INNOVATION: Newman says Post-COVID, Downtown Wilkes-Barre is coming back strong
"Across the nation, the rise of remote work led to a significant reduction in demand for office space — one of the primary pillars of Downtown's economy," Newman said. "That unexpected drop in daily employee traffic dealt a blow, in turn, to storefront restaurants and retailers. And after more than a decade of positive momentum, Downtown Wilkes-Barre's revitalization was halted in its tracks."
However, Newman said the Downtown had the benefit of a road map to guide its recovery — the plan developed by the Diamond City Partnership (DCP) — Wilkes-Barre's nonprofit downtown management organization.
"That plan — which serves as a basis for Downtown Wilkes-Barre's Main Street program designation by the Pennsylvania Department of Community & Economic Development — is built around the time-tested 'four-point' Main Street approach to downtown revitalization," Newman said
Well before the start of COVID, Newman said the Main Street approach was helping DCP implement the community's vision for Downtown Wilkes-Barre as:
—Clean, safe, and beautiful.
—The region's "walk-to-everything" neighborhood of choice.
—The region's college neighborhood.
—A regional center of arts, culture, dining, and entertainment.
—A place whose historic architecture, riverfront, and high-quality public environment are the basis of an enhanced visitor experience.
"And despite the setbacks of the past five years, we've continued to make progress toward those goals," Newman said.
Newman said Downtown Wilkes-Barre continues to grow as a residential neighborhood — by the end of 2024, he said the total number of people living within the boundaries of the Downtown Wilkes-Barre Business Improvement District was 157% of the 2019 total.
That residential growth was accompanied by retail growth — Newman said eight new independent storefront businesses opened within Downtown's SOMA Arts District during 2024. Merchants like The Burnt Norton, Evergreen, and Virtual Fairways are catering to a new generation of downtown residents, college students and visitors.
Once-vacant downtown spaces — such as the former newspaper building that's now King's College's Kowalski Center for Advanced Healthcare Education, or the one-time furniture store at 116 South Main Street that now houses Building Blocks Learning Center and 34 market-rate lofts — are again filled with activity.
Newman said a terrific array of outdoor events — parades, the Fine Arts Fiesta, Farmers Market, Rockin' the River, and Public Square concerts — occurs throughout the year, joining the entertainment offerings at the F.M. Kirby Center, R/C Movies 14, and Downtown's other arts and culture venues.
Last year, Newman said DCP helped return the Cavalcade of Jazz to Downtown Wilkes-Barre, and on April 25, DCP is partnering with the Sordoni Art Gallery to present "SOMA" Night Lights — a new projection mapping festival that will temporarily transform the landscape of Downtown's SOMA Arts District into a canvas for illumination art.
"Together with DCP's other events — such as the 'Sunsets on South Main' live-music series; the Downtown Discoveries Kids Fest; Cocktails & Culture; Inspired Bites; Small Business Saturday; and the Holiday Market — these events are bringing more people downtown throughout the year," Newman said.
DCP also continues its work to improve the downtown environment.
Thanks to a Luzerne County ARPA grant, Newman said DCP was able to expand its Downtown Ambassador Team in 2024. The Team now cleans and beautifies the downtown core 7 days a week, while a new Quality of Life Ambassador connects at-risk individuals to the help they need.
During 2024, Newman said DCP's Downtown Ambassador Team:
—Removed almost 14,000 pounds of trash from sidewalks and curbs.
—Eliminated 74 graffiti tags and 369 stickers.
—Planted and maintained 186 hanging flower baskets and 32 large ground planters.
—Assisted or provided directions to 764 people.
Newman said DCP's volunteers planted 17 additional shade trees throughout downtown in 2024, while DCP façade grants are restoring historic buildings and improving Downtown's built environment.
Slowly but surely, Newman said Downtown continues to rebound — in 2024, downtown visitation reached 82% of 2019 levels — led by those who came here to shop, dine and attend shows and events. And 2024 downtown employee volumes hit 57% of the 2019 total — a 5% improvement over last year.
