Mayoral Musings: Revitalize Lansdale with accountability

For too long, our Main Street has been marred by empty buildings—spaces that should be vibrant centers of commerce and community but instead lie dormant, a silent testament to opportunities lost. I am pleased to share that next Wednesday, Borough Council will take a final vote on whether we should establish an ordinance that comprehensively addresses vacant space in our community.

Our town is filled with hardworking, dynamic people. With over 6,000 people per square mile, our average resident is 37 (three years younger than the state average), with a median household income of $87,000 (17.8% better than the state average). Our residents are in the prime of their lives, ready to invest in our community and build a better future for their families by investing in all kinds of products and services to meet their needs.

To be clear, this is not an opinion, it is a fact. (DataUSA)

Yet, many of our commercial real estate locations remain empty, as they have been for decades, despite the marketplace becoming more desirable to do business in. It is my long-held belief that the mitigating factor keeping businesses from filling empty commercial property is the property owners themselves. Either the property is underdeveloped, making it un-leasable/undesirable or they simply are not engaged in the process of filling it for reasons only they know.

Either way, the community is the one left suffering with aging buildings that are perpetually empty.

For our part, the Borough has used taxpayer dollars to subsidize efforts to try and support business development efforts and to encourage redevelopment. We hired an outside consultant (Stephen Barth) to aid in this process and we have continued to fund grant programs to help businesses improve their spaces. But how much more taxpayer money should we use for a problem that is created by the building owners themselves? Shouldn’t the burden of this problem rest with the entities that have vacant space?

I have heard it argued that it is unfair to ask more of commercial property owners because they pay taxes too and that should suffice. But the reality is the impact of an empty building goes beyond the standard use of taxpayer dollars. It hinders the growth of the whole community.

The argument that commercial property owners do not have any more input than the average resident is patently false. Proof of that is a letter sent to our Code Committee (where this is being discussed) by a property owner stating how they would fill their vacant space immediately with something “undesirable” if the ordinance passes. Proof that property owners are, in fact, in control of their spaces and can fill them if they want. You cannot have it both ways. You cannot be in complete control of a process AND claim that you shouldn’t be held responsible for it.

I can understand a desire to find the right business to fill a space rather than just any business. That is why we have crafted language in the ordinance to allow for 90 days of vacancy prior to mandatory registration. Additionally, we have crafted a waiver program that encourages property owners to redevelop and modernize their properties so that they might attract the type of business they want more easily and not have to pay any registration fees while work is ongoing.

The fees collected from this program will be reinvested directly into our local economy, supporting business development and fueling the revitalization efforts that will keep Lansdale thriving. This isn’t about punishment—it’s about accountability and partnership. It’s about creating a framework where property owners are encouraged to be active, engaged participants in our community’s future.

Finally, the ordinance will create a critical touch point for our Code Department and our Economic Development Committee by providing the opportunity to discuss the property with the owner to see what might hinder it from being successful and if there is a way for us to work together on it. For property owners who are unengaged in our community, which there are certainly some, they can pay the registration fee, and we will continue to work as hard as possible to improve Lansdale for all of us.

I know there are some who are not “completely sold” on this idea. I understand the hesitancy. I also understand that there is a real desire for action and change on this topic. What we are doing today is not working and we need to do something different. Asking taxpayers to kick in more money to “fix” a problem that residents have little control over is not a viable answer.

We want property owners who are engaged in the community. Who are looking to grow with us. That means being accountable for filling their spaces. This Vacancy Registration Ordinance sets a standard that if you own leasable property in Lansdale the expectation is that you will fill that space and not leave it to languish for all to see.

Lansdale is a great place to live, and it can be an even better place to work and do business. This ordinance sets a clear expectation: if you own a commercial property, you are responsible for its contribution to our community. It’s time to move forward with the conviction that when we invest in accountability and community spirit, we all move forward together.

Mayor Herbert

(Mayoral Musings is a weekly op-ed column submitted to North Penn Now, courtesy of Lansdale Borough Mayor Garry Herbert. The views expressed are his own and are not representative of North Penn Now or Lansdale Borough.)