Philly waterfront to transform as Festival Pier development begins
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A rendering of the Festival Pier development in Northern Liberties. Image courtesy of Haverford Properties/Bernardon
The Festival Pier development has officially begun.
What's happening: Wednesday marked the groundbreaking for the 9-acre Riverview development that will bring housing, retail and a public park to the Delaware River waterfront in Northern Liberties.
Why it matters: The development of the pier, the second-largest publicly owned piece of land on the waterfront, will effectively create a new neighborhood in the city, drawing more residents and visitors to the area.
Flashback: The project dates back to 2015 when the Delaware River Waterfront Corp. (DRWC), the nonprofit that controls the site, selected two developers, Jefferson Apartment Group and Haverford Properties, to transform the waterfront property.
- The area known as Festival Pier has hosted many large concerts, like the Roots Picnic, and, before that, was home to a trash incinerator.
The Riverview project includes:
- 470 multi-family units within two buildings, along with premium rental townhouses.
- Nearly 50,000 square feet of retail space, including restaurants and a Sprouts Farmers Market.
- More than 4 acres of public open space, which will include connections to the Delaware River Trail and public art.
