One MarketWay West Undergoing Major Revamp, Adding Eatery, Apartments

A largely underused building in the heart of York City will once again be a bustle of activity as its massive renovation project gets underway.

The massive One MarketWay West will be home to a restaurant, a flagship bank branch, apartments, an underground parking garage and more, said the father and daughter team who owns the building that was once Bear’s Department Store.

The owners and a redevelopment official say the amenities will not only attract people to the city for a bite to eat but also bring more residents to its downtown core.

“There will be people living here. There will be people coming back to the city,” said Patricia Will, a partner with One West, the company that owns the building.

Read more:

http://www.yorkdispatch.com/breaking/ci_28250253/one-marketway-west-undergoing-major-revamp-adding-eatery

10 Reasons To Visit Downtown York This Summer

If you love bacon, beer and the beach, then a trip to York City might be worth your while this summer.

Downtown York might not be the island vacation you’ve been dreaming about, but you will be able to feel the sand between your toes during at least one York event this summer.

We spoke with Downtown Inc. marketing director Meagan Feeser and some downtown businesses about some of the events, attractions and activities coming to the city in the next few months.

See all ten reasons by clicking here:

http://www.flipsidepa.com/region-yorkhanover/ci_28145589/10-reasons-visit-downtown-york-this-summer?source=most_viewed

Royal Square Development Scores More Stores For Downtown York City

It isn’t supposed to be official yet, but a map of the Royal Square district in downtown York includes four new businesses expected to open later this year.

The map of the district was being distributed Sunday at district businesses during the annual Olde York Street Fair.

Dylan Bauer, the vice president of real estate development for the company, said the maps were not supposed to be released yet, but that he would soon be able to comment on the new businesses.

Read more:

http://www.ydr.com/local/ci_28089775/royal-square-development-scores-more-stores-downtown-york

Olde York Street Fair Packs Downtown York City

Benefitting non-profits and showcasing local artists was the fair’s original goal 40 years ago and remains so today.

The 40th Olde York Street Fair sprawled over several blocks Sunday afternoon, stretching between Pine and Pershing streets east and west and King and Philadelphia streets north and south.

Pop-up stands lined the streets and they clustered around Continental Square.

Some vendors sold the typical wares: food, clothes and jewelry. But others sold unique crafts and represented local businesses

Read more: http://www.ydr.com/local/ci_28089011/olde-york-street-fair-packs-downtown-york-city

Vote Clears The Way For Food Trucks In York City

Free-market ideology narrowly overpowered fears of the unknown Tuesday with the York City Council’s 3-2 vote to legalize and regulate food trucks on city streets.

The decision marks the end of a long and sometimes divisive debate over the financial impact roving restaurants could have on traditional brick-and-mortar establishments.

Where some saw food trucks as a potential boon for a growing downtown business landscape, others saw a potentially diluted customer base wreaking havoc on profit margins.

In the end, mobile food proponents got what they’d asked for and more.

Read more: http://www.yorkdispatch.com/ci_27869256/vote-clears-way-food-trucks-york-city

York RDA Looking To Buy Cupids, Other North George Street Building

York’s Redevelopment Authority board on Wednesday gave its staff the go-ahead to negotiate a purchase of the two buildings at 244-250 N. George St., including the Cupid’s Adult Boutique building, which was partially damaged in a November fire.

The RDA wants to buy the two properties from their owner and find a developer who would redevelop them, said Shilvosky Buffaloe, York’s deputy director of economic development.

Read more: http://www.ydr.com/business/ci_27742943/rda-looking-buy-two-buildings-at-244-250

Irish Music, Dancing, Oysters Highlight York St. Patrick’s Day Parade

The oversized oyster that rang in 2015 for West York is making a re-appearance at the York St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

York Fish & Oyster Co.’s first-ever entry is designed as an oyster bar, and leprechauns will shuck raw oysters on the float, said Jenn Emig, who co-owns the West York business with her husband, Steve.

After the parade, the company will head to Waterway Bar & Grill and sell about five different oyster dishes — complete with green horseradish, she said.

“St. Patrick’s Day is the day to have fun,” Emig said.

Read more:

http://www.yorkdispatch.com/breaking/ci_27705319/irish-music-dancing-oysters-highlight-york-st-patricks

CEO Of Royal Square Development Shares Market Street Vision For York

For Joshua Hankey, Wednesday was about as big a day as they come.

Only minutes after closing a deal on one key property — The Weinbrom Jewelers building at 58 W. Market St. — Hankey presented his $11.7 million plan to redevelop Market Street to a packed audience at the Yorktowne Hotel Ballroom.

