Philadelphia’s Graffiti Pier became a gathering place for renegade artists, musicians, and dancers three decades ago, after no longer being used to export coal, write Kristen Mosbrucker-Garza and Jacob Brown for WHYY.

Everybody defied no-trespassing signs and congregated behind locked gates to party, make art, or fish. Today, Graffiti Pier even has its social media channels where a wide range of experiences is documented, from engagement photo shoots to mosh pits.

Meanwhile, Conrail, the pier’s owner, claimed there was illegal activity at the site, including open drug use. But after the company pushed for a crackdown on illegal activities, Delaware River Waterfront Corporation proposed a public-private partnership to transform the site into a legal public art park.

Five years later, the partnership has not achieved its goal and the pier continues to erode. Last week, the remaining 12 feet of the pier collapsed into the Delaware River.

Now, despite the city still hoping to add the pier to its public park network, Conrail is weighing its options, including a public park, condos, and an active industrial site.

“I want to make sure that we look at all, you know, viable options before we move forward,” said Brian Gorton, president and chief operating officer of Conrail.

Read more about Graffiti Pier, its past, and potential future in WHYY.

_____