Lansdale launches community survey to help shape future of downtown district
Discover Lansdale, borough officials and Pennsylvania Downtown Center seeking public input on business climate, walkability, events, safety and redevelopment priorities
A new community-wide survey aimed at helping guide the future of downtown Lansdale is now underway, as borough officials and local revitalization leaders seek public feedback on everything from parking and safety to restaurants, events and economic development.
Discover Lansdale, working alongside Lansdale Borough’s Economic Development Committee and the Pennsylvania Downtown Center, recently launched the “Lansdale Community Perception Survey,” an initiative designed to gather broad public input on the strengths, weaknesses and future direction of the borough’s downtown core.
Organizers say the survey results will help shape future revitalization strategies, investment decisions and long-term planning efforts focused on strengthening downtown Lansdale as both a business district and regional gathering place.
“To plan for the future, we want to know how you view Lansdale today,” Discover Lansdale wrote in announcing the initiative. “Your feedback is critical.”
Officials said the survey takes roughly seven to eight minutes to complete and is intended for residents, visitors and business owners alike.
The survey itself asks participants dozens of questions covering transportation, shopping habits, dining frequency, parking, safety, walkability, housing, nightlife, business diversity and the overall “sense of place” within the borough. Respondents are asked to rate whether downtown Lansdale is safe, welcoming, clean, vibrant, business-friendly and affordable, among numerous other categories.
Questions also focus heavily on economic development and infrastructure, including whether the borough has “the right mix of businesses,” attractive housing opportunities, sufficient parking, convenient pedestrian access and adequate lighting.
The survey further explores community identity and public engagement by asking participants whether downtown Lansdale is “forward looking and future oriented,” effectively marketed and supported by cooperative stakeholders and volunteers.
The initiative comes amid years of continued investment and redevelopment activity throughout Lansdale’s downtown corridor. In recent years, borough officials and community organizations have pushed to strengthen the town center through expanded entertainment programming, streetscape improvements, outdoor dining initiatives, new apartment construction, SEPTA-oriented development and efforts to attract additional small businesses and restaurants to West Main Street and surrounding corridors.
Discover Lansdale has played a growing role in many of those efforts, helping organize events such as First Fridays, Founders Day celebrations, Mardi Gras parades, beer festivals and seasonal downtown promotions aimed at increasing foot traffic and supporting local businesses. Borough officials have also continued discussing parking management, pedestrian safety improvements, business recruitment and long-term economic planning as part of broader revitalization conversations.
The Pennsylvania Downtown Center, which is partnering on the survey effort, is a statewide nonprofit organization that works with communities on downtown revitalization, Main Street programs, economic development planning and neighborhood improvement strategies.
Officials are encouraging broad participation from throughout the North Penn region, saying a larger response pool will help provide more accurate insight into how residents and visitors currently experience downtown Lansdale.
“The more people participate, the better results will reflect diverse viewpoints from across the North Penn region,” organizers said. “Please lend us 8 minutes (more or less) of your busy day to complete the survey.”
