Collegeville Revitalization Survey Results Revealed

On Tuesday, January 25, area residents and business people braved the cold weather to hear Joe Getz of JGSC Group, LLC present the findings of the recently completed revitalization survey.  The results were overwhelmingly definitive; people want revitalization!

1,961 people completed the survey; 1,391 being residents and 570 being Ursinus students, far greater numbers than the target completion numbers of 600 and 300 respectively.  The majority of respondents came from the 19426 zip code - 68% or one in four households, according to Joe Getz.  Ninety-Five percent of those who took the survey said that revitalization was necessary and that doing nothing was not an option. 

The survey polled students, shoppers and those who do not shop in the downtown area (non-shoppers).  Across the board, all three groups indicated the need to redevelop Main Street, recruit new stores and dining venues and to work to retain the existing retail venues that are located in downtown Collegeville.  The survey also indicated that people believe that it is important to improve the streetscape and increase pedestrian safety.

Parking, which seems to come up in nearly every conversation concerning revitalization, seems to be less of a problem for those who live in the area and for students; however, visitors to the area indicated that it was often difficult to locate parking, indicating the need for directional signage.  A parking study conducted in 2010 by the CEDC produced the same results.

One area of concern noted by Getz was the number of people who indicated that they are visiting downtown Collegeville less in the last two years. 

Surprising to all was the amount of discretionary money students have to spend.  According to survey results, students spend between $2.2 million to $5.1 million per year.  They spend $2.8 million when dining off of campus; however, only $659,000 is spent in Main Street eateries.  In essence, Main Street captures only 29 cents for every dollar spent by the students; the rest is being spent outside of the community.

The survey also polled the best and worst of Collegeville.  By far, Ursinus College was noted to be the best thing about Collegeville.  People are very proud that Collegeville is a college town and they enjoy the atmosphere.  Getz indicated that he thought he would see that it also came up being one of the worst factors, but it did not.  Instead, people pointed to the retail mix, traffic and the vacancies of the Perkiomen Bridge Hotel, the Acme space, and the Collegeville Inn.

Survey respondents were also asked to identify the kind of downtown district they would want to see in Collegeville.  People clearly stated that they are looking for a shopping district - one that provides unique shopping and food venues and a leisure/recreation district - where residents and visitors can find coffee shops, entertainment, the arts, and other retail stores related to biking, hiking, bird watching, etc.  They did not find appealing a district that attracted mostly residents to businesses such as dry cleaning, pharmacies, doctors, or dentists or an office/service district predominantly made up of insurance sales, real estate companies, or other professional services.

Though not a secret, the survey indicated that there is inadequate lodging in Collegeville, and folks noted that they would like affordable lodging nearby to the College, with perhaps a shuttle service that would take them too and fro. 

Also not surprising due to a previously conducted survey by the CEDC, 90% of the market assessment survey respondents indicated that they would patronize a farmers market, with the most popular day of attendance being Saturday.  This fit nicely with the plans of the farmer's market committee because they had recently decided upon holding the market on Saturdays from 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM.

The popular choices for types of stores most desired were books, clothing, gifts, candy, groceries, sporting goods, discount department stores and movies.  People indicated that they would patronize just about any kind of restaurant ranging from Irish pub type food to Thai, though seafood, steakhouses, and Italian were slightly higher in rank in addition to an ice cream shop.  Those surveyed pointed out that they would visit more for art galleries/studios, yoga and pilates, bike and hiking supply stores, pet related stores and even ski shops.

Students indicated that they attend events on Ursinus campus, whereas the numbers were lower for those considered to be shoppers and non-shoppers on the downtown.  These two groups attended other events such as the Fire Company Car Show, the Collegeville Rotary Halloween Parade, and Concerts in the Park series. 

The most common way all find out about local events and happenings is through friends.  As anticipated, students communicate most frequently via social media (text messaging, Facebook), email and the internet.  They also respond to campus flyers, discounts/coupons, and Ursinus promotions.  With shoppers and non-shoppers, direct mail, the internet, and printed materials were popular means of communication.

There appear to be numerous opportunities to seize upon in an effort to revitalize downtown Collegeville.  A complete report is due to be delivered to the CEDC within the coming weeks, at which time the Board of Directors and the Economic Restructuring Committee (ERC) will decide upon the next steps.  In the meantime, conversations have already begun to discuss progress in various areas.  One item is certain, revitalization is an incremental process.  It does not happen overnight and it involves the input of many working toward the common goal.  The market assessment survey cements that revitalization is essential and it clearly indicates how different groups can work together to achieve great things.  Collegeville has many positive attributes, and with a continued concerted effort, revitalization is assured.

Perkiomen Bridge Hotel Finds New Owner

Members of the Collegeville community were introduced to the new owner of the Perkiomen Bridge Hotel at a Meet and Greet held at Ursinus College last Tuesday, January 25^th.  Approximately 35 people came out to speak with Tom Crawford, an attorney in Bucks County, with an affinity for preserving historic properties. 

Though development plans are not finalized, Mr. Crawford has every intention of restoring the historic building.  The Meet and Greet was an excellent forum for Mr. Crawford to discuss some of his initial ideas and for members of the community involved in areas such as local government, historic preservation and revitalization to share some of their hopes for the property.

The CEDC Economic Restructuring Committee (ERC) will continue to work with Mr. Crawford as his plans materialize.