Boscov should finish other projects before starting in Reading’s Penn Square

by Steve Reinbrecht

Al Boscov wants to develop a row of major buildings in downtown Reading.

City-owned empty buildings on Penn Street.

But he hasn’t finished other projects, leaving parts of the city ugly and raising questions about his ability to attract tenants and see projects through.

For example, Boscov’s non-profit group Our City Reading owns dozens of properties all over the city. Many in the Buttonwood Street- Schuylkill Avenue area appear to be in limbo. 

431 Gordon St., owned by Our City Reading.

Our City Reading uses public money to buy and renovate blighted homes. The strategy has been criticized as scatter-shot. [I think it would be better to use Reading’s community-development funds to concentrate on fixing up an entire borderline neighborhood next to a stable neighborhood.]

How many properties does Our City Reading own? They are listed in Berks County records, but you have to look carefully.

A recent look at Berks County records shows that “Our City Reading” owns 16 properties, mostly in the Buttonwood Gateway project, where Boscov had proposed new housing.

But wait! There are more. Search “Our City-Reading” – with the oddly placed hyphen -- and 43 more properties show up, some co-owned by Carrie Miller, whoever she is. It has owned some of them for seven years.

419 Tulpehocken St. Our City Reading
owns the empty lot.

A drive around a block in the neighborhood off Buttonwood Street shows vacant lots, many with weeds and trash. Houses range from boarded up to dilapidated to well-kept and cheery.

The Reading Redevelopment Authority
owns 461 Gordon St., left.
Our City Reading owns the lot at 459 Gordon St.

Then there are the vacant storefronts across Washington Street from the GoggleWorks arts center. The strip of stores has been empty for years. What a sight to see next to the city’s premier attraction, which, to be fair, would not exist if it were not for Boscov’s major financial support.

I asked Adam Mukerji, executive director of the Reading Redevelopment Authority, why it’s so hard to find tenants for the strip, along the bottom of a parking garage. County records show that the authority owns the building.

He replied:

Empty space across from the GoggleWorks.

"Steve:
I have forwarded your email to Al Boscov for his response.
The retail space is owned by Our City Reading the not for profit headed by Al."

Boscov didn’t get back to me. He also didn’t get back to me when I asked him why he thinks he could find tenants for the giant buildings along the 400 block of Penn Street.

Rival developer Alan Shuman, who has also submitted plans for the city-owned buildings, did answer my questions.

“The downtown, and city, are filled with underused buildings for two main reasons,” Shuman wrote. “First, many owners are unwilling to make the investment into properly maintaining or renovating their buildings and would rather cut lease rates than make the improvements.

“Second, most owners are unwilling to make the investment of giving tenants (businesses) what they want.

“I talked to dozens of businesses and asked them what I should do for them to be willing to sign leases [for the downtown project] and move their businesses into the completed project.”

Reading Mayor Vaughn Spencer supports Boscov’s plans over Shuman’s.