Lardner's Point Park
The Park is a model of ecological restoration and riverfront recreation that has set standards for a planned riverfront greenway. It’s also an important link to the 3,000-mile-long East Coast Greenway that runs from Maine to Florida.
Reclaiming a Blighted Site, Philadelphia, PA
Centuries of industrialization, followed by decades of vacancy left the 4.5-acre shoreline known as Lardner’s Point polluted by trash and environmental waste and stripped of its natural resources. Additional damage occurred after the 2003 Athos I tanker oil spill.
Native Plants, Marshland, Riverfront Access
By reclaiming a blighted industrial site, turning rubble into flourishing marshland, and connecting communities to robust natural resources, the project models the benefits of environmental restoration. After only six months of construction, a green oasis emerged with 600 trees and shrubs and 8,000 plants — all native species. The Park connects neighboring communities to the Delaware riverfront and offers picnic tables, park benches, a fishing pier, bicycle rack, and solar-powered lights, among other amenities.
Urban served as the environmental consultant to the Delaware River City Corporation for ecological restoration of this area as a park. Early involvement included Phase I and II Environmental Assessments, preparation of underground storage tank removal and brownfield remediation plans, and completion of a risk assessment. In later stages, we provided permitting assistance to meet various environmental requirements and oversight during construction.
HIGHLIGHTS
• U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and state and city environmental permits
• Construction oversight
• Creation of tidal wetlands along the shoreline and meadow and woodland habitats in upland areas