A Vision for the Industrial Redevelopment of the Waterfront Port District—Complemented by New Residential Development on the Northern Waterfront

The members of the Waterfront Alliance to Save the Port District believe that the Central Waterfront District Redevelopment Plan recently approved by the Planning Board threatens not only the short-term vitality but—more important—the actual long-term survival of one of the City’s few truly robust economic engines—the Port District.

Industrial Redevelopment of the Port District
The Port District is more than just the Central Waterfront and Southern Waterfront areas as defined by City Planning. It is a job generator that impacts the surrounding neighborhoods and shapes the economic fabric of Camden.

The members of the Waterfront Alliance agree that the Port District is an area in need of redevelopment. But that need is for industrial redevelopment—not mixed use or residential redevelopment.

Shift New Waterfront Residential Development North
In fact, we believe that there are other waterfront sites in the City that are far better suited to accommodate new residential development—specifically the riverfront north of the Ben Franklin Bridge.

New residential development on that section of the waterfront would link the mixed use Downtown Waterfront with the soon-to-be redeveloped Cramer Hill Waterfront.

It would connect the Cooper Point and Pyne Point neighborhood waterfronts and look north on the river to the southern “green’ end of Petty’s Island.

Residential or mixed use redevelopment in these two areas would be a catalyst not just for the revitalization of these neighborhoods but for North Camden generally.

In the process, the ill-advised land use that that is now the increasingly out-of-place and undeniably unsightly Riverfront Prison would be remedied. And only one significant waterfront business, which does not require deep-water facilities, would be required to relocate.

Port District Is Thriving
The members of the Waterfront Alliance believe that the thinking of the Division of Planning and the Planning Board was fundamentally flawed in characterizing the Port District as a languishing, deteriorating, or under-utilized area.

In fact, it is just the opposite.

The Port District is a vital and thriving economic engine in the heart of Camden, providing jobs, ratables, tax revenues, and economic opportunity to a City desperately in need of these assets.

Moreover, absent this ill-advised and short-sighted proposal to change the Port District, the economic outlook for the Port and the surrounding Port District, is excellent and the industrial properties within the district are viable, in use, and productive.

Current Proposal Will Strangle the Port District and Eventually Cost Thousands of Jobs
The encroachment or intrusion of unbuffered residential development next to the Port district and re-zoning the heart of the District to permit non-industrial uses will send the wrong message to businesses, to their customers, and to investors.

Creating incompatible or conflicting uses in close proximity invites problems, and will almost inevitably lead to movement to restrict business hours, limit and confine traffic flows and otherwise regulate business operations.

In such an atmosphere, firms will not seek to expand. Instead, they will take their jobs and investment and go elsewhere. Those firms that do stay will find that they are not able to attract support services or related operations to the Port District because of zoning and other regulatory cost issues that will arise from close proximity to residential uses..

Indeed, these issues will preclude firms from expanding, because property will not be zoned correctly for their uses or it will be prohibitively priced for industrial uses.

At the same time, firms that rely directly upon port activity will find their positions undermined by this action. International companies watch encroachment and land conversion closely in evaluating potential shipping destinations and facility locations. Any hint of interruption or limitation of port or business activities will lead international shippers to seek other destinations or operating locations.

Stability and dependability are essential in the shipping business. And other ports, such as Philadelphia, Baltimore, or Charleston, will seize upon any rumor of change or limitation to obtain Camden’s traffic.

In short, if the plan proposed by the Planning Board is adopted by City Council, an irreplaceable and thriving job generating engine in the heart of Camden will be strangled.

And for what? For the uncertain promise of residential development that will not produce even the current level of jobs and economic opportunity for the City’s residents.

How Other Port Cities Have Met This Challenge
It is important that City Council realize that Camden is not alone in facing a challenge to maintaining its Port District.

Most other deep-water ports in the United States have faced “condo creep” in which typically high-end residential development and open space uses threaten to absorb de-industrialized pier, warehouse, and factory areas.

But, in almost all of the locales that have confronted this situation, far-sighted municipal and port leaders have recognized that a deep-water port is a rare asset that must be preserved and leveraged, not ignored or discarded.

Especially within the last decade, many waterfront districts (including Baltimore, Brooklyn, Tacoma, and Charleston) have started to re-industrialize. And other port cities have moved aggressively to protect, even expand, their port districts and industrial land bases .

What City Council Should Do
In short, the members of the Waterfront Alliance believe that the City should:
• Focus on industrial development, job creation, and industrial land use in the Camden Port District that will benefit the City, not harm it.
• Shift plans for new waterfront mixed-use and residential development north to the Cooper Point and Pyne Point neighborhoods that would connect the Downtown Waterfront to the Cramer Hill Waterfront.

Our plan to preserve and support the economic vitality of the Port District will produce five distinct benefits.

First, it will save 2,400 good paying jobs in the City of Camden. The businesses and workers operating in the Port District will feel comfortable, knowing that they can continue to operate in a business environment that encourages job creation.

Second, these firms will be able to undertake job-creating expansion as they need or want in an area that is close to their current operations, and which is designated specifically for their industrial uses. Investment and growth will not be clouded or limited by land use conflicts. Users of the port facilities will be able to make long-range plans and assure customers that they are “here to stay”.

Third, Port District establishments will be able to capitalize upon the growth opportunities that exist on the Delaware River today, and the City will have a “home” for new, relocating, or expanding businesses.

Fourth, the potential conflicts that can develop because of inappropriate and incompatible land uses will be reduced, perhaps even eliminated. This plan will shift residential uses from an otherwise industrial area. Proper planning and buffering will separate the two uses to the extent possible, benefiting the quality of life for residents in the adjacent neighborhoods while improving public safety by limiting access to and residential use of the Port District.

Fifth, focusing development north of the Ben Franklin Bridge will integrate development of that area with existing development and planned residential growth along Camden’s northern border and into Cramer Hill—with that of Pennsauken and with the development of Petty’s Island. Residents will have access to the river and the scenic vistas without jeopardizing an irreplaceable port, an industrial center, and the thousands of jobs that go with them.

Our Plan Reflects Goals and Intent of City’s Master Plan
Finally, we want to make it clear that the recommendations set out in the Waterfront Alliance Plan fully reflect the intent and goals of the City of Camden Master Plan.

The Executive Summary of that document states,
•“Industrial land use proposals are geared toward maintaining existing industrial businesses, providing development areas for urban industrial parks and capitalizing upon the Port of Camden as a potential generator of additional private industrial development activity.
• “Port related industrial uses are proposed to contain the Port of Camden shipping and cargo processing facilities along the Delaware River in the Central Waterfront and Waterfront South neighborhoods. Surplus and underutilized SJPC property in the proposed port related industrial land use district is recommended to be released for private redevelopment as industrial and port related business activities.
• “Improving the port's infrastructure system and encouraging private industrial development on surplus port lands will expand jobs and business growth."

The Waterfront Alliance to Save the Port District comprises businesses currently operating in the proposed redevelopment area, employees of port-related businesses, concerned citizens, residents, and others committed to maintaining a viable, working waterfront that contributes to Camden's economic revitalization.

Most of the business in the Alliance would be forced to either close or relocate if the plan now under consideration is adopted and ratified by City Council.

For more information, please call the Alliance representative,
Joanne Williams, at 215-569-8360.