How You’ll Spend Your Summer: Spruce Street Harbor Park

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Today, the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation has shared the details for its Spruce Street Harbor Park. The pop-up waterfront park will bring a boardwalk, urban beach, fountains and misting areas to the Penn’s Landing Marina and for two months.

The pop-up park, which will feature floating barges complete with lily pad water gardens, restaurant and bar kicks off on June 27th and run through August 31st.

Groundswell Design Group, Interface Studios and Digsau combined to create the plan for the space. Groundswell’s David Fierabend says “We’re involved because we believe iterative placemaking is the future of urban development and city renewal. By creating these moments along the waterfront we’re reconnecting the city to this long forgotten asset. Not only are these spaces amazing, they’re cost effective and immediately attainable. Their ephemeral quality keeps us intrigued and our attention focused on what’s next.”

More details on the Spruce Street Harbor Park

The Oasis: Made of three floating barges, this urban harbor oasis contains a lily pad garden, colorful seating, and a pop-up restaurant and bar. Perhaps the centerpiece of the project is a series of nets extending from the barges that will allow visitors to hang over and almost touch the water underneath them.

The Hammock Lounge: Oversized hammocks strung throughout the trees on the west side of the park.

Columbus Seating Area: Moveable colorful seating and tables positioned around the Columbus Monument. In the evening, the area will be lit by fire pits for a beautiful ambiance on a cool summer night.

Harbor Boardwalk: An oceanfront boardwalk transported to the Delaware River, complete with dune grasses and repurposed cargo containers selling summertime concessions and arcades.

The Urban Beach: Located along the quay, and next to the tall ship Gazela, this area will consist of lounge chairs, beach umbrellas, and surface material reminiscent of being at a pebble beach.

Mist Walk: Being at the waterfront would not be complete without a way to cool off. An artistically designed mist walk, colorfully lit at night, allows visitors to stroll through a light spray of water to combat the summer heat.