As casinos loom, Praxis takes heat

Over the last year, anti-casino neighborhood groups have been fuming - mostly at the state for legalizing slots parlors across Pennsylvania and at the city for not doing more to stop their placement in Philadelphia.

Now, the groups' ire is turning to Penn Praxis, the consulting arm of Penn's School of Design that was brought in to be above the very political fray that has already involved both city and state officials.

Last year, Mayor John Street asked Praxis to help develop a new plan for the design of the seven-mile-long Delaware riverfront.

The group was charged with gauging what Philadelphians living along the waterfront wanted and with reconciling public opinion with that of world-renowned planning experts.

It will begin to piece together a preliminary vision by February that will include ways to develop the area in the wake of last month's announcement that two casinos will be located at either end of the waterfront.

Praxis was chosen because it was seen as "an honest, independent broker," explained Brian Abernathy, legislative aide to Councilman Frank DiCicco, who was instrumental in convincing Street to bring in the group and whose district is along the northern part of the waterfront.

But neighborhood advocacy groups angry at the state Gaming Control Board's decision to license the two casinos feel that Praxis should have done more to influence the board's choice.

Praxis' position "needs to more reflect the community," said Rene Goodwin, spokeswoman for Riverfront Communities United, a South Philadelphia anti-casino group.

She added that, if Praxis truly wanted to meet the neighborhood's needs, it should have been a more vocal opponent of the casinos' placement.

Ed Kirlin, a member of Riverfront Communities United who lives in Pennsport, agreed.

"There is a perception that Penn Praxis is just serving as a shoehorn for the casinos," he said.

Praxis Executive Director Harris Steinberg said that he understands the neighborhoods' concerns, but added that his group's job isn't to weigh on the casinos.

Steinberg also said that the casinos themselves are only one part of a much more sweeping riverfront transformation.

He does hope, however, that Praxis will be able to provide a comprehensive plan that will "mitigate some of that anxiety," including ways to curb the traffic problems that worry the community, he said.

And for the city's planners at least, Praxis has been successful on that front, despite what the neighborhood groups may contend.

"The planning process has gotten a very positive response" from local residents, said Janice Woodock, executive director of the Philadelphia City Planning Commission, which works closely with Praxis.

She added that the series of forums Praxis has been holding to encourage local participation in the process have had "great attendance."

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