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Downtown Inc. presents five‑year business-improvement plan as council gives final passage
Summary
Sarah O'Brien, director of Downtown Inc., presented a five‑year Business Improvement District plan that will take effect Jan. 1; council gave final passage to the associated bill on Sept. 16. The presentation outlined recent projects, accreditation, grants, and future placemaking and connectivity efforts.
Sarah O’Brien, director of Downtown Inc., gave a presentation to the York City Council on Sept. 16 about Downtown Inc.’s work and its five‑year Business Improvement District (BID) plan, which the council approved for final passage at the meeting.
O’Brien said Downtown Inc. manages the York Business Improvement District Authority and became an affiliate of the York County Economic Alliance in 2018. The BID is divided into three micro‑districts—Bridal Square, WeCo (the Codorus area) and the Market District—and covers the historic downtown area. O’Brien said the BID’s funding rate has remained at one mill on commercial properties since the BID’s creation and that property reassessments in 2004 (effective 2006) explain why the revenue base has been stagnant.
The presentation highlighted projects and outcomes from 2024 and year‑to‑date activity: pedestrian and vehicular wayfinding signage, an ABM Clean & Green team that removed debris and performed 7,000 man‑hours of maintenance, $1,000,000 raised through grants and private support for placemaking, facade and business grants totaling tens of thousands of dollars, volunteer ambassadors, and national accreditation from Main Street America and the Pennsylvania Downtown Center. O’Brien noted several larger economic‑development efforts—Codorus Greenway, Ballpark Commons, Gateway Gardens—and upcoming projects including tree‑planting, a public‑art master plan consultant engagement, pedestrian amenities, an urban‑trail concept and an engineering study on Mason Avenue.
Council members asked for the presentation to be emailed; O’Brien said she would provide the formal plan materials. The council’s roll call approved final passage of the bill related to the BID renewal.
The BID renewal will take effect Jan. 1; O’Brien said Downtown Inc. opted not to increase the millage for the next five years but intends to revisit revenue options when the BID comes up for renewal in 2030.
