2021 Report to the Community
King of Prussia Mall
REFLECTIONS ON 2020 A Message From King of Prussia District 2020 was an extraordinary year. While COVID tested our resolve and resiliency, our organization was thrilled to see so many businesses and property owners pivot toward new and creative ways to keep their businesses thriving. We encountered story after story about different ways the community reached out to support one another. It was truly inspirational and reminded us why King of Prussia is such a special community for businesses and residents alike. Despite COVID, our organization had a terrific year. This report details our progress during the past year and highlights the continued economic development activity that took place in King of Prussia in 2020. We’ve pulled out a few of the more notable achievements to share over the next few pages. We remain optimistic about the continued future growth of King of Prussia as we slowly come out from the impacts of the global pandemic. On behalf of the Board of Directors and staff, thank you for your continued support of this organization. Please do not hesitate to contact us at any time with your questions or comments.
Carol McCoy Board Chair
Eric T. Goldstein Executive Director
O P E N I N G L E T T E R 1
20 20
HIG HL I GH T S
Hosted the 6th Annual KOP Restaurant Week and KOP Shops for CHOP and rallied over 100 businesses and the Upper Merion Area School District to raise $40,000 for CHOP.
$40K Raised for CHOP Kept the KOP Beerfest Royale spirit alive by hosting a virtual Beerfest.
Partnered with Upper Merion Township (UMT) to honor first responders and essential workers through a social media campaign called We See You, KOP.
Hosted our first ever First Responder Appreciation Week and served 222 meals to UMT’s first responders over the five days.
222
Meals served to UMT's first responders
Partnered with Conlin’s Print and 12 businesses for our 10th Annual Holiday Food Drive benefitting the Upper Merion Area Community Cupboard. We closed out the collection with StuffA-Truck, a daylong food drive in KOP Town Center.
Launched Let’s Go KOP, an advertising campaign designed to welcome the public safely back to support KOP businesses.
Shortly after the stay-athome orders were initiated, we quickly pivoted and executed a number of new, successful campaigns to keep KOP businesses top-of-mind during the closures, and later to encourage the public to safely patronize these businesses. Examples include: KOP Quaranteam Virtual Events In April we launched five weekly virtual events/promotions including live concerts, workouts, howto videos, takeout social media contests and KOP Shop Hop, a Facebook live interview show.
Get More, KOP Gift Card Upgrade We executed a series of gift card flash sales, infusing our local economy with much needed capital. The successful campaign garnered great press coverage!
KOP Takeout Takeover Originally intended to deploy in January 2021, we expedited this takeout promotion when Pennsylvania announced the closure of indoor dining. The campaign featured special deals and gift card giveaways from 16 KOP restaurants.
$110,000 Generated through gift card promotion 2 0 2 0 H I G H L I G H T S 3
20 20
In the Township, despite a global pandemic, development continues in King of Prussia with a deep project pipeline. Here are some of the current and future highlights:
H IGH L IGHT S
Completed Phase One of the First Avenue Linear Park! Pedestrians can enjoy this new $2.5M multimodal trail and its many amenities along 10 commercial properties.
Engaged new stakeholders from our boundary expansion through development of a Renaissance Park Action Plan. This Action Plan will guide King of Prussia District’s improvements at Renaissance Park for the next few years.
Continued to manage the King of Prussia Rail Coalition’s advertising and marketing efforts, as well its website and social media activity.
Main Line Health is now accepting patients at their $32M, 94,000 SF health center in The Village at Valley Forge.
94K SF Main Line Health is now accepting patients Anthology King of Prussia is now welcoming residents and open for family tours.
Created a new landscape installation on I-76 at Exit 328-B into King of Prussia. This new planting bed is a continuation of the dramatic landscape along that stretch of the Schuylkill Expressway through PennDOT’s Adopt and Beautify Program.
The pandemic did not disrupt construction on Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s new 250K SF inpatient hospital in The Village at Valley Forge. It is on target to open in late 2021.
Received a $190,000 MONTCO 2040 Implementation Grant to construct Phase Two of the First Avenue Linear Park.
$190K MONTCO 2040 Implementation Grant
Children's Hospital of Philadelphia
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CONTENTS 6
575 South
Developers continue to add multifamily residential units, with Toll Brothers' condo project 575 South opening, two new developments under construction in The Village at Valley Forge and a large subdivision of townhomes and single-family homes near Saulin Boulevard and Route 202.
KOP continues to see investments made to its hotels, with the DoubleTree by Hilton, now known as the Alloy King of Prussia, going through a rebrand and $18.5 M renovation. Built adjacent to the Sheraton Valley Forge, The Element Valley Forge will open in 2021.
Topgolf, acquired this year by Callaway, remains committed to constructing a new facility on First Avenue in Moore Park.
King of Prussia District
10
Pandemic Pivots & Stories of Hope
14
Pandemic Programming
20
Economic Development
32
Commercial Real Estate & Employment
40
Hospitality & Attractions
46
Retail & Dining
50
Healthcare
54
Physical Improvements
62
Transportation
64
King of Prussia Rail
70
Land Use & Zoning
72
Community & Housing
78
Education
82
Community Events
90
2020 Revenue & Expense Summary
91
Board of Directors & Staff
92
2020 Event Sponsors
Topgolf
Element Valley Forge
2 0 2 0 H I G H L I G H T S 5
ABOUT
KING OF PRUSSIA DISTRICT
King of Prussia Town Center
King of Prussia District By the Numbers
1,985 Acres
435 Properties
$2.24B Total assessed property value
4,021
King of Prussia District is a private, not-forprofit, 501(c)3 business improvement district that serves as a catalyst for economic development and job growth. King of Prussia District elevates property values in Upper Merion Township through its focused and strategic programs and services. Established in 2010 by Upper Merion Township (UMT) Ordinance, King of Prussia District partners with UMT and 435 commercial, industrial and multifamily residential properties within the established 1,985 acre boundary that defines the District. King of Prussia District develops and executes strategies that instill resident, corporate and investor confidence. The organization’s programs and services, and its impact on economic development, help drive revenue for UMT, the Upper Merion Area School District, Montgomery County, the Montgomery County Community College and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
Companies
63,849 Employees
– OnTheMap, 2021
A B O U T 7
OUR MISSION & PROGRAMS King of Prussia District engages public and private partners to collaboratively improve the economic environment in King of Prussia by making it more vibrant, attractive and prosperous.
Five-Point Program Plan Physical Improvements From public parks and bike lanes, to signage and landscaped medians along some of King of Prussia’s most visible and highly-traveled corridors, King of Prussia District manages design, construction and maintenance of projects that enhance KOP’s aesthetic.
Funding King of Prussia District programs are funded through a special assessment fee made possible by commercial, industrial and multifamily residential properties within its boundary. The assessment fee is 0.00089 MILS, or 3.49% of the total real estate tax bill for property owners. The millage rate has remained the same since the District was founded in 2010. With the exception of a Township contribution of $18,500 for theconnector shuttle bus system in 2020 to help reduce traffic and congestion in the high trafficked commercial areas of the Township, King of Prussia District’s $10.4M budget was paid for by private contributions, management fees, grants and sponsorships.
Land Use & Zoning King of Prussia District works closely with the Township and County to develop strategies for a comprehensive and cohesive forward-thinking vision for KOP’s future.
Tax Policy King of Prussia District continually monitors existing tax codes of the region’s largest commercial centers to ensure that UMT remains competitive and attractive to companies, employees and residents.
Transportation King of Prussia District is dedicated to making life flow in KOP, effecting game-changing transportation solutions that enhance vehicular, pedestrian, bicycle and public transportation access.
Marketing & Communications Committed to keeping KOP in the spotlight and building on its reputation as one of America’s great edge cities, King of Prussia District executes robust marketing and advertising campaigns and produces award-winning events throughout the year.
99.8% Of King of Prussia District’s $10.4M 2020 operating budget was PRIVATE contributions and grants
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Valley Forge Towers
In 2020, King of Prussia District assessed property owners contributed significant tax revenue to the local economy
$874K Montgomery County Community College
$8.1M
Montgomery County
$6.2M
Upper Merion Township
$46.5M Upper Merion Area School District
2020-2023 Strategic Plan Every three years, King of Prussia District embarks on a strategic planning process designed to guide our five-point program plan. In December 2020, we engaged Dunleavy & Associates and assembled a committee of staff members, board members, residents and stakeholders for an eightmonth planning process, unaware of how a pandemic and economic crisis would play a part in this next phase. While all of the stakeholder interviews were completed before the pandemic reached the United States in any measurable way, the process was adapted in May 2020 when the Committee established both short-and long-term priorities given KOP’s immediate needs. The Committee outlined the following goals for the next three years.
