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PRPA Reports Significant Progress at Southport

[ August 28, 2015   //   ]

The Philadelphia Regional Port Authority (PRPA) reports that significant progress is being made at the Southport Marine Terminal Complex.

Southport is the first major expansion of the Port of Philadelphia in over 50 years.

A Request for Qualifications (RFQ), the next step in selecting one or more private-sector partners to develop the three parcels that comprise Southport, is to be issued in September.

The Southport Marine Terminal Complex is a 194-acre site at the eastern tip of the former Philadelphia Navy Yard in South Philadelphia. It is perfectly situated for maritime development with easy access to rail and major roadways.

The RFQ process will be overseen by the PRPA Board of Directors and a team of experienced market advisors. Team members include Ernst & Young  (financial issues); Hatch Mott MacDonald (technical issues); Martin Associates (port and economic impacts); Mayer Brown (legal issues); and Elliott Greenleaf (legal issues). PRPA, its board of directors and the market advisors will work together to launch the next phase: a transparent procurement process to identify the development plan or plans best suited for Southport.

Three waterfront sites collectively comprise the Southport complex: the Southport Marine Terminal site (119 acres); Southport West (75 acres); and Pier 124 North Berth, a 1,132-foot finger pier. With the Commonwealth’s support, PRPA has already completed substantial pre-development work at the sites, especially in the area of improving access, in anticipation of private development.

A Request for Expressions of Interest (REI) was issued late last year and garnered a high level of response from maritime industry, manufacturing, and energy companies. This next phase, a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) is slated for September, and will widen the process, encouraging the continued participation of past respondents while inviting additional private sector interests to present their visions for the Southport property. Submissions of qualifications are targeted for November 2015. Requests for proposals will be sent to short-listed proposals by the end of December 2015 with an anticipated due date for the proposals by June of 2016.

PRPA hopes to have Southport project under development by 2017.

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