What’s Next for Collegeville’s Main Street?
In December, Collegeville Borough completed a Master Plan for Main Street. The plan reflects best practice planning principles and encourages the building of a small-town, walkable Main Street. It provides guidance for developers, businesses, and others who plan to renovate, build, adapt and/or reuse buildings. Our next steps are to encourage the recruitment of small businesses to Main Street and provide guidance on funding sources.
Developing a “Game Plan” for Main Street in 2025
Silverback Investment Partners LLC continues to have an interest in our Main Street. They are currently in discussions with Ursinus College to recruit businesses to possibly create a coffee house/café and a taphouse with live music which would appeal to Collegeville area families and Ursinus students. Over time they might include a bike shop, a creamery and a mercantile store selling local and PA products.
Please note that these concepts are very early days, and much work needs to be done before any can become reality. Discussions are currently taking place on the feasibility of one of these concepts.
Focus of the Borough’s Business Development Committee for 2025
The Borough’s Business Development Committee (BDC) meets on the fourth Monday of the month at 6 p.m. via Zoom. It is comprised of building and business owners, Ursinus College, and Borough representatives and residents interested in developing Main Street.
For 2025, the committee will invite commercial realtors, developers, businesses, construction finance experts, and managers of other successful small town Main Streets to the meetings to speak about adaptive reuse of the College’s older buildings, financing construction, and recruiting successful restaurants, retail, entertainment, and services to our Main Street.
To incentivize developers to renovate and businesses to open, the College is offering generous lease agreements, along with the possibility of $1 million in financing. The Borough can also make available a total of $3.5 million in Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grants.
If you have an interest in joining the BDC as a committee member, or are interested in opening a business on our Main Street, please contact Collegeville Borough at [email protected]
Update on Ursinus 900 Block Main Street Properties
During the past several years, Ursinus College has periodically offered some of its underutilized properties for sale. Two large Main Street homes formerly used as college dormitories at 942 and 944 E. Main Street were offered for sale several years ago. But the sale never went through and they were taken off the market.
Several months ago, the two properties went back on the market as single family homes. The home at 942 E. Main St. went to settlement last month for $520,000. The home at 944 E. Main is currently being offered for sale for $699,900.00. See the 944 E. Main property on zillow.com.
Created in January 2018, the Borough of Collegeville Business Development Committee oversees economic development and business recruitment in the borough. It is made up of volunteers from the borough and administered by a Borough Council member.
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