DN editorial: City must maintain vision for thriving Delaware waterfront
IF YOU'RE AMONG the thousands of residents who have biked, walked or taken advantage of the city's stunning Delaware River waterfront in the past few years - which might have included lying in a hammock in the Spruce Street Harbor Park, doing yoga at Race Street Pier or (Gasp!) fishing off Pier 68 - you know one of the city's great jewels. But you may not know what a miracle it is that you've been able to do these things.
IF YOU'RE AMONG the thousands of residents who have biked, walked or taken advantage of the city's stunning Delaware River waterfront in the past few years - which might have included lying in a hammock in the Spruce Street Harbor Park, doing yoga at Race Street Pier or (Gasp!) fishing off Pier 68 - you know one of the city's great jewels. But you may not know what a miracle it is that you've been able to do these things.
Ten years ago, your access to that waterfront was limited to a few high-rise residential buildings or visiting a big-box store such as Walmart that squats over the water but allows no access to it. But then, a new chapter was written in this city, a chapter that began when Mayor Street signed an executive order enabling Penn Praxis to bring thousands of residents to the waterfront for a public planning process that resulted in A Civic Vision for the Central Delaware. That report was remarkable not only for its thoughtfulness, but for how it paved the way for banishing the old ways of doing business in the city. The old way meant giving up our assets to the highest (or sometimes, lowest) bidder in deals that happened behind closed doors, with money being the only driving value in transactions.
This civic vision was followed by a master plan that included regulations adopted to guide smart development along the waterfront. Those regulations were designed not to limit development, but to ensure a balance between the interests of developers and the interests of the public. And balance is key: The plan was not intended to banish development in favor of parks and trails, but to ensure a good mix of housing, retail and recreational uses that benefits as many as possible.
For example, height restrictions on buildings were designed to prevent overbuilding and prevent rampant speculation, but even those restrictions came with flexibility; developers could get added height in their buildings by adding more public space. That's why recent stories about K4 Associates LLC, a developer seeking to build townhouses and residential high-rises on the Delaware that could thwart those height limits, should be watched warily. It says it needs the height to make the project economically feasible and has appealed to Councilman Mark Squilla to sponsor legislation that would allow this.
This situation follows a move by another developer over the summer, when PMC Property Group reneged on its promise to provide affordable housing in its high-rise development at One Water Street. That promise was made to allow the developer to build five extra floors. Once that height was added, PMC changed its mind about affordable units. In the end, the company agreed to pay $3.75 million into the housing trust fund, so affordable housing could be built elsewhere.
A great waterfront can be highly lucrative to a residential developer, but without vigilance, in the form of zoning laws and height restrictions, we could end up with a waterfront designed only for the people who can afford to live in pricey gated communities. That's why we hope that city leaders stand firm in upholding the original vision for the Delaware, one that acknowledges that the waterfront belongs to all of us. That's as true today as it was 10 years ago.