EASTON, Pa. — The Easton Area Chamber of Commerce offered up an innovative take on property tours with a special open house showing throughout the downtown district Friday afternoon.
Dozens of real estate agents, businesspeople, and residents came together at City Hall on June 7 to take a short walking tour of four commercial properties available for rent or purchase, offering options for just about anyone interested in establishing roots in Easton.
Visitors were split into two groups to explore the properties, including a space at City Hall’s 123 South Third Street, the former Wells Fargo at 16 Centre Square, the current Fidelity Bank at 46 Centre Square, and an open space at The Commodore’s 154 Northampton Street.
“I think the best part of today is seeing the few empty spaces that are left. There's not many. I mean, seriously, now is the time to get on board, because the rents are going up. But right now is the time to get involved and get on board in downtown, because the young people that are coming into town, they want the urban feel – they don't want suburban, they want the urban feel, which is really great for me because I'm an urban guy."Easton Mayor Sal Panto Jr.
But before that, Director of Community and Economic Development John Kingsley applauded the extensive work of city officials in revitalizing Easton over the years, leading it to a point of economic prosperity and opportunity.
“At this very moment there are development projects either preparing to commence or under construction and all four districts of the city totaling more than $200 million in private investment,” Kingsley said.
“These projects will bring more than a thousand new residents to the city, hundreds of new jobs, and we will see more than one million people visit the city to experience our diverse restaurants, family and educational recreational attractions and our myriad outdoor events in 2024 alone.”
Mayor Sal Panto Jr. encouraged attendees to take advantage of the limited number of prime properties currently available, as an incoming swell of young professionals are aching for more “urban appeal.”
“I think the best part of today is seeing the few empty spaces that are left. There's not many. I mean, seriously, now is the time to get on board, because the rents are going up. But right now is the time to get involved and get on board in downtown, because the young people that are coming into town, they want the urban feel — they don't want suburban, they want the urban feel, which is really great for me because I'm an urban guy,” Panto said.
DCED’s Trevor Pinho led one group of the tour, offering attendees a few details about the properties’ surrounding areas and growth between stops, adding a few extra selling points to prospective buyers.
At each stop, visitors were provided short pitches from real estate agents, along with spec sheets on the buildings. Interested parties were permitted to explore each space, evaluating the possibilities to launch a business in a former bank, craft something from the ground up in a blank space, or perhaps establish a new restaurant in a space which has the necessary infrastructure in place already.
Several locations featured a few light bites from local restaurants — perhaps as a sales pitch for interested parties? — including Stoke Coal Fire Pizza, Meli European Taverna, and Thyme Rooftop Restaurant.
Serhant real estate agent Larry Holmes Jr., the listing agent for the restaurant space at 154 Northampton Street, said he was tipped off about Friday’s event via friends at Meli European Tavern.
“They were looking to rent the space, and they had told me about this event that the city was hosting. And I said, ‘Look, this is a wonderful opportunity for people to come into this space and see it and feel it and kind of get some ideas going to see what the potential could be for someone to do some business here,’” Holmes said.
“So I think it's a great event, and it's been a great turnout. There's a lot of interested people here that are from all walks of life, different businesses.”
Visitors appeared quite interested in the spaces, asking plenty of questions on behalf of their own businesses or establishing networks for future partnerships.
Ken Greene, who owns 46 Centre Square with his wife, said he was pleased to discover the open house program after he was informed his current tenant, Fidelity Bank, had planned to more to a location which would allow for a drive-through.
“They asked if we'd be interested to have our play shown, and we love that. And we're glad to take part in the tour so we can see the other spaces as well,” Greene said.
“It's good to know all of the opportunities that are available for people who want to either invest in or become tenants in our properties.”
Greene said he felt a sense of energy among the crowd on Friday, with plenty of visitors “eager to ask questions” about the properties and their potential.
“And I think it provides them with the sense of the energy that there is here in this town for growth and development, which we see very obviously with the construction of new buildings,” Greene said.
“But also happens with commercial properties, and as new residents are going to be moving in, commercial entities want to be here, because that's where the people are.”
