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It seems like the Delaware River – with its possibility of housing a liquefied natural gas terminal and casinos on its waterfront – has become the area’s most popular waterway.
However, the Schuylkill River is now the one being thrust into the spotlight.
The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PADEP) announced Feb. 24 the rejuvenation of a section of Grays Ferry known as DuPont Crescent that lies on the east bank of the Schuylkill River.
The crescent, encompassing the area between Grays Ferry Avenue and the 34th Street bridges, was once a thriving industrial site. Some vacant buildings have since been removed, but some concrete pads still remain.
The site received a Brownfield Action Team designation, which accelerates redevelopment deals and gives investors the incentive they need to clean up contaminated industrial sites. The department notes these projects normally get permitted in half the usual time.
Receiving $400,000 in grants from the PADEP, the nonprofit Schuylkill River Development Corp. will institute a 14-foot wide asphalt recreational trail along the portion of the river in the crescent. This path might eventually link to the existing Schuylkill River Trail in downtown Philadelphia, which leads into Valley Forge, said Joseph Syrnick, the corporation’s chief executive officer. The existing path is popular with walkers, joggers and bikers and would create recreational riverfront access that is currently lacking in the community.
"We would very much like to get that trail moved down to a more diverse neighborhood," Syrnick said. "It would just be so great to make that connection and [for residents to] take that to Center City or Valley Forge."
A greenway also will accompany land adjacent to the extended trail, providing portions of designated open space for the community.
Robert Gormley Jr., vice president of the Grays Ferry Community Council, said his group has had numerous meetings with Syrnick’s corporation regarding the project over the past two years.
"It seems like our community will be most impacted by the development and it’s a great thing for us," he said.
Since enough funding has not been acquired as of yet, Syrnick could not provide a timetable for the project. Noting the total cost could teeter in the $1 million range, the corporation is seeking funds through grants in addition to the money it recently acquired.
Mirroring comments from community groups, Syrnick said the project could spark positive change in the surrounding community.
The project "would improve the neighborhood and bring with it economic improvement throughout the whole neighborhood," he said.
LOCAL COMMUNITIES ARE typically the ones who apply for the Brownfield Action Team designation, said Ron Ruman, PADEP spokesperson.
"They come to us for a project and apply to get this designation," said Ruman, adding a good project is one that "could probably have a wider impact beyond that site."
With a designation, the PADEP seeks out a "single point of contact" to streamline permitting processes targeted for redevelopment.
Transforming a site from its industrial past to a unique future can lure new development to an area.
"From an economic standpoint, as well as a quality-of-life standpoint, [a project] can bring commercial and individual businesses for residents," he said.
Gormley hopes this project – and potentially new development in neighboring areas – will slow down traffic on Grays Ferry Avenue, which he describes as "going way too fast."
Gormley added the revitalization could open up opportunities for developers to take note of the neighborhood’s appealing locale.
The site already has been assessed for environmental cleanup within the last year, Syrnick said.
The land "is relatively clean in terms of the physical work that needs to be done to make this trail happen," he said.
Mark Chalupa resides in this locally dubbed "Forgotten Bottom" portion of Grays Ferry. The nickname came after the University Avenue Bridge separated the area from the rest of the community.
The DuPont Crescent has a long industrial history, with a paper manufacturer and Oscar Mayer facility, among others, once occupying the area, Chalupa, the president of the Forgotten Bottom Neighborhood Association, said.
"Most of the people in the Forgotten Bottom worked at these places at one time and they are [now] retired," said the resident of the 3600 block of Reed Street.
His group’s biggest concerns are the possibilities of eminent domain and whether existing rowhomes could rest near high-rises.
Chalupa said his group is keeping a close eye on all of the area’s progress.
"We’re watching, having meetings and inviting people to fill us in on what’s going on," he said.