"This work is critical because the fact is that downtown revitalization is economic development," Newman said. "That reality is understood by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, whose new 10-year Economic Development Strategy has been built, in large part, around downtown revitalization."
As Gov. Josh Shapiro recently said in an address to the 2025 Main Street Now Conference:
"You can tell whether a community is vibrant or not based on the success of a Main Street. If that Main Street is successful, chances are that broader community is going to be safer; chances are that schools are going to be stronger; and there's more economic opportunity in those communities."
"At DCP, we couldn't agree more — which is why we are so determined to overcome the obstacles and keep the momentum going," Newman said. "But it's also critical that the larger community also recognizes the importance of having a healthy downtown. We need more stakeholders who are willing to put their shoulders to the wheel — more people who will patronize a downtown business, renew a downtown lease, or push back on negative perceptions. Everyone can do their part to make things better and help build a city center that's a point of pride for all of us."
Newman said Downtown Wilkes-Barre is coming back.
"And we urge you to be a part of the downtown rebound — because no matter what part of Greater Wilkes-Barre you call home, we all benefit from having a strong and vibrant neighborhood serving as the heart of the Wyoming Valley," Newman said.
Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
12 hours ago
- Newsweek
Yankees GM Brian Cashman Defends Aaron Boone as Team Struggles Continue
The New York Yankees have struggled in the second half of the season after the All-Star break. They've now fallen into third place in the American League East and enter Saturday 6 1/2 games back of the Toronto Blue Jays, who are in first. As cries for manager Aaron Boone to be fired grow louder, general manager Brian Cashman is defending Boone and doesn't appear ready to make a change. WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 12: New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman talks with manager Aaron Boone prior to a Grapefruit League spring training game against the Washington Nationals at FITTEAM Ballpark of... WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 12: New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman talks with manager Aaron Boone prior to a Grapefruit League spring training game against the Washington Nationals at FITTEAM Ballpark of The Palm Beaches on March 12, 2020 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Many professional and college sports are canceling or postponing their games due to the ongoing threat of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. More"One thing that people maybe really forget is that we play in a market that holds you — maybe Boston and Philly, too — that holds you more accountable automatically," Cashman told Chris Kirschner and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. "The market already provides instant accountability. In many cases, today's world is so much different than maybe generations before. I think leaders, managers, coaches are more inclined to try to support and help players that are going through a lot as they try to navigate their struggles. Struggles are part of the game. It's just louder in a bigger market." That is correct. New York is obviously a bigger market compared to smaller ones even within the same division such as Toronto and Tampa Bay. However, market size has nothing to do with performances, and the Yankees have been one of baseball's worst teams since the All-Star break. Catching up within the division is going to be difficult for the Bronx Bombers to do. However, Cashman believes Boone is the guy to lead them through the chase. "He knows how tough this sport is," Cashman told The Athletic about Boone. "He's invested in these guys heavily, as we all are. Trying to explain away a difficult play or a bad performance for some time while the storm is upon us is not an easy task to navigate or deal with and remain cool, calm and collected. He's obviously done an amazing job of working through that. ... We're the defending American League champs trying to re-defend that. Obviously, right now, we're not in control of the division. Our first goal is try to win the American League East and automatically punch the ticket that way. If not, we'll be fighting to punch a ticket a different way. We have a lot of time on the clock, but not enough time at the same time. I don't want to misrepresent (that) there's not urgency, because there is." There needs to be a little more urgency for the final six weeks of the regular season. New York holds just a 1 1/2-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians for the final wildcard spot. Cashman might have a different stance if/when the Yankees are eliminated from the playoffs. More MLB: Fernando Tatis Jr. on Padres-Dodgers Rivalry: 'It's What We Play For'
Business Insider
21 hours ago
- Business Insider
