The PDC Staff and Conference Committee are putting the finishing touches on the 2018 PDC Conference, slated for June 3 to 6 in West Chester, Chester County. The theme for the conference is Embracing Change: Empowering Your Organization’s Revitalization Effort.
“We are extremely excited about being in West Chester, for lots of reasons” said PDC Executive Director Bill Fontana. “First and foremost, West Chester is one of 2017’s three national Great American Main Street Award (GAMSA) winners, as determined by the National Main Street Center. West Chester was selected from among more than 1,600 eligible communities. Mr. Fontana added, “this is a great opportunity for West Chester to show off its great efforts and for revitalization professionals to see firsthand what it takes to be a great Main Street.”
PDC is also excited that the Monday, June 4th, opening plenary speaker will be National Public Radio’s David Greene. Mr. Greene will address the opening luncheon with his observations as a national reporter on how the changes sweeping the country in almost every aspect of life are being dealt with from a national perspective.
On the agenda for Wednesday’s closing luncheon is an inspiring presentation by Philip J. Merrill, CEO and Founder of Nanny Jack & Company, an African American heritage consulting business. Mr. Merrill is currently serving in his seventh year as an appraiser for Chesapeake Collectibles on Maryland Public Television (MPT), a regional PBS affiliated show, and was an Antiques Roadshow appraiser for six seasons as a Black Americana specialist. Mr. Merrill has also served on numerous heritage, preservation, and historical boards. Immediately following the closing luncheon, Mr. Merrill will lead a walking arti-factual journey through downtown West Chester, visiting a number of historically significant African American sites.
An additional highlight will be Wednesday morning’s general session presentation by the Center for Rural Pennsylvania’s Jonathon Johnson who will provide detailed insight into the changing demographics of Pennsylvania over the next 20 years.
Many of the normal conference activities will be on the schedule, including a BID managers meeting, the required Main Street-Elm Street Managers Meeting, PDC 2018 Townie Awards dinner on Tuesday evening.
And remember, don’t miss the early bird rate – PDC’s early registration ends on April 27!
Mobile Tour Highlights
At PDC's upcoming conference, Embracing Change, learning goes beyond the classroom for an immersive experience in the successes of surrounding communities.
Economic Development + Craft Beer Creates a Sense of Place in Kennett Square
This session will weave a story of how the Borough of Kennett Square grew from a sleepy town to a destination, highlighting food, craft beer and the arts. It will focus on a recently completed multi municipal economic development study for the Borough of Kennett Square and Kennett Township that led to the hiring of a full time economic development director. The tour will highlight seven areas that were given key consideration in the study.
We’ll make stops at some of the restaurants and brew pubs that have helped create that sense of place that keep people coming back to Kennett Square.
Session leaders include Historic Kennett Square Executive Director Mary Hutchins; Kennett Area Economic Development Director Nate Echeverria; and Chester County Planning Commission Urban Planner Kevin Myers.
Learn more about Chester County's brew scene via the recently launched BV Brew Scene.
Phoenixville Mobile Workshop
Visit the neighboring town of Phoenixville with Barry Cassidy, Ryan Norris and representatives of the DeMutis Group. Phoenixville is located in Chester County about 12 miles from West Chester and was a Main Street program from 1999–2010.
The tour will include the following:
A tour of the new 275 unit apartment with 20,000 square feet of retail on the first floor which is infill construction on the main street.
A tour of the convention facility which was rehabilitated through DCED Housing and
Development funds used as an anchor building but not classified in that funding category.
A tour of the restored Colonial Theatre which is an anchor building site.
A tour of the streetscape improvements.
Recognition of the two buildings that won the Preservation Pennsylvania State award for commercial preservation in 2010.
The town is a textbook case for revitalization.
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