Sounds of Summer, Winds of Change in Quakertown Borough

“Investing in Community is one of our company’s five core values.  We are socially responsible, committed to serving our communities through strong leadership, volunteerism and financial support,” said Annette, D. Szygiel, executive vice president and chief experience officer for Univest Corporation of Pennsylvania.
 
Build it and they will come.

From a unique, attention grabbing digital sign at the heavily traveled intersection of Routes 309 and 663 to redevelopment projects and an expanded outdoor summer concert series, Quakertown is upping the revitalization ante.
An expanded outdoor summer concert series beginning today calls attention to fresh shopping, dining and recreation as national acts bring new visitors to the downtown.

Annette, D. Szygiel, executive vice president and chief experience officer for Univest Corporation of Pennsylvania, said bringing tourism to Quakertown through the summer concert series was good for business and the local economy.
 
Competing with major neighboring venues in the Lehigh Valley like SteelStacks and Musikfest, Quakertown needs to differentiate itself.

Parking is easy and it’s free. Restaurants and shopping are a few blocks from the concert venue, hotels and motels are a short drive away and borough officials are hoping Quakertown’s friendly, down-home vibe will mean newcomers will want to return often.

The summer concert series is up to six shows in its second year; four more than last year’s opening, and organizers are not only optimistic, they’re confident the shows will attract locals and tourists alike.

“We want to be promoting the greater Quakertown area. People don’t realize there is a whole lot of the borough off Route 309,” said Ryan Sevenski, Quakertown park development coordinator.

Aligned with bringing heightened awareness to travelers on Route 309 a digital monument sign, located in Quakertown Borough, has created conversations on both sides­ – and love it or loathe it – advertisers are flocking from outside the region for time on the dials.  About 25 percent of advertisers are based in the borough, according to Thaddeus Bartkowski, CEO and founding partner of Catalyst Outdoor Advertising in Newtown Square, Delaware County. Catalyst installed and manages the digital advertising. The eye-catching circles were intended to capture the audience, Bartkowski said. “This was about an 18 month process,” of planning and design time ahead of the sign’s operational go-ahead last fall. He said the elements took into account historic Quakertown’s architecture.

“We incorporated a compass design and created the circles to represent a deconstruction of it. It is unique, and its resolution is the highest [currently] on the east coast,” Bartkowski said.

Bartkowski said it was the best way to tie into the borough’s other redevelopment efforts.

Millions of redevelopment dollars over the past two years have sparked a chain reaction of growth and vitality in the borough’s two square-mile downtown.

Some notable recent projects include:

• Moose Lodge building renovation offering four consumer services retailers, a $1 million development investment.
• Karlton Theater Building, home of Karlton Café, a long-time borough staple. The building expansion included Love Obsessed ladies boutique clothing, gifts and accessories; six professional offices spaces and six loft apartments with roughly $1 million in developer investment.
• Free Press Building offering 21 offices spaces with shared office amenities like conference rooms and a kitchen; a third floor luxury 3-bedroom apartment has a bird’s eye view of the downtown, representing about $1.2 million in developer investment.
• 138 Front Street a 12 unit, condo-style luxury apartment building inside a renovated brick building supply representing more than $1 million developer investment.

What’s next:

•  A conditional use was granted by Quakertown Borough Council in April for the redevelopment of the former “ribbon factory” last operated by Thermco Products to a proposed mixed-use building with 62 apartments, 8 commercial spaces and an indoor storage unit rental. 
• A proposed public market in the former J & D Whistle Stop hobby store, an adjacent building and trolley barn. The plan calls for an upscale farmer’s market, retail and restaurant space with roof top seating, outdoor beer/wine garden; the concept plan was reviewed earlier this year though no formal land development plans have been submitted to the borough for review.
•  Fries Rebellion is moving!! The popular gastro pub, bar and restaurant has shuttered its West End Blvd. (Route 309) location in Richland Township in preparation of moving to the downtown sometime in 2019. 

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“The new Univest Performance Center will be the perfect place for all generations of music lovers to experience an intimate, high quality concert while attending any of the Sounds of Summer Concert Series events,” Annette, D. Szygiel, executive vice president and chief experience officer for Univest Corporation of Pennsylvania.
 
Summer music in Quakertown offers a great line-up of national acts June 14 – Aug. 23.

What: Sounds of Summer Concert Series presented by Sands Auto Group
Where: Univest Performance Center at the Park at Fourth, 4th and Mill streets.
When: June 14-Aug. 23, Thursday nights, headline shows start at 8 p.m. gates open at 6 p.m.
Show lineup: Tommy James & The Shondells, June 14: The Marshall Tucker Bank, June 28: The Charlie Daniels Band, July 12: Steve Augeri of Journey, July 26; Herman’s Hermits with Peter Noone, Aug. 16; Little River Band, Aug. 23.
Cost:  General admission (bring your own chair) are $20; reserved seats range from $35 to high of $50.
For information visit www.quakertown.eventbrite.com or call 215.536.5001.