PHOENIXVILLE RISING
Putting county grants to good use, town is in the midst of an economic boom
Phoenixville, like many of Chester County’s urban centers, has experienced a boom of revitalization in recent years. New restaurants, breweries, wineries, pubs, and shops are everywhere and the downtown has even revitalized the Colonial Theatre, featured in the classic cult movie The Blob.
And not far from the shops is the multiuse Schuylkill River Trail that has been very popular among people who enjoy walking, running, and bicycling.
While the economic vitality of the town can be seen while walking along Bridge Street, there’s also been a lot of behind-the-scenes infrastructure projects that are shaping the community into a popular destination thanks to the Chester County Community Revitalization Program.
“I’ve always been fascinated that the county commissioners had the foresight to look at investment in the county through capitalization of the urban centers,” said Phoenixville Borough Manager E. Jean Krack.
This year, Chester County Commissioners Michelle Kichline, Kathi Cozzone and Terence Farrell unanimously approved $2.5 million in grants through the Community Revitalization Program, including a $402,000 grant for the Borough of Phoenixville to help upgrade its wastewater treatment plant incorporating an innovative hydrothermal carbonization process that will be the first installation in the nation.
Krack said the hydrothermal carbonization technology is primarily used in European and Asian countries where there isn’t a lot of space for large landfills.
“If we’re going to be sustainable in the United States, we have to start reducing our carbon footprint,” said Krack. “So the opportunity to get into the forefront of hydrothermal carbonization is really fascinating.”
Chester County Commissioners’ Chair Michelle Kichline said the county is looking forward to seeing Phoenxiville implement this new technology.
“This is an exciting new project and we welcome anything that will create an ecofriendly environment and bolster our ur
ban centers’ quality of life,” said Kichline, who is also co-chair of VISTA 2025, the county’s economic development strategy. “Not only do our Community Revitalization Program grants help improve the public health and safety of these communities, but they also set the stage for development and redevelopment, in line with both our county’s strategic plan, and our comprehensive plan, Landscapes3.”
Krack said the borough currently utilizes an anaerobic digestion process to manage waste, which can take up to 14 days to complete. The hydrothermal carbonization is a thermochemical conversion process that uses heat and pressure, and the process only takes about an hour to complete, according to Krack. The process converts biosolids into hydrochar, which is a biobased carbon neutral solid fuel that can replace coal in power generation and industrial applications achieving net-zero carbon emissions for those users, he said.
This project is expected to produce enough fuel to power nearly 500 homes from waste that would otherwise end up in the landfill. The borough will eventually have the mechanisms in place to not only convert solid wastes but also convert food waste into hydrochar.
This project should help reduce residents’ trash and recycling bills, according to Krack. In addition to reducing
those costs, this project also increases sustainability and creates alternative fuels.
In the past, the borough has utilized the county’s Community Revitalization Program for basic infrastructure improvements that have had “a tremendous impact,” said Krack, referring to streetscape improvements, street construction, water system improvements, curbs and sidewalks, streetlight installation, sanitary sewer interceptor replacement, and water plan improvements.
In 2018, the borough received a total of $756,677 in Community Revitalization Program grants that went toward a water main project, which is almost complete. In total, the borough has received $7.9 million in Chester County Department of Community development urban center grants (Community Development Block Grant and Community Revitalization Program) since 2003.
“All of these things aren’t obviously known but create a tremendous quality of life for the borough,” said Krack.
Phoenixville has seen a 33 percent change in its taxable assessment since 2002, because of the CRP investment ($590 million in 2002 versus $786 million in 2018).
Krack described that as a significant return on investment.
In addition to these infrastructure improvements, affordable housing projects are adding to the borough’s strength these days thanks to joint efforts by the County Commissioners, the Phoenixville Council on Affordable
Housing, developers, and the borough.
“During the development of the revised comprehensive plan, Landscapes3, there was significant discussion of various issues related to housing,” said Commissioner Cozzone. “Over the years, Chester County has supported numerous affordable housing developments, and the county will continue to work with partners in places like Phoenixville to determine appropriate housing options to serve existing and future populations.”
Led by Janice Biros and Kathryn Evans, Phoenixville’s Council on Affordable Housing has been developing ideas for affordable housing options that ensure all people who want to live in Phoenixville can stay there. The council is comprised of 25 people with various backgrounds from the private and public sectors.
Krack, who previously served as the chairman of the Council on Affordable Housing, said these affordable housing developments bring a lot to the borough.
“One of the unintended consequences of growth is that you can price the workforce out of their ability to live in an area,” he said.
SteelTown Village, a 48-unit affordable housing community located at Wheatland and Mason streets in the borough, was completed in December 2018. This community has townhomes for families, senior citizens, veterans, and people with disabilities.
This Petra Community Housing project received funding from various partners, including the Chester County Department of Community Development, Fulton Bank, Pennsylvania Housing Finance Authority, the William West Endowment Fund, Phoenixville Community Health Foundation, and the Housing Authority of Chester County, according to the project website.
Krack said SteelTown Village helps people because it is located in the borough where there are public transportation options available for residents who might not own a car.
The Hankin Group is currently working on developing a 50-unit senior affordable housing community that will be located at 115 Buchanan Place, which is the site of the former borough Public Works building. Krack said this community would help seniors who are living on a fixed income.
“We don’t want them to sell their house,” said Krack. “We are trying to create an opportunity for them to live locally.”
This project is in the planning phase, and the Hankin Group is seeking to get approval from the Phoenixville Borough Planning Commission in October or November, according to Krack.
Krack reflected on all these positive projects and initiatives coming to Phoenixville and reiterated his strong support for the county’s Community Revitalization Program.
Krack added that he thinks it’s good that the county has tried to steer development into the “urban centers, which is where it should go,” so that agricultural land and other open spaces can remain preserved. If infrastructure is in place in the urban centers, then the logical thought is that the boroughs can take on more density, he said.
Since 2002, Chester County has awarded more than $68 million in Community Revitalization Program and Community Development Block Grant program grants to the 16 urban centers (the 15 boroughs including Phoenxiville and the City of Coatesville) for infrastructure improvements, according to Pat Bokovitz, director of Chester County Department of Community Development.
“The Community Revitalization Program grants are structured to help our 16 urban centers complete infrastructure improvements through direct funds that have leveraged millions more in investment,” Commissioner Terence Farrell added. “It is an efficient and effective program that encourages our urban centers to review the needs of their communities and development plans to make the changes happen. Often these changes are less glamorous, but very important upgrades to water, stormwater, sewer systems and streetscapes, and with every completion, residents and businesses really benefit.” Danielle Lynch, an award-winning former journalist, is a communications specialist for the Chester County Planning Commission. This article is part of a series about how Chester County communities are spending funding received through the Chester County Community Revitalization Program.