Dewberry selected for Middletown Borough Revitalization Initiative

FAIRFAX, VA — Dewberry, a national consulting firm, was selected by the Middletown Borough of Pennsylvania to develop revitalization concepts for the borough’s historic downtown district. The concepts will address improved access to the downtown core, streetscape improvements, additional parking, creation of a town square and civic plaza spaces, and signage improvements. Dewberry’s services include planning, design, civil engineering, and community outreach.

The oldest town in Dauphin County, Middletown lies at the mouth of the Swatara Creek and Susquehanna River. Settlement in the area dates to the early 18th century. Middletown was a “post town” set midway along the old Stage Coach Road between Lancaster and Carlisle. During the Revolutionary War, the town served as a supply depot for the Colonial armies.

The community is also known for its Victorian brownstone homes and as the home of the historic Middletown & Hummelstown railroad, which offers train rides through the Swatara Creek Valley. The borough seeks to enhance the economic vitality of the downtown area and draw more residents and visitors to the area, as well as students from the nearby Harrisburg campus of Penn State University. Dewberry’s team includes Rosenstein Research, providing economic development recommendations; and Architecture Design Group, a firm specializing in historic preservation.

“Middletown has a lot of charm and potential to revive its downtown area and grow the local economy,” says Dan Anderton, an urban planner who is leading the project for Dewberry. “Our revitalization concepts will be appropriate to the Victorian-era architecture, but will reflect modern approaches to retail and community dynamics.”

Dewberry most recently worked with the Middletown Borough on a disaster recovery assessment related to recent flooding. The firm has extensive expertise in planning and revitalization, and has worked with a number of communities in the Mid-Atlantic.