Wilmington’s Riverfront East Will Expand With Focus on Boating Community
Plans are being put into action and Wilmington’s Riverfront East Will Expand.
The banks of Christina River in Wilmington were once vacant, polluted, and full of empty, unusable warehouses from long ago. Now, the west side of the river is full of people, shoppers, outdoor dining, bikers, live music, and a community for all ages. A minor league baseball stadium, home of the Wilmington Blue Rocks, was just the beginning of the Riverfront’s development. Then a movie theater, apartments, and tons of restaurants also came along, to help drive the walkability and sense of community in the area.
Riverfront East
Because the west side of the Riverfront became such a success, the same developers, Buccini/Pollin Group of Delaware, is now focused on what they are calling Riverfront East, directly opposite the river. As of right now, when you drive on that side, there are vacant lots, empty warehouses, abandoned buildings, and polluted dumpsites, much like the west side when they started their development.
As reported by Matthew Rothstein, Chris Buccini shared his thoughts on the East Side Project.
The preference for multifamily is born from more than just a lack of options. Multifamily development in Wilmington has roared back to life after 50 years of dormancy, with 1,000 units consistently in the pipeline and new deliveries leasing up rapidly. While 1,000 units may not represent a Philadelphian’s idea of a development boom, it also may not represent the best Wilmington can do. Over the six-month period ending in May, Wilmington will see 800 units delivered across four apartment projects. So, it’s happening, like, it is game on.’
Furthermore, Mayor Mike Purzycki, who spearheaded the development of the West Riverfront, also spoke up to WHYY saying,
“I think back over the years, and I can’t help but look across at how beautiful it is and think about all of what it took to get there. When you walk around the Riverfront, every 10 feet is a story. You know, every 10 feet was a contaminated story.”
Phase One of Riverfront East should be completed by the end of 2023. Phase One consists of infrastructure needs, green space, and river walks. It will also create over 200 construction jobs. The Department of Transportation will also build roadways, investing millions of dollars into more accessible ways to get to the Riverfront from other Wilmington areas.
Riverfront East will be connected directly to Riverfront West, by bridges and walkways that stretch over and across the Christina River. In photo renderings of the developed Riverfront East and West, many pictures feature boats, kayaks, fishers, and an aquatic community. Some restaurants feature new dockside bars, which could help build a boating-friendly community to the Riverfront.
As of right now, Riverfront West does not allow anglers to fish from the walkways. With the new development, fishing may be encouraged and bring families together. Kayaking may also be more encouraged to do on the Christina River with new access to boat ramps and drops.
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Wilmington’s Riverfront East Will Expand