A clear sky. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable..
A clear sky. Low near 65F. Winds light and variable.
Plans are for the Stonehouse "porch," as the staff calls it, to become a full patio with a roof and floor to ceiling doors.
The Pine Square stage is small and unaccommodating for musical acts. Owners would like to push the stage back into the building behind it to make more room for the audience and create a "band shell" feel with lighting and better sound.
Williamsport, Pa. — The owners of Pine Square in Williamsport are hoping to secure a $1 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RCAP) grant they'll put toward what they say are needed renovations. Application for the state funds opens on July 25.
Pine Square, with its eateries — the Brickyard, the Stonehouse, and Sprinkled Sweet — with its strings of lights, fountain, stage for bands, and festive outdoor atmosphere is perhaps one of the city's more popular attractions. It's a vibrant focal point in the downtown.
At a glance, it might not seem to require much in the way of renovations.
But owners Tony and Katie Ecker said over the 10 years the square has been open for business, things have worn and settled. The flagstone walkway, for example, was laid where a building had been demolished without the proper sub-layer, and now it has heaved and shifted in the freeze and thaw of each season.
"The flagstones are more of an obstacle course," said Tony Ecker. "They're uneven with no plumbing or street drain. We hope to put a concrete slab down to level the ground and create proper drainage," he said.
He's concerned that accessibility will become an issue after too long.
The Pine Square stage is small and unaccommodating for musical acts. Owners would like to push the stage back into the building behind it to make more room for the audience and create a "band shell" feel with lighting and better sound.
The stage is a popular spot for musicians to set up, but it was built somehwat hastily and isn't ideal for bands. "Hosting musicians is hard," he said. "There is no lighting or sound, and the stage is small."
They hope to sink the stage into the bulding behind it, creating a band shell feel, allowing for more space in the courtyard for the audience.
"We also would like to construct a better patio for the Stonehouse, drop it to ground level and rebuild, and drop the front dining room windows down to be able to open the restaurant to the outdoor patio in good weather," he said.
Many of the features in the square were done on a "shoestring" budget or with private investment. "It's private property, said Ecker, "but it feels like a public space."
Plans are for the Stonehouse "porch," as the staff calls it, to become a full patio with a roof and floor to ceiling doors.
The owners have never charged entry when performers are on their stage, and would like to keep it that way. "It's expensive to keep up," Ecker said, referring to snow removal in the winter, upkeep with the landscaping, and other maintenance efforts.
"Our goal is to contribute more to the city," Ecker said.
They own the two buildings on either side of the square, some of which is still empty storefront. "We've done an OK job at it. But we'd like to see more shops, maybe an outdoor store and other retail."
To secure the grant, Ecker has been working with economic consulting firm Penn Strategies. "We've had good city support, too, from the mayor and city council finance committee, and the county commissioners," who voted their approval to apply for the $1 million grant on June 25.
Penn Strategies is also helping the owners of River Valley Plaza, located in Old City Williamsport, east of Market Street and situated off the Basin Street exit behind Starbucks, to secure a grant.
Related reading: Renovations coming to River Valley Plaza and Starbucks in Williamsport
Grant funding, also from the upcoming RCAP selection period, would help the owners of River Valley Plaza give the exterior of the plaza a thorough facelift and potentially add a second drive-thru and change traffic patterns around the very busy Starbucks.
Now the Williamsport business owners need support from Harrisburg, from the senate, congress, and governor.
Ecker said he hopes the area gets a green light on the various RCAP grants under review. "Old City revitalization is good for all of us. More restaurants equals more customers. The more businesses, the more foot traffic," he said.
"The grant window application is open for 30 days, and then we wait," Ecker said. If received, they hope to have the majority of the renovations to Pine Square finished by next summer.
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