‘Sociable City’ Plan Rolled Out To Coordinate Pittsburgh’s Nightlife

A map of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with its neighborhoods labeled. For use primarily in the list of Pittsburgh neighborhoods. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Responsible hospitality. The night-time economy. A “sociable city” plan.

They’re buzzwords for a basic concept.

Nightlife, and the neighborhoods in which it happens, are resources that need to be planned and managed, from transportation and parking to permitting and policing. And that involves comprehensive coordination between community business owners, an array of city agencies and institutions like universities.

“Like our transit planning, like how we manage special events, these economies will benefit from planning and management,” said Maya Henry, the city’s new night-time economy manager, a $65,249-a-year position created by Mayor Bill Peduto to coordinate those efforts. “My job is to bring the lens of the night-time economy to all of those places that already exist in city planning.”

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2014/10/27/Sociable-City-plan-rolled-out-to-coordinate-Pittsburgh-s-nightlife/stories/201410240211

Dan DeLuca: Forbes Under 30 Fest A Big Sign Philly Is World-Class Cool

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

Way back in the 1990s, I started going to the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas.

Every March, I’d go back to find not only that the festival had gotten bigger and bigger – too big, it became clear this year, when four people were killed by a runaway drunken driver – but also that the city was mushrooming along with it.

In Austin, the livability factor is high – warm temperatures, live music, BBQ – and the stream of transplants so steady it doesn’t take long for new residents to start moaning about how everything was better before people who arrived after them came to town.

Which brings me to the latest indicator that everybody has figured out Philadelphia is a cool place to live. It’s the modeled-after-SXSW Forbes Under 30 Summit, the money magazine’s inaugural gathering of boldface billionaires and tech titans (and upstart entrepreneurs who wish to emulate them) that will take place in its planned-to-be permanent home from today until Wednesday.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/20141019_Dan_DeLuca__Forbes_Under_30_fest_a_big_sign_Philly_is_world-class_cool.html#L2smIJJ3RURuueoT.99

The 10 Most Exciting Small Cities In America

Editor’s note:  Lancaster is number 4!  We agree!

Not everyone can live in Oakland, CA. But after the Movoto Real Estate Blog named it the Most Exciting City in America earlier this year, it seemed like everyone in the Bay Area was thinking about giving it a shot. For some people, though, big cities just aren’t their thing. They enjoy the lifestyle that comes with living in a smaller city–but that doesn’t mean they don’t like to have fun.

With that in mind, and given the fact that we’ve been looking more at small cities and suburbs lately, we decided it was time to look at excitement on a smaller scale. We set out to apply our mathematical methods to ranking the Most Exciting Small Cities in America–places that might be scaled down in size, but where people can still do some really big things.

What did we find? We’re sure the passionate citizens of New Jersey will be happy to learn that their very own Hoboken, NJ took the (flashing, noise-making, spinning) crown of excitement after our results had been tallied.

The birthplace of baseball–a sport whose degree of excitement varies depending on who you talk to–headed up a diverse top 10 of miniature metros.

Read more: http://www.movoto.com/blog/top-ten/most-exciting-small-cities/#ixzz30R5pVbwz

5 Great Cities For Gen Y’ers

A map of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with its neighborhoods labeled. For use primarily in the list of Pittsburgh neighborhoods. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Editor’s note:  Pittsburgh made the short list!

BOSTON (MainStreet) — With mobile phones, mobile computing, Foursquare and GPS, “Generation Y” seems like it’s always on the move — but where should its 20- and 30-something members be moving to?

Move Inc.(MOVE) , parent company of Realtor.com and other relocation-oriented Web sites, recently assessed dozens of U.S. cities for everything from nightlife to average apartment rents to find five great places for Gen Y’ers to live. Also called millennials because they’ve come of age since the year 2000, Gen Y’ers are young adults in their 20s and early to mid-30s.

“We’re finding that millennials look at buying homes differently than baby boomers do,” Move’s Julie Reynolds says. “Where baby boomers look at homes more as investments, millennials see housing as more of a lifestyle option. More millennials are living closer to where they work, closer to the central part of towns and focus on cultural activities and other things to do other than just work.”

So Move assessed cities for such things as parks, museums, professional sports teams and other recreational offerings.

Read more: http://business-news.thestreet.com/the-mercury/story/5-great-cities-for-gen-yers/11615700

The Pottstown Arts & Cultural Alliance

I recently learned of this organization and feel it is important to spread the word that this organization exists and what exactly they are doing to help Pottstown! 

So what exactly is the Pottstown Arts & Cultural Alliance? 

According to their website it is:

The Pottstown Arts & Cultural Alliance is a result of the collective vision of its founding members: The Gallery School of Pottstown @ Gallery on High, Pottstown Symphony Orchestra, and Village Productions/Tri-County Performing Arts Center.

Our Mission

The mission of the Pottstown Arts & Cultural Alliance is to bring together the arts and cultural organizations of Pottstown for the purpose of articulating and promoting a unified vision.

Our Vision

A cultural district in downtown Pottstown that will increase cultural tourism and awareness of the social and educational importance of the arts.

The arts, cultural activities and tourism are a means of revitalization and economic development for places like Pottstown.  Having a riverfront is a key part.  The Schuylkill River is Pottstown’s southern boundary and flows a few short blocks from High Street. 

An added benefit would be the Montgomery County Community College West Campus and the Hill School.  These two educational resources bring many people into Pottstown who would have an interest in arts, culture, tourism and entertainment (restaurants and nightlife).  The West Campus is strategically located across College Drive from the river.  Their annex building is on High Street, so the college ties the riverfront to downtown Pottstown.  The Hill School already has an excellent arts and culture program along with their own performing arts center and is located at 717 High Street.

The Urban Land Institute report advised Pottstown’s leadership that in order to revitalize this community, a strategy of arts, culture and entertainment should be embraced.  To that end, the Pottstown Arts & Cultural Alliance was formed in 2009 to act as an umbrella organization for transforming Pottstown into an arts and entertainment destination.

For more information you can check out their website at:  http://www.pottstownarts.org/alliance

York’s Central Market To Hire Chief Operations Office

Image via Wikipedia

This is a huge step in the right direction for York!  The Central Market will hire a Chief Operations Officer who will be responsible for bringing in new high-quality vendors and more shoppers. 

A new brewpub (Mudhood Brewing Company) is under construction and could open in April!  That will create more nightlife and help attract college students downtown!

Check it at out: http://www.ydr.com/local/ci_17438652?source=rss_viewed

Pottstown Brick House Halloween And Thanksgiving Events

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Dave has some great events planned for the upcoming fall holidays!

Saturday, October 30th is the Cops and Robbers Costume Party.  DJ Brother Mike is providing the music.  There will be contests, prizes, giveaways and drink specials.  So dress up as a cop or robber and get down to the Brick House this Saturday night!

Pumpkin drinks, creepy cocktails and Sam Adams seasonal New Castle Brown Ale are on the drink menu!

New entrée specials are:

Tuesday – Chicken Cordon Bleu or Chicken Florentine $12.99

Wednesday – New York Strip Steak $14.99

Thursday – Brick House Shepherds Pie $10.99

Thanksgiving Day, November 25th, at the Brick House includes a “Family Style” holiday meal special.  Reservations are now being accepted  The full menu is also available all day! 

The Brick House is located at the corner of High and Hanover Streets in downtown Pottstown.  Good food, good friends, good times!

Tell ’em Roy’s Rants sent you!

http://www.pottstownbrickhouse.com