Corcoran to retire from waterfront organization

Tom Corcoran, who was appointed as the first president of the Delaware River Waterfront Corp. when it was formed in 2009, has decided to retire.

Corcoran told the organization’s board that he intends to step down on June 30.

Joe Forkin, who has served as executive vice president for development and operations at the DRWC, will assume the role of president effect July 1.

DRWC was formed in January 2009 to oversee the revitalization and development along the Delaware River in Philadelphia.

Corcoran had experience with that. He helped form Cooper’s Ferry Development Corp. in 1984 and also oversaw the organization that worked to revive the waterfront in Camden, New Jersey. He spent 25 years at Cooper’s Ferry before joining DRWC in a similar role.

Under Corcoran’s tenure, the organization adopted a master plan for the waterfront and built several projects, such as Spruce Street Harbor Park, new streets and a new trail, still in the beginning stages, that will stretch from Allegheny Avenue to Pier 70 Boulevard. The efforts have helped make the Delaware Riverfront more of a destination though much remains to be done.

Source: Philadelphia Business Journal