Consultant's study envisions growth surrounding West Side casino
By Mark Ferenchik As many as 2,500 jobs could be created near Penn National Gaming’s new casino, according to a redevelopment strategy consultants will share tonight at a West Side meeting.The study by Maryland-based Robert Charles Lesser & Co. envisions new restaurants in the Ruby Tuesday/Pizzeria Uno vein popping up around the $400 million Hollywood Casino, which is being built at the old Delphi site at W. Broad Street and Georgesville Road.
It also sees gas stations and new retailers setting up shop across from the casino site on W. Broad.
The presentation doesn’t make any suggestion as to the future of the mostly vacant Westland Mall, other than labeling it a retail destination.
The study also sets out to try to dispel myths about barriers to overcome in the W. Broad Street area, which has been hit hard by store closings and decay.
Many believe that W. Broad Street isn’t a jobs hub anymore, and that the area doesn’t have a strong housing market.
But the study says there are 3,200 “family-wage” non-retail jobs in the area, though it doesn’t define what those are.
And it says that 25 percent of the houses sold nearby go for at least $200,000, although it doesn’t define what nearby is, nor the time period for those sales.
The study sees the casino as one piece of a redevelopment puzzle that also includes the greenways trail system and a proposed fitness center for the old Meijer store on Georgesville Road.
The study says there is demand for stores and quality housing in the area.
The consultants will discuss the study with the community at 6:30 p.m. at Haydocy Automotive’s community room at 3865 W. Broad St. It is the second and final public meeting on the strategic redevelopment plan.
A final report will be prepared after the meeting.
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