The Reading Viaduct Project, One Year Later
Remember the Reading Viaduct Project? It resurfaced in today’s NYT in a piece about how other cities are taking cues from the hugely successful High Line. There’s optimism about the project:
“Our viaduct is much wider, which gives us more opportunity in some way,” said Paul R. Levy, the president of a business improvement group that is exploring the plan there.
And then there’s skepticism from Alan Greenberger (who is quite the important person with a lot of titles: Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development, Commerce Director, Executive Director of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission):
“People do look at the economic success and say that’s inspiring,” he said. “Can you replicate it? That’s another story.”
Enough of your naysaying, Greenberger. We admit that skepticism is healthy, but sometimes you’ve just gotta believe. And, as one commenter points out, success doesn’t always have to be measured in money. What’s more, an Inky article from last summer cites a 2003 city-funded report that said it would be cheaper to turn the viaduct into a park than to tear it down. The Times reports that Center City District is doing a feasibility report that’s looking to see if the project would bring new development to the area. We’ll keep you updated. In the mean time, if you wanna cast the skepticism aside, become a volunteer or a supporter of the project.
July 14th, 2010 at 4:52 pm
This crap again. If we have any money to spend on projects like this (do we?), put it into extending the Schuylkill trail, fixing up the parts of Fairmount Park that are falling apart, or maybe keeping Rittenhouse Square park solvent without installing a hot dog stand. The neighborhood around the Viaduct is shit and not gentrifying any time soon. The success of a project like this is a real crapshoot. Let’s shore up what we already have!
July 14th, 2010 at 5:02 pm
Gotta agree w/ barryg on this one. Who wants to to be the first to walk along (let alone underneath) the new Viaduct Park after dark?
July 14th, 2010 at 5:02 pm
The Schuylkill river trail has come along nicely (an overnight success that’s taken at least 15-20 years); I’d like to see such success along the Delaware, too.
I’m not against a Reading Viaduct project (and we could use a modern WPA or CCC!) but my issue is that it doesn’t really go from anywhere to anywhere. Some big idea could use it as an anchor I’m sure, but I don’t have a lot of thought on that. Although extending some sort of bridge from the southern end over Vine street might be a start.
July 14th, 2010 at 6:33 pm
“or maybe keeping Rittenhouse Square park solvent without installing a hot dog stand.”
Why not let the well moneyed fools who live/work/own property right on Rittenhouse Square do that or put up with the hotdog stand?
July 15th, 2010 at 10:36 am
that’s funny – all three of the above arguments – costs too much, not safe, doesn’t go anywhere – were used against the Schuykill River Trail. And the High Line for that matter.
Bicycle coalition should get involved early – the Reading viaduct could be an awesome bike highway from Fishtown/NoLibs into Center City.
July 15th, 2010 at 10:42 am
Yeah, but the world does not revolve around Fishtown/NoLibs.
July 15th, 2010 at 11:33 am
i’d like to see some greenspace in the eraserhood. from what i remember the proposed entrance would be on vine between 12th and 13th, that’s all of one block from the convention center expansion (not exactly nowhere), and i know that the scene beneath the viaduct as it runs north to fairmount and 8th is not a pristine cityscape, but a ribbon of park would make a great contrast to the abandoned industrial stretch that now hides bars, cafes, apartments, art galleries, and businesses. the viaduct could connect the bustle in no libs to center city and vice versa, it could help shrink the mental gap some people have about this section of our city.
July 15th, 2010 at 11:42 am
the amount of park space east of broad is pitiful compared to west of broad, and the “parking” the Viaduct could help remedy that while tying together a bunch of ‘hoods, including Eraserhood and eastern North Philly. the Viaduct ends around Fairmount Ave right now, but how awesome would it be to somehow stretch a greenway all the way up to Temple?
July 15th, 2010 at 12:14 pm
Wait…let me understand this, because it seems like the most fucktarded logic around, so I must be missing something.
Philadelphia could either protect Rittenhouse from a hot dog stand (won’t someone think of the Wharton students!!!) or attempt to develop a park where there aren’t any nearby in an area that’s in a prime location close to center city and transportation but has not received much/any development.
Gee…which is a better bet? Sure, Rittenhouse is the safe bet, but really–rittenhouse staying solvent over this? I’d have at least accepted the expansion of the trail (wasn’t the plan for something that would cost about $13 million?) as an option, but deciding not to expand parkland to protect Rittenhouse? jesus.
July 15th, 2010 at 1:45 pm
the viaduct goes from 11th (not quite 12th) to 8th and Fairmont, a whole 3 blocks E-W with NOTHING along its route. NOTHING. do you really think this will spur development? Market East cant even get is shit together and has city hall, convention center and The Fucking Liberty Bell/Independence Fucking Mall as its anchors. seriously? why doesnt the city spend is $$ on getting the godforsaken bus station out of market east, as well as getting the family court out of center city. and getting every meth clinic out of midtown village, seriously, is it that hard to put these in places a little more discrete and remote, and not at the front door of the friggin Loews? last I checked the Libraries were spared by the skin of their teeth and we are seriously contemplating revitalizing a path to nowhere from nowhere? seriously?
I love when we look at cool things that New York has done and get empire-envy and think we can do the same. the Highline runs through friggin Chelsea, a little different that the eraserhood.
July 15th, 2010 at 2:22 pm
@suspicious package, you’re right… it does start between 11th and 12th, my mistake.
July 15th, 2010 at 8:31 pm
@rk, my point is that the city has killer parks that are struggling today. It’s not sexy, but I’d rather see our limited funds used to keep our existing assets, the ones residents and visitors already use, vibrant instead of spreading it around to another park that can get neglected. And I’m not just talking about Rittenhouse, read my post. Rittenhouse’s financial difficulties (they are already funded by residents and businesses; it’s not quite enough) are an illustration of the wider funding dilemma we have for our green space.