May 17, 2024
Six acres along the Delaware River waterfront in Northeast Philadelphia could be developed into a marina and entertainment complex as part of a plan to create a new home for the Quaker City Yacht Club.
The $40 million project, called One River Marina, would bring more than 200 boat slips to the waterfront just north of the Tacony-Palmyra Bridge. The plan includes multiple restaurants, a swimming pool, parking and other amenities for boaters.
Rodan Enterprises LLC recently acquired the property, which includes the current home of the yacht club at 7101 N. Delaware Ave. Founders Dana and Ron Russikoff are the former owners of ShoreShade, a company that makes retractable shades for boats. They said they have been planning the marina for years.
"(T)his project checks every box for what is surely becoming a new age of 'nautical tourism' for the Delaware River – recreation, access and infrastructure development – for local residents and especially for boaters," Dana said in a statement. "Not only will One River Marina be an amenity the entire community can enjoy, but also a world-class destination for boaters looking for new experiences outside the Jersey Shore and the Chesapeake."
The private Quaker City Yacht Club was founded in 1887 to unite friends and families around recreational boating on the Delaware River. It's one of a few historic clubhouses that operate along the river, including the Corinthian Yacht Club in South Philly.
The developers hope the marina can be another facet of the extensive development taking place along the Delaware River waterfront. That includes the 11 1/2-acre Penn's Landing Park, a 10-acre park in Bridesburg and the long-term plans to bring multiple residential buildings to land just north of Penn's Landing. The new marina also would complement Bucks County's Bristol Wharf to the north. Another goal of the project is to draw people to Northeast Philly's Mayfair and Tacony neighborhoods.
One River Development, a spinoff of Rodan Enterprises, is now raising public funds and private capital to support the development of One River Marina. The land is located in a federal opportunity zone, which enables investors to receive tax incentives to spur economic development.
The first phase of the project would involve building a new bulkhead, docks, slips, fuel and boat storage. The goal is to complete this phase by spring 2026 in advance of the nation's 250th birthday celebration. The developers said they plan to release updates and conceptual renderings of the marina project in the coming months.
