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Harrisburg area Cumberland, Dauphin, and Perry Counties
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Old 12-06-2017, 04:28 PM
 
62 posts, read 97,877 times
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Hi All,

So I have a question that I am hoping some of you can answer for me. First, has anyone out here heard of the "Providence Town Center" located in Collegeville, Pennsylvania? If not then see the below links for a reference. It's essentially a large area with some shopping, restaurants, and a movie theater, and what is really cool about it is it's kind of set up like a "downtown" setting of a town, with ample parking and a few "streets" of shoulder-to-shoulder shops/restaurants lining them. I've traveled around the Harrisburg region and have yet to find anything like it (aside from some actual towns with small downtown settings). My question is, does anyone know if anything like this exists out here in south-central Pa? It's not quite an outlets setting or a strip mall setting, it's a lot more unique than that. Thanks!


https://www.providencetowncenter.com/



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1kuIvrHYzcI
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Old 12-07-2017, 09:18 AM
 
Location: Philadelphia
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Vartan's project in Susquehanna Township enters land development phase | PennLive.com

I provided the link above. There is a proposal to build something similar on Linglestown Rd in Susquehanna Township, but the concept incorporates residential as well, so different from this concept.

If you want to experience a immense version of the center you are referring to above, check out the King of Prussia town center. Also I believe in Lancaster they are building something similar to this where the new Wegmans will be located.

I have mixed feelings on these centers. They are an improvement over dreary strip malls, but just miss the mark slightly. I do think the King of Prussia town center hits it a little better as it includes a large swath of residential within the same immediate area.
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Old 12-07-2017, 12:31 PM
 
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This is prototypical of this trend, existing, and basically failed, so might make an interesting case study:

https://www.horstrealty.com/commerci...rcrest-square/
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Old 12-07-2017, 12:33 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by rowhomecity View Post
Also I believe in Lancaster they are building something similar to this where the new Wegmans will be located.
Similar, the Whole Foods one:
Home - Shoppes at Belmont
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Old 12-07-2017, 12:37 PM
 
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Here's the Lancaster Wegmans development
Crossings at Conestoga Creek | High Real Estate Group, Lancaster PA
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Old 12-07-2017, 12:42 PM
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ki0eh View Post
This is prototypical of this trend, existing, and basically failed, so might make an interesting case study:

https://www.horstrealty.com/commerci...rcrest-square/
Even more interesting for those wanting to do a case study, at least two stores I can recall (Toys on the Square and Bill Maloney) moved FROM this development, into the actual downtown area of Hummelstown Borough.
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Old 12-07-2017, 03:45 PM
 
Location: Philadelphia
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ki0eh View Post
Even more interesting for those wanting to do a case study, at least two stores I can recall (Toys on the Square and Bill Maloney) moved FROM this development, into the actual downtown area of Hummelstown Borough.
Yea I agree with you. While for certain big box retailers like Wegmans the concept works and is more attractive than say Colonial Commons in Harrisburg. It really is a fake sort of assessment on place and why I don't like them. King of Prussia Town Center asserts it a bit stronger than most. But overall I rather invest shop dine and experience in Pennsylvania's existing downtowns!
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Old 12-07-2017, 03:55 PM
 
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Love the responses, very helpful! Seems like Lancaster county is the up-and-coming area for things like these! It's a shame that the Briarcrest idea failed, but Hershey is still an awesome place regardless. And the Vartan's Project looks good also, that would be great for the Harrisburg area. I saw months ago that hundreds of acres of farmland was bought in Hershey for development (near the Jonathan Eshenour trail). This originally upset me because I love to look at the farms as I walk that trail, however if they built something like the above then I would be happy because it would increase the walkability of the area, and would still be appealing to the eye!
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Old 12-08-2017, 05:56 AM
 
4,277 posts, read 11,789,634 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SteelGuitar22 View Post
Love the responses, very helpful! Seems like Lancaster county is the up-and-coming area for things like these! It's a shame that the Briarcrest idea failed, but Hershey is still an awesome place regardless. And the Vartan's Project looks good also, that would be great for the Harrisburg area. I saw months ago that hundreds of acres of farmland was bought in Hershey for development (near the Jonathan Eshenour trail). This originally upset me because I love to look at the farms as I walk that trail, however if they built something like the above then I would be happy because it would increase the walkability of the area, and would still be appealing to the eye!
Lancaster County must be enough more attractive for big investors' place-based algorithms than Harrisburg, somehow.

If you're talking about Hershey West End - Hershey Trust Real Estate, that farmland was "bought" over a hundred years ago, but Milt himself was too smart to build on sinkhole alley. Folks nowadays think they know more about managing development on karst. I was unable to make it to the recent public meeting about this development, but what I hear is not encouraging. This site adjacent to what is now the major area employer would be a unique opportunity for an active transportation-based infill, but instead I hear about more lanes, relocating ramps, widening roads, etc., leading me to believe these folks remain 20 years behind in getting off the auto fumes addiction.
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Old 12-08-2017, 08:11 AM
 
Location: Philadelphia
2,539 posts, read 2,316,080 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ki0eh View Post
Lancaster County must be enough more attractive for big investors' place-based algorithms than Harrisburg, somehow.

If you're talking about Hershey West End - Hershey Trust Real Estate, that farmland was "bought" over a hundred years ago, but Milt himself was too smart to build on sinkhole alley. Folks nowadays think they know more about managing development on karst. I was unable to make it to the recent public meeting about this development, but what I hear is not encouraging. This site adjacent to what is now the major area employer would be a unique opportunity for an active transportation-based infill, but instead I hear about more lanes, relocating ramps, widening roads, etc., leading me to believe these folks remain 20 years behind in getting off the auto fumes addiction.

The main reason IMO Lancaster is beating out the Harrisburg area in retaining better retailers and stronger investments.

#1) Bigger tourism market. I know Hersheypark is a huge draw, and we have the Hershey outlets, but Lancaster County overall I believe has a stronger tourism market, and therefore are able to capitalize that to investors.

#2) Lancaster has one single regional identity. Where Harrisburg has 2 regional identities (The East and West Shores). Therefore it weakens our market. Instead of having one area dedicated to ALL retail and investments, you have both the East and West shores, so it weakens the market. For example. Lancaster has one mall, that is relatively nice and does very well. Harrisburg has one eh (boring mall). And then 2 other completely dead malls.

#3) Lancaster county is more focused on land use planning. Therefore it is able to direct development better, and since Lancaster is all located within on County there is a more of cohesive plan and collaboration as far as planning, which attracts bigger and better projects. Harrisburg area is split between Dauphin and Cumberland Counties. And for whatever reason, time and time again Cumberland County turns its back on Dauphin county, so the 2 counties compete, which means that we never can collaborate to pull for bigger investments. Cumberland County even turned its back to be part of the Harrisburg/Hershey area tourism bureau.

Locally I think the biggest miss for Harrisburg was the Susquehanna Shoppes. There was alot of opportunity to do some fun things with that, but it ended up being quite small. Those Shoppes though are the nicest shopping in Harrisburg, even though they are so small. Literally that area could of be fun and funky since it was on a hill, and included everything from a Trader Joe's to Urban Outfitters. You already had the movie theater. It was a big miss.
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