Business Recovery Position King of Prussia District as the leader and driver of King of Prussia’s Business Recovery efforts.
Partner Engagement Maximize the opportunities to expand and reinforce engagement with partners and community members.
Transportation Advocacy Continue to advocate for transformative transportation projects and maximize our existing transportation programs.
Business Recruitment Develop and deploy a proactive business recruitment plan. Guided by our new Strategic Plan, King of Prussia District staff and Board of Directors remain dedicated to working tirelessly to ensure that KOP remains a competitive force in our region’s economic landscape.
– Montgomery County Information & Technologies Solutions, 2021
Read the 2020-2023 Strategic Plan visitKOP.com/publications
A B O U T 9
Anthology of King of Prussia
PANDEMIC PIVOTS & STORIES OF HOPE Founding Farmers
Beer On Demand
King of Prussia: A Community of Resilience In March 2020 when the stay-at-home orders went into effect as COVID-19 began to spread in King of Prussia and communities across the Commonwealth, it was not yet known just how much the pandemic would disrupt every facet of life. Within weeks, it was apparent that the pandemic would have far-reaching and long-standing implications for our nation’s economy. Despite the mandated closures, KOP business owners and operators showed tremendous resiliency, creativity and perseverance. Over the past year, we’ve seen the KOP community come together to support one another and heard a multitude of stories of large and small businesses that effectively pivoted to preserve their customer base. Here are a few examples of KOP businesses adjusting to these new realities.
KOP's first brewery, Workhorse Brewing Company launched a delivery service in response to the pandemic, offering free delivery within a ~13 mile radius of the KOP taproom, as well as the majority of Center City Philadelphia. Orders placed by 3 PM are guaranteed for same-day delivery. The popular service is here to stay. Workhorse also partnered with Wegmans and other businesses to offer meal and beer kits. In the summer, Workhorse debuted an expanded outdoor beer garden, which was outfitted with propane heaters when the weather turned cold, and launched outdoor tailgating by reservation only.
Not Your Mama’s Grocer Recognizing essential goods and groceries were hard to come by, a few restaurants pivoted to fill that void and make up for income lost during their closures. In KOP Town Center, Founding Farmers introduced a market and grocery, open for curbside pick-up and delivery, which featured a robust selection of prepared foods, freshly baked breads and pastries, house-churned ice cream, pantry staples and difficult to find household essentials, like toilet paper and paper towels. Fogo de Chao also stepped up with Fogo to-go, offering produce, eggs, milk, fresh fruit and a selection of meats from their butcher shop. Many of KOP’s steak and seafood houses, including Sullivan’s Steakhouse, The Capital Grille, Morton’s The Steakhouse and Eddie V’s Prime Seafood, offered a wonderful selection of meat to cook at home…and bottles of wine to go! Restaurants like bartaco and Paladar also debuted meal kits and cocktails to go. P A N D E M I C P I V O T S & S T O R I E S O F H O P E 11
Throughout King of Prussia, businesses quickly pivoted to adjust to new realities. Curbside Pickup Pops Up
Main Line Health
The pandemic forced many brick-and-mortar retailers to think outside of the box to keep their customers safe while meeting demands. Like retail centers around the country, King of Prussia Mall implemented a number of health and safety measures when the mall reopened late June 2020 and also introduced curbside pickup parking spots to accommodate the 53 retailers and restaurants offering that service. King of Prussia Town Center and KOP’s other retail centers also implemented similar measures.
Let’s Get Virtual When Main Line Health opened their new KOP outpatient center on March 9, they had big plans to host year-round, free classes in their incredible teaching kitchen. Within weeks, the center closed again. When they reopened in June, the center launched virtual programming to complement their new telehealth services. KOP’s fitness centers, including Elle Fit, ilovekickboxing.com, Dub Fitness and Upper Merion Community Center also did their part to keep people healthy, offering virtual or prerecorded classes. To keep people entertained, educated and informed, Valley Forge Park Alliance launched virtual programming including a virtual March-in; KOP’s Police and Fire Federal Credit Union hosted free virtual financial seminars; and King of Prussia Town Center moved their popular concert series online. KOP’s apartment communities, like Hanover Town Center, AVE King of Prussia, The Smith and Canvas Valley Forge, also quickly adapted, moving apartment tours online.
Al Fresco Dining Abounds While restaurants were closed for indoor dining, Upper Merion Township, with assistance from King of Prussia District, developed criteria to allow restaurants to safely expand their outdoor dining areas, or create new temporary outdoor dining opportunities, when Montgomery County moved into the “yellow” phase. As a result, many of KOP’s restaurants erected incredible outdoor dining spaces, including City Works, Bonefish Grill, Eddie V’s Prime Seafood, The Capital Grille, J. Alexander’s, Fogo de Chao, Pepper’s by Amedeo’s and Founding Farmers. Many other restaurants with already established outdoor seating, like bartaco and North Italia, winterized their space with heaters.
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53+
Retailers & restaurants at the King of Prussia Mall offered curbside pickup
King of Prussia: A Community that Cares With a long history of supporting community nonprofits and organizations, it’s no surprise that the business community, despite their many hardships, came together to help others in 2020. Here are a few examples of just how much this community cares.
2,500 Face shields were donated to doctors and nurses Slay Displays, which produces specialty arrangements for events, quickly shifted gears in June and fabricated 2,500 face shields that were donated to doctors and nurses at 76 healthcare facilities. Valley Forge Casino Resort donated over 4,500 pieces of kitchenware, décor and furniture to the Habitat for Humanity of Montgomery and Delaware Counties Restore. The Casino also partnered with Orion Communities for their Adopt a Family program, and served 10 families — 13 parents and 24 children — with $10,000 worth of household and cleaning products, clothing, family activities and toys. Responding to the almost immediate surge in demand, many KOP businesses stepped up to help the Upper Merion Area Community Cupboard (UMACC). Bonefish Grill, bartaco, True Food Kitchen, Outback Steakhouse, Valley Forge Casino Resort, Sheraton Valley Forge and Hedgehog Grill donated truckloads of food including fresh produce. First Quality made several large donations of diapers and baby wipes, while Costco donated laundry supplies. Many KOP businesses showed their appreciation to frontline and essential workers by providing meals. Chick-Fil-A and Police and Fire Federal Credit Union donated meals to King of Prussia police, EMS and firefighters. Honeygrow donated 95 meals to the entire staff at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia to show their appreciation for healthcare workers on the front lines of the pandemic.
KING OF PRUSSIA DISTRICT INITIATIVE
King of Prussia District did our part to support the community during this difficult time: Leveraging our Facebook following for good, King of Prussia District launched a matching fundraising campaign for UMACC, donating $1,000. We partnered with Conlin’s Print and hosted our largest annual food drive for UMACC to date. Twelve businesses and buildings hosted donation boxes: Conlin’s Print, Sheraton Valley Forge Hotel, Omnia at Town Center, Canvas Valley Forge, 1000 Continental, The Atrium Building, KOP Town Center Management Office, King of Prussia Mall, 2520 Renaissance Blvd., the Alloy King of Prussia, Upper Merion Township Library and Workhorse Brewing Company. We ended the campaign with a bang, hosting Stuff-A-Truck, a day-long food drive at King of Prussia Town Center in November 2020. We rallied the support of 100+ businesses to host KOP Restaurant Week and KOP Shops for CHOP to raise money for Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. Despite a pandemic, this community raised $40,000 for CHOP! In partnership with Upper Merion Township, we debuted First Responder Appreciation Week and served 222 meals to KOP’s first responders over the course of one week. We are grateful for our generous sponsors allowed us to pay each restaurant providing meals: AVE King of Prussia, Valley Forge Shopping Center, Best Western Plus The Inn at King of Prussia, Brandywine Realty Trust, Police and Fire Federal Credit Union, Radial Corp, Riley Riper Hollin & Colagreco, UGI Corporation, B. Pietrini & Sons, Einstein Medical Centers Montgomery, The Discovery Labs, Tozour Energy Systems and Wegmans. On behalf of First Responder Appreciation Week, King of Prussia District also donated $2,000 to Upper Merion Emergency Aid.
