affordability, combined with the city’s architectural significance, has caught the attention of academics and urban planners.As the mayor notes,“A professor from Georgetown University brought his students up here to look at all the diverse architecture in such a relatively small area.” The city’s approach to development emphasizes adaptive reuse, particularly of its industrial heritage. A prime example is the transformation of the former Dentsply campus, a 17-acre site that once housed the dental supply giant founded in York in the early 1900s.“These buildings are being transformed into elder care facilities, senior housing, and market-rate apartments,” Mayor Helfrich explains. While preserving its historical character, York faces unique challenges in modernizing its infrastructure. “Being only 5.2 square miles, we’ve been essentially built out since the 1800s,” Mayor Helfrich notes.“It’s all about reimagining existing spaces now.” This limitation has sparked innovative solutions, with developers and city planners working together to create mixed-use spaces that serve modern needs while respecting historical context. HOUSING INNOVATION AND AFFORDABILITY York’s approach to housing development follows a comprehensive strategy that addresses multiple community needs while maintaining affordability. With housing demand at an all-time high and properties selling within days of listing, the city is embarking on an ambitious plan to create over a thousand new housing units in the next five years, ranging from affordable housing to upscale condominiums. “The demand for housing is so high. We are one of the highest demand cities in the entire country,” Mayor Helfrich explains.“A house here will only stay Photo Credit: Randy Flaum In York We Look to Our Past and Our Future 9 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 06, ISSUE 02 YORK, PA
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