Pier 18 aka Graffiti Pier – Marked as a Public Park

Cars line up on the weekend along Beach Street at the entrance to the city’s best outdoor art space, Graffiti Pier. The former anthracite coal-loading pier, part of Reading Railroad’s sprawling Port Richmond Yards, was decommissioned and abandoned by current owners Conrail in 1991. Nature and graffiti writers have since reclaimed the hulking, concrete pile. Today, the pier is a widely popular destination among locals and explorers of all stripes who treat the industrial ruins like an evolving folk art museum and a riverside park.

Although Graffiti Pier is still considered private property, it is one of the most Instagrammed places in Philadelphia and has become a magnet for curious day trippers across the region. The allure of the pier’s endless rotation of graffiti art, magnificent views of the Delaware waterfront, and accessible, well-trodden paths makes it an ideal candidate for the acquisition and reuse as an official public park.

The case for preserving Graffiti Pier has been made before, most notably by Conrad Benner, founder of the online Philly street art journal, Streets Dept, Liz Spikol for Philadelphia Magazine, and, way back in the early oughts, Hidden City co-editor Bradley Maule on his website, Philly Skyline. Designating the pier and surrounding parcel for reuse as a park would not only formalize an already popular public space, but it would also present a number of trash clean up and riparian conservation opportunities as well, following the models of Washington Avenue Pier, Pier 68, and the Schuylkill River Trail.

Graffiti Pier already possesses many of the perks associated with a contemporary urban park, namely green space, creative placemaking, and shade from direct sunlight. The pier itself is just a slice of land that extends into the river, but it is connected to a largely uninterrupted swath of tidal vegetation from Schirra Drive to Westway Terminal. As shown in the schematic below, benches could easily be placed between archways and along the trails. The relationship between the large columns and open space would allow for pop-up markets and small concerts. Formalized areas for hiking, fishing, and outdoor gathering spaces with tables and seating would contribute to the reuse of the pier as a multifunctional public park.

Emphasis on keeping the space open to graffiti writers is crucial. After all, art is the pier’s primary attraction and core connection to the creative community. For guidance and inspiration, there are several precedents for realizing such a project. Preisterweg Nature Park in Berlin was an old railway center that evolved into a place where graffiti was eventually legalized by the city. In downtown Austin, Texas, the HOPE Outdoor Gallery launched a temporary, multi-level graffiti park in 2011. Programming at the outdoor gallery created jobs for local artists by hosting community art classes, educational gardening, yoga classes, and school field trips.

In our proposal, Graffiti Pier Park would be protected without imposing too many restrictions that would push the graffiti writers and River Ward locals away who have reclaimed this abandoned treasure as their own. Maintaining the rugged, visual quality of the existing structure would be paramount to the character of the park, yet the pier would need to be evaluated for structural integrity and repaired as required. The elevated areas where the coal dumper once operated would be fitted with industrial railings to provide extra safety precautions. Basic amenities like composing restrooms and bike racks would be added for extra convenience. To aid in emergency vehicle access and load-in for events, the parking area and the large path that leads to the pier would be paved.

Once the I-95 expansion in Port Richmond is complete, this large, abandoned tract of waterfront property will undoubtedly become a focal point of real estate speculation. If Graffiti Pier is not formally designated for public space it will likely be demolished in the near future for redevelopment, a fate similar to 5 Pointz in Long Island City. Revered as the world’s “Graffiti Mecca,” 5 Pointz was razed in 2014 to make way for high-rise apartments. Graffiti writers from all over the globe made the pilgrimage to contribute to the walls of the 125-year-old, 200,000 square foot water meter factory. Given the overwhelming popularity of unconventional projects like the Viaduct Rail Park and the Schuylkill River Boardwalk, envisioning Graffiti Pier as a public space that preserves a unique intersection of industrial history and vibrant street art is within our reach.

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Take a tour around Philly’s al fresco street art gallery, Graffiti Pier. Photographs by Michael Bixler