URBANWATERS
FEDERAL PARTNERSHIP
Restoring Urban Waters, Revitalizing Communities
Brownfields Revitalization/Phoenix Park
Delaware River Watershed (Greater Philadelphia
Area]; 2013 - Present
Summary
The Delaware River Watershed's brownfields revitalization
efforts seek to identify urban brownfield sites and restore these
locations to bring about economic production, environmental
restoration, and recreational enhancement. Phoenix Park in
Camden, New Jersey is one example of how Delaware River
stakeholders worked in partnership to bring this effort to life.
Working with the community, city, county, state, and federal
entities the Urban Waters Federal Partnership has been able to
remove contaminated concrete, remove invasive species and
plant native trees, and restore riverfront access. Now, a formerly abandoned waterfront site has been transformed into
the 5.3-acre Phoenix Park. The next phase will be to develop a living shoreline along 600 feet of the river bank.
Federal Agency Partners include:
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Department of
Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), Department of Housing and Urban
Development (HUD), Department of Commerce
Non-Federal Partners include:
New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, City of Camden, Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority,
Partnership for the Delaware Estuary
Goals
This project seeks to transform and revitalize the brownfield site to protect the health of affected local communities,
while providing substantial social, environmental, and economic benefits. Specific goals include:
•	Identify, assess, and cleanup the site,
•	Promote community renewal and economic redevelopment in an underserved community,
•	Incorporate green infrastructure to restore natural resources and improve water quality, and
•	Provide increased public access to trails and greenways.
Major Actions to Date
Since 2013, the Phoenix Park project has become an important community asset. The work of many agencies,
organizations, and the community has resulted in the following:
•	The environmental remediation of 5.3 Brownfield acres into land suitable for public use,
•	The removal of over 500 cubic yards of contaminated concrete,
•	The planting of 68 trees, with more planned to be planted in the future, and
•	Restoration of waterfront access to the community for the first time in decades.
In summary, the project has made strides to transform the abandoned site into a community asset that brings social,
economic, environmental, and health benefits to residents while reconnecting the community to its urban waters.
(Photo credit: Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority)

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