Valley Forge Casino Resort partnered with Orion Communities for their Adopt a Family program, and served 10 families. P A N D E M I C P I V O T S & S T O R I E S O F H O P E 13
A MESSAGE ABOUT KOP’S POST-PANDEMIC FUTURE FROM KING OF PRUSSIA DISTRICT While the impacts of the pandemic are widespread, and the health and economic toll may be with us for a number of years, we at King of Prussia District are extraordinarily optimistic about the future of King of Prussia. The economic growth of the past decade made for a stronger economic base, and our more diversified business community was able to do a better job weathering the storm. Most commercial office tenants, while not physically in their offices, continued to operate efficiently and effectively through telework. Increased manufacturing and distribution companies, as well as a significant uptick in healthcare and life sciences, paid dividends in terms of preserving jobs and keeping the KOP economy afloat. We are so proud of our business community and are privileged to continue supporting its growth and success.
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KING OF PRUSSIA DISTRICT’S
PANDEMIC PROGRAMMING
King of Prussia District swiftly shifted our marketing and communications focus in the spring, implementing a number of new campaigns and initiatives to aid in business recovery efforts. 650 Park Rendering
VisitKOP.com Blog
KOP Quaranteam Virtual Events
We relied heavily on our blog to keep the public informed about the ever-changing restrictions related to the pandemic, share the ways that people could support businesses in KOP and highlight business pivots and positive stories.
King of Prussia District launched a series of online events and promotions intended to entertain, inform and keep KOP businesses top-of-mind during mandated closures.
31 Posts published in 2020
Move Mondays (9 weeks) Live workouts with instructors from KOP fitness studios and gyms
Takeout Tuesday (11 weeks) Social media contest with gift card giveaways designed to promote takeout
Hump Day How To (10 weeks)
Let’s Go, KOP Campaign After pausing our business recruitment campaign, Make the Move, we launched the Let’s Go, KOP advertising campaign and associated landing page LetsGoKOP.com. The focus of the multi-channeled campaign, which will run through fall 2021, is to reinvigorate visitors from our key demographics to return to King of Prussia to safely shop, play, stay, dine and drink. The colorful campaign includes placements on digital billboards, bus shelters, busses and social media platforms.
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Pre-recorded lifestyle how-to videos from KOP businesses posted on Wednesdays
Couch Concerts (10 weeks) Live concerts every Thursday night featuring two talented musicians
Get More, KOP Gift Card Campaign In an effort to quickly infuse the local economy with much-needed income, King of Prussia District launched a series of three gift card flash sales. Each flash sale was limited to only 1,000 gift cards for sale on our website from participating businesses. Cards were sold for $25 and included a $10 or $15 bonus courtesy of King of Prussia District. Participating businesses were not charged a fee to participate and received full value for the cards.
KOP Shop Hop Video
Shop Hop gives viewers the latest on their favorite KOP restaurants and retailers.
Round One (August 4) Included 30 businesses and sold out in 27 hours.
Round Two (September 8)
KOP Shop Hop (Ongoing)
Included 40 businesses and sold out in 2 hours.
King of Prussia District launched this Facebook live interview show in May as a way to give KOP restaurants and retailers a platform during the state-mandated closures and share info about health and safety protocols. Over time, as people became more comfortable with the “new normal,” the program shifted away from the pandemic and focused more on new menu items, promotions and services. Shop Hop features a grand prize giveaway from all participating businesses, ensuring excellent engagement during each episode. KOP Shop Hop continues to be a popular promotional opportunity for businesses within the District.
Round Three (October 20)
17 Live shows featuring 71 businesses
2,909 average views
211
Included 48 businesses and sold out in 6 minutes. This round included a larger “bonus” of $15 instead of the usual $10. This campaign garnered press from The Times Herald, The Mercury, MontcoToday, NBC10 and FOX Good Day Philadelphia.
$110K Total gift card sales for all rounds
average engagements P A N D E M I C P R O G R A M M I N G 17
Paladar Latin Kitchen & Rum Bar
KOP Takeout Takeover
KOP TAKEOUT TAKEOVER December 21 – January 10 Originally planned for early 2021, King of Prussia pushed this takeout promotion up when indoor dining was restricted beginning Dec. 12. Sixteen restaurants participated, offering special takeout promotions that we shared on our campaign landing page. Participating restaurants were highlighted with “Instagram takeover” and gift card contests. There was no fee to participate in this promotion.
“Your quick action with moving the date to support restaurants during another shutdown was a great move…. We noticed a nice increase in business on the day of our IG takeover. I would summarize an additional 1015% boost in sales during this time came directly from your marketing initiatives.” – Paul Foglia, General Manager for Paladar Latin Kitchen & Rum Bar
Conshohocken Brewing
Partnerships with Upper Merion Township King of Prussia District partnered with Upper Merion Township (UMT) and its Economic and Community Development Committee (ECDC) for two impactful campaigns in 2020:
We See You, KOP This campaign celebrated and thanked essential workers and first responders in the Township. King of Prussia District and Upper Merion Township shared a photo and testimonial for one honoree each week, selected by a committee from all nominees.
Small Business Campaign King of Prussia District worked with UMT’s ECDC to develop a small business directory on visitKOP.com and share the stores of UMT’s small businesses on our blog and e-newsletters.
KOP Beerfest Royale To keep the Beerfest spirit alive, we partnered with Kunda Beverage and KOP Beer Outlet to curate two specialty sixpacks featuring brewers of past Beerfests, including KOP’s own Workhorse Brewing Company and Conshohocken Brewing. The six-packs came with an invitation to a virtual happy hour we hosted with the brewers and live entertainment.
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SOCIAL STATS KOP District’s 'Quaranteam' offers virtual events to keep residents engaged – KYW News Radio
KOP BEERFEST
2,335 Likes KING OF PRUSSIA DISTRICT
13,445 Likes KOP RESTAURANT WEEK
605 Likes FRIENDS OF KOP RAIL
596 Likes
Once 'sleepy' King of Prussia is now booming with development – Philadelphia Inquirer
KOP BEERFEST
721 Followers KOP BID
7,406 Followers SUPPORT KOP RAIL
275 Followers
Three years later, KOP office building trades for more than double – Philadelphia Business Journal
KING OF PRUSSIA DISTRICT
910 Followers
KING OF PRUSSIA DISTRICT
2,746 Followers
WEB STATS VISIT KOP
CHOP breaks ground on King of Prussia inpatient facility – Philly Voice
62+ Articles from 13 publications
89,441 Visitors KOP RESTAURANT WEEK
39,598 Visitors KOP RAIL COALITION
2,409 Visitors KOP BEERFEST ROYALE
3,894 Visitors January 1 – December 31, 2020 P A N D E M I C P R O G R A M M I N G 19
With a strong foundation and a bold vision for the future, it should come as no surprise that King of Prussia is experiencing unprecedented growth. Since 2010, more than $3B was invested in a wide range of projects, with an additional $1.3B pipeline of development under construction or in the approvals process.
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
King of Prussia Town Center
KING OF PRUSSIA
17
24
422
23
Moore Park
20 10
276
21
2 8
12 22
6
3 4
11
1 16
9
15 7
The Village at Valley Forge
25
5
202 76
Boundaries King of Prussia District Renaissance Corporate Park Moore Park The Village at Valley Forge
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Now Complete
202
276
1.
575 South
2.
the Alloy King of Prussia
3.
Anthology of King of Prussia
4.
CubeSmart & UMT Emergency Services Station
5.
Lux Skin Lasers by John Lee, MD
6.
Main Line Health
7.
King of Prussia Surgery Center
8.
Sunoco Gas Station
9.
Taco Bell
Under Construction/Proposed 10. 650 Park 11. Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)
18
12. Element Valley Forge 13. The Discovery Labs
Renaissance Park
19
14. King of Prussia Logistics Hub 14
15. King of Prussia Mall 16. Overlook at Town Center 17. PennDOT 18. Purolite Corporation
13
19. Steelyard Sports 20. Toll Brothers Housing Development 21. Topgolf 22. UDR Multifamily Development 23. Upper Merion Area High School 24. Valley Forge National Historical Park 25. York Factory
E C O N O M I C D E V E L O P M E N T 23
Economic Development Projects
NOW COMPLETE With a strong foundation and a bold vision for the future, King of Prussia is experiencing unprecedented growth.
