An undeniable -- yet seemingly always unattainable -- asset to the
city of Philadelphia, the Delaware River waterfront has long been kept at bay
from residents by Interstate 95. The north-south highway the runs parallel to
the river also serves as a barrier for Center City and Old City residents
looking for easy access to the amazing views the waterfront offers. However, it
seems those days will soon be numbered.
According to The
Philadelphia Inquirer, plans are in place to demolish highway ramps between
Market and Chestnut streets as part of plan that will eventually result in a
$225 million 11-acre “cap” that will cover both I-95 and Columbus Boulevard –
the latter being a four-lane roadway also in the way of pedestrian traffic. The
report adds that $100 million of that total is coming from Pennsylvania while
the William Penn Foundation is kicking in “several million dollars.”
“I’m still an advocate for tackling I-95 in a bigger way, but this
is an important step,” Harris Steinberg, a University of Pennsylvania
researched, told Inquirer architecture
critic Inga Saffron. What’s more, the newspaper reporter that Steinberg was a
lead researcher on a mid-2000s project that “laid the groundwork” for the
effort that’s presently at hand. Once completed, this landscaped cap will span
from Chestnut to Walnut streets and link “Front Street in Old City down to the
river’s edge,” the Inquirer reported
in July 2017.
For those researching Old City
Philadelphia apartments in hopes of enjoying all of the amenities of
that this historic section of the city has to offer, you can now add ease of
access to the Delaware River to the list. Presently, those on foot attempting
to enjoy the leisurely attractions of Penn’s Landing have to cross busy
Columbus Boulevard, which also runs parallel with I-95. Another key
consideration that this project will address is the lack of lounging space, so
to speak, along the Delaware near Old City. Beyond the Race Street Pier, there
are few places for folks to lay out and escape the hustle of nearby traffic.
“When this gets done, people will be stunned at how transformative this is,” Alan Greenberger, a previous deputy mayor of planning and development
during the administration of former mayor Michael Nutter, told the newspaper. Although
construction isn’t expected to begin until 2020, Philadelphia’s recent renaissance
shows no signs of slowing down. That’s why
it’s important for those looking into Old City Philadelphia apartments
to make their move now before there’s no longer any vacancy.
