Rolling Along the River: Turning a Waterfront into a Community Resource

The Challenge:

The Schuylkill River Development Corporation (SRDC) mission is to create vibrant riverfront green space along the 8-mile stretch of the Schuylkill River wherever possible on the lower Schuylkill River between the Fairmount Dam and the Delaware River. In its planning for the expansion and development of the Schuylkill River waterfront, SRDC wanted to understand how residents, people who work in nearby locations and outdoor enthusiasts feel about the expansion, its effects on their communities and their lives, and ways in which this area can best be utilized and promoted.

The Process:

Qualitative and quantitative research (including intercept interviews in along the waterfront) allowed Melior to gather information from key audiences. This process allowed us to learn how people currently utilize the waterfront, how they envision the area in the future, and what events and activities would help to draw people to the waterfront, both pedestrians and bicyclists.

The Outcome:

With community and user input, over the years SRDC has developed marketed the areas as Schuylkill Banks, a riverfront destination, home to greenways, parks, docks, the nation’s leading educational institutions, award-winning residential developments and active industrial sites that are making way for livable spaces.