I moved from Chicago to Spain. It's harder to be an entrepreneur here, but I work less and still have a great life.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Giovanna Gonzalez, a 35-year-old who moved from Chicago to Valencia, Spain, in April 2025. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity. In college, I wanted to study abroad in Italy or Spain, but I didn't have the means. I was a low-income, first-generation Mexican American student, going to school entirely on student loans. Studying abroad would have meant borrowing an additional $5,000 to $10,000, and since I was already graduating with debt, I felt it would have been reckless to take on more. Still, over time, I came to regret that decision. In 2019, I returned to my former hometown, El Centro, California — a small agricultural border town — for a high school career day. I'm a financial educator and influencer who offers career tips to first-generation professionals. At the school, I spoke with Algebra 2 students about my path since leaving college and my career. We discussed how to navigate college, and I encouraged everyone to study abroad if they had the opportunity. I shared how the people I know who did still light up when they talk about their experience — being young, free of major responsibilities, and surrounded by other young people in a new culture. After career day, I had a moment of self-reflection. Was my current life really for me? Would I ever get to experience life abroad? I knew it was time to make a change. Moving to Spain was a fast but expensive process My husband and I would have left the US around 2022, but the world was still in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic, and things hadn't returned to normal. We decided to wait a few more years, while continuing to live in Chicago. When 2024 came around, we had a conversation about the presidential election and decided that, regardless of the outcome, we were going to move to Spain. It felt like a now-or-never moment. My husband and I researched how to get a Spanish visa. The easiest option was for me to apply for a digital nomad visa and add him as my dependent. That's because by then, I had left my desk-bound corporate job and had been running my own business for four years. While my husband's employer was open to transferring him to their Spanish branch, they weren't willing to sponsor his visa. To help us through the process, we worked with an immigration attorney who guided us every step of the way. I'm a dual citizen of Mexico and the US, so I used my Mexican passport when applying for the digital nomad visa. Because Mexico was once a Spanish colony, Mexican citizens can apply for Spanish citizenship after just two years of legal residency, compared to 10 years for US citizens. We flew to Spain to apply, which qualified us for a three-year visa instead of one. We were approved in about two and a half weeks. The process was fast but expensive. Flights alone cost us around $3,590, and the Airbnb we stayed in while applying for the Visa was about another $652. We also paid roughly $4,000 in legal fees and spent more money on things like apostilles, certified translations, and other required documents. Valencia was the perfect city for us I wanted to live in a big city so I could easily travel to other parts of Europe. Madrid came to mind, but housing is very scarce and competitive there. The same thing is true in Barcelona, if not worse. I found that the next biggest city that we liked was Valencia. Valencia is right on the beach. It has a Mediterranean climate, and is sunny almost every day — a big change coming from Chicago. The city has a lot of beautiful architecture and a rich history. It's walkable, has great public transportation, and is clean and safe. We lived in a nice neighborhood in Chicago, but even there, I had to constantly check my shoulder when it was dark. Here, I've been able to go for a walk in the park at 10 p.m. and have never felt unsafe. I'm very thankful for that. We live in a multi-unit building next to the Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències, and we have a beautiful view of it from our terrace. We live on the top floor in a two-story condo, which costs €1,900 ($2,226) a month. In Chicago, we were bougie and lived downtown in a high-rise building with a doorman and amenities in a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment. Although our rent in Valencia is significantly cheaper than what we paid in the US, our utilities are not. Summers in Spain are extremely hot, and since homes here aren't as well-insulated as in the US, you have to run the air conditioning almost constantly. Our electricity bill alone has been over €500 ($586) for each of the past two months. It's more difficult to be an entrepreneur in Spain Living in Spain has had some challenges. My husband doesn't speak Spanish fluently, so it's been an adjustment for him to make doctor's appointments or reservations at restaurants in Spanish. I speak Spanish, so it's been much easier for me to integrate. I've made a friend in Valencia who was introduced to me by another friend. We've met twice for coffee and to go for a walk in the park. But honestly, I haven't put too much effort into making more friends yet because I'm so focused on the immigration process. I still need to get my residency card, and once that happens, I'll feel like I truly have the free time to put myself out there, go to meetups, and meet more people. I've recently learned that Spain isn't as entrepreneur-friendly as the US, especially