Marina, Great Plaza improvements at Penn’s Landing

Now that the $2.2 million in improvement projects at the Penn’s Landing Marina is complete, the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation is talking about finding a barge – or flat-boat based lounge to serve the boaters.

The Central Delaware Riverfront Master Plan calls for such a thing, DRWC board member and Deputy Mayor Alan Greenberger said at last week’s meeting. And it wouldn’t be too tough to establish – someone could just bring something in seasonally, and move on out when boating is done for the year, he said.

“The time is ripe to start thinking about it for next season,” agreed board vice chairman Jay Goldstein.

DRWC vice president Joe Forkin said the marina has been very busy this summer, and completely sold out on holidays. It hasn’t been like this in years, he said.  The basin was deepened, and new bathrooms and docks were added, among other changes.
“We’re back to operating pretty much full-tilt,” Forkin said.

The DRWC is also finishing up a $400,000 landscaping project at the Penn’s Landing Great Plaza. Hardscape was removed around the grove of trees at Chestnut Street, plants and a decorative black fence that also serves to protect the landscape were added, and the benches have been rearranged to make going there a more sociable experience.

“We walked over there the other day on a normal Thursday afternoon. There is typically no one sitting on the ramp or in the plaza, but every bench was taken,” Forkin said.

More bricks are to be replaced with plants around the plaza, such as near the fountain areas. The contractor held off on that so that work wasn’t happening during the holiday fireworks, Forkin said.

Contact the reporter at kgates@planphilly.com