The West Chester Business Improvement District (BID) was established in 2001 (for a five year period) to fund and implement programs that reflect three general goals:

• increase customer traffic and sales;
• retain, expand and recruit viable businesses;
• to advocate the interests of downtown to government agencies;

Funding is generated by an annual assessment equitably shared by all commercial properties in the district. The assessment rate is calculated as .0025 of assessed value of the commercial portion of the property. 100% of the funds collected go toward programs of the West Chester BID. The BID is governed by a 15 member Board of Directors made up of downtown business and property owners. The Board meets the second Tuesday of each month at the BID office.

The mission of the Downtown West Chester BID is to create a partnership among
the business and property owners to achieve long-term economic growth for business in
Downtown West Chester.

The West Chester BID currently has the following committees and programs in place:

Advocacy Committee

Activities: Borough Liaison; Wayfinding project; downtown beautification program.

Customer Attraction Committee

Activities: Destination Downtown Campaign; Downtown directories; downtown informational kiosks; downtown positioning brochure; advertising in the area's visitor guides; website design/development; public relations; FAM tours; attracting bus tours.

Business Attraction Committee

Activities: Retail Enhancement & Expansion Program; website property listing program; Urban Revitalization Plan; small business information service; property directory; prospect directory.

Design Committee

Activities: Facade Improvement Program; downtown design guidelines.

2006 Board of Directors

Fred Gusz, Chair; First Mortgage Brokers
Jacqueline Van Grofski, Vice-Chair; Arthur Hall Insurance Group
H. Paul Fitzpatrick, Secretary; Borough Council of West Chester
Roy Smith, Treasurer; Community Liaison
Lance Nelson, Past Chair; MacElree Harvey, Ltd.
Carol Aichele; Chester County Commissioner
Christopher P. Blakely; Willow Financial Bank
Patrick Comerford; Jane Chalfant
Tony Mastroianni; Property Owner
Richard May; RKM Advisors Inc
Ernie B. McNeely; Borough of West Chester
Ray H. Ott, Jr.; Ray Ott & Associates
Debbie Pekala; Romantic Jewelers
Katie Walker; Chamber of Commerce of Greater West Chester

Malcolm Johnstone; Executive Director
Elizabeth McGuire; Administrator