Reimagining the Village of West Fairview

The Urban Land Institute today released it’s report on the Technical Assistance Panel convened on March 22-23, 2018 to study the village of West Fairview, PA for redevelopment.

At the request of the sponsors, the Cumberland Area Economic Development Corporation (CAEDC) and East Pennsboro Township, ULI Philadelphia convened a Technical Assistance Panel (TAP), where a group of volunteer member experts examined redevelopment and tourism opportunities for the historic village of West Fairview in Cumberland County, PA. The project sought to provide recommendations on the removal of blight; maximizing mixed use, commercial and tourism uses; and redevelopment with clear abatable goals. The project brought together a volunteer panel of planning, development, marketing, environmental, land use and design professionals, who, after completing an intensive two-day research and stakeholder and interview process, presented their recommendations.

Considerations around re-zoning, community building, recreational programming and county-wide marketing are themes of the recommendations. To view the full report, click here.

Since 1947, ULI Technical Assistance Panels (TAPs) have harnessed the multidisciplinary expertise of its members to help communities solve challenging land use, development, development, and redevelopment issues on behalf of government agencies and community-based nonprofits. ULI serves as the “honest broker,” bringing all stakeholders together in an environment free of politics and preconceptions. All reports and opportunities to participate in the program can be found here:

https://philadelphia.uli.org/community-outreach-initiatives/technical-assistance-panel/.

ULI Member Volunteer Panel:

• Charlene Drake, Project Manager, Langan Engineering
• Gonzalo Echeverria Halley-Harris, Principal, LRK
• Brian Engle, Vice President, RETTEW Associates, Inc.
• Nick Fox, Attorney, Saul Ewing Arnstein & Lehr LLP
• Susanne Hanson, Director of Business Development, JDavis Architects
• Joseph W. Healy, AIA LEED AP; TAP Co-Chair, Managing Principal, WRT
• Richard E. Jordan III, President and CEO, Smith Land & Improvement Corporation
• Stacey Mosley, CEO and Founder, FixList
• Karen Thompson, AICP; TAP Co-Chair, Director of Planning, Delaware River Waterfront Corporation

Study Stakeholders:

• Jonathan Bowser, Director, Cumberland Area Economic Development Corporation
• Valerie Copenhaver, Senior Director of Marketing and Tourism, Cumberland Area Economic Development Corporation
• Jeff Walters, President, Jeff Walters Appraisals
• Larry Hatter, Greater Harrisburg Board of Realtors
• Joe Calla, Owner, Grotto Restaurant
• Todd Bashore, East Pennsboro Township Chief of Police
• John K. Murphy, P.E., P.L.S., President, Alpha Consulting Engineers
• George Book, President & CEO, West Shore Chamber of Commerce
• Kirk Stoner, Director of Planning, Cumberland County
• Tim Whelan, Executive Director, Cumberland County
• Housing and Redevelopment Authority
• Kristy Magaro, East Pennsboro Township Commissioner
• Erik Owen, East Pennsboro Township Fire Chief
• Jeremy Smith, PE PLS
• Tom Crognale
• Dennis Bretz
• Bertie Stewart
• Jim Hertzler, Vice Chair, Cumberland County Commissioners
• Linda Plesic, Regional Business Development Manager, Century Engineering
• Dearan Quigley, Community Development Director, East Pennsboro Township
• Chris Knarr, Professional Planner, McNees Wallace & Nurick LLC
• George Tyson, President, East Pennsboro Township Commissioners
• John Owen, Assistant Township Manager, East Pennsboro Township
• John Kuntzelman, President, East Pennsboro Township Commissioners
• Keith Komon, Area General Manager, High Hotels Ltd.
• John Pietropaoli, Manager, East Pennsboro Township
• Maggie Wonsick, Owner, Train Yard Gym & Fitness