, and Columbia,
Shackamaxon, and Marlborough
- Acquisition of Piers 66-70
- Feasibility studies for Pier 9
- Archaeological study of the West Shipyard
- Interim improvements to the waterfront trail
from Pier 70 Blvd. to Pier 53
- Pre-development work on the Festival Pier site
at Spring Garden street
DRWC will have a series of meetings with the appropriate community groups and with the Central Delaware Advocacy Group over the coming months to finalize its plans for exciting new projects to be designed and built over the next three years. These meetings will happen in parallel to ongoing projects such as the design of a park over I-95 and Columbus Boulevard at Penn’s Landing, the implementation of a pier park at Washington Avenue and the Spring Garden St. connector project.
