15 major Delaware River Waterfront projects in the works

By Melissa Romero Updated Jul 31, 2017, 12:18pm EDT

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By Melissa Romero Updated Jul 31, 2017, 12:18pm EDT

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Editor's note: This map was originally published in March 2017 and has since been updated.

Big changes are coming to the Delaware River Waterfront. Everything from an 11-acre park at Penn's Landing to a massive residential village in Pennsport have been proposed up and down the river in recent years. Since we last published this map in March, three more projects have been added to the list and many of the original projects have moved forward as well.

Here are 15 projects that are in the pipeline. While many of them are still in the early planning stages, it's astonishing to imagine what the waterfront could look like down the road if or when all of the projects come to fruition.

The following projects are listed geographically, from south to north. Know of another project that's not on this list? Hit the tipline!

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Port of Philadelphia

Big changes are coming to the Port of Philadelphia, after receiving $300 million in cash from the Governor Tom Wolf administration in November 2016. That money will go toward improving the port's infrastructure, warehousing, and equipment. Some of the major changes include deepening the Delaware River's main navigation channel to allow more ships to pass through and creating another 155 acres of lots to store more auto imports.

Open in Google Maps

S Christopher Columbus Blvd & E Oregon Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19148

Former Foxwoods Casino Site

In early 2016, developer Bart Blatstein shared plans to bring 670 apartments and townhouses, a strip mall, a Wawa, and a gas station to this 21-acre site on the Delaware, which was originally slated for a Foxwoods Casino. At the time, an online petition against the development garnered 948 signatures, and Blatstein went quiet on the project for nearly a year. But in November 2017, the project secured a permit for a grocery store and 149 parking spaces, so it looks like it is moving forward.

Open in Google Maps

1401 S Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19148

Liberty on the River

This major multi-phase project has been in the works for some time by developer K4 LLC and architect Barton Partners. It covers 18 acres—almost all of the land between Washington Avenue and Reed Street—and will bring 10 residential high-rises, 100 townhouses, and one 22-story hotel.

The developers have applied for $44 million total in RACP state grants for the project. Meanwhile, a bill that would have allowed taller buildings to be constructed on the Delaware River waterfront has been delayed, with the developer planning to work with the neighborhood residents over the summer on the zoning bill and project’s plans. You can watch a video of the 3D renderings here.

Open in Google Maps

S Christopher Columbus Blvd & Washington Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19147

Camden Waterfront

Across the Delaware River in New Jersey, Camden's waterfront is also undergoing a transformation, led by developer Liberty Property Trust and architect Robert A.M. Stern. The $800 million master plan will bring 1.5 million square feet of commercial retail space, 211 residential units, a 130-room hotel, and 4,000 parking spaces to 26 acres of land along the river. Construction has already begun on the American Water Works headquarters, and plans were recently approved to build an 18-story office tower next door.

Open in Google Maps

Camden, NJ 08103

Penn's Landing Capping

A vision to bring 11 acres of public green space to Penn's Landing has become reality after Mayor Jim Kenney, the William Penn Foundation, PennDOT, and the state announced earlier this year that they would help fund the $225 million project.

Most recently, construction work began to start dismantling a pair of highway ramps by Penn's Landing. The project will bridge the divide between Center City and the river by capping I-95 between Walnut and Chestnut Streets. It will also include 1,500 new housing units, 500 hotel rooms, and more than 100,000-square-feet of retail, restaurants, and entertainment.

Open in Google Maps

S Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA

Festival Pier

Also part of the Master Plan for Central Delaware is the redesign of Festival Pier at Spring Garden Street. In 2015, The Delaware Waterfront Corporation picked Jefferson Apartment Group and Haverford Properties to develop the 11-acre site to include 550 residential units and 30,000 square feet of retail. Architecture firm Cecil Baker + Partners and landscape architecture firm Olin are leading the design of the $8 million project.

