County balances growth, history
Landscapes3 master plan looks to the future, preserves past
WEST CHESTER» Malcolm Johnstone has lived in other areas of the country that are often associated with open space such as Oregon. But Johnstone, who is now the executive director of the West Chester Business Improvement District, said he has been extremely impressed by how progressive Chester County has been when it comes to preservation efforts.
And Johnstone, a West Chester resident, understands that growth and preservation efforts work hand in hand.
“From an economic development standpoint, a healthy economic community is able to preserve the historic inventory that it has,” he said. “When market values are high enough to support a historic structure, basic maintenance as well as improvements can be made to maintain historic structures.”
County officials also value the concept of balancing growth with preservation as they plan for the future with the development of the county’s next comprehensive plan, Landscapes3. The Chester County Commissioners launched the Landscapes3 public survey in mid-May in an effort to gather residents’ input. Managed growth and preservation are two of the topics at the forefront of the public survey, and 3,800 people have filled out the survey to date.
Shortly after he moved to Chester County in 2001, Johnstone said county officials created a policy to invest in older commercial districts but also preserve open
space.
“My hat’s off to the leadership of Chester County for the recognition that when you have a healthy town center you are able to improve the quality of life in the borough and at the same time save open space,” he said.
The West Chester Business Improvement District is one of the many areas in the county that exemplifies the balance of downtown revitalization and preservation, and it was recognized for those efforts with a Great American Main Street Award from the National Main Street Center Inc., a subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, this year.
“I think our towns in Chester County are really hidden gems,” said Eli Kahn, the president of EKahn Development Corp., which specializes in commercial development in the western Philadelphia suburbs. “They’ve got walkability, a wide variety of housing values to meet a wide variety of demographics, and retail districts. I think empty nesters and millennials are craving authenticity in where they are living.”
Kahn, a West Chester resident, has done work in the boroughs of West Chester, Malvern and Downingtown, along with projects in nearby Delaware and Bucks counties.
“I like working in these boroughs very much,” he said. “They are authentic. You’re not trying to create a town in the middle of nowhere on an old industrial property or green field.”
Kahn, a self-described “history buff” who appreciates architecture, said he struggles with balancing growth and preservation. At the same time, he believes every town has to balance economic development and vibrant downtown revitalization with historic preservation efforts.
He said “small towns are not museums,” and boroughs like West Chester are growing and changing environments that need to adapt when more people want to live there. As with any place in the world, “you have to go vertical,” he said.
Kahn said he believes it’s important to save historic buildings that have meaning and adaptability, but it’s also impractical to think every old building has value.
When it comes to future growth on a countywide scale, there are currently about half a million residents in the county and a Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) report indicates there will be 146,000 new residents here in the next 30 years. There are about 310,000 jobs in the county, and the DVRPC estimates we will add 87,000 in the future. There are 185,000 housing units in the county now; there will be about 55,000 more in the next three decades.
“We need to start planning for these growth changes as we look toward the future,” said Chester County Commissioners’ Vice-Chair Kathi Cozzone. “We’re interested in residents’ ideas as we look at these issues and develop Landscapes3.”
Landscapes3 is an update to Landscapes2, the current comprehensive plan.
“In the broadest sense, Chester County’s current comprehensive plan, Land- scapes2, has helped guide the continuing growth of Chester County into one of the premier locations in the region and the country,” said Chester County Economic Development Council President and Chief Executive Officer Gary Smith. “It has done so in a manner that has preserved much of its special character while encouraging positive forms
of economic growth.”
Smith also said that Landscapes2 expressed the need for a county economic development strategy which led to the creation of VISTA 2025.
Managed growth is just one of the topics being addressed as part of the development of Landscapes3, a long-range plan for the
county’s future. Residents are invited to share their input on other issues, including open space and the environment, modern infrastructure, transportation, healthy lifestyles, and housing options. Join the discussion by filling out the survey here: www.chesco.org/Landscapes3Survey This is the second article from a series about the county’s future that will be featured in June. The Landscapes3 public survey will be available until the end of June. Danielle Lynch, a former award-winning journalist for Digital First Media, is a communications specialist for the Chester County Planning Commission.