eUpdate December 2007
1999-2007 MAIN STREET PROGRAM REPORT
ORGANIZATION:
In 1999 Borough Council identified The Main Street America
Program to develop and create the mechanisms for a successful
Central Business District (CBD) revitalization program in West
Reading. Main Street is a 4-point program that combines the
human potential of the community with the resources of the
Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development and
the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The Main Street
Program offers a full-time paid professionally trained Manager
who utilizes the 4 components (Organization – Design &
Rehabilitation – Promotion & Marketing – Economic Development)
in the revitalization process. In the past 9 years Main
Street volunteer participation in the Program Teams has
blossomed igniting a cooperative spirit among the merchant
community that has propelled the CBD forward. Nearly 100
merchants Borough-wide are members of the Business
Association; up from 9 members in 1999. The new
Penn Avenue Dining & Shopping Brochure is supported by
74 merchants. Over 50 merchants participated in the 2nd
Annual Taste of West Reading, a fundraising project that
provides for future special events and virtually all 153 Penn
Avenue businesses have annually participated in the Art on
the Avenue festival. The evidence heralds a growing
recognition that merchants, organizers and leaders can reap
exponential benefits by working together.
 |
Capital
Campaign: Raised over $150,000 for ongoing operations and
projects. |
|
|
Grant
Writing: Brought over $2 Million to the Borough for
Streetscape & other projects. |
|
|
Elm Street
Program for neighborhood revitalization brings over $1
Million in revenue. |
|
|
Urban
Renewal Zone: $3 Million redevelopment between County &
Borough. |
|
|
BID:
Special Services District pooled $200,000 to maintain
improvements. |
|
|
State
funding totaling over $270,000 for operations and
rehabilitation. |
TOTAL FUNDING
IN 9 YEARS = $7,200,000+ WITH OVER 30,000+ VOLUNTEER HOURS
LOGGED!
DESIGN &
REHABILITATION:
The Streetscape Enhancement Project Phases 1-3 with an
investment of $5.9 Million has completely transformed the Penn
Avenue Business District, has improved traffic flow, has helped
emergency vehicles to traverse the heavy traffic and has made it
possible for pedestrians to circulate to the many shops and
services.
|
|
Façade Improvement Grant Program: 100+ property improvement projects with $1 Million in
private reinvestment to properties on Penn Avenue. |
|
|
Penn
Avenue Greening Project:
Planters & trees; Over $100,000 in private reinvestment with
an additional $115,000 awarded for Gateway landscaping. |
|
|
Penn
Avenue “Outdoor Café District”:
1999 = 0. 2007 = 8 with more coming in 2008.
|
|
|
Gateway Block:
$180,000 in green island and traffic controls where none
existed. |
|
|
Heritage Bicycle Trail: $30,000 DCNR Grant (Schuylkill River to Penn Avenue). |
|
|
CBD Banner Project: $50,000+ “Branding” of Penn Avenue. |
|
|
Holiday
Lights Project:
$18,000+ for distinctive West Reading Holiday lighting. |
|
|
CBD Landscaping: $115,000 TE grant to landscape the West Reading Shopping Center
frontage on Penn Avenue and the Gateway Block hillside
improvements. |
|
|
Streetscape Phases 4 & 5: Coming in 2008, $455,000 to reconstruct north and south 5th
Avenue and improve Gateway RR bridge lighting. |
|
|
Business Signs & Awnings: $35,000+ to move from plastic & neon to carved wood, brass
and gooseneck lighting. |
TOTAL INVESTED
IN 9 YEARS = $2,700,000 WITH $30,000 IN NEW FAÇADE FUNDING FOR
2008.
PROMOTION &
MARKETING:
Penn
Avenue and Community Events have made West Reading Borough the
cutting edge in “comeback towns” in Pennsylvania.
