A recent trip to New York's Hudson River Park has opened the eyes of Philadelphia residents looking to redevelop their city's waterfront along the Delaware River. But in comparing the waterfronts of the two cities, Philly's lacks a sense of purpose.
"In normal cities - and, yes, that includes New York - riverfront development is guided by a civic master plan that specifies everything from the height of the condo towers to the width of the adjacent bike paths. In Philadelphia, each riverfront project has been a separate Let's Make a Deal episode, in which unarmed residents attempt to wheedle neighborhood concessions from developers and their posse of lawyers and architects."
"In normal cities, waterfronts are considered the property of all residents. And because the river belongs to everyone, developers who need zoning variances are expected to compensate the public by offering some civic payback, such as subsidized units for low-income residents or land for a waterfront trail. It is normal for cities to ban big-box stores and above-ground garages on their rivers, unless those eyesores are camouflaged with housing."
But as a wide variety of plans and stakeholders push for the redevelopment the waterfront, it seems to many that Philadelphia is not quite as 'normal' as some other cities.
FULL STORY: Changing Skyline | N.Y.'s waterfront vision may redefine 'normal' here
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.
Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.
Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.
MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.
Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie