Owen J Robert SD Loses $2 Million A Year Under Lowered Coventry Mall Tax Assessment

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Chester County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

SOUTH COVENTRY TOWNSHIP, PA— The Owen J. Roberts School Board unanimously approved a real estate tax appeal settlement with Coventry Retail, LP, that lowers the assessed value of the Coventry Mall from $98 million in 2012 to $23.2 million in 2014.

The reassessment will equate to a loss of about $2 million a year in property tax revenues to the district.

In addition to the revenue loss, the agreement is retroactive to 2012, so the district will have to repay mall owners $1,619,799 of taxes paid in 2012, 2013 and 2014. In accordance with the agreement, $650,000 of that will be paid in cash within 60 days, according to attorney David L. Allebach Jr., who represented the board on this matter. The remaining funds will be credited to the mall against future taxes,

District officials had anticipated that cost and have reserved the full $1.6 million, according to district Chief Financial Officer Jaclin Krumrine. Therefore, the district has the $650,000 on hand to pay back the mall owner. The remaining nearly $1 million will help balance the 2014-15 budget to make up for the tax credit the mall will receive during that fiscal year.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/social-affairs/20140129/ojr-loses-2m-a-year-under-lowered-coventry-mall-tax-assessment

Cedarville United Methodist Church – Live Nativity – December 15, 2013‏

LIVE NATVITY, Sunday 15, 2013 5:30 -8:00PM., at Cedarville United Methodist Church 1092 Laurelwood Road Pottstown, PA 19465 – 610-326-4173 – www.cedarvilleumc.org

You will walk with a Sheppard Guide; following the star of Bethlehem and visit seven scenes that tell the story of Jesus’ birth.  Outside scenes so please dress accordingly.  Our gift to your family – no charge. Parking is free and the event is handicapped accessible.   Following the tour there will be refreshments, music and children’s crafts in the Family Life Center.

Directions:  Rt. 724 WEST from Coventry Mall to LEFT @ Light (Laurelwood Rd.) to Church on LEFT● Route 422 to SOUTH  Rt. 100; ● OR ● Route 23 to NORTH Rt. 100; then turn WEST at Cedarville Rd. light ½ mile to Church on right.

Coventry Mall Sold At Auction, Will Remain Open

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Chester County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NORTH COVENTRY TOWNSHIP, PA — The Coventry Mall was sold Thursday at auction for $49.5 million to U.S. Bank National Association, as Trustee, pending judicial approval of the proceeding.

An attorney for the bank was the lone bidder in the auction of the property.

The mall has remained open throughout the process and will continue normal operations, according to William Ritterling, general manager of Coventry Mall.

The auction, which lasted less than 15 minutes, attracted about 10 onlookers and was conducted outside the mall in front of the empty Sears store.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/business/20130919/coventry-mall-sold-at-auction-will-remain-open

Coventry Mall Kohl’s Security Officer Arrested For Assaulting Photographer

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Chester County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NORTH COVENTRY TOWNSHIP, PA — Police have charged a woman working as a loss prevention officer for Kohl’s at the Coventry Mall with assault of a local photographer.

Sarah Roller, 36, from Collegeville, reported she saw a man in his vehicle taking video of “police and her activity” while she was helping search for a suspect in a retail theft from Boscov’s, police said.

Roller is accused of approaching the photographer, Tom Kelly III, and attempted to take his camera “by force.”  Kelly is a former Mercury staff photographer and frequently does work as a free-lancer for The Mercury and its related websites.

“During the struggle over the camera, the victim was struck in the face,” the report said.  “He sustained an injury to his eye and is also being treated for neck and shoulder pain.”

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130909/NEWS01/130909490/coventry-mall-kohl-s-security-officer-arrested-for-assaulting-photographer#full_story

Notice Announces Auction Of Coventry Mall Property

NORTH COVENTRY TOWNSHIP — A notice posted to the doors of the Coventry Mall Monday announced a pending receiver’s sale of the mall property.

According to the notice, U.S. Bank National Association sought and received approval of the sale in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.  The property will be sold to the highest bidder at auction on Sept. 19.

The notice states that the plaintiff, U.S. Bank National Association, is owed $62,406,171.09 plus “continuing interests and costs” as of June 26.

Read more:  http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130820/NEWS01/130829973/notice-announces-auction-of-coventry-mall-property

(UPDATE) Police Chase Shoplifting Suspect Through North Coventry (video)

Map of Pennsylvania highlighting Chester County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

NORTH COVENTRY — A 19-year-old suspected of stealing from the Kohl’s in the Coventry Mall eluded police for just about 20 minutes before his capture in woods near the Route 100 overpass over River Road Thursday afternoon.

After 2:30 p.m., police were called to track down the young man who allegedly took some items from the store and ran on foot.

Originally, the suspect was described as having dark-colored pants and a white shirt, but as the pursuit evolved, witnesses said he took the shirt on and off.

The suspect, who police have not yet named, was eventually captured by several police officers from North Coventry, West Pottsgrove and Pottstown in the woods down the embankment from Route 100 on the 300 block of River Road.

Read more: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20130815/NEWS01/130819550/(update)-police-chase-shoplifting-suspect-through-north-coventry-(video)#full_story

Pottstown Area Information Regarding Hurricane Sandy

Location of Pottstown in Montgomery County (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

By 8:30 p.m. Sunday night, the storm shelter at Pottstown High School already had 20 guests.

In Pottstown, Hanover Street between Third and Fourth streets has been closed for low tree branches and power lines.  (Thanks to Tom Hylton!)

The Coventry Mall will close at 2 p.m. today.

However, as of 10:30 a.m., Wal-Mart, K-Mart and Target all planned to remain open throughout the day.

Read full story: http://www.pottsmerc.com/article/20121029/NEWS01/121029419/click-for-local-hurricane-sandy-updates&pager=full_story

Pottstown And Upper Darby Sears Stores Closing

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Sears Holding Corporation just released their store closing list and two area Sears stores are on the chopping block.  The Coventry Mall and 69th Street Sears stores are closing.  No Kmart stores will be closed in Pennsylvania and no other Sears store in Pennsylvania will close, other than Pottstown and Upper Darby.

The Sears store at Coventry Mall predates the mall.  Originally Sears was in downtown Pottstown and moved across the river into North Coventry Township as a stand alone store.  When the mall was built in 1967, Sears was connected to the mall.  The Sears store is last surviving original anchor store at Coventry Mall. 

Sears retail stores have been in decline for several decades.  Sears was the nation’s largest retailer until the 1980’s but has declined considerably since then.  In 2005 Sears merged with Kmart.  Kmart purchased Sears and Kmart Holding Corporation changed its name to Sears Holding Corporation.

Sears built and owned what is still the tallest building in the United States, the Sears Tower in Chicago.  In 1993, Sears sold their skyscraper and moved into an office park setting in Hoffman Estates, IL.

Friendly’s Files For Bankruptcy – Closes 63 Restaurants

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Another victim of a bad economy is Friendly’s.  The chain has closed 63 restaurants, including their Coventry Mall location in Pottstown.

No other locations have been listed for closure so hopefully Shoemaker Road in Pottstown is safe!

Click the link below to see a complete list of closed locations, by state:

http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=337122

Is There Life After Borders? In Pennsylvania, YES!

By now most people know Borders is going, going, gone in the very near future.  The departure of Borders from many malls has book lovers everywhere scrambling for a new place to buy books.

Books-A-Million is looking to fill that void, at least in some Pennsylvania locations.  Recently Books-A-Million opened a new store in a former Borders Express at Coventry Mall, Pottstown.  I also noticed in my last trip to Park City Center, Lancaster that Books-A-Million had opened a store there too.

Now Books-A-Million, a Birmingham, Alabama based bookseller, is trying to acquire eight more locations in Pennsylvania (there are currently five PA stores).  One site under consideration is the soon to be vacant Viewmont Mall Borders store in Dickson City.  According to the Times Tribune, the Dickson City Borders is Lackawanna County‘s only general-interest bookstore.

You can imagine that the Viewmont Mall management and Lackawanna County book lovers are waiting with bated breath to see if this deal goes through.

To check out Books-A-Million’s complete list of locations from their website, click here: http://www.booksamillion.com/storefinder?id=5114383831772

With the demise of Borders, Books-A-Million will become the nation’s second largest book retailer.

Coventry Mall Borders Express Closing!!

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For whatever reason, the Coventry Mall Borders Express store is not listed on the Pennsylvania store closing list.  However, after walking around Coventry Mall this morning, the Borders Express store has a final closing sale sign in the window.  It says this location only, which I thought was rather odd since Borders is closing hundreds of stores nationwide.

So there is your alert Pottstown area shoppers.  Borders Express at Coventry mall is closing.  I believe the sign said up to 75% off.  If you want to get some cheap books, you better head over soon!  It will not be open much longer.