Paresi Study: Waterfront Walk, Pier

The Promenade is one of Havre de Grace's greatest assets.

The boardwalk along the water on the city's southern end provides breathtaking views and a refreshing place to walk on warm summer nights.

But imagine another attraction just like it on the northern end of town.

The Paresi Design Studio's 1997 study addressed just that—proposing a waterfront attraction along the , just north of the .

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This is the sixth post in a series of articles refreshing the visions of the Paresi Design Studio's "Urban Design and Waterfront Study," which was completed in February 1997.

The study suggested a number of improvements to the city's infrastructure and waterfront hot spots.

The area between the American Legion and offers plenty of potential.

There are hurdles—a residential property sits along the waterfront, and the area is currently used as municipal parking behind the .

But retrofitting the riverbank with a walkway and a pier to serve as the city's water-oriented entry point would bring seafaring visitors into 's arts and entertainment district.

It would also provide residents who visit the restaurants easier access to the waterfront.

The design called for a long pier to a gazebo, where a water taxi could dock.

Transient docks would be built along the pier, giving visitors a spot to tie up their boat while visiting Havre de Grace's shops and restaurants. They would enter town through a grand entrance at the foot of Franklin Street.

The study painted the picture of an entryway with seasonal flags and historical plaques and markers greeting visitors.

A new parking lot was part of the plan.

A long-term possibility would be to convert the into a public property, like a library or educational facility. Due to high-cost upgrades in recent years, though, this aspect seems the most unlikely of all of the potential visions for this area of the study.

The study also proposed a potential footbridge across the stone supports just downriver from the Amtrak Bridge. A pedestrian crossing of the has been a dream vision of transportation and bicycling supporters for years.

Waterfront access for residents has long been an issue in Havre de Grace, as much of the 's shore is privately owned.

This location, however, would offer a unique combination of residential- and visitor-friendly waterfront access. And it would be a major step toward reclaiming a segment of the shoreline, providing a northern-end component to The Promenade.

TELL US: What do you think of the proposed waterfront port? Is it feasible? Would it impact downtown businesses? Leave a comment.