The Future of the Festival Pier

The Festival Pier, located at the foot of Spring Garden Street on the water front, is one of the major focal points for the revitalization of the Central Delaware waterfront.  The pier currently host a long list of public events throughout the year, mostly during the spring and summer months.  But all of this is soon to change, with plans of establishing Spring Garden as a greenway from the Delaware to the Schuylkill, and increasing density around and on the pier, which will drastically change the programming and use of the site.  Increased density will certainly make this site a 365 destination anchored by residences, live work units, and entertainment.

In recent discussions, the DRWC is considering a planned linear park extending Spring Garden Street from Delaware Ave. to the River, creating a major public greenway space.  The Spring Garden park extension would encourage people to walk to the riverfront, and limit vehicular access on most of the site to emergency use only.  The public space along the water itself would not only be broad enough to keep bikers and joggers on the multi-purpose river trail separate from those enjoying the river more passively, it would allow for outdoor cafe seating.

The master plan's goals call for a mixed-use development and public open space at the Festival Pier.  The idea is that if the city creates green space and residential, retail and recreational development on the land it controls, the increased use of the waterfront will attract private land owners and developers to revitalize the rest of the Central Delaware.