301 W. Dekalb Pk.
The Village at Valley Forge
950 Pulaski Dr.
the Alloy King of Prussia
Anthology King of Prussia
a DoubleTree by Hilton
Chicago-based CA Ventures is now accepting new residents at Anthology King of Prussia, an 11-story, 255,000 SF upscale senior living community with 190 independent living, assisted living and memory care apartments at 350 Guthrie Rd. Amenities include a rooftop terrace, fitness center, indoor pool, spa, on-site physical therapy, theater, library, dining options, game and activity rooms. Programming at Anthology focuses on emotional, intellectual, environmental, physical, spiritual and emotional wellness, and activities are designed to engage short-term and long-term memory.
King of Prussia Surgery Center
Following a six-month, $18.5M renovation and rebranding, the DoubleTree by Hilton Valley Forge reopened in June 2020 as the Alloy King of Prussia. The extensive renovation included the property’s 327 guest rooms as well as a complete overhaul of the lobby and public spaces, including the addition of a lobby lounge, outdoor patio and bar, mother’s nursing room, selfservice laundry and expansion of the fitness center. The hotel’s 25,000 SF of event space was also renovated. Five new event spaces were added to complete the project.
The $18.5M renovation included the property’s 327 guest rooms.
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Philadelphia Hand to Shoulder Center and Premier Orthopaedics are now accepting accepting patients at a new state-of-the-art, 14,000 SF ambulatory surgery center featuring four operating rooms, 14 pre- and post-op rooms and a high-tech ventilation system. Surgical services offered include general orthopedic surgery, spine surgery, total joint replacements, trauma and fracture care and sports medicine. The center’s 20 orthopedic surgeons on staff expect to handle between 4,200 and 4,500 surgeries this year.
The Village at Valley Forge
The Village at Valley Forge
455 W. Dekalb Pk.
Main Line Health
575 South
Sunoco Gas Station
Main Line Health is now welcoming patients at their $64M, 94,000 SF outpatient health center, that includes a specialty care center for women in partnership with Axia Women’s Health. The six-story building features a demo kitchen, cafe, retail store and, coming soon, a rooftop farm. Services include primary care, heart health, obstetrics and gynecology, breast health, skin care and emotional wellness. An ambulatory care center offers a variety of services to men and women.
Just a stone’s throw from its townhome community, The Brownstones, Toll Brothers is 80% sold out of its 60 amenity-rich one, two and three-bedroom condos. The units are priced from $389,000 to $700,000. The condos at 575 South boast high-end finishes and amenities like a rooftop lounge, fitness center, theatre room, a golf simulator, a private garage and surface parking.
A 1,514 SF Sunoco Gas Station/food store is now open for business on the former site of the US Petro Gas Station and Royal India Food Market.
731. W. Dekalb Pk.
Lux Skin Lasers by John Lee, MD The Village at Valley Forge 243 S. Henderson Rd.
Taco Bell Featuring drive-through service and patio seating, the 2,500 SF Taco Bell restaurant is now open for business.
CubeSmart & UMT Emergency Services Station This seven-story building at 100 Guthrie Rd. includes 98,698 SF of storage space operated by CubeSmart on the top six floors. The 10,698 SF ground floor is dedicated to Upper Merion Township Fire & EMS Department Station 56. The hybrid concept is new to the Philadelphia area.
Dr. John J.W. Lee and his experienced team are now accepting patients in their modern two-story office across from the King of Prussia Mall. Known for his intimate knowledge of facial anatomy along with his eye for detail, Dr. Lee is an Allergan Certified TOP 250 (top 1%) injection provider in the country. Dr. Lee also maintains an office in Bryn Mawr.
E C O N O M I C D E V E L O P M E N T 25
20 21
AND B EYO ND
Economic Development Projects
The Village at Valley Forge
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) CHOP is looking to welcome patients in fall 2021 at their new $298M inpatient hospital, located next to its existing King of Prussia Specialty Care & Surgery Center. The 250,000 SF inpatient hospital will be CHOP’s first outside of its primary Philadelphia location in the organization’s history. The new hospital will create an additional 500 new jobs by years two or three of operation. Plans include 52 single patient rooms (with capacity to expand to 108), care for a broad range of pediatric specialties, a 24/7 20-bay emergency department specializing in pediatric care and an operating room suite.
160 N. Gulph Rd.
180 N. Gulph Rd.
King of Prussia Mall
York Factory
Simon Property Group, Inc. is pursuing plans for a mixeduse development on the existing surface parking lots near the old JCPenney. While no approvals have been obtained to date, Simon, like many other mall owners around the country, are studying the concept of adding other uses that include hotel, office, entertainment and residential.
Hudson’s Bay Co. is in the early planning stages for redevelopment of the Lord & Taylor at the King of Prussia Mall into a two-story, 119,345 SF office space known as York Factory. Plans call for the addition of windows and skylights, a spacious interior and atrium and a rooftop lounge. Amenities will include a gym and yoga studio, concierge services, weekly events and the potential to include full-time licensed child care programs. Rents for the space are projected to be in the $30s/SF.
E C O N O M I C D E V E L O P M E N T 27
The Village at Valley Forge
The Village at Valley Forge
Saulin Blvd. & Dekalb Pk.
UDR Multifamily Development
Overlook at Town Center
Toll Brothers Housing Development
Construction started on Chicago-based UDR Inc.’s $68M, 200-unit multifamily community at 140 Valley Green Ln. The development will include studio, one and two-bedroom units in two buildings, as well as 7,000 SF of indoor amenity space and 25,000+ SF of outdoor courtyard space. The project is expected to open in Q2 2022.
Toll Brothers will soon begin construction on their third project in The Village at Valley Forge, a 142-unit condominium development on seven acres facing Guthrie Road. The for-sale condos will be priced from $400,000 to the low $600,000s.
Adding to their developments in KOP, Toll Brothers will develop 65 singlefamily, detached houses and 206 townhouses on an 80-acre property known as the Glasgow Tract. The project will also include significant improvements to the signalized Saulin Blvd. intersection as well as an extension of Price Frederick Rd.
Moore Park
King of Prussia PennDOT Moore Park
650 Park Brandywine Realty Trust is seeking tenants for a new four-story 100,000 SF Class A office building designed by Coscia Moos Architecture on 3.7 acres in the heart of Moore Park. The building will include open-air amenity spaces and a fourth-floor terrace designed for classes, lunch meetings and evening gatherings. The project will also seamlessly incorporate designs for the First Avenue Linear Park.
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Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) broke ground in October 2020 on a new, $49M District 6 Regional Traffic Management Center (RTMC). The new PennDOT District 6 RTMC will expand the existing RTMC’s capabilities by providing a larger and more modern facility for the management of PennDOT’s Intelligent Transportation Systems. The two-story, 43,000 SF facility will be located on a parcel of land near PennDOT’s current center at 7000 Geerdes Blvd. and will also include a new parking structure.
Moore Park
Topgolf The acquisition of Topgolf Entertainment Group by Calloway Golf Co. in October 2020 will not slow down plans for Villanova-based Provco Group to develop a Topgolf facility on 23.6 acres at 588 N. Gulph Rd., the former headquarters for the American Baptist Church. The 68,000 SF Topgolf will feature state-of-the-art golf entertainment for all ages along with a restaurant and numerous bars.
3700 Horizon Blvd.
Purolite Corporation Purolite will soon break ground on a new, 74,000 SF manufacturing facility just blocks from their global headquarters at 2201 Renaissance Blvd. This expansion will increase the level of security of supply with increased production and shorter product lead times. The new USA facility will house two cleanrooms to manufacture active ingredients and excipients, and an agarose manufacturing facility. With this addition, Purolite will be the first company with agarose manufacturing on two continents.
1400 N. Outer Line Dr.
900 River Rd.
440 Crossfield Rd.
Valley Forge National Historical Park
King of Prussia Logistics Hub
Upper Merion Area High School
Construction is underway on a $14M+ renovation of the current visitor center, the first since 1976. Once complete mid-summer 2021, the 18,376 SF building will have improved physical accessibility, upgraded security and fire protection, collections storage, new HVAC systems and enhanced energyefficiency. New exhibitions can also be expected with the completed project.
Novaya Foxfield Industrial, which is the mid-Atlantic division of Novaya Real Estate of Boston, acquired the 29-acre former Johnson Matthey Inc. chemical plant and is developing a 331,525 SF distribution center. The project, which they are calling the King of Prussia Logistics Hub, is expected to deliver Q4 2021.
