T he Schuylkill River should someday become a Philadelphia destination. Yes, that same Schuylkill River that runs through acres of decrepit industrial land, past a garish concrete expressway and along miles of banks that until a few years ago were considered uninhabitable.
Fortunately for the city -- and for Penn -- things are changing.
If last Saturday's Schuylkill Banks regatta, which drew more than 600 rowers from the U.S. and Canada, is any indication, there is a bright future for Philadelphia's oft-overlooked river.
The regatta was the first ever held on the lower portion of the river, and it served as a powerful signal that the area which was tagged "Schuylkill Banks" this fall will soon be transformed into a place people will want to go rather than just drive past on the way to the airport.
The driving force behind the revitalization is the Schuylkill River Development Corporation, a group whose board includes officials from Penn, Drexel, the city and several Philadelphia-based businesses. It's a perfectly able group.
The real challenge now is bringing all of their millions of dollars worth of plans to fruition. That will take time -- the first of the project's two phases is slated for completion in 2008 -- and, of course, money.
The planners have done an admirable job of pulling together resources from all over, but they must stay focused on simple, achievable goals to make sure that this project stays on track. Major civic projects in this city have a history of getting bogged down, and Penn should take a leadership role in making sure that this one avoids a similar fate.
When all is said and done, though, it will be worth it. New trails and green spaces extending south of Fairmount Park on both east and west sides of the river are the main focus of the plan, which will also include bridge refurbishments.
What the area really needs is a major attraction, such as an amphitheater or possibly a handful of small cafes, to make it the place to go in the city on a summer afternoon.
Penn will play a major role in this project, as it will be acquiring the post office building on 30th Street. The SRDC's plan calls for a $22 million pedestrian-friendly plaza linking it with the ajacent train station.
For the University, this project as a whole will have a major impact. Penn has a vested interest in both banks of the Schuylkill, and every dollar spent revitalizing the area is an investment in the future.
For years the vast parking lots and miles of interstate highway have been a harsh divide between Penn and the rest of the city. Imagine a campus without that divide, where Center City and University City come together in an open and inviting environment. Penn and the SRDC should never lose sight of this goal.
The only real complaint about this new development is that it did not happen 20 years ago.
