Whither goest thou, Pottstown?

Is Pottstown turning around? You would certainly get that impression at the recent Progress Pottstown luncheon sponsored by PAID and the Tri-County Chamber of Commerce.

While noting the assessed value of Pottstown’s real estate is at an all-time low, Borough Manager Mark Flanders expressed confidence in the borough’s merits and its prospects for the future.

He reeled off a half-dozen initiatives that will increase the appearance and livability of the borough:

• The long-awaited construction of two mixed-use buildings at the South Hanover Street entrance to Pottstown will begin soon.

• Traffic lanes on South Hanover Street will be reconfigured to include bike lanes connecting High Street to the Schuylkill River Greenway and over the bridge to North Coventry. New parking and upgraded traffic signals will be included.

• The greenway itself will be extended east of Hanover Street along the Industrial Highway to the new bridge PennDOT is constructing over the Schuylkill River, which will have separated bikes lanes connecting to Chester County.

• New bike lanes will extend along High Street from Madison Street to Roland Street and north to Jackson Street, as part of a loop around the borough which will connect our elementary schools to the high school-middle school complex.

• Ten cameras have been installed in older Pottstown neighborhoods to deter crime, and more are planned.

• The new LERTA ordinance, which gives property owners a temporary tax break to improve the value of their buildings, will encourage new economic development.

Flanders pointed out that more than $5 million worth of buildings downtown have changed hands in the last two years, leading to hopes there will be major investments forthcoming.

Seeing is believing

But for most people, seeing is believing, and better perceptions of Pottstown will depend on physical improvements to buildings and streetscapes.

The best thing Pottstown has going for it is its historic network of interconnected streets that mix homes, offices and stores. Because everything can be reached by walking, bicycling, and short car and bus trips, Pottstown is healthier and more environmentally friendly than the surrounding suburbs and semi-rural areas.

Pottstown’s future depends on cultivating these unique qualities. Many plans have been created to do that, which we will discuss Thursday.

TWO HUNDRED PEOPLE attended a recent luncheon at Sunnybrook Ballroom to discuss Pottstown’s future. The event was sponsored by the TriCounty Chamber of Commerce and PAID.