A city demolition is making way for a new and revitalized space, however, commuters may have to take alternate routes for the time being as some parts of downtown Reading has been blocked off as a safety precaution whilst construction continues on.
City demolition project – what can we expect?
The downtown area of Reading has been undergoing some demolition work in order to refresh the area and as of this week, a portion of Penn street will be closed off for safety reasons whilst the demolition work is in progress.
Jack Gombach, managing director for the City of Reading has shared that, “The focus of the work is dealing with some aging HVAC, heating, air conditioner units that we feel would threaten the integrity of the building long term. So, we are proactively removing that before it becomes a problem in the future.”
At present, Penn street between 4th and 5th street is decorated with barriers, machinery and a construction crew. However, locals need not fear that any sort of historic building is being torn down. Instead, officials have shared that this demolition project is aimed at preserving what is already here, rather than tearing it down.
As such, drivers will no longer have access to the westbound lane of Penn street regardless of time of day for the duration of the demolition. If a driver is headed west, they will have to make a slight detour on to 5th street, followed by Washington street, then head back to 4th street and finally, end up back on Penn street after which they may continue on their route as usual.
“To ensure safety, everybody’s safety, we did close that section of the street as well as the sidewalks. So, we would encourage all residents to please follow the detour routes for the next about two weeks,” Gombach also mentioned.
According to officials, this demolition project is just one step of a bigger plan. This demolition is just phase one of the Penn Square Redevelopment Project. This redevelopment project aims to rejuvenate the downtown Reading area with the addition of new housing, storefronts, and more pedestrian-friendly spaces.
According to Gombach, “The mayor is very excited about the future of Penn Street. He has a very bold vision that really leverages the train and just all the excitement around our downtown.”
“These are historic buildings. The City of Reading is blessed to have a, you know, truly historic architecture that just sort of brings all different cultures together, and the administration is committed to preserve as much of that as possible,” Gombach also shared.
Working towards its betterment and breathing fresh life into Reading’s downtown core area has been point of focus for years now. The Penn Square Redevelopment Project is the next step in creating a bustling and robust city center. The city has already begun introducing new businesses and worked towards the expansion of the Alvernia University, thereby furthering the city’s endeavors.
City officials have also shared that if all goes according to plan, this demolition phase of the redevelopment project should be wrapped up as soon as March 14.
Project budget
An $850,000 budget was announced for this project by Sen. Judy Schwank and Rep. Manuel Guzman Jr. last month as part of a larger effort to restore historic properties in the downtown area.
“This project is at the very center of our city and plays right into the ongoing redevelopment of downtown Reading,” Schwank shared. “I believe we all want to see Penn Street thrive and become a driver of new economic opportunity for Reading and Berks County. We need to do whatever we can to support bold, forward-thinking projects like this one to make that happen, and that is what we’ve done today by securing this award.”