It has one of the best views of the Philadelphia skyline, but a 16-acre plot of land north of the Ben Franklin Bridge in Camden, New Jersey, has been sitting empty for years.
"They were trying to build all kinds of things, but they never got around to it," said John Torres, who has lived in the Cooper Point neighborhood for more than four decades.
Torres remembers the former Riverfront State Prison being demolished near his home in 2010. The area was also once the Weeks Marine site. Today, there's just a small playground there.
Now, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority is seeking proposals to redevelop the state-owned property on Camden's waterfront into a new mixed-use development.
"That would be nice to have different people move into the Camden area," Torres said.
"This is a symbol. This area is a symbol of where the city has come from and all the work that's going on," said Camden Mayor Victor Carstarphen.
Carstarphen says the property's full potential came into focus last year when the state offered huge financial incentives to entice the Sixers to move from Philly and build an arena at the site. The team ultimately decided to stay in South Philly.
"We couldn't have asked for any more marketing to this space than the Sixers just taking a glance, and just with the potential of what it could look like," Carstarphen said.
The mayor says he would like to see more housing, retail and green space to help unlock new economic opportunities for the city.
Alfonso Santiso, who's lived in Camden for more than 20 years, agrees.
"It's good, it's a good idea to create more work, more business, more money for Camden," Santiso said.
The New Jersey Economic Development Authority is accepting proposals through Dec. 9.