Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
A chance to strut their stuff
West Chester selected to host Downtown Center conference
WEST CHESTER » Come next June the borough is going to get a chance to show off what made it one of three national winners of the 2017 Great American Main Street Award.
During a Friday press conference at the Chester County Historical Society, it was announced that the business district was chosen to host about 250 visitors to the Pennsylvania Downtown Center’s annual three day statewide conference. The conference will be held June 3-6, 2018.
Business Improvement District President Malcolm Johnstone said the event will take place, in part, at the historical society and the Uptown! Knauer Performing Arts Theater.
The conference’s theme relates to factors including innovation, technology, diversity in all its forms and constantly evolving lifestyle preferences – how we shop,
how we play, how we engage in our communities and how we interact as a society, according to a press release issued by the Downtown Center.
Attendees will have a chance to participate in mobile workshops, educational sessions and meetings on a variety of topics.
Pennsylvania communities will be recognized at the annual Townie Awards Gala, a festive conference tradition, on June 5.
U.S. Rep. Ryan Costello, R-6, keeps an office in the borough. He told about 30 stakeholders at the press conference that West Chester’s downtown “gets it right.”
Don Vymazal represented Sen. Andy Dinniman, D-19. Vymazal said West Chester was chosen to host the event through a competitive process and thanked those who had worked hard to bring the event to Chester County.
State Rep and former Mayor Carolyn Comitta, D-156, said that through the tireless work of many, the borough had become, “a more than perfect West Chester, over many years.”
Mayor Jordan Norley said that improvements to the borough didn’t just happen overnight.
“We stand on the shoulders of a lot of people before us,” Norley said.
Holly Brown, president of the West Chester Business Improvement District stressed that volunteerism makes a big difference.
Larry Newman, chair of Pennsylvania Downtown Center, said the organization’s goal is to help towns become better places to live, work, shop and play.
Mark Yoder, president and CEO of the Greater West Chester Chamber of Commerce, is thrilled to welcome the guests.
“We could not be more excited from a chamber standpoint,” Yoder said.
The event was moved inside when a lift working on the Uptown! Knauer Center created excess noise and fumes.
While Comitta was speaking to the audience, the lift became fully engulfed, with flames producing acrid smoke.
The state rep was the only person at the event facing High Street and glass doors. Startled, she notified the attendees and out came the cameras.
“Whoever is wearing a (sport) coat is going to have to go to the dry cleaners,” quipped Norley.
Comitta noted the quick response of the all-volunteer fire department.