Bridesburg/Kensington/Richmond

Neighborhood Open Space Planning Profile for Bridesburg, Kensington, & Richmond

Neighborhoods Included: Kensington/Richmond/Bridesburg/Fishtown

1) Open space concerns, issues or challenges

• Escalating land values are making it difficult to preserve open space
• A publicly accesible waterfront is very important
• Maintenance of current & future open space must be a high priority

2) Community open space interests and desires

• Creating permanent open space to reduce the impact of dense neighborhoods
• Adequate recreational options

3) Compliance or regulatory issues

• Impact of new development on existing water & sewer infrastructures
• Currently designated Keystone Opportunity Zone (KOZ) sites exist in the area
• Brownfield development
• Clean Water Act regulations regarding pollutant discharge into waterways
• 100-year floodplain requirements for regulating land & property damage, as well as safety
• PA stormwater management & sediment erosion control
• Philadelphia Zoning Code, landscape buffer requirements: need for improved enforcement

4) Demographic trends or changes

• Working-class families are being replaced by higher-income households in most neighborhoods
• Increasing population in waterfront neighborhoods

5) Market demands or pressures

• Demands are highest in the South & East (Fishtown); high in the North (Bridesburg); & increasing in the West (Kensington)

6) Specific environmental issues

• Many former industrial sites--now vacant properties--are contaminated.

7) Major developments and/or open space opportunities

• Former industrial lands are being converted to residential or other land uses
• PennDOT improvements to I-95 & the Delaware Avenue Extension
• Demolition of abandoned buildings & acquisition of vacant land by the City

8) Other important information that should be noted?

• Recent planning efforts in Fishtown, Kensington, Richmond, & Bridesburg all addressed open space
• A new coalition of waterfront community groups has been formed.