Apr. 17—Working to enhance the downtown experience, transform perceptions, build relationships with downtown businesses and attract new ones is what Maritza Loaiza does.
Reading's city core manager, Loaiza is celebrating a year on the job.
"My role is to continue to create and collaborate with our partners on events that spark interest, generate community engagement and economic impact, and improve perceptions of downtown Reading," she said.
Loaiza, who was appointed last year by Mayor Eddie Moran, said she is responsible for all marketing and communications pertaining to the downtown.
She reported Monday on the past year's accomplishments and her plans during City Council's committee of the whole meeting.
Part of her job, Loaiza said, involves coordinating downtown events hosted by the city and in collaboration with other organizations; initiating and building relationships with downtown stakeholders, organizations and businesses; and managing and creating content for the city core's social media accounts.
"Last year when I came into the role, I went right into event planning," she said.
Last year's events included a series of First Friday family-friendly activities, held in May, June, August and September.
An event scheduled for July was rained out, Loaiza noted.
Other city-hosted events included Halloween on Penn Street in October, Winter Wonderland ice skating at the Santander Arena and the traditional holiday parade in November.
In addition, collaborative events were held, such as the Mid Atlantic Air Museum's World War II Weekend kickoff in June, art-centered events with the GoggleWorks Center for the Arts and business-focused events with the Reading Berks Association of Realtors and Greater Reading Chamber Alliance, or GRCA.
One of the most popular activities was the Glow Run and after-party. Held in collaboration with GRCA and the Human Development Group, it drew more than 3,000.
The event included a go-at-your-own-pace 5k run through the downtown with participants running through the neon-lighted course dressed in glow-wear and accessories. A family-friendly post-run party featured music, games and other activities.
A similar schedule is in the works with events beginning in May.
In the past year, Loaiza said, she worked on building city core branding that includes a new downtown logo and new uniform design for the team of downtown ambassadors.
Overseeing the team is among her many duties.
All four full-time and one of the two part-time ambassador positions have been filled, she noted.
The team does much more than empty trash receptacles and pick up litter, she noted. Ambassadors are trained and certified to perform a myriad of safety-related and other tasks. Their duties include helping with snow removal on public property; weeding and trimming in public garden and planters; maintaining the public courtyards on the 600 and 800 blocks of Penn Street; and assessing and reporting mental and other health crises and overdoses.
They also help with event setup and breakdown, distribute event fliers and other information and serve as a point of contact to street vendors in need of licensing.
A large part of Loaiza's job involves building relationships with downtown businesses, including restaurants.
A group of downtown restauranteurs is in the process of organizing for the purpose of networking, promoting a safer downtown image and attracting business, Kirby Powell, part owner of Saucony Brewing Company, told council at a recent meeting.
Saucony operates a restaurant/brew pub in the former Franklin Street Station at Seventh and Franklin streets.
"I'm really happy to hear about the restaurant group that started," Councilman O.Christopher Miller said Monday.
Miller said more information about the informally organized group will be available at a community meeting Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Skyline Cuisine Restaurant, 600 Penn St.
"I hope with this community meeting on Thursday, we can help that to grow," Miller said, "because I think as a group, the restaurants that are physically there downtown have a better idea of what the needs are as far as what they see on a day-to-day basis."
Council also heard reports and recommendations from William Heim, city managing director, and Jamal Abodalo, director of the city's department of community development.
Both urged council to adopt a downtown strategic master plan, drafted in 2021 by Stantec, a Wyomissing engineering and architectural firm.
The plan was commissioned by the city to help guide development in the area from the Schuylkill River north to City Park, between Franklin and Washington streets. It is aimed at shaping the downtown's future growth and includes strategies for affordable housing, mobility, arts and culture, historic preservation, economics and Incentives, development and funding sources.
Abodalo also said proposed changes to the city's zoning ordinance are intended to help make the city more business friendly.
The proposal is expected to come before council in May, he said.
