Can't believe no one else has commented.

What a wonderful bit of news (and please, read Inga's analysis in today's Inky).

Now, maybe they will actually plan something. I wonder if the city couldn't take over Wallace Roberts Todd's efforts (or pay for them to expand). The neighborhood (along with Fumo, Diccio, etal) paid for the initial study. It should be expanded and used as a basis for further development efforts.

But first. We all need to beat up the council until they pass whatever sort of legislation necessary to protect the waterfront access (public) from Tacony to the Navy Yard (sounds like a song title). We've got a shot now.

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“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” - Jane Jacobs

I remember seeing that article this morning, but the election was pressing in my mind ... I thought some background links might be good.

The news article:
Mayor pulls plan for Penn's Landing
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/9922058.htm

The editorial:
Editorial | Penn's Landing Mayor makes right call
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/9922097.htm

The columnist:
Inga Saffron | Finally, a mayor admits obstacles to riverfront plans
http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/9922080.htm

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Illegal aliens have always been a problem in the United States. Ask any Indian. - Robert Orben

is it just me or does everything new end up being some half-assed dead end issue? penn's landing, septa in general, blaah. things move so rediculously slow, its frustrating.

It's just you.

Seriously dear josef, this is one project that should have died a thousand deaths two years ago.

I was amazed when the Atlantis folks were going to plop half of midtown manhattan into our little thirteen acre plot. Glad that one didn't fly.

I actually like what Street is going to do now. Money for refurbishment. Soften it with landscaping. I'd hope they might build a new, better stage.
We don't have much public river left (at least not the Delaware). This little bit has been eaten up by the Museum that Nobody Knows and the Hyatt Where Nobody Goes (plus a GD parking garage). But maybe, if we're lucky, we can salvage what's left.

I know SPM will yell at me for this.

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“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” - Jane Jacobs

I was elated beyond words to hear this, but I already had a sense it was going to go this way. There's not a lot wrong with Penn's Landing as it is today, save for its limited accessibility. The Great Plaza is, well, great. It's only about 20 years old (I vaguely recall it cost something like 15 million to construct in the early 80s). A little better landscaping there and along the surrounding riverfront is all that's really needed to spiffy it up.

Sure Penn's Landing is valuable real estate and there's money to be realized from selling to the highest bidder and reaping tax revenue from it (at least after the abatements expire), but it has even greater worth as open public space - something that's virtually impossible to quantify for a cost/benefit analysis. Practitioners of the dismal science will disagree on this point, of course, but when do those guys ever get it right? Hi SPM.

I wouldn't say there should be no new development on Penn's Landing, but I don't think any one mega-project is the way to go.

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Cheers,
Jayfar
--
“I am indeed well aware of the history of Conventional (sic) Hall, both globally and locally, and can assure you that we are carefully exploring avenues for its future.” -- Penn President Amy Gutmann 5 days before demolition began.

Some years ago, after being asked to sit in on the citizen's panel advising on the Simon project, I realized that I didn't go to Penn's Landing as often as I might, even though I lived just a few blocks away.

I often wandered down for concerts or on a summer evening but tended to stay away from the crowded weekend activities.

One of my fears (that I often raised with Penn's Landing officials and representatives from the developers) was that the gatherings of all sorts of people would be excluded from the "family entertainment center" because it didn't really want a lot of "dykes on bikes" arriving during the gay pride march or Puerto Ricans arriving on their celebrations. Probably the German and Irish would have been okay, I surmised but damn, those other folks. I could just hear the merchants at the tony stores that were being touted.

And, to get a better flavor of how the Great Plaza was actually used, I went to every weekend's festival - a different group, a different nationality, etc. It was wonderful.

The Great Plaza is (or could be) a crown jewel for Philadelphia.

Thirteen acres - too small, really, for a major development. But, perfect for a gathering place for all our city's citizens. A place for celebration, a place for fireworks, a place for music and a place to dance. A place to watch the river and a place to watch the stars.

As a development site, the barrier that is I-95 works against it; as a park, on the other hand, the barrier provides a buffer between the busy city and the riverfront (or could).

As someone who wants to see Penn's Landing (at least the Great Plaza area) stay undeveloped, I want to thank all the folks who have worked so hard - private citizens, designers who donated their time during the charettes, the Philadelphia Inquirer, University of Pennsylvania School of Architecture, Design Advocacy Group, the list goes on.

And now, it's back to the trenches. A master plan for the area, a guarantee of public access along the length of the river. Let's all call, write, badger, whatever, our mayor and our city council.

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“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” - Jane Jacobs

Oh, I think there's been a plan for quite a while


Penns Landing Atlantis Proposal

well.. i'm glad it is just me then. i guess i'm just not as familiar with it as i should be. it just seemed like yet another step backwards, but i guess taking it into account, the size and all something huge like they were talking about wouldnt work.

I meant to mention (as Inga did in her column) that the Inquirer and the University of Pennsylvania have received the Waterfront Center's prestigious Clearwater Award for their actions regarding development of Penn's Landing.

From the Center's website:

A well-deserved congratulations!

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“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody, only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” - Jane Jacobs

My husband and I are realestate investors and we are constantly reading about the developments in Philly. Here is something we found that I wanted to share with everyone here...

http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/view.php?id=8261

Be sure to scroll down towards the bottom of the article for the correct story.