The autumn event season has officially begun in Hankin Group’s Eagleview Town Center, with events drawing in crowds to enjoy all Eagleview has to offer. Eagleview’s very own Twin Valley Coffee and Blue Buddha Healing Arts welcomed the new season with two successful events in late September. The remaining events for the year include weekly farmers markets, Suburban Restaurant & Beer Garden’s Fall Festival, the return of Craft & Mercantile fall and holiday markets, and the annual Holiday Spectacular.
Twin Valley Coffee’s Music Night on Sept. 17 said goodbye to summer in style. The popular family-owned coffee shop gave a warm welcome to fall with performances by Chris Burkholder and more local artists on the outdoor Eagleview stage. A diverse crowd full of wellness enthusiasts and fitness newcomers met on the last Saturday of September for the annual BuddhaFEST, a mindful triathlon and community festival presented by Blue Buddha Healing Arts. “BuddhaFEST was a great success,” said Kate Freese, owner of Blue Buddha Healing Arts, “we walked, ran, yoga-ed, meditated, listened to amazing music and supported 27 local small businesses!”
Later this season, Eagleview will welcome back Craft & Mercantile for the fall market on Friday, Oct. 21 from 5 to 8 PM and holiday market on Friday, Nov. 18 from 5 to 8 PM. The highly anticipated monthly night market presented by Growing Roots Partners has easily become a 3rd Friday staple among Chester County residents.
“We have lots of fun planned for our fall and holiday markets in Eagleview,” said Christy Campli, owner of Growing Roots Partners. “People can expect an incredible line-up of 30-plus makers and artisans, and fun, free activities for kids including the popular pumpkin decorating contest! We’re also excited to welcome The Gilroys back to the Eagleview stage on October 21 and we have new emerging young artist, Noah Gibney Trio, performing on November 18.”
Attendees can also expect delicious local food and drink from Suburban Restaurant & Beer Garden and Suburban Brewing, Dressler Estate, Twin Valley Coffee, and more at Craft & Mercantile fall and holiday markets in October and November. The event is free and open to the public. Learn more about Craft & Mercantile and each local artisan attending on their website.
On Saturday, Oct. 22 from 12 to 6 PM, Suburban Restaurant & Beer Garden is hosting an Oktoberfest inspired fall festival. Suburban’s Fall Festival includes local breweries and distilleries, German fare, live music, kid friendly activities, and raffle baskets benefitting local charities. Attendees will also have a chance to participate in the famous Suburban stein lift. This event requires one ticket per person. Tickets are priced at $20 including a souvenir glass and one free beer. Stop by Suburban Restaurant & Beer Garden at 570 Wellington Square in Exton or call 610-458-2337 for tickets.
On Saturday, Dec. 3 from 2 to 5 PM Eagleview Town Center’s annual Holiday Spectacular concert and tree lighting will take place. Community members are invited to enjoy a performance from the students of music education center, Valotta Studios, as well as performances by popular local artists including Dylan Zangwill and more. The event will also include gingerbread decorating, a s’mores station, and more festive activities.
Sign up for the Eagleview Town Center newsletter to be notified when more information on this event is released.
Eagleview farmers markets will continue in the Eagleview Town Center tree grove every Thursday from 3 to 6:30 PM through Dec. 22. A special Thanksgiving farmers market will take place on Tuesday, Nov. 22 from 3 to 6:30 PM but no market on Thursday, Nov. 24, Thanksgiving Day. A special Christmas farmers market will take place on Thursday, Dec. 22 from 3 to 6:30 PM. Learn more about Growing Roots Partners’ local farmers markets on their website and subscribe to the Eagleview farmers market newsletter for a weekly producer line-up.
For more information regarding events, visit Eagleview Town Center’s event calendar and follow Eagleview Town Center on Facebook and Instagram for immediate updates. To learn more about Eagleview Town Center businesses, visit the online business directory.
River Station, a residential and retail development project in Downingtown, is edging closer to completion, with phase one set to be done by November, writes Jen Samuel for the Daily Local News.
The first phase includes the construction of 203 apartment units and 10,000 square feet of retail space, according to Becky Reeves, vice president of operations at Exton-based Hankin Group, the developer of the project.
Half of that space has already been reserved for a restaurant, and Hankin is currently searching for a retailer to fill the remaining space.
The property is situated next to the future Downingtown Train Station and is comprised of close to 70 acres. Ground was broken last November.
The landscape of the property will include walking trails, an added benefit for those who decide to live there.
“We think that’s really important,” said Reeves. “It will be a huge benefit to the community.”
The apartments start at $1,800 per unit. They will be connected to the Chester Valley Trail, with a nature trail that will later be added through the woods to the property.
Read more about River Station in the Daily Local News.
Philadelphia Inquirer Top Workplaces recognized eleven Chester County companies as the Philadelphia/Delaware Valley top workplaces in the Small Companies category.
The list is based on a 24-question survey administered by Energage and completed by the company’s employees. It measures 15 cultural drivers that are crucial to the success of any organization. These include alignment, execution, and performance, among others.
This year, the Philadelphia Inquirer recognized 178 companies and organizations in Philadelphia/Delaware Valley as top workplaces in three categories: Small Companies (50-149 employees), Medium Companies (150-499), and Large Companies (500+).
Among Chester County companies, AscellaHealth in Berwyn, with 61 employees, ranked highest among small companies at No. 19. West Chester-based Tom Toole Sales Group also broke into the top 30 at No. 26. The company has 50 employees.