Construction of the new Upper Merion Area High School began April 2020 on the high school’s current property. The 300,000 SF high school is expected to open September 2022, and will include an indoor track, auditorium, fitness center and a greenhouse. Following the opening, the existing high school will be torn down and converted into athletic fields.
E C O N O M I C D E V E L O P M E N T 29
480 N. Gulph Rd.
Element Valley Forge Construction is complete on Wurzak Hotel Group’s Element Valley Forge on the same eight-acre plot as their other KOP hotel, Sheraton Valley Forge. The 120-room hotel offers suites with kitchenettes designed for extended stay or short term stay options and is expected to open June 2021.
Innovation 411
RENAISSANCE CORPORATE PARK & THE DISCOVERY LABS Renaissance Corporate Park (Renaissance) is a 333 acre business park located on the east side of Upper Merion Township. Renaissance was constructed in the 1980s and 90s and includes nearly 2M SF of commercial office and industrial space.
The Discovery Labs 538 Swedeland Rd.
Steelyard Sports The state-of-the-art indoor sports complex, which opened in early 2019, has plans to develop a fullscale sports complex with turf fields as well as two indoor ice rinks and one outdoor rink. Steelyard Sports offers practice and training space for lacrosse, soccer and basketball, as well as adult pickup games.
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The Discovery Labs real estate portfolio totals 2.4M SF across three properties: Innovation 411, Innovation Renaissance and Innovation 800. Innovation 411 is the 1M SF former GlaxoSmithKline Research and Development headquarters. Innovation 800 is the former Philadelphia Inquirer printing plant and Innovation Renaissance is a 650,000 SF life sciences park located within the Renaissance Corporate Park. The Discovery Labs focuses on life-changing and lifesaving therapies and is home to prestigious companies including Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Amerisource Bergen/World Courier, Jefferson Health, Tosoh Biosciences, GlaxoSmithKline, WuXi Biologics and the Center for Breakthrough Medicines.
Innovation 411
Vertex
Innovation 800
Center for Breakthrough Medicines
Renaissance Corporate Park's commercial and industrial buildings are home to a number of prominent tenants including Jefferson, Vertex, Purolite, Recovery Centers of America and more.
Renaissance, The Discovery Labs and GSK By the Numbers
446
Acre business park
3.7M SF Commercial office and industrial space
8,535
Center for Breakthrough Medicines The Center for Breakthrough Medicines is a cell and gene therapy focused contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO). Service offerings include capsid design and engineering, plasmid design and manufacturing, cell therapy production, viral vector manufacturing, testing and analytical services. The Center for Breakthrough Medicines’ supply chain disruption mitigation strategies, end-to-end program management expertise and unique platform technology, provide an industry-leading solution so that patients can get the groundbreaking cures they so desperately need.
600K SF Contract Development & Manufacturing Organization (CDMO)
Employees
E C O N O M I C D E V E L O P M E N T 31
COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE & EMPLOYMENT
GeoBlue
USLI
Commercial Property SF
5,401,351 Retail
8,416,795 Office
6,259,572 Industrial
2,783,541 Flex
22,861,259 SF Commercial property – CoStar 2021
622
Total commercial properties – CoStar 2021
7.8%
Aggregate commercial property vacancy
$36.04
Aggregate commercial lease price/SF (nnn) C O M M E R C I A L R E A L E S T A T E & E M P L O Y M E N T 33
Employment Stats
63,849
Estimated total employment – OnTheMap, 2021
52,844
American College of Financial Services
Estimated total employment in 2010
20% Increase since 2010
640 Freedom Business Center Dr.
Commuter Stats
60,898 Workers commute into Upper Merion
Vertex
2,951
Residents live & work in Upper Merion – US Census Bureau OnTheMap Application-2018 Data
555 Croton Rd.
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King of Prussia is home to the largest concentration of commercial office, retail, industrial and flex properties in the Philadelphia suburban region.
Commercial Office Statistics Class A Rates
15.5% Q4 2020 vacancy
150 S. Warner Road
$39.19/SF Average lease rate 4.6M Total SF 51 Properties
Class B Rates
215 Industrial & flex properties
12.6% Q4 2020 vacancy
$22.83/SF Average lease rate 2.0M Total SF 57 Properties
Class C Rates
Industrial 0.2% Q4 2020 vacancy $10.68/nnn Average lease rate 6.6M Total SF 143 Properties
30.8% Q4 2020 vacancy
$26.32/SF Average lease rate 384K Total SF
Flex 19.3% Q4 2020 vacancy
15 Properties – CoStar, January 2021
$38.08/nnn Average lease rate 2.8M Total SF 72 Properties
C O M M E R C I A L R E A L E S T A T E & E M P L O Y M E N T 35
Comparison of Philadelphia Suburban Submarkets (Office SF)
3.3M Bala Cynwyd
3.8M Conshohocken
5.9M
Plymouth Meeting/ Blue Bell
7.6M
Horsham/Willow Grove
Select 2020 Sales & Leasing Activity Commercial Sales Address 411 Swedeland Rd.
Sale Price ($1M+) $100,635,932
780 Fifth Ave.
$9,300,000
165 Boro Line Rd.
$4,975,000
431 Yerkes Rd.
$4,720,000
590 W. Dekalb Pk.
$2,000,000
340 E. Church Rd.
$1,850,000
480 American Ave.
$1,850,000
Flint Hill Road/Renaissance Blvd.
$1,400,000
727 W. Dekalb Pk.
$1,000,000
729 W. Dekalb Pk.
$1,000,000
395 S. Gulph Rd.
$1,000,000
Leases (10K+ SF) Address 3300 Horizon Dr. 1021 W. Eighth Ave.
SF 92,000 49,112
933 First Ave.
28,000
475 Allendale Rd.
21,682
2301 Renaissance Blvd.
20,682
143-145 S. Gulph Rd.
18,500
711 First Ave.
14,375
3000 Horizon Dr.
13,300
1018 W. Ninth Ave.
13,210
475 Allendale Rd.
12,062
1150 First Ave.
11,582
King of Prussia/Wayne
197-C E. Dekalb Pk.
11,500
– CoStar; Avison Young, Center City & Suburban Submarket Report 2020
450 S. Henderson Rd.
10,880
421 Feheley Dr.
10,125
9.4M Exton/Whitelands
11M
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Comparison of National Commercial Office Submarkets (SF)
13.6M Baltimore CBD
13M Newark, NJ
9.3M Rosslyn, VA
6.5M
The Meadowlands, NJ
Comparing KOP to Other National Markets King of Prussia District used ESRI's Tapestry Segmentation tools to establish communities comparable to King of Prussia nationally. The segments that we used include: • Top Tier • Savvy Suburbanite • Enterprising Professionals • Metro Renters • Comfortable Empty Nesters These segments appear to provide the most common similarity to the demographics that make up the King of Prussia resident and workforce populations. Here are some comparable communities from around the nation. • Monrovia, CA
• Westlake, OH
• Irving, TX
• Raleigh, NC
• Madison, WI
• Cherry Hill, NJ
• Nashville, TN • Columbia, MD
KOP's commercial concentration is comparable to a number of small cities nationwide.
11M
King of Prussia/Wayne – CoStar; Newmark Knight Frank Office Reports, 2020
C O M M E R C I A L R E A L E S T A T E & E M P L O Y M E N T 37
Triad Building
Market Rent Growth (YOY) Qtr. 1
Qtr. 2
Qtr. 1
Qtr. 3
Qtr. 2
Qtr. 4
Qtr. 3
Qtr. 4
6%
5%
% Increase/Decrease
4%
3%
2%
1%
0%
-1%
-2% 2012
2011
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
Year
Vacancy & Market Rent Per SF Market Rent/SF
24%
$30
30%
22%
$29
25%
20%
$28
18%
$27
16%
$26
14%
$25
12%
$24
10%
$23
Percent of Total Sales
20%
Market/Rent SF
Vacancy Rate
Vacancy Rate
Market Sale Price Per SF Distribution (2020)
15%
10%
5%
0%
-1% <$100
$22
8% 2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
Year
38 2 0 2 1 R E P O R T T O T H E C O M M U N I T Y
2018
2019
2020
$100– $120
$120– $140
$140– $160
$160– $180
Price/SF
$180– $200
$200– $220
$220– $240
>$240
Market Sale Price Per SF By Star Rating 1-2 Star
3 Star
4-5 Star
$240
$220
$200
Price/SF
$180
$160
$140
$120
$100
$80
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
Year
Sales Volume of Commercial Office in King of Prussia Sales Volume
$190
$120M
$180
$100M
$170
$80M
$160
$60M
$150
$40M
$140
$20M
Sales Volume
Market Sale Price/SF
Price/SF
$0
$130 2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
Year
C O M M E R C I A L R E A L E S T A T E & E M P L O Y M E N T 39
HOSPITALITY & ATTRACTIONS
the Alloy King of Prussia - a DoubleTree by Hilton
Whether traveling for business or pleasure, King of Prussia’s 14 hotels — with nearly 2,600 hotel rooms and 180,000 SF of meeting and event space — are ready to serve as your home away from home. While there’s no denying that the pandemic dealt a devastating blow to the entire hospitality industry, King of Prussia still managed to lead the County in both hotel room demand and revenue. King of Prussia accounted for 25% of hotel room demand and 26% of hotel room revenue within Montgomery County.
