Authorizing City Council's Committee on Commerce and Economic Development to hold public hearings on the future development of the Penn's Landing waterfront.

WHEREAS, Philadelphia’s rivers are more than just bookends to the City’s past as the world’s manufacturing king. For years, the Delaware River provided the City with needed commerce and industry, creating jobs and economic growth from the waterfront into the City’s neighborhoods; and

WHEREAS, The City’s once booming manufacturing economy has slowly been replaced by a burgeoning service economy of leisure, recreation and tourism. Penn’s Landing, however, remains largely impervious to this changing economy despite the successful development of other urban waterfronts across the country; and

WHEREAS, Old industrial and manufacturing cities including Baltimore, Boston, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Louisville, enhanced their waterfronts with pedestrian friendly parks and walkways, restaurants, entertainment centers, and residential environments; and

WHEREAS, Many experienced developers have attempted to transform Penn’s Landing into a renowned residential and tourist attraction, but poor planning and economic downturns have turned these creative ideas into disappointing reminders of what could have been on the waterfront; and

WHEREAS, Philadelphia should not attempt to replicate the experience of other cities or of its past failures, but should begin a new process of economic, cultural, artistic, and social exploration to re-connect the City with its historic waterfront; and

WHEREAS, The City should not prematurely force any specific use for Penn’s Landing, but should first carefully examine all ideas for the development of a creative, flexible, and entrepreneurial environment that includes a mix of potential residential, office, retail, entertainment, or open space; and

WHEREAS, Before making any final decisions, the City should undergo an honest dialogue with planners, developers, architects and, most importantly, the public before it turns 30 years of development ideas into a reality on Penn’s Landing; now therefore

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That City Council’s Committee on Commerce and Economic Development will hold hearings on the future development of Penn’s Landing.

End