Rebirth of the King Street Gateway

The East King Street is a historic corridor and serves as a main gateway for visitors traveling through Lancaster City. Removing the “billboards of blight” along the corridor and replacing them with positive elements can have an immediate impact in strengthening the impressions of both visitors and residents that Lancaster prospers. Much of the East King Street corridor is lined with a rich mosaic of architectural styles from different periods over the last 200 years. This is an opportunity to breathe new life into these historic buildings.

East King Street is strategically located. Anchored at one end is the planned hotel and convention center, a hoped-for economic engine to power investment in the downtown area. At the other end is Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, which provides a two-year technical education and has contributed much to the economic development in the surrounding neighborhoods. In addition, there are numerous organizations throughout the Historic East Side providing services.

Yet there is a need for a centralized entity to pull together various organizational and neighborhood efforts in coordination with the City to support neighborhood beautification projects, property improvements, business development, and community building activity.

This provides an opportunity for the East King Improvement District to engage residents and stakeholders, mobilize resources, coordinate community efforts, and reinforce a sense of community pride within the Historic East Side.