IN OUR CITY: EASTON
- Easton acquires Simon Silk Mill property for
Bushkill Creek Corridor Revitalization project
- County’s historical society plans museum,
resource center in former Sigal’s Bridal Gallery
- Expanded Local Historic District protects
downtown architectural heritage
- Monthly “Golden Broom” awards
recognize businesses contributing
to cleanliness, beautification
- Boys and Girls Club opens
new teen center in West Ward
- Arts Community of Easton, key economic engine, opens new headquarters
- Brewpub will open in the
renovated Pomeroy’s
- City receives $20 million federal grant
to revitalize Delaware Terrace
neighborhood in South Easton
Easton is earning national recognition for its downtown residential development plans. The city is among five recipients of the 2007 Entrepreneurial American Community Award from Partners for Livable Communities.
The award, presented at the organization’s annual Celebration of Vision and Community Spirit
Jan. 11 in Washington, D.C., recognizes communities for their devotion to increasing residents’
quality of life and for innovation and success in providing unique solutions to local problems.
Honored along with Easton were San Diego, Atlanta, Kalamazoo, Mich., and Hillsborough County, Fla.
The award praises Easton’s use of public/private partnerships in its economic revitalization plans, which include high-end residential development, and celebrates the city’s commitment, vision, entrepreneurial spirit, and capability for building civic capacity.
“Easton has a great deal of potential,” says Robert H. McNulty, president and chief executive officer of Partners for Livable Communities. “We look forward to it having a vibrant downtown and being a community where people really want to live.”
Among projects in development are The Majestic, a nine-story complex with 143 condominiums, a restaurant, and parking, on South Third St.; Riverwalk, a high-rise with 140 condominiums, commercial space, intermodal transportation hub, and parking, on Riverside Drive; and the former Pomeroy’s department store, with 30 condominiums, a restaurant, and parking, on Northampton St. Already complete is The Eastonian, the former Hotel Easton, with 30 condominiums and retail, also on Northampton St.
McNulty says Partners for Livable Communities has been following Easton’s progress since the 1980s, when it collaborated with Mayor Phil Mitman to develop a strategy to reopen the State Theatre Center for the Arts. The organization noted the initiative of Mitman and Easton City Council in entering into Pennsylvania’s Early Intervention Plan, whose consultants recommended developing high-end residential buildings as a means to boost the local tax base. The city has since partnered with numerous local organizations and businesses on revitalization efforts.
“We have been watching Easton for some time,” McNulty says, “and with the expansion of Crayola and Lafayette beginning to revitalize downtown buildings, we thought it was time to recognize the
little engine that could, so to speak.”
Lafayette has played a major role in the Bushkill Creek Corridor Revitalization project, which includes development of the College’s properties in the North Third St. campus gateway area, improvements to former industrial properties on North 13th St., and the addition of trails along the Bushkill Creek.
Based in Washington, D.C., Partners for Livable Communities, founded in 1977, works to improve
the livability of communities by promoting quality of life, economic development, and social equity through technical assistance, leadership training, workshops, research, and publications. It also publishes the widely publicized “America’s Most Livable Communities” list.
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