Addressing Resident Questions

The Borough of Collegeville was allocated state RACP (Revitalization) grants of $500,000 in 2021 and $2.5 M in 2022.  These grants are designated to be used for the revitalization of the 400 block of Main Street.  The money must be used as a matching grant, which requires that an equal amount of money be provided by a developer or other party.  They are also reimbursement grants, which means that the user must pay for the full amount of the project upfront and then submit his or her costs for reimbursement by the state at a later date.

Although this money has been awarded to Collegeville Borough to distribute according to the grant purpose, it is not actually “Borough” or “taxpayer-owned” money.  These grants provide funding for any entity who can apply to use the money to redevelop a property on the 400 block of Main Street.  These revitalization grants must also be used for projects that can be demonstrated to create jobs and increase local revenue.  The money cannot be used to create apartments or other housing. 

Currently there is discussion about some of the RACP money being used to renovate several College-owned properties on the 400 block.  This funding would assist Silverback Investments to repurpose a number of buildings into commercial businesses, including a proposed trendy “general store,” a brew pub, a BBQ eatery, a coffee shop and ice cream store, a spirits tasting room, and a music venue.   This type of revitalization would bring additional jobs and revenues into the Borough, and would also convert properties that are currently tax-exempt back into taxable properties.  The Borough will not be spending any of its money, nor taxpayer money, on this project.  Silverback Investments and/or Ursinus College will be able to apply for some of the Borough’s RACP funds to help with this project, and matching those funds their own investment money and a federal grant. 

One of the questions the Borough frequently gets is, “What is being done about the Perkiomen Bridge Hotel?” “Why doesn’t the Borough worry about restoring that before revitalization Main Street?”

The RACP grant money that the Borough has received can only be used for the revitalization of the 400 block of Main Street. However, ironically, about five years ago, the hotel owner applied for—and received—his own $1M RACP grant for the renovation of the hotel.  But he has never used it.   This grant can be accessed over a total of 10 years and is attached to the property, not the hotel owner.  However, to use the grant, someone would still need to match that money with another $1M.

Since 2020, the Borough, has been working to get the owner of the Perkiomen Bridge Hotel to bring his property into compliance with the Borough’s Property Maintenance Code.  After Hurricane Ida’s devastating flood in 2021, the Borough has also been citing safety concerns and issuing violation notices for the hotel.  While the owner finally put up construction fencing and boarded up the structure, he has not demolished or repaired the structurally-deficient sections of the building as the Borough directed. The Borough continues to pursue legal avenues to ensure compliance with the Borough Codes and Ordinances.

On a positive note, despite repeated flooding, the two original oldest sections of the hotel (the kitchen addition and main three-story section dating back to 1701) appear to have solid stone foundations and it appears they are still structurally sound.  The hotel is over 300 years old, and undoubtedly one of the oldest historic buildings in the US.  The Borough has suggested to the owner that he donate the hotel to an historical association as the best use of the property. 

The Borough is aware that there are multiple boarded up, vacant, flood-damaged properties along the Perkiomen Creek starting at Main Street and running up along both sides of First Avenue.  The Borough has applied for and received FEMA funding to purchase those properties.  We are in the process of tearing down those buildings and restoring the area to open space. The demolition contractor is starting this week.  Within the next few months the area should look much better. 

No.  Our plan recommends adaptive reuse of our existing historic buildings.  It does not target any buildings for demolition. 

However, Collegeville’s historic buildings are all privately owned.  It is possible that in the future, a building owner could desire to tear down an existing building. 

Installing streetscaping and decorative light posts costs millions of dollars.  The Borough received a PennDOT grant over 15 years ago which funded the Main Street upgrades from Second to Fifth.   To fund any additional improvements to infrastructure, we always apply for grants and/or look for other third-parties with an interest for funding.

  The Borough would only remove a driveway with the owner’s permission.  If a driveway were removed, it would only be after other access was created to the property for parking.  Regarding sidewalks, if you live on Main Street, your quality-of-life has already been negatively impacted by speeding cars and reduced safety.   Adding additional on-street parking, plus adding in a five-foot green verge next to the street where trees and bushes can be planted, and creating new wider sidewalks physically moves the pedestrians further from the street.  It also creates barriers from the traffic for both the pedestrians and homes.  Yes, the borough would be taking away several feet from your front yard, but the tradeoff would be to create a more handsome streetscape and a safer environment for you and your family. 

Our plan for Collegeville’s Main Street is not on the scale of Phoenixville, with its lack of parking and congestion.  Our plans are modest and involve creating businesses in the first floors of five buildings, which will then will house restaurants, retail stores and family entertainment.  We are planning to create additional parking lots for these new customers behind the College-owned buildings on the Marzella’s side of the street.

In 2011 and 2012, the CEDC ran a farmers’ market on Saturday mornings behind Shrader’s Auto which attracted well over 300 people each week.  The customers parked on the street, behind the Masonic Temple, and at Sabre’s Jewelry with the permission of the building owners.  The market brought a lot of life and family enjoyment to Main Street.  Many families walked to the market each week with their kids, dogs, and grocery bags.  We did not receive one complaint from neighbors during that time.   We are planning our Main Street carefully and intend to control development so that everyone—including Main Street homeowners—will enjoy our Main Street.

We are currently working on creating the plan for the 400 block.  Once we receive everyone’s input and begin finalizing the plan, we will recommend timelines.  We expect to have the final plan ready for everyone’s review in June with the timelines.

Please take our survey and give us your recommendations for what our Main Street should look like and the types of businesses you would like to see!  Just click this link:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CollegevilleRevitalization

To view the plan, click here: https://youtu.be/xLQFybjQa3I

Additionally, You are welcome to e-mail your ideas, thoughts, and comments to Collegeville Borough at any time.