H O S P I T A L I T Y & A T T R A C T I O N S 41
2020 Hotel Stats
36.9%
Tuesday was the highest hotel occupancy
40.4%
Average weekend occupancy
33.4%
Average weekday occupancy – STR Trends Report, 2020
Total Rooms
Meeting Space (SF)
the Alloy King of Prussia – a DoubleTree by Hilton
327
25,500
Best Western Plus, The Inn at King of Prussia
168
2,020
Crowne Plaza – Philadelphia/King of Prussia
227
24,000
Extended Stay America
140
0
80
0
Hampton Inn – King of Prussia
149
528
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites – KOP
148
0
Home2 Suites
115
0
HYATT House King of Prussia
147
3,011
HYATT Place – Philadelphia/KOP
129
1,064
Motel 6 – King of Prussia
170
0
Sheraton Valley Forge
180
25,000
SpringHill Suites Philadelphia/Valley Forge/KOP
131
350
Valley Forge Casino Resort & Conference Center
445
100,000
2,556
180,473
Hotel
Fairfield Inn Philadelphia – Valley Forge
Total
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites – KOP
42 2 0 2 1 R E P O R T T O T H E C O M M U N I T Y
Exciting Investments in KOP’s Hotels
Valley Forge Casino Resort
301 W. Dekalb Pk.
Bet On Fun in KOP
the Alloy King of Prussia
As the region’s only full-amenity gaming resort, Boyd Gaming’s Valley Forge Casino Resort (VFCR) is a destination unto itself. Try your luck on VFCR’s 40,000 SF gaming floor, featuring 850 of the most popular slot machines and 50 table games. Or, experience VFCR’s FanDuel Sportsbook, offering 1,800 SF of sports betting with 7 betting windows, 27 television screens and two sports tickers. At night, the Resort comes alive, with incredible nightlife options, from tribute acts to comedy shows. With nearly 500 hotel rooms, you can play and stay until the next day!
a DoubleTree by Hilton
While Valley Forge Casino Resort was closed for months at a time due to state mandates, online betting was very much open, contributing to impressive revenue growth.
Following an extensive, six-month renovation and rebranding, the DoubleTree by Hilton Valley Forge reopened in June 2020 as the Alloy King of Prussia. The $18.5M renovation completely transformed the hotel’s lobby and public space, and included improvements to its 327 hotel rooms and 255,000 SF meeting space.
#4 $278M
Of 17 PA casinos in total revenue for 2020
Revenue in 2020
Up from $165M in 2019
– Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
480 N. Gulph Rd.
“Valley Forge Casino Resort remained a key driver in the sports wagering segment, leading the pack by generating $14.5 million in January revenue, an almost 80% increase year over year.” – Philadelphia Business Journal, February 17, 2021
Element Valley Forge Construction is complete on Wurzak Hotel Group’s Element Valley Forge on the same eight-acre plot as their other KOP hotel, Sheraton Valley Forge. The 120-room hotel offers suites with kitchenettes designed for extended stay or short term stay options and is expected to open June 2021.
H O S P I T A L I T Y & A T T R A C T I O N S 43
Bury the Hatchet: Axe Throwing in Moore Park
Schuylkill River Trail
Work Hard, Play Hard
Wide Open Spaces
If you’re looking for a unique bonding experience for your corporate team, a place to let loose with friends, or simply want to reconnect with family, KOP is your destination for all things fun. Test your aim and root on your teammates as you hurl a 3.5lb axe at a target at Bury the Hatchet: Axe Throwing in Moore Park. Or, work as a team to solve puzzles and riddles before the clock runs out in one of four escape rooms: Escape Room Mystery, Expedition Escape, Amazing Escape Room and The Escape Game. For beer lovers, Workhorse Brewing Company and Conshohocken Brewing Company are serving up the good stuff, along with a roster of fun events. If you really want to kick things up into high gear, experience the thrill of flight in iFLY’s indoor flight chamber. Advance your skills with private lessons or group classes, or take advantage of their STEM programs for kids.
If you prefer fresh-air fitness, hit one of 35 parks and open space areas within Upper Merion Township. Lace up your sneakers and enjoy a run or walk on the Schuylkill River West Trail, a multi-use, 15.5-mile continuous trail and greenway that runs through the township. Looking to go the distance? Hop on the Schuylkill River Trail at the Betzwood Trailhead, part of Valley Forge National Historical Park, and take the 24.5 mile multi-use path into Center City Philadelphia. Social runners may also enjoy group runs coordinated by Philadelphia Runner in the KOP Mall and Road Runner Sports in King of Prussia Town Center.
Level Up Your Fitness Game From boot camps to barre, pilates to crossfit, there are plenty of studios, gyms and athletic clubs in King of Prussia to keep you moving. Athletes of all ages and skill levels can go next-level at Steelyard Sports, a state-of-the-art sports complex with indoor and outdoor turf fields. Competitive Edge Sports boasts five regulation basketball courts and seven volleyball courts. The versatile facility hosts a number of large tournaments and sporting events, welcoming 500,000+ visitors a year.
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Schuylkill River Trail named #3 for Best Riverwalks in USA Today’s 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards 2021.
Valley Forge National Historical Park By the Numbers
$24M
Spent in communities near the park
Nature’s Beauty Meets Our Nation’s History With 3,500 acres of monuments, meadows and woodlands and close to 30 miles of trails, nature lovers and history buffs come from all around the world to experience Valley Forge National Historical Park. Historical storytellers and incredible year-round events bring the site of the 177778 winter encampment of the Continental Army to life. Construction is underway on a $14M renovation to the park’s 18,376 SF Visitor Center. Once complete in the summer of 2021, the building will have improved physical accessibility, upgraded security and fire protection, collections storage, new HVAC systems and enhanced energy-efficiency. New exhibitions can also be expected with the completed project. A 5,760 SF temporary Visitor Center and Encampment Store is currently open 800 feet from the old center to welcome visitors.
382
Jobs supported
$36M
Cumulative benefit to the local economy – 2019 National Park Service (NPS) Report
Valley Forge National Historical Park welcomes over 2.4M visitors each year.
The Escape Game
Valley Forge National Historical Park
Competitive Edge Sports
iFLY
H O S P I T A L I T Y & A T T R A C T I O N S 45
There’s a reason why, for many people, the words King of Prussia conjure up memories of daylong shopping sprees and incredible meals. KOP is synonymous with worldclass retail and neverending dining options. From Simon Property Group’s luxurious King of Prussia Mall, to the always-lively King of Prussia Town Center and many other retail centers throughout Upper Merion Township, retail reigns supreme in KOP.
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RETAIL & DINING
King of Prussia Town Center Offering a rare combination of urban vibe and suburban ease, King of Prussia Town Center attracts eager shoppers and diners with its unique architecture and walkable main street appeal. Flanked by Wegman’s and nestled in the middle of The Village at Valley Forge, just steps from Main Line Health, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Anthology King of Prussia and nine of KOP’s most luxurious apartment communities, it’s no wonder retail space is going fast. The heart of King of Prussia Town Center is its pavilion and green space, which is kept lively with a wide array of year-round community events.
