Mayor Eddie Morán, in collaboration with the Reading Parking Authority, has announce the launch of the new “Experience Downtown Reading” campaign in support of businesses located on Penn Street and in the City’s downtown commercial district.
The campaign is comprised of multiple pro-business initiatives intended to bolster the many restaurants and other eateries, retail shops, banks, and professional offices that have chosen Downtown Reading for their operations.
Two “Experience Downtown Reading” projects launched Friday, September 1.
The new Free 10 on Penn project will provide free on-street parking for people visiting Penn Street to do quick errands and expecting to park for 10 minutes or less.
Customers will receive free parking by entering their license plate number in one of the pay stations recently installed in the middle of every block of Penn Street. Free 10 on Penn originated from local data showing over 50% of people using meters parked less than 10 minutes. The data was collected using technology to study utilization trends for metered parking in Reading over a four-month period. Based on the data, Free 10 on Penn will alleviate the need to pay metered parking for more than half of visitors to Reading’s downtown businesses.
“Experience Downtown Reading” will also promote downtown restaurants and eateries through a monthly contest awarding restaurant gift cards to the lucky winners.
Each month will feature a different restaurant that will be highlighted using multiple promotional strategies, including digital and traditional media. Winners will also receive tickets to an event at the Santander Arena, giving them the opportunity to combine their prizes for a night on the town or to use them on two separate occasions. The contest starts Friday, September 1, and will remain open for entries through September 15.
In addition, Reading Parking Authority began offering flat rate Night Owl parking last spring at its surface lots located at 341 Cherry Street, 29 S. Fifth Street, and 644 Penn Street.
Anyone downtown to visit a restaurant or other business pays a $2 flat rate to park between the hours of 4:00 PM and 8:00 AM the following morning. Night Owl pricing is available every night at 341 Cherry Street and every night except event nights at 29 S. Fifth Street and 644 Penn Street. On those nights, however, several spaces at both the Fifth Street and Penn Street lots are designated as two-hour maximum parking to ensure patrons at local businesses can find convenient parking even during high-demand times. Those spaces are available at an hourly rate rather than event rates.
