Explaining all the construction next to the grandstands on Kelly Drive

Lauren Realberg was on a run, enjoying the sun on her face and the calming sound of the Schuylkill when her views of the river were interrupted by what she described as a giant construction site next to the popular trail along Kelly Drive.

She couldn’t see what was being built, and there weren’t signs to explain it. All the 39-year-old knew was that something was happening around the rowing grandstands.

“I hope they put some bathrooms up there,” she thought.

Realberg then asked Curious Philly, The Inquirer’s forum for questions about the city and region: What is the giant construction next to the grandstands on Kelly Drive?

It turns out that the cranes are there to remove and replace more than 400 feet of the wall along the Schuylkill, according to a Parks and Recreation spokesperson.

The bulkhead around the river is older than sliced bread and has been serving as a wall for more than a century.

A routine inspection in 2018 showed depressions on the bulkhead, according to the spokesperson, as well as damage on the old wood piles from weathering time and storms.

The city could not immediately say why it took six years for construction to start.

Regardless, the explanation was enough for Realberg, who grew up rowing in the area.

“As someone who has a sentimental attachment to it, I am happy to see the city is taking steps to help preserve the race course,” she said.

The construction is expected to be finished in spring 2025.