The Delaware River Waterfront Corporation (DRWC), New Kensington Development Corporation (NKCDC), and Studio|Bryan Haynes will be hosting the first public meeting for the Columbia Avenue Connector project. This project will involve extensive streetscape improvements such as greening, lighting, and the installation of public art to Columbia Avenue between Girard Avenue and Penn Treaty Park, including the I-95 underpass. Following a brief presentation by the consulting team, the public will have the opportunity to provide input on the project. The meeting will be held at the Fishtown Recreation Center, located at 1202 East Montgomery Avenue, on Monday, January 9^th at 6:30pm.

If you are interested in attending this event, please RSVP to rsvp@delawareriverwaterfrontcorp.com.

After 2 1/2 years of exhaustive work by our consultants, DRWC staff, stakeholders, and the general public, the Master Plan for the Central Delaware is complete. Today, the board of the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation (DRWC) unanimously endorsed the framework and recommendations it contains and transmitted the plan to the Philadelphia City Planning Commission for further action.

DRWC embarked on the master planning process in 2009 in order to provide a framework of land use, open space, economic, transportation, and development recommendations for the Central Delaware waterfront, utilizing DRWC resources and a $1 million grant from the William Penn Foundation.

Public comments and summary document.

You can find the final document below for downloading, both in high resolution (as separate files) and low resolution. The full appendix to the report is also linked below.

Front Cover-Table of Contents-Title Pages

Overview & Illustrative Plan

Public Realm

Waterfront Activation

Transportation

Economics

Wealth Building

Implementation

Acknowledgements-Photo Credits-Back Cover

A low-res version of the full document may be viewed through this link and can be downloaded here.

APPENDIX

1. Cover Page

2. Appendix TOC

A. Public Outreach

A.1 Public Outreach Maps

B. Historical Resources

C. Wealthbuilding

D. Planning and Regulatory Issues

E. Pier Conditions

F. Marina Study

9. Back Cover Page

The Commonwealth Awards are given every year and are selected by a jury to honor smart growth projects, as well as individuals who work to promote such projects. The 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania is an alliance of many different organizations that all have the goal of strengthening the state’s communities, from urban to rural. The group seeks to promote smart growth projects that conserve scarce financial resources, protect the environment, and preserve Pennsylvania’s natural and built heritage.

You can find more information about the 10,000 Friends of PA and the Commonwealth Awards here.

The full report for the Master Plan for the Central Delaware is now available for review. It is a large document, so we have split it into sections to make it easy for you to download and review. The public comment period will close on August 26, 2011 at 5 pm. We encourage you to submit your comments on the plan. You can submit comments here.

The Master Plan for the Central Delaware

Cover & Table of Contents

1. Overview (contains the sections below)
   • A Philadelphia Waterfront
   • The Planning Context and Process
   • The Project Area and Beyond
   • Principles for Development
   • Plan Overview
2. Elements of the Plan
   • Public Realm Part I Part II
   • Waterfront Activation
   • Transportation
   • Economics
   • Wealthbuilding
3. Implementation
   • Land Use Policies and Strategies
   • Sustainability
   • Summary and Short-term Implementation Projects

IV. Appendix Cover Page & Table of Contents

1. Public Outreach
   1. Map analysis from Public Outreach meetings
2. Historic Resources & Archaeological Assessment
3. Wealthbuilding
4. Planning and Regulatory Issues
5. Pier Conditions
6. Marina Study

The Summary Report:

To download the PDF of the master plan summary report, click here.
To download the PDF of tonight’s public presentation, click here.

Please share your comments on the Master Plan with us, by submitting them here.

If you plan on attending this event, please RSVP at www.delawareriverwaterfrontcorp.com/RSVP.

The unveiling of the draft of the master plan will conclude 17 months of work conducted by DRWC and a team of consultants. The plan will provide specific guidelines, policies, and investment strategies for economic development and open space along the 6-mile stretch of the Central Delaware waterfront between Oregon and Allegheny Avenues. Hard copies of a Summary Report will be available the day of the unveiling, and this Summary Report will also be available online immediately following the meeting. The full report will be released online within 30 days of the June 13 unveiling. The public will then have approximately 30 days to submit comments to DRWC. DRWC will review the comments, make appropriate changes to the report, and will schedule a release party for the full plan in mid to late September. At that time DRWC will also announce a new round of waterfront projects.

Members of the public are encouraged to attend this presentation to learn more about how the waterfront will be shaped over the next 25 years and beyond. Those interested in attending this event are asked to register here. Additional information about the event can also be found in our official press release.