Could Philly Be Sitting On A Glorious High-Line-Esque Future?
Perhaps the only thing your friends in New York have been able to legitimately rub in your face over the last 12 months is the opening of The High Line, a stretch of what used to be an old elevated railway line that has since been turned into an innovative and gorgeous urban park. But as you know, Philly is rife with its own ancient railway blight that’s just waiting for someone to come along and do something with it. Enter the Reading Viaduct Project, who seek to take the old Reading Viaduct, which runs 10 blocks through the Callowhill and Chinatown North neighborhoods, from Vine Street to Fairmount Avenue, into an open, public, green space. And though John Struble and Sarah McEneaney have been at it with the RVP since 2003, the Project could get a new lease on life, now that NYC’s High Line has proved to be an amazing example of what can be done with a space like this. But there’s a lot in the way. In this piece in the Weekly Press, we learn that Reading International, who still owns the land, have been largely unresponsive, and so have local pols. But here’s the thing: Reading isn’t doing anything with the land, and it’s hard to envision a scenario where they would. And on the political side, it’s win-win, as well, if played right: The RVP could provide jobs, public space and single-handedly raise Center City’s green profile worldwide. The RVP, in short, was made for Obama Money. What say we give it some?
August 5th, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Here here! This project would really draw some attention to the beautiful (if not sketchy) neighborhoods this runs through. I, for one, love the decaying industrial sites above Callowhill and I would love to see people give that whole section some attention and funding to get it cleaned up. Of course, I don’t want to see it gentrified with condos, but there is a lot of history up there in what was once the nicest neighborhood in town (circa 1900) that should be preserved before it’s too late.
August 5th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
I went the the High Line last weekend and I have to say, it’s fucking gorgeous. I desperately wish Philly could pull something off of the same caliber.
August 5th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Fairmount Ave to Vine Street, with a potential connector to N Broad (@Noble St; the connector actually extends below grade all the way past the Art Museum Area)–there’s some potential there.
In addition, the underutilized freight lines along Lehigh Ave would make a good connector to the riverfront in Port Richmond from interior neighborhoods. But the Reading Viaduct is the place to start.
August 5th, 2009 at 1:08 pm
I love, love, love this idea.
August 5th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
@Ajane…”Of course, I don’t want to see it gentrified with condos”…don’t worry, ain’t no condo building gonna go on in neighborhoods like that for a LONG time!
August 5th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
It’s a fantastic idea. Of course, it will get bogged down in the typical planning and political bullshit, leading to a “this is why you can’t have nice things Philadelphia” post in 2 years.
August 5th, 2009 at 1:22 pm
the condos are there already, and their residents are some of the biggest proponents of the RVP. the callowhill/chinatown north (no chi)/loft district/eraserhead district/whatever neighborhood already has a lot going for it. art and design: copy/vox, the compound wearhaus, chinatown in/flux, mio culture, and reload bags, all exist withing spitting distance of the elevated tracks. food and drink: pro tap, cafe lift, jose’s, sazon (chocolate truffle happiness), the insitute, and siam lotus. mad decent has planted roots there. the starlight and electric factory are near by. the convention center expansion is reaching that direction. it could work.
just ignore the homeless and the trash.
August 5th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
I sense a new ad campaign!
Philadelphia! (just ignore the homeless and the trash)
August 5th, 2009 at 1:53 pm
So now you liberals want my sales tax to go up TWO pennies?
August 5th, 2009 at 2:12 pm
@bhiladelphia
Good point. When you list them all out like that it seems like there is a lot cool stuff there already. Wouldn’t it be great if we could have more?
What I meant by “I dont want to see it gentrified with condos” was I don’t want myopic developers knocking down historic facorties to put up some new ugly building out of shitty materials. I am passing no judgment about what is already there.
August 5th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
expat attack Says:
August 5th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
I went the the High Line last weekend and I have to say, it’s fucking gorgeous. I desperately wish Philly could pull something off of the same caliber.
NO ONE CARES WHAT YOU THINK PISS-ANT
August 5th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
@ Zombie Larry: Yes, I do realize the size of the boner I’m about to give you, but here goes: You’re on notice. “NO ONE CARES WHAT YOU THINK PISS-ANT”? REALLY? I understand that comments can get acrimonious, but have a little fucking dignity in the way you disagree, will you? One more outburst like this and you’re banned. If you saw all the obvious first-round trolls I don’t let in here, you’d know just how replaceable you are around here. Have some fucking respect.
August 5th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
i prefer “western liberties” :-P
August 5th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Do it now- just flag ‘im. Obvious troll.
Oh, and RVP? Great idea.
August 5th, 2009 at 11:55 pm
The reuse of the Reading Viaduct was a component of the Chinatown Neighborhood Plan, completed in 2004. See my recent blog post where I explain some of the background on this complex issue.
August 6th, 2009 at 9:59 am
@lutton: I’ve been saying the same thing about the Lehigh Ave. corridor, too. I’d love to see it happen.
August 6th, 2009 at 10:10 am
An amazing opportunity for the city. I have heard, though, that the Chinatown powers that be would like to see housing built on top of the viaduct and that they think they city owes them big time since the city and state keep taking chunks of the area to expand the convention center. Complex issue, indeed.
August 11th, 2009 at 11:13 am
What a perfect use for federal stimulus money. Put unemployed people to work improving infrastructure in a way that further improves neighboring real estate and the city’s redevelopment and future tax base.