Open in Google Maps

121 N Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19106

709-717 North Penn Street

In February 2017, Shovels Ready Projects listed a 2.13-acre parcel on the Delaware River for sale, along with plans and permits for a 41-townhouse development. The offer comes more than a decade after Donald trump first proposed to build Trump Tower, a 45-story condo-hotel. Shovels Ready worked with architecture firm Cecil Baker + Partners on the townhouse development plan, which calls for 2,800-square-foot luxury residences. It’s zoned CMX3 and allows development of up to 400,000 square feet. It's on the market for $12.3 million.

Open in Google Maps

709 N Penn St, Philadelphia, PA 19106

The Views at Penn Treaty

After listing for $6.5 million, NY-based developer Gotham Bedrock LLC bought this 1.5-acre property next to Penn Treaty Park for $7 million. Like with Pier 35-1/2 (#9), this project came with permits and plans, and work has already begun on the 19 four-story townhouses with two-car garages, elevators, and roof decks. Multiple townhomes have already sold, and the project is aiming for a winter 2017 completion date.

Open in Google Maps

1143 N Delaware Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19125

PECO Delaware Station

Just north of Penn Treaty Park is the historic Delaware Station of the Philadelphia Electric Company (PECO). Developers Joe Volpe and Bart Blatstein have plans to redevelop the massive 223,000-square-foot concrete behemoth into an events space with a banquet hall, restaurants, guest rooms, and parking.

Open in Google Maps

1325 Beach St, Philadelphia, PA 19125

Greenway Plan

The Greenway Plan for the North Delaware stretches from Pulaski Park in Port Richmond to Glen Foerd in Torresdale. The ongoing project calls to transform 11 miles of mostly industrial land into connecting trails and waterfront park space as part of the larger Circuit Trail and East Coast Greenway, a 3,000-mile multi-use trail that runs from Maine to Florida.

Open in Google Maps

Philadelphia, PA 19134

Bridesburg Park

Plans to build an 8.2-acre park in Bridesburg are in the works, spearheaded by the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department and the Delaware River City Corporation. Final renderings were revealed in December 2015, with plans for a great lawn, a stage, an upper and lower meadow, a rain garden, a boardwalk, an event plaza, picnic pavilions, and a river overlook area. An estimated $5 and $7 million is needed for the project, and construction is estimated to take 1 to 2 years.

Open in Google Maps

Richmond, Philadelphia, PA 19137

MaST II Community Charter School-Tacony Campus

Tacony is set to bring a MaST II Community Charter School to the edge of its neighborhood on the Delaware River. Design plans cleared the Civic Design Review process in March 2016, revealing two school buildings connected by an elevated bridge, as well as softball and baseball fields. The project will be built in phases, and is expected to break ground soon, according to the Tacony Community Development Corporation. The school should be fully operational by 2023.

Open in Google Maps

6501 New State Rd, Philadelphia, PA 19135

Independence Seaport Museum

The Independence Seaport Museum is situated right next to the future 11-acre park that will cap over Penn's Landing and I-95 (#6). With its prime spot on the waterfront, the museum is looking to take advantage of what's happening around it and undergo its own makeover, its first since moving into its current spot in the 1990s. Expect much more glass, for one: CEO John Brady says the building's redesign will "make it more friendly and allow people to see in and out—we obviously have fantastic views of both the river and the park, and we would really like to make changes to the building that play to that.”

Open in Google Maps

211 S Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Cherry Street Pier

Today it's known as Pier 9, but by late spring or summer of 2018 it will be called Cherry Street Pier. The long-abandoned pier is set to undergo a major $4 million makeover that will transform the structure into a creative community space, complete with an open-air garden, food vendors, pop-up retail markets, and shipping containers-turned-offices.

Open in Google Maps

121 N Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Visit Website

The interior of the Cherry Street Pier. The ceiling is high and vaulted. There are people sitting and walking on the ground floor.

Philadelphia Piers

In March 2017, the New York-based Durst Organization bought the Philadelphia Piers for $21.4 million from Brandywine Realty Trust. The 4.3-acre property is a collection of four piers (12, 13-15, 19 and 24) just north of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. While there are no definite plans yet, the developer did say that it is considering an apartment complex down the road.