King of Prussia Town Center
Retail Space King of Prussia Mall As one of the country’s premier shopping destinations, King of Prussia Mall attracts over 20M people to its 450+ retailers and 30+ eateries each year. Always innovating and improving, King of Prussia Mall has quadrupled in size since its opening in 1963. In 2016, KOP Mall invested $150M in a two-year expansion project that added 155,000 SF of retail and physically joined the previously disconnected two sections of the mall. In 2019, Simon completed a $25M renovation of the section of the mall formerly known as the “Plaza.” The retail giant is soon expected to announce plans for a mixed-use redevelopment project focusing on the former JCPenney site.
5.4M Total SF
193 Properties 5,401,351 SF 2.4% Q4 2020 vacancy $26.81/SF Average lease rate
King of Prussia Mall
48 2 0 2 1 R E P O R T T O T H E C O M M U N I T Y
– CoStar; Newmark Knight Frank Office Reports, 2020
Comparison of Philadelphia Suburban Retail Markets (SF)
3M
Kooma Asian Fusion & Martini Bar
Despite the pandemic, 33 restaurants and retailers opened in 2020 in King of Prussia! Retailers Now Open in KOP
Restaurants Now Open in KOP
AAA King of Prussia Artiza Chanel COVID-19, Inc. EGG New York Excitement Smokin Fashioning Space Free Press Golden Goose Harvest of King of Prussia Dispensary Hive & Colony Jasmine Kalos Lamala Legacy Love Obsessed Madison Reed Color Bar Moose Knuckles Rally House Sally Beauty Sheepskin Gifts Sola Salon Studios The Christmas Shoppe The Escape Game Tillys Wacoal Watches of Switzerland Williams Sonoma Zadig & Voltaire
Buffalo Wild Wings California Tortilla Hammer & Fire Kooma Asian Fusion & Martini Bar Taco Bell
Restaurants Coming Soon Bonchon Hook & Reel The Melting Pot (new location) King of Prussia Diner Mezeh Mediterranean Grill Morgan’s Brooklyn Barbeque
Retailers Coming Soon AAA Aesop See’s Candies Warped Reality Tattoo
Plymouth Meeting/Bluebell
8.2M Cherry Hill, NJ
3.3M Marlton, NJ
4.1M Exton
5.4M King of Prussia
King of Prussia Mall R E T A I L & D I N I N G 49
From leaders in pediatric medicine, to women’s healthcare pioneers and a handful of specialized medical centers, the residents and employees of King of Prussia have access to some of the best medical care in the region.
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HEALTHCARE
Main Line Health
A FEW OF KOP’S HEALTHCARE HOT SPOTS 210 Mall Blvd.
Einstein Healthcare Network Einstein Health Network’s King of Prussia outpatient facility features a wide range of medical specialists and services, including primary care, obstetrics and gynecology, orthopedics, radiology and outpatient laboratory services. Einstein KOP also offers physical medicine and rehabilitation from MossRehab.
120 Valley Green Ln.
550 S. Goddard Blvd.
Main Line Health
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP)
Main Line Health opened its 94,000 SF, six-story outpatient health center in March 2020. The center includes a specialty care center for women in partnership with Axia Women’s Health. In addition to primary care, services include cardiology and cardiac testing, endocrinology, neurology, general surgery, orthopedics, imaging, physical therapy and lab services. An ambulatory care center offers a variety of services to men and women.
CHOP’s Specialty Care & Surgery Center in KOP includes 68 exam rooms, over 30 medical and surgical subspecialties, a sports medicine gym, developmental PT/OT gym, Pediatric Imaging Center, day hospital for oncology patients, sleep center, urgent care center and ambulatory surgery center. In fall 2021, CHOP will open a new, 250,000 SF inpatient hospital on its KOP campus. The $298M inpatient hospital will be CHOP’s first outside of its primary Philadelphia location in the organization’s history. Plans include 52 single patient rooms (with capacity to expand to 108), care for a broad range of pediatric specialties, a 24/7 20-bay emergency department specializing in pediatric care and an operating room suite.
CHOP KOP, opening fall 2021, is CHOP's first inpatient hospital outside of Philadelphia. 52 2 0 2 1 R E P O R T T O T H E C O M M U N I T Y
234 Mall Blvd.
Rothman Orthopaedic Institute
950 Pulaski Dr.
Philadelphia Hand to Shoulder Center Philadelphia Hand to Shoulder Center diagnoses, treats, repairs and manages the complete rehabilitation of injuries to the hand, wrist, arm, elbow and shoulder. Patients, from elite athletes and active adults to children and seniors, with unique care requirements, turn to Philadelphia Hand to Shoulder Center for personalized care. Internationally-renowned orthpaedic experts provide comprehensive care that combines leading-edge surgical techniques, non-surgical interventions, integrated therapy with a committed focus on the individual needs of each patient.
With experts in orthopaedic subspecialties including spine, hip and knee, foot and ankle, shoulder and elbow, hand and wrist, sports medicine, physical medicine and rehabilitation, orthopaedic oncology and trauma, Rothman Orthopaedic Institute is internationally recognized for excellence in clinical treatment methods, research, education and technology. Consistently recognized as national and regional “Top Docs,” Rothman Orthopaedic Institute is proud to be the first practice serving as official team physicians for all four of the major professional sports teams in one city: the Philadelphia Eagles, Phillies, Flyers and 76ers, as well as over 40 college and high school teams.
Rothman Orthopaedic Institute is consistently recognized as national and regional “Top Docs.”
H E A L T H C A R E 53
PHYSICAL IMPROVEMENTS
Committed to making King of Prussia more beautiful, King of Prussia District dedicates significant time and resources to the design, construction and maintenance of projects that enhance KOP's most visible and highly-traveled commercial corridors.
P H Y S I C A L I M P R O V E M E N T S 55
KING OF PRUSSIA DISTRICT INITIATIVE
FIRST AVENUE LINEAR PARK Phase One: Now Open!
King of Prussia District introduced a new multimodal trail along First Avenue in 2020 for employees and residents to enjoy! The public is invited to utilize the new amenities that include outdoor seating areas interspersed between a rain garden, planting beds, trees and stone seating walls. These features span across ten properties and create the perfect meeting points for employees, residents and visitors to relax and enjoy a respite in Moore Park. The new accessible asphalt path and concrete sidewalks include solar-powered light fixtures and convenient trash receptacles that create a clean and safe year-round environment for pedestrians. Improvements also include six new solar-powered bus shelters that provide passengers with a well-lit refuge from the elements while waiting for the next bus. These ADA accessible and environmentally efficient structures were installed by Quillen Contracting and made possible by a $100,000 grant from Montgomery County, in partnership with Upper Merion Township. Additional funding and project management provided by King of Prussia District. King of Prussia District partnered with PennDOT, the Commonwealth Finance Authority and nine commercial property owners to create the first two multimodal trail projects along First Avenue. The Demonstration Project at 650 Park Avenue introduced 56 2 0 2 1 R E P O R T T O T H E C O M M U N I T Y
the Linear Park features to Moore Park property owners. Although it was temporarily demolished in preparation for a new office development, the original features will be restored with construction of Brandywine Realty Trust’s new 650 Park building. Linear Park Phase One provides the nucleus for a multiuse pathway along the frontage of 10 more commercial properties. Eventually, the First Avenue Linear Park will span the length of North Gulph Road to Allendale Road, a 2.6 mile loop when complete!
Funding for The Linear Park The First Avenue Linear Park is made possible by the generous contributions of public bikeway easements by commercial properties owners in Moore Park. Design, engineering and access agreement easements were produced by King of Prussia District with services provided by Ground Reconsidered (landscape architecture), Pennoni Associates (engineering) and Unruh Turner Burke & Frees (legal). The multimodal path and amenities were constructed by Marino Corporation with inspection services provided by RK&K. This new public amenity is managed by the King of Prussia District and made possible by a $2.4M multimodal federal and state grant administered by PennDOT. King of Prussia District is grateful for the support and advocacy from State Representative Tim Briggs’ office and the Upper Merion Township Board of Supervisors.
First Avenue Linear Park Phase One By the Numbers
41 Trees
1 Rain garden 163 Shrubs 293 Ornamental grasses
Phase Two King of Prussia District was awarded $1M from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP), $422,000 from the PA Dept. of Community and Economic Development’s Multimodal Transportation Fund and $190,000 from Montgomery County’s 2040 Implementation Grant to construct Phase Two of the First Avenue Linear Park. The second phase will extend the multimodal trail and site amenities nearly one mile across six more private properties. Site improvements include more solar-powered pedestrian lights, trash receptacles, benches, a pedestrian boardwalk, accessible curb ramps, planting beds, shade trees and solar-powered bus shelters. These improvements will provide a safer pedestrian environment along First Avenue and help create a “complete street” that enhances the new mixed-use neighborhood.
