City unveils grand plan to transform old Philadelphia Navy Yard

PHILADELPHIA City officials unveiled a grand plan today to transform the former Philadelphia Navy Base into a modern urban center.The plan includes a complete community on the east side of the site with industrial, office, engineering, research and military enterprises, as well as places to live, dine, study and play. Mayor John Street said it will be the cornerstone of the city's future economic development.

Peter Longstreth of the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation said the west end of the site, West of Broad Street, will remain industrial for the Kaverner shipyard and other private companies. An extension of the Broad Street subway is planned south from the city's sports stadiums.

Phase one of the plan is already under way and is expected to be completed within the next five years.

Officials believe the plan will generate as many as 30-thousand new jobs at the old Navy Yard.

Philladelphia Finishes Labor Day With Best Summer Tourist Season in Five Years
Hotels and Attractions Report Significant Increases in Traffic Over Previous Summers

PHILADELPHIA, -- Labor Day ends the strongest summer tourism season for Philadelphia in more than five years, according to a recent analysis by the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC). Data from a new online survey of recent visitors, attendance figures at local attractions and hotel data combined with new attractions and strong promotional efforts has led to a winning combination for summer 2004.

"The tourism results for June and July of 2004 are extraordinary when compared to the results for these months for the past five-plus years. This is extremely encouraging as it represents obvious success in marketing to the tourism and convention/group meeting segments by all constituencies in Philadelphia," said Peter Tyson, President, Tyson Hospitality Consulting of Pennington, New Jersey.