Open in Google Maps

221 N Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19106

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Port of Philadelphia

S Christopher Columbus Blvd & E Oregon Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19148

Big changes are coming to the Port of Philadelphia, after receiving $300 million in cash from the Governor Tom Wolf administration in November 2016. That money will go toward improving the port's infrastructure, warehousing, and equipment. Some of the major changes include deepening the Delaware River's main navigation channel to allow more ships to pass through and creating another 155 acres of lots to store more auto imports.

Open in Google Maps

S Christopher Columbus Blvd & E Oregon Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19148

Former Foxwoods Casino Site

1401 S Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19148

In early 2016, developer Bart Blatstein shared plans to bring 670 apartments and townhouses, a strip mall, a Wawa, and a gas station to this 21-acre site on the Delaware, which was originally slated for a Foxwoods Casino. At the time, an online petition against the development garnered 948 signatures, and Blatstein went quiet on the project for nearly a year. But in November 2017, the project secured a permit for a grocery store and 149 parking spaces, so it looks like it is moving forward.

Open in Google Maps

1401 S Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19148

Liberty on the River

S Christopher Columbus Blvd & Washington Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19147

This major multi-phase project has been in the works for some time by developer K4 LLC and architect Barton Partners. It covers 18 acres—almost all of the land between Washington Avenue and Reed Street—and will bring 10 residential high-rises, 100 townhouses, and one 22-story hotel.

The developers have applied for $44 million total in RACP state grants for the project. Meanwhile, a bill that would have allowed taller buildings to be constructed on the Delaware River waterfront has been delayed, with the developer planning to work with the neighborhood residents over the summer on the zoning bill and project’s plans. You can watch a video of the 3D renderings here.

Open in Google Maps

S Christopher Columbus Blvd & Washington Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19147

Camden Waterfront

Camden, NJ 08103

Across the Delaware River in New Jersey, Camden's waterfront is also undergoing a transformation, led by developer Liberty Property Trust and architect Robert A.M. Stern. The $800 million master plan will bring 1.5 million square feet of commercial retail space, 211 residential units, a 130-room hotel, and 4,000 parking spaces to 26 acres of land along the river. Construction has already begun on the American Water Works headquarters, and plans were recently approved to build an 18-story office tower next door.

Open in Google Maps

Camden, NJ 08103

Penn's Landing Capping

S Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA

A vision to bring 11 acres of public green space to Penn's Landing has become reality after Mayor Jim Kenney, the William Penn Foundation, PennDOT, and the state announced earlier this year that they would help fund the $225 million project.

Most recently, construction work began to start dismantling a pair of highway ramps by Penn's Landing. The project will bridge the divide between Center City and the river by capping I-95 between Walnut and Chestnut Streets. It will also include 1,500 new housing units, 500 hotel rooms, and more than 100,000-square-feet of retail, restaurants, and entertainment.

Open in Google Maps

S Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA

Festival Pier

121 N Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Also part of the Master Plan for Central Delaware is the redesign of Festival Pier at Spring Garden Street. In 2015, The Delaware Waterfront Corporation picked Jefferson Apartment Group and Haverford Properties to develop the 11-acre site to include 550 residential units and 30,000 square feet of retail. Architecture firm Cecil Baker + Partners and landscape architecture firm Olin are leading the design of the $8 million project.

Open in Google Maps

121 N Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19106

709-717 North Penn Street

709 N Penn St, Philadelphia, PA 19106

In February 2017, Shovels Ready Projects listed a 2.13-acre parcel on the Delaware River for sale, along with plans and permits for a 41-townhouse development. The offer comes more than a decade after Donald trump first proposed to build Trump Tower, a 45-story condo-hotel. Shovels Ready worked with architecture firm Cecil Baker + Partners on the townhouse development plan, which calls for 2,800-square-foot luxury residences. It’s zoned CMX3 and allows development of up to 400,000 square feet. It's on the market for $12.3 million.

