The Cherry Street Pier was formerly a shipping dock for the United Fruit Company, but was renovated as a semi-enclosed public park with a community of on-site artists in October 2018, writes Peter Crimmins for WHYY.

Stacked shipping containers outfitted as artist studios can be found inside, featuring glass fronts so visitors can see them at work.

The studio rentals are structured to ensure new artists can rotate in periodically.

To date, 37 artists have moved through Cherry Street Pier.

“I’m happy to say that most of our artists have left and have gone on to bigger and better things,” said creative director Sarah Eberle. “That was always the goal, that it would be an incubator that would elevate these people.”

The Cherry Street Pier is a part of the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation’s master plan to attract Philadelphians to the waterfront by displaying public artwork. 

“During the pandemic the pier really shifted, and became a place for nonprofits and other organizations and artists to have a safe space to work in terms of rehearsals or performances,” Eberle said. “Since the pandemic we’ve continued to follow that model.”

Now past the five-year mark, Cherry Street Pier will soon welcome the one-millionth person to the pier.

Read more about the Cherry Street Pier and its future plans on WHYY.

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