|
|
Cherry Blossom Festival: (April) A new event in 2007 will celebrate the Pagoda 100
Year Anniversary in 2008. |
|
|
Art on the Avenue: (June) Penn Avenue’s premier event brings CBD merchants the best ‘cash
register’ day of the year. Artists and craftsmen from
throughout the eastern half of PA exhibit. The event is a
springboard for local musical and acting talent. |
|
|
Community Outreach Day: (July) Annual event brings dozens of non-profit agencies to
West Reading to promote their organizations and further
their goals and objectives. |
|
|
Sidewalk Sale:
(August) This annual event helps to add punch to bottom
lines in an otherwise quiet retail period. |
|
|
Fall Festival:
(September) Includes an Oktoberfest celebration, family
oriented activities and
an opportunity for restaurants, merchants and local talent
to shine in the beginning of the annual Christmas holiday
season. |
|
|
Taste of West Reading:
A premier fund-raising event that nets $$$ for the Promotion
& Marketing Team to continue expanding events each year. |
|
|
Holiday
Glow:
A celebration of the Christmas Season to support the most
important time of year for Penn Avenue merchants and to
highlight the religious diversity of our community. |
TOTAL ANNUAL
INVESTMENT = $75,000 TOTALING $675,000 IN 9 YEARS.
ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT:
Arguably the component that brings the most significant and long
lasting change to the CBD and the Borough, retaining existing
businesses and helping them to grow, recruiting new businesses
to the Borough, creating financial packages that assist new
businesses, administering housing programs to improve the
quality of residences and tenancy and more.
|
|
Vacancy Rate:
From 18% in 1999 to less than 2.5% in 2007. |
|
|
Operating Businesses: From 124 in 1999 to 153 in 2007 a 25+% increase. |
|
|
Property Values: Sliding Borough-wide over 7% from 1996-2000, turned around to an 8%
increase over 1996 values from 2000-2007. That’s a 15%
increase in value. |
|
|
Business Privilege Tax Receipts: Stabilized and improving. Business tax receipts offset
rising Borough expenses and keep property taxes for
residents stable. |
|
|
Awards:
Berks Conservancy “Community Excellence”, National Trust
“Main Street Achiever”, MSNBC “Up & Coming Communities”,
Forbes “Top 10 Residential”. |
|
|
Poster Community: Governor Rendell’s “Community Improvement” recognition. Considered a
leading Main Street and now Elm Street Community by DCED. |
TOTAL VALUE:
PRICELESS!
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE
It has been a
great satisfaction to me as your Executive Director these past 9
years to see
this community grow and blossom into a true beacon of hope for
Berks County’s future. I want to thank all of the volunteers
and staff that have worked tirelessly to make this a reality.
Newly elected County Commissioner Kevin Barnhardt and I will
remain as
Economic Development volunteers and I will continue as a
Co-Chair of the Penn Corridor monthly events committee. Your
Main Street Program will continue to operate along with Elm
Street; both programs bringing more improvements and
prosperity. Keep focusing on the future. I’ll see you on ‘The
Avenue’.
-Sam Loth
THE WEST READING MAIN STREET FOUNDATION AND AUTHORITY MISSIONS
The
Foundation is a non-profit community development
corporation. Design projects include the Awnings,
Signs and Building Façade Grant Program, the Landscaping
of the Penn Avenue Gateway, the Penn Avenue Banner
Project, the Heritage Bike Trail and the Christmas
Season Lighted Wreaths. Promotion & Marketing
projects include your Sunday Farmers’ Market, Art on
the Avenue, Community Outreach Day, the Annual
Sidewalk Sale, the Fall Festival on the Avenue and
the Holiday Glow Celebration. The Foundation will
oversee development of the new Penn Corridor activities
beginning in April 2008.
The
Authority is a Pennsylvania State Municipal agency that
focuses on economic development.
The Elm Street Neighborhood Revitalization Program, the
Community Maintenance Equipment Program and the
Economic Development Team and the BID Special Services
District initiatives are projects of the Authority.
Funding for
Foundation and Authority projects is generated by grant writing,
contributions, sponsorships and partnerships with organizations,
institutions and businesses. The Borough of West Reading
provides operations funding for the program and staff.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
For more
information on any of the projects mentioned here, to volunteer,
or to just get involved in our Teams and our Boards, call
610.685.8854 and by all means visit the West Reading Main
Street website at
www.westreadingmainstreet.org! To receive West Reading
Main Street’s monthly eUpdate at a new or different location
contact us by phone or email at
info@westreadingmainstreet.org. We’ll happily add your
address to our database of proactive citizens. We the staff,
along with the volunteer Teams and the Boards of Main Street and
now Elm Street, all thank you for your support. Thank you.
-END-
eUPDATE ARCHIVES
If you would
like to receive West Reading Main Street's monthly eUpdate by
email please send an email to
info@westreadingmainstreet.org or call
610.685.8854.
|
