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The former Greyhound bus terminal at 10th and Filbert streets will be renovated and reopened in the spring as Philadelphia's intercity hub for bus carriers and passengers, officials said Thursday. The Philadelphia Parking Authority plans to partner with the city and the property owner and hopes to begin operating by May to be ready for most major events that are scheduled in 2026 to celebrate the nation's 250th anniversary. MORE: Philly will use a record budget surplus to face funding uncertainties, Mayor Parker says "Our goal is to create an attractive new 'neighborhood friendly' state of the art intercity transportation facility — that is clean, safe, and well maintained," PPA Executive Director Rich Lazer said in a statement. The current bus terminal in Northern Liberties has been outside the SEPTA subway station on Spring Garden Street since November 2023. It's used by carriers including Greyhound, FlixBus, Peter Pan and Megabus to pick up and drop off riders from cities across the country. Bus terminal operations in Philly have been in flux since Greyhound ended its lease at the Filbert Street building in June 2023. Bus carriers and passengers, who had been using the Filbert Street terminal since 1988, were initially relocated to Sixth and Market streets at a busy corner that became clogged with traffic and had no bathrooms, benches or other amenities. The city and PPA's plan to renovate the Greyhound terminal is still pending City Council legislation on usage rates for bus carriers that will fund maintenance of the facility. The city expects to negotiate agreements that will cover the approximately $13 million annual lease for the building, PPA spokesperson Martin O'Rourke said. Greyhound's exit from the facility was partly spurred by the Philadelphia 76ers' plan to build a new arena on a series of lots that included the Filbert Street terminal and a portion of the nearby Fashion District mall. The team abandoned that project in January, opting instead to partner with Comcast Spectacor on a new arena at the Sports Complex in South Philadelphia. The bus terminal in Northern Liberties, chosen as a temporary solution for its access to I-95 and SEPTA facilities, has widely been viewed as an inconvenient and disorganized operation unpopular with the neighborhood and its businesses. The city had explored moving the terminal to an alternate location in Northern Liberties or to a site in Old City, but faced strong pushback during community meetings. Urbanist nonprofit 5th Square Advocacy praised the city's plan on Thursday, calling it an example of "people-centered urban design" that will make Philadelphia's transportation network more connected. “Bringing intercity buses back to a proper terminal is a recognition that people deserve more than a curb under a highway overpass," said Alex Milone, 5th Square's transit committee co-chair. "They deserve shelter, dignity and respect.” Lazer called the plan a "key ingredient" in the revitalization of the East Market Street corridor that will offer bus riders quick access to Reading Terminal Market, the Pennsylvania Convention Center and the mall. To reduce congestion in Chinatown, Lazer said buses coming from the Filbert Street terminal will be deliberately routed away from the neighborhood. Several Market Street properties still owned by the 76ers and Comcast Spectator are slated for redevelopment in the coming years. Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, the group that owns the Sixers, expects demolition of the buildings at 1000-1024 East Market St. to begin before the end of the year. The cleared space could become available for temporary use to mark next year's slate of events, including the World Cup and Fourth of July festivities. Anne Kelley, a spokesperson for Councilmember Mark Squilla (D-1st), said this week Squilla is working with the city's Market Street Task Force to discuss long-term and short-term plans for the area.
