The Future of Petty Island 

 

Petty Island, the site of multiple development proposals over the centuries (even Louis Sullivan drafted plans for an entertainment complex on the island in 1907), languishes today as a nearly-forgotten storage site for petroleum tanks and cargo containers. How might Petty Island - and the land adjacent to it on the Philadelphia side of the Delaware River - be developed as a visionary 21st Century complex that creatively addresses today’s and tomorrow’s cultural, environmental, and economic needs? 

 

Site Programming

 

What types of activities and uses should new infrastructure support on the full site? What recreational options, housing, or business opportunities would make the best use of this land? A history of Petty Island | The 1907 Island City proposal by Louis Sullivan | A timeline of Petty Island history (PDF) | The Delaware River Waterfront Master Plan (2011.

 

Climate Change

 

With rising sea levels and increasingly chaotic weather, what kinds of investment and infrastructure are warranted for developing this island (and nearby shoreline) in the tidal Delaware River? Where should key infrastructure be located on the full site to keep it safe? Interactive Sea Rise Map.

 

Transportation / Access

 

What types of transportation options should be offered for people to access the island from Philadelphia? Bridges? Ferries? Cable Cars? Tunnels? Something else? Consider using the largely undeveloped riverbank between Kensington and Port Richmond on the Philadelphia side of the Delaware River as a key access point. Competition site boundaries | Perspective map of competition site.

 

Environmental Sustainability

 

Petty Island is an important stop-over for migrating birds along the Northeast Corridor and a habitat for native plants. How will your proposal impact the natural environment of the island and can your proposal actually improve these conditions over the long-term? Current Plans for Petty Island Preserve.