The 36-year-old president and CEO of Royal Square Development and Construction presented his vision of a transformed Market Street to about 180 Rotarians and guests, a crowd that included business owners, clergy, attorneys, doctors and other prominent citizens.

The vision, Hankey said, is to breathe new life into the Market Street corridor, so that it serves to link thriving commercial areas on Beaver Street and the Royal Square neighborhood Hankey’s company is redeveloping.

Read more: http://www.ydr.com/business/ci_27461444/ceo-royal-square-development-shares-market-street-vision

Downtown Inc Using “Destination Branding” To Market York Neighborhoods

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

If you name it, they will come.

Sonia Huntzinger, executive director of Downtown Inc, said that’s the theory behind York’s recent push to brand pockets of its 26-block downtown business district, creating a patchwork of neighborhoods that will each offer something different to regional visitors.

In the last two years, the nonprofit, which promotes revitalization of the city, has partnered with grassroots groups to demarcate several sections, including Royal Square, the Market District, Beaver Street and the latest, Weco.

The growth in destination branding, as the strategy is called, has coincided with Downtown Inc’s “Who Knew” campaign, a YouTube ad effort that highlights shopping and eatery options with the goal of bringing more foot traffic into local businesses.

Read more: http://www.ydr.com/local/ci_26617958/downtown-inc-using-destination-branding-market-city-neighborhoods

Downtown York Boutique Owners Look To Offer A Unique Shopping Experience

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

When Alex Chiaruttini was looking for the perfect little black dress to take with her on an overseas trip, she found it at Indigo Bleu, a recently opened boutique on York’s West Philadelphia Street.

The 43-year-old environmental attorney and Springettsbury Township resident said she doesn’t shop at malls and prefers shopping at downtown York boutiques because their owners know Chiaruttini’s style and what she might like.

“It’s more fun than shopping online,” Chiaruttini said Wednesday evening while shopping with a friend at Elizabeth & West Fashion House, another downtown York boutique.

Wednesday was the second day of York’s annual Boutique Week. Downtown Inc. and a committee of downtown merchants launched the event in 2012 to give shopkeepers a chance to show off their merchandise and attract new customers. The week includes a fashion show Friday evening at Central Market. Boutique owners like Zarah Brooks, owner of Indigo Bleu, say they offer their customers a more personal experience and different merchandise than can be found at a mall.

Read more: http://www.ydr.com/yorkcity/ci_26462981/downtown-boutique-owners-look-offer-unique-shopping-experience

Downtown First Awards – York PA

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

Editor’s note:  We like how they roll in York.  Their Downtown Inc. organization has been doing some awesome things and downtown York is becoming a destination again.   Color us impressed.

The Downtown First Awards recognize businesses, organizations, and individuals who put downtown York first through their commitments of time, advocacy and resources.

See the list of  nominees: http://downtownyorkpa.com/downtownfirstawards/

New Boutique Launches On West Philadelphia Street In Downtown York

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

Editor’s note:  We like this story because of the entrepreneurial spirit demonstrated by the owner and the fact that downtown York is pulling itself up by the bootstraps, one new business at a time.

The summer after earning a college degree, most newly minted grads spend their time getting ready to head off to graduate school or hunting for a job.

Not Zarah Brooks.

Two months after graduating from York College in May with a public relations degree, the 23-year-old Manchester Township resident opened her own business – a women’s clothing boutique in downtown York.

With its wood floors, loose-fitting, bohemian clothes and industrial feel — the dresses and tops hang from metal pipes affixed to the walls — Indigo Bleu could be just at home in New York’s Soho district as it is on York’s increasingly hip West Philadelphia Street.

Read more: http://www.ydr.com/business/ci_26189406/new-boutique-launches-west-philadelphia-street

York City’s West End Gets New Name

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

There’s a new brand in town.

York City’s west end has been given the nickname “Weco,” which is short for “west of the Codorus.”

Weco includes the four-block area bordered by the Codorus, Penn Street, and West Market and West Philadelphia streets.

It’s the latest marketing effort from Downtown Inc, a York-based nonprofit tasked with supporting downtown businesses.

Read more: http://www.yorkdispatch.com/breaking/ci_26146271/york-citys-west-end-gets-new-name

York Lawmaker: CRIZ Decision A ‘Setback’

Map of York County, Pennsylvania, United States with township and municipal boundaries (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The chance that York City will get a shot at a City Revitalization Improvement Zone designation this year just got much slimmer.

During the debate over the state’s 2014-15 spending plan, lawmakers nixed a proposal that would have opened the next round of CRIZ applications to more cities earlier than originally planned.