1,900 Perennials 3,793 Ground cover plugs 287 lbs of grass seed 280 linear feet of split-rail fence 8 Large landscape stones
842
Cubic yards of planting soil
Linear Park/Demonstration Park Grants Grant Name
Grant Amount
DVRPC TCDI Linear Park/Demonstration Park Concept Design
$88,000
Local Share Grant for Demonstration Project
$122,940
Brandywine Match for Demonstration Project
$20,000
PennDOT Multimodal Fund
$1,200,000
PennDOT TIIF-STP Fund
$1,200,000
803 cubic yards of amended soils
2018 MONTCO 2040 Implementation Grant
$100,000
34 cubic yards of mulch
PA Department of Community & Economic Development MTF
$421,699
72 Solar-powered light fixtures 6 Solar-powered bus shelters
36
Adirondack chairs 6 Benches
PA Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program
$1,000,000
2020 Montco 2040 Implementation Grant Total
$190,000 $4,342,639
Road Diet Grants Grant Name
Grant Amount
13 Bistro tables
Road Diet Study DVRPC TCDI
52 Bistro chairs
Road Diet TAP Grant
$430,856
Total
$455,856
9 Trash receptacles 29 ADA-compliant curb ramps
$25,000
P H Y S I C A L I M P R O V E M E N T S 57
KING OF PRUSSIA DISTRICT INITIATIVE
Median Improvements
Since 2011, King of Prussia District planted and maintains 29 vibrant landscape projects along highly traveled business corridors. Not including the First Avenue Linear Park and Demonstration Park, the planted median improvements cover nearly three acres of public space. This beautiful and sustainable vegetation includes bluestars, chokeberry, purple coneflower, Russian sage, feather reed grass, fragrant sumac, red maple, honey locust and black-eyed susan, to name a few of the varieties of perennials, ornamental grasses and trees. The plantings reduce stormwater runoff through increased permeability and enhance the aesthetic of the roadways.
King of Prussia District invested over $2M in design, construction and maintenance of these projects since 2011.
Since 2011
119 Trees
1,971 Shrubs 5,466 Ornamental grasses 20,894 Perennials 10,808 Bulbs & ground covers
58 2 0 2 1 R E P O R T T O T H E C O M M U N I T Y
INFRASTRUCTURE ENHANCEMENTS Schuylkill River Trail West Upper Merion Township opened a 2.2-mile extension of the Schuylkill River Trail on the west side of the waterway in November 2015. This segment of trail will eventually connect to the Sullivan’s Bridge and Valley Forge National Historical Park this year with the completion of the 422 roadway project. This recreational trail will improve access for residential areas on the north side of Upper Merion and into the heart of the Township once the Crow Creek Trail project is completed.
This recreational trail will improve access for residential areas on the north side of Upper Merion.
Sullivan’s Pedestrian Bridge Part of the US 422 improvement project, this new pedestrian and bicycle bridge over the Schuylkill River re-established an important link between two of the region’s popular landmarks: Valley Forge National Historical Park and the Schuylkill River Trail. Named the “Best Urban Trail in the US” by USA Today, the Schuylkill River Trail makes it possible for pedestrians and bicyclists to journey to and from Philadelphia on a dedicated recreational route. Now that same group can safely venture across the river to another incredible recreational and historical resource, Valley Forge National Historical Park. In the summer of 2016, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation opened the $9.2M bridge named after American patriot, Major John Sullivan. Sullivan is credited with building a bridge over the Schuylkill River for General Washington in 1777.
Sullivan’s Pedestrian Bridge
$9.2M Bridge named after Major John Sullivan
P H Y S I C A L I M P R O V E M E N T S 59
Chester Valley Trail Extension
INFRASTRUCTURE ENHANCEMENTS Route 422 Schuylkill River Crossing Project Major construction on this $100M segment between Trooper Rd. and First Ave. was completed in December 2020. The new roadway and replacement of five bridges around Valley Forge and King of Prussia will improve multimodal capacity and safety for 92,000 motorists, drivers and passengers on this stretch of highway, everyday, between the Route 363 and 23 interchanges. Construction started on this section of the project, known as the Schuylkill River Crossing Complex, in 2016 with several milestones achieved, including completion of the westbound structure of the Schuylkill River Bridge, 422 eastbound off-ramp flyover at Route 23 and rehabilitation of the Route 23 bridge.
Chester Valley Trail Extension Montgomery County started construction in 2020 on this 3.5-mile link between the Chester Valley and Schuylkill River Trails. This important section through Upper Merion Township, Bridgeport and Norristown Borough will connect the 14-mile Chester Valley Trail from Exton to the 60-mile Schuylkill River Trail that runs from Philadelphia to Reading.
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Chester Valley Trail Extension
Crow Creek Trail Project Upper Merion Township started construction on the multimodal trail along Crow Creek in 2020. This new trail will ultimately connect Walker Field to Bob Case Park and the Schuylkill River West Trail. The trail design includes a continuous multiuse pathway with ADA-compliant crossings at roadway intersections. Upper Merion received a grant from the state to create this 2-mile corridor for bicyclists and pedestrians that will join residential, civic, retail centers and schools from King of Prussia Mall to West Beidler Road.
Upper Merion received a grant from the state to create this 2-mile corridor for bicyclists and pedestrians.
KING OF PRUSSIA DISTRICT INITIATIVE
2020 Gateway Median Planting Project
Route 422 Schuylkill River Crossing Project
$100M
Segment between Trooper Rd. and First Ave. was completed in December 2020
King of Prussia District installed a second planted median on the Schuylkill Expressway. In November 2020, the island median next to the westbound offramp from Route 76 to northbound DeKalb Pk. was planted with flowering perennials, ornamental grasses and shrubs that will mature into a vibrant landscape over the next few growing seasons. The new planting bed, designed by ThinkGreen, LLC of Glenside, PA, includes almost 3,000 plants. This new median mirrors the adjacent project King of Prussia District completed along I-76 in 2016.
3,000+ Plants installed in this new island median Entrance to Moore Park
P H Y S I C A L I M P R O V E M E N T S 61
TRANSPORTATION
Existing KOP Public Transportation Norristown High Speed Line Current KOP station stops at Gulph Mills, Hughes Park and DeKalb St.
Regional Rail (No Direct Access) Manayunk/Norristown and Paoli/Thorndale lines require transfer service to KOP.
Rambler Shuttle Serving various Upper Merion Township locations via two routes that run from 9 AM to 4 PM, M-SA.
SEPTA Buses • 92 connecting Exton to KOP • 95 connecting Easter Montco to KOP • 99 connecting Phoenixville to KOP • 123 connecting Upper Darby to KOP • 124 connecting Center City, Phila to KOP • 125 connecting Center City, Phila to KOP • 139 connecting Limerick to KOP
King of Prussia Rail Rendering
KING OF PRUSSIA DISTRICT INITIATIVE
theconnector Shuttle
Since June 2013, this public shuttle provides a reliable service for commuters going to work every weekday from the Norristown Transportation Center and Wayne Station. This service complements SEPTA’s Regional Rail and Norristown High Speed Line routes and serves as a “last mile” service to 14 commercial office properties. theconnector started with a federal CMAQ grant and additional funding from Montgomery County, Upper Merion Township, commercial property owners, ticket sales, advertising and King of Prussia District. To date, theconnector provided 79,079 rides, reduced single-occupied vehicles driven by 1.65M miles and saved 1.3M pounds of Carbon Dioxide. Due to stay-at-home orders in 2020, King of Prussia District suspended shuttle service from April through December. We look forward to resuming theconnector shuttle service later in 2021 from the Norristown Transportation Center and Wayne Regional Rail Station. theconnector has two routes, each with two buses that make 14 stops and 21 runs during the AM and PM rush-hour periods.
Project Grants Awarded (2013 through 2020) Shuttle Grants Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Grant (CMAQ)
Grant Amount $500,000
Montgomery County
$217,700
Upper Merion Township
$168,750
Total
$886,450
T R A N S P O R T A T I O N 63
King of Prussia Rail (KOP Rail) is a proposed 4-mile