In the basement of the American Swedish Historical Museum in FDR Park, city leaders, urban planners, transportation experts, concerned citizens and business people gathered to brainstorm a vision for Philadelphia's Lower South District. An area of the city bound by I-76 to the north, the Delaware to the South and the Schuylkill to the west, this region of the city is a smorgasbord of opportunities and obstacles. Led by the Philadelphia City Planning Commission (PCPC), this public meeting was the latest step in the evolution of Philadelphia2035, a comprehensive plan incorporating both a city-wide vision and 18 individual district plans focused on land use and capital investment recommendations. The city's last comparable plan was completed in 1960, so this kind of big-picture thinking is overdue.

Lower South project manager Jennifer Barr says the major goal for the district plans is to get all the major players together in the same room. PCPC's major policy tool is zoning, so grander changes require collaboration. "The Planning Commission acts like mediators, or therapists," explains Barr. "We're trying to include the major stakeholders -- whether they be land owners or city agencies or governmental agencies that would be impacted -- on our steering committee. For example, PIDC is on our steering committee, the district manager for FDR park is on our steering committee. So, we're trying to get the key people who can actually do the implementation on board from the beginning."

Lower South includes some of Philadelphia's most promising, and underutilized assets, including the Navy Yard, the Sports Complex, Southport, the Sunoco refineries and miles of riverfront. But there are also harsh infrastructure and land use challenges -- it's not an area most Philadelphians know much about outside of tailgating or driving to the airport.

At the July 12 meeting, attendees were sorted into tables, and after a very brief introduction from Barr, led through an informal discussion. Our table included participants from SEPTA, Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) and Liberty Property Trust, along with urban planning experts and neighborhood residents. We huddled around a large map of Lower South, while PCPC's David Ortiz took notes and marked our suggestions. At our table, transportation and infrastructure barriers to biking and walking (who wants to navigate through an I-95 interchange?) were a major source of conversation. There was also a lot of positivity surrounding commercial development at the Sports Complex and continued revitalization at the Navy Yard.

The meeting confirmed a lot of PCPC's assumptions, but there were also surprises. "We put together 'top five' lists: destinations, barriers, areas of stability and areas of change," says Barr. "A couple of things came up that we didn't foresee. One of the barriers people mentioned a lot was the gate at the entrance to the Navy Yard at Broad Street. And people mentioned river access -- not being able to get to the river. And then a lot of people felt that the Sports Complex itself was a barrier because the walk either from your car or from the train is unfriendly. It creates this giant sea between the neighborhood and FDR Park or to the Navy Yard itself. It's this barren place. So it's interesting that a place can be both a barrier and a destination."

Extending Broad Street Line Still on Table
The proposed extension of the Broad Street Line was a hot topic. Currently, the morning commute for the 8,000 workers at the Navy Yard involves either a car, a 20-minute walk along busy, inhospitable Broad Street, a treacherous bike ride on some of the city's most confusing and congested streets or a lift on a PIDC-subsidized SEPTA shuttle. (Urban Outfitters also runs a private shuttle for its employees.) "We don't want to have a situation where every time a big company moves here, they have to bring their own shuttle," explains PIDC's Carmen Zapille, who has worked on capital improvements at the Navy Yard for seven years.

Everyone seems to agree that adding a Broad Street Line stop at the Navy Yard is a good idea, but in this economic climate, funding is a major stumbling block. "The SEPTA project is $350 to $375 million dollars, which is a lot of money," says Zapille. "But, when it comes to transit projects, it's really not that bad."

"We did a feasibility study in terms of extending the subway," he adds. "When we're doing infrastructure work now we try to think, Which way would the subway tunnel run? Do we want to try to avoid putting any pipes in the ground there? As we try to bring the Navy Yard from the the 1950s to 2011, we're trying to get ready for 2035, too."

But transportation talk wasn't limited to the subway. "We also had a lot of calls to connect to South Jersey via transit, so that was surprising," says Barr. "Another idea that came up was transit on Pattison Avenue�bringing people down from Delaware Avenue and the proposed PATCO light rail to the stadiums, but also to FDR Park. And also providing transit for people who might work at the port or food distribution center."

A lot of the changes that need to happen, especially at the Navy Yard, are not glamorous. Basic capital improvements will go a long was towards making this part of the city more attractive to use and investment. "The Navy had this facility for a long time, and they didn't have to worry about Philadelphia zoning codes or standards," explains Zapille. "They kind of just did it however they wanted. So, we have to spend a lot of time and resources trying to straighten it out, whether its electrical or water mains, all the things people take for granted."

In the end, meeting the goals of Philadelphia2035 will involve ambitious ideas and creative infrastructure solutions. As with this meeting, the emphasis is on dialogue and collaboration. "Everything is really intertwined," says Zapille, "especially if you're trying to leave the Navy Yard at the same time a Phillies' game is letting out."

LEE STABERT is a freelance writer living in Philadelphia. Send feedback here.

PHOTOS:

John Gattuso and Brian Cohen of Liberty Property Trust

Gattuso outlines plans for the Navy Yard

Lower South Project Manager Jennifer Barr

The planned diagonal drive to link the eastern portion of the Navy Yard shows signs of progress

Urban Outfitters, one of the Navy Yard's first (newer) occupants

The lobby inside 3 Crescent Drive

All Photographs by MICHAEL PERSICO