The version of the fiscal code approved by the state Senate included three new CRIZ designations in 2014 and two more in 2015, said state Rep. Kevin Schreiber, D-York City.

But, Schreiber said, Republican members of the House Rules Committee voted to remove “anything having to do with CRIZ” from its version of the fiscal code, a companion bill to the state’s annual budget.

Read more: http://www.yorkdispatch.com/breaking/ci_26094527/york-lawmaker-criz-decision-setback

Apartments Coming To York City’s Square Under Revitalization Project

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

Dozens of market-rate apartments are heading for downtown York as part of a multimillion dollar overhaul of a prominent historic building that developers say has been under-utilized for years.

Developer David Yohn is planning the renovation 1 Marketway West, which would include building an underground parking garage for residents, York County Commissioners said Wednesday.

The county owns the building, but Yohn Property Management has a $1.3 million purchase contract. Commissioners on Wednesday approved an agreement in which the county moves from first lien position to second lien position, which means the county would be second to get its money if Yohn defaults on a $4 million loan from Fulton Bank, said county solicitor Mike Flannelly.

Read more: http://www.yorkdispatch.com/breaking/ci_25896098/apartments-coming-york-citys-square-under-revitatlization-project?source=most_viewed

Fresh Start Planned For Blighted York City Building

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

A York City businessman plans to gut a blighted downtown building to make room for a future restaurant.

Elliott Weinstein, president and CEO of Weinstein Realty Advisors, will soon be the owner of 45 W. Market St., the former Griffith-Smith menswear store.

York City’s Redevelopment Authority gave the $2,000 sale the green light Wednesday. Technically, the sale is not final until the paperwork is signed and money exchanged.

Weinstein said he’s hoping to take advantage of York County’s Local Economic Revitalization Tax Assistance, or LERTA, program, which is designed to incentivize economic development by stretching property taxes on improvements over 10 years.

Read more: http://www.yorkdispatch.com/breaking/ci_25811017/fresh-start-planned-blighted-york-city-building

New Partnership Between Revs, York City Gives Employees Incentive To Live Downtown

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

In Eric Menzer’s 27 years of living in York City, he said there’s never been a better time to have a downtown business.

As the York Revolution’s president and general manager, Menzer said he and the 7-year-old baseball team aren’t going anywhere.

And he wants the same for his employees.

That’s why the team partnered with the city to offer its employees incentives for buying homes downtown.

Read more: http://www.yorkdispatch.com/breaking/ci_25775906/new-partnership-between-revs-york-city-gives-employees

Urban Strategist To York County Community Foundation: Stakes High For City

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

Blame the millennials.

Those gadget-wielding young people born in the 1980s and 1990s are the reason America’s real-estate market seems, well, a bit confused.

After decades of suburban sprawl designed to accommodate the nation’s love affair with its cars, millennials and “the creative class” want something else — a walkable place to live, said Christopher Leinberger, an urban strategist and researcher who visited York this week.

That demand for urban life — where people can live, work and play within a relatively small geographic area — is both driving and slowing the economic recovery these days, Leinberger said.

Read more: http://www.yorkdispatch.com/news/ci_25776014/design-future

Downtown York Benefits From Tourism Spike During Gettysburg 150 Events

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

York, PA – When a wave of tourists descended during the recent 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, it sent a ripple effect through nearby economies.  Some of those visitors’ dollars ended up in downtown York.

People escaping overcrowded restaurants and shops at the event epicenter gave a boost to York businesses during what is typically a quiet holiday week, said David Albright, chef and owner of The Left Bank Restaurant and Bar at North George Street.

“The numbers have definitely been higher,” Albright said.

After fielding a high volume of advance bookings, the Yorktowne Hotel called in additional staff for Thursday, Friday and Saturday of the July 4th week.

Read more:  http://www.ydr.com/local/ci_23649056/downtown-york-benefits-from-tourism-spike-during-gettysburg

Penn Cinema Partner Plans York Theater

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

Cinema entrepreneur Penn Ketchum is heeding the advice of 19th century American newspaper editor Horace Greeley.

“Go west, young man.”

Ketchum, managing partner of Penn Cinema, intends to develop a small, luxury two-screen movie theater in York city.

But he said Friday that he has no intention of going south into Lancaster city and doing the same kind of project there.

Ketchum’s $750,000 venture in York was disclosed Thursday by York Mayor Kim Bracey in her State of the City address.

Read more: http://lancasteronline.com/article/local/848107_Penn-Cinema-partner-plans-York-theater.html#ixzz2T2FcRToY