Here are all the Chester County companies that made the Philadelphia/Delaware Valley Top Workplaces 2022 in the Small Companies category (50 to 149 employees):
- 19. AscellaHealth – Berwyn
- 26. Tom Toole Sales Group – West Chester
- 31. Nexxt, Inc. – Wayne
- 38. Rajant Corporation – Malvern
- 40. Avanceon LP – Exton
- 44. Hankin Group – Exton
- 46. STP Investment Services – West Chester
- 49. SkillSurvey – Malvern
- 64. IMX MEDICAL MANAGEMENT SERVICES a QTC Company – Malvern
- 66. Affiliated Distributors (AD) – Wayne
- 82. IMC Construction – Malvern
LNP | Lancaster Online article
Thirteen years after the Lancaster YMCA closed its longtime city home at Queen and Frederick streets the final redevelopment plan to remake the area got underway Tuesday with a groundbreaking ceremony for Queen Street Flats.
The new, $100 million project calls for the construction of a four-story apartment building, a five-story apartment building, a three-story medical building, first-floor retail space, and a 440-space parking garage tucked between the medical building and a PPL electricity system substation on an adjacent lot.
The medical office building is slated to open in 18 months with the entire project expected to take two years to build.
The urban mixed-use development is the culmination of Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health’s longstanding ambition to remake the property adjacent to its Lancaster General Hospital complex and across Prince Street from Clipper Magazine Stadium’s front parking lot.
Lancaster General Health has tried twice before to redevelop the site, only to run into financing snags. This time Lancaster General Health secured the necessary approvals for the project but will be selling the property to Exton-based Hankin Group to actually develop it.
“This is truly an example of the power of partnership, collaboration and determination,” Lancaster General Health CEO John J. Herman said at the Tuesday morning groundbreaking ceremony held under a white tent on the property.
“In addition to enhancing access to health-care services, Queen Street Flats will positively contribute to Lancaster’s capacity to provide quality residential options, conveniently located among the county’s urban core,” Herman said, while adding that having more housing near the hospital could help with employee recruitment.
Queen Street Flats to dress up the north side of Lancaster city
Personnel from Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health, who in partnership with Lancaster city, the High Construction Group and the Hankin Group, turned out for a ceremony to break ground and introduce their plans for Queen Street Flats.
QSF will house two new apartment buildings with 244 units, a parking garage with 440 spaces, along with a 3-story 30,000 square foot medical building, all to be located on the former site of the YMCA along the 500 block of N. Queen and W. Frederick Streets.
Construction will get underway immediately for this $100 million project. The medical building will be finished be in 18 months and completion of the entire project will be in two years.
The biggest aspect of the Queen Streets Flats project are the two quadrangle apartment buildings that will have 244 combined residential units including efficiency apartments, and one-, two, and three-bedroom units that will be rented at market rates. The four-story building bounded by North Prince and West Frederick streets will have a pool in its courtyard.
Next to the apartment buildings will be a 30,000-square-foot medical office building that will be used by Lancaster General Health to house an urgent care center and two primary physician groups. The parking garage will be tucked between the medical building and a PPL substation on an adjacent lot.
“We’re really excited to get started on this after everyone’s extensive planning,” said Bob Hankin, president and CEO of Hankin Group, an Exton, Chester County-based developer that is partnering with Lancaster General Health to develop Queen Street Flats.
Later this month, Hankin Group is slated to buy the property for an undisclosed price from Lancaster General Health, develop the property, and then lease the medical office building back to Lancaster General Health, according to John Lines, a Lancaster General Health spokesperson. High Construction is the general contractor for the project.
Historic buildings part of project
Work is beginning imminently with the relocation of some utilities and then the demolition of some remaining buildings on the site later this month.
A building that won’t be demolished is the circa-1868 building and carriage house at the corner of North Prince and Frederick streets. The original plans for the project called for those buildings to be torn down, but they were incorporated into the final plan at the insistence of city officials.
The former tavern at 48 W. Frederick St. was last occupied by Bob’s Café in 2003. Along with the circa-1917 carriage house behind it, it will remain intact and will have first-floor retail space and a residence on the second floor.
Douglas Smith, chief planner for Lancaster city, lauded the developers for finding a way to incorporate the historic buildings into the project.
“I think they went above and beyond on this and really showed that it’s possible to preserve our history and create a high-quality development,” Smith said at the Tuesday morning groundbreaking ceremony.
The Lancaster YMCA had occupied the Queen Street building beginning in 1967 and then expanded into the adjacent property along Prince Street in the mid-1980s. The two YMCA buildings have been vacant since September 2009, when the YMCA moved to a new building on Harrisburg Avenue.
While plans were being developed for the parcel, Lancaster General Health razed some deteriorating structures in 2018 and replaced them with green space and a walkway.
Lancaster General Hospital, a Lancaster General Health forerunner, originally purchased the 1.8-acre YMCA property for $4.9 million in 2005, the first of multiple tracts it bought since then in the 3.5-acre parcel bounded by North Queen, North Prince and West Frederick streets.
A previous plan to develop the property just across North Queen Street from a Lancaster General Health parking garage called for construction of a five-story, 175,000-square-foot administrative office building. To facilitate that project, the hospital got the area rezoned in 2012 from residential to “hospital campus,” a zoning designation that had to be changed for Queen Street Flats.