If Not Waterfront Casinos, What?

by Daniel Campo

"The casinos are a real affront to our neighborhoods," says Jeremy Beaudry. The Fishtown resident is one of the founders of Neighbors Allied for the Best Riverfront (NABR), a grassroots organization formed a year ago to promote "sensible and sustainable" community-based waterfront plans.

Frustrated with the planning process for the Central Delaware Riverfront and the insistence of PennPraxis not to consider alternatives to casinos at sites in Fishtown and South Philadelphia, residents from these two neighborhoods came together to develop their own proposals in NABR's waterfront design charrette Saturday in the Old Brick Church in Fishtown.

"Even as massive public opposition surfaced at Praxis's community-input meetings, the casinos remain a part of their plan," noted Shawn Rairigh, who represents NABR on the Praxis waterfront advisory committee.

Still, Rairigh credits the Praxis-led effort for provoking thoughtful discussion about the future of the waterfront. In fact, charrette participants based their plans on the very "values" generated by the Praxis effort, which stress livability, sustainability, diversity and preservation.

Teamed with professional planners and designers who volunteered their time, the 35 participants came up with a number of alternatives for the two waterfront sites including new parks and recreation facilities, commercial space for small local businesses and pedestrian-scaled buildings and streetscapes with plentiful connections across Delaware Avenue and I-95 back to the neighborhoods. Asked if any of the ideas have a chance of succeeding Beaudry was optimistic.

"It's just a matter of building the political muscle," he says.