Open in Google Maps

709 N Penn St, Philadelphia, PA 19106

The Views at Penn Treaty

1143 N Delaware Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19125

After listing for $6.5 million, NY-based developer Gotham Bedrock LLC bought this 1.5-acre property next to Penn Treaty Park for $7 million. Like with Pier 35-1/2 (#9), this project came with permits and plans, and work has already begun on the 19 four-story townhouses with two-car garages, elevators, and roof decks. Multiple townhomes have already sold, and the project is aiming for a winter 2017 completion date.

Open in Google Maps

1143 N Delaware Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19125

PECO Delaware Station

1325 Beach St, Philadelphia, PA 19125

Just north of Penn Treaty Park is the historic Delaware Station of the Philadelphia Electric Company (PECO). Developers Joe Volpe and Bart Blatstein have plans to redevelop the massive 223,000-square-foot concrete behemoth into an events space with a banquet hall, restaurants, guest rooms, and parking.

Open in Google Maps

1325 Beach St, Philadelphia, PA 19125

Greenway Plan

Philadelphia, PA 19134

The Greenway Plan for the North Delaware stretches from Pulaski Park in Port Richmond to Glen Foerd in Torresdale. The ongoing project calls to transform 11 miles of mostly industrial land into connecting trails and waterfront park space as part of the larger Circuit Trail and East Coast Greenway, a 3,000-mile multi-use trail that runs from Maine to Florida.

Open in Google Maps

Philadelphia, PA 19134

Bridesburg Park

Richmond, Philadelphia, PA 19137

Plans to build an 8.2-acre park in Bridesburg are in the works, spearheaded by the Philadelphia Parks and Recreation Department and the Delaware River City Corporation. Final renderings were revealed in December 2015, with plans for a great lawn, a stage, an upper and lower meadow, a rain garden, a boardwalk, an event plaza, picnic pavilions, and a river overlook area. An estimated $5 and $7 million is needed for the project, and construction is estimated to take 1 to 2 years.

Open in Google Maps

Richmond, Philadelphia, PA 19137

MaST II Community Charter School-Tacony Campus

6501 New State Rd, Philadelphia, PA 19135

Tacony is set to bring a MaST II Community Charter School to the edge of its neighborhood on the Delaware River. Design plans cleared the Civic Design Review process in March 2016, revealing two school buildings connected by an elevated bridge, as well as softball and baseball fields. The project will be built in phases, and is expected to break ground soon, according to the Tacony Community Development Corporation. The school should be fully operational by 2023.

Open in Google Maps

6501 New State Rd, Philadelphia, PA 19135

Independence Seaport Museum

211 S Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19106

The Independence Seaport Museum is situated right next to the future 11-acre park that will cap over Penn's Landing and I-95 (#6). With its prime spot on the waterfront, the museum is looking to take advantage of what's happening around it and undergo its own makeover, its first since moving into its current spot in the 1990s. Expect much more glass, for one: CEO John Brady says the building's redesign will "make it more friendly and allow people to see in and out—we obviously have fantastic views of both the river and the park, and we would really like to make changes to the building that play to that.”

Open in Google Maps

211 S Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Cherry Street Pier

121 N Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Today it's known as Pier 9, but by late spring or summer of 2018 it will be called Cherry Street Pier. The long-abandoned pier is set to undergo a major $4 million makeover that will transform the structure into a creative community space, complete with an open-air garden, food vendors, pop-up retail markets, and shipping containers-turned-offices.

Open in Google Maps

121 N Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Visit Website

The interior of the Cherry Street Pier. The ceiling is high and vaulted. There are people sitting and walking on the ground floor.

Philadelphia Piers

221 N Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19106

In March 2017, the New York-based Durst Organization bought the Philadelphia Piers for $21.4 million from Brandywine Realty Trust. The 4.3-acre property is a collection of four piers (12, 13-15, 19 and 24) just north of the Benjamin Franklin Bridge. While there are no definite plans yet, the developer did say that it is considering an apartment complex down the road.

Open in Google Maps

221 N Christopher Columbus Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19106