The City Walk You’ve Been Waiting For: The Rail Park Tour

Plus, Phase 1 construction is expected to begin next year.

Rendering courtesy of Studio Bryan Hanes

Rendering courtesy of Studio Bryan Hanes

DesignPhiladelphia, the city’s best known architecture and design festival extending for up to nine days, kicks off in about two weeks, but we’ll get to that in a minute. Instead, let’s bring your attention to one of the events included in the DesignPhilly itinerary: the Rail Park Tour.

According to DesignPhilly, these walking tours – scheduled for October  10, 11 and 14 – will be held at street level by Rail Park board members and will be designed to “deliver an understanding of possibilities of the entire proposed 3-mile linear park and recreation path.” What’s more, a Rail Park spokesperson tells us the tour will include access to the entrance of Phase One at 13th an Noble Streets. Ticketing and event info here.

Relatedly, the spokesperson said construction of Phase One, anticipated to take 12-18 months, is expected to begin in 2016. The Center City District will manage the Phase One project.

Friends of the Rail Park will also be partnering with the Asian Arts Initiative on Pearl Street Passage. This DesignPhilly event will be the site of temporary art installations along the 1100 block of Pearl Street and will continue on through one of the Viaduct tunnels, said the spokesperson who added that “the tunnel itself will be the site of several installations including bench seating, lighting and visuals of the future Rail Park.” See renderings here.

Interestingly, the interactive Pearl Street Passage festivities will also be part of the DesignPhiladelphia kick off benefit, which takes place on Wednesday, October 7 at The Liao Collection showroom. Leaders of Philadelphia’s creative industry will be present and desserts and a whiskey tasting from Chaat & Chai and WhistlePig, respectively, will be provided. The after-party will be at the Trestle Inn. Ticketing and event details here.