when it comes to taxes. Many expenses I used to deduct without issue are either not allowed here or have stricter requirements. For example, during a recent work trip, I submitted an Uber receipt to my Spanish accountant, only to be told I needed a formal invoice, something that's not typically required in the US. And meals during travel can only be written off if you're dining with a client. In the US, there's a bit more grace when you're starting a business. That first year, you're not typically required to pay quarterly taxes, since you're just getting started. Usually, you file your full-year return first, then begin making quarterly estimated payments in the following years. I expected something similar in Spain, but at the end of the second quarter of this year, my accountant informed me that I needed to pay my taxes right away. I don't plan on moving back to the US Given the political climate in the US and my Mexican background, my long-term goal is to stay in Spain. There's a lot to love here. The weather is great, and we've been very welcomed by the locals. It's been pretty easy to integrate so far. I would definitely say that living abroad is quite different from what my experience would have been studying abroad, but I'm really grateful for that. I have a lot of friends who studied abroad in their 20s, and I know their time was filled with wild nights, partying, meeting new people, and traveling. I'm going to be turning 36 this week, and I'm married and a homebody who enjoys relaxing and watching TV at home. I've definitely learned the art of slowing down. Chicago was a fast-paced, big-city life where you were power-walking everywhere — that's just not a thing here. With the slightly lower cost of living in Spain, I'm working part-time. Instead of working 30 to 40 hours a week like I did in the US, I now work 15 to 20 hours and am still maintaining a great life.
CBS News
a day ago
- CBS News
Colorado neighborhood corridor is changing without losing culture
Aurora city leaders are pushing forward with plans to breathe new life into the East Colfax corridor, while keeping longtime residents and business owners at the table. Aurora City Council voted to move forward with creating a downtown development authority (DDA) for the East Colfax Avenue corridor. The proposal will go before voters in November, and, if approved, the DDA would provide funding for infrastructure, business support and community improvements. Aaron Vega, project manager for Aurora's library and cultural services, says the work already underway reflects a different approach than what some big cities have taken. "Economic development is scary when you're talking about neighborhoods where folks have had their businesses here for a long time," Vega said. "We've learned lessons from other places on how to do it correctly and make sure a lot of people get a seat at the table." Vega lives just blocks from East Colfax and calls the district the beating heart of Aurora. He says its diversity, art scene and food culture make it unique, and worth protecting as change comes. One major anchor is The People's Building, an arts hub the city transformed from an abandoned furniture store into a small theater and gallery space for local artists. There's currently work on display by artist, Tony Nguyen. The district also supports small businesses like Bahn & Butter and Manos Sagrados, which was recently awarded a city grant for its mission supporting BIPOC, femme, queer, and disabled artists. "There's a really strong community here whether it's food and beverage or arts and culture," Vega said. "We're changing the narrative about East Colfax by showing the incredible things already happening here." The neighborhood is also home to venues like the Aurora Fox Arts Center and MLK Library. The library is undergoing a $2.5 million renovation to double its space, expand youth areas, and add a new maker space for sewing, 3D printing and other creative tools. Ginger White Brunetti, Aurora's director of library and cultural services, says the MLK Library is more than just a place to check out books. "It's a place where you can search for and apply for a job, get help with your resume, or take part in programs that make people feel like they belong," Brunetti said. "Libraries are really the backbone of a community." The renovations, funded in part by federal dollars, will also support entrepreneurship by giving residents access to equipment that could launch small businesses. "We want families to feel safe here, to bring their kids, read a book, take a program, and feel like this is their library," Brunetti said. Until voters head to the polls, city leaders are asking residents to stay engaged, share their ideas and take part in shaping the future of one of Aurora's most storied corridors. Vega believes this is the first time in years in the district that everyone is really marching in step, including artists, business owners and city planners. Strategic plans for the library system, the arts district recertification and the DDA are all moving forward at once. "It feels like everything now is starting to point in the same direction," Vega said. "Nothing good happens fast, but, if we keep investing in the people and culture that make East Colfax special, we can make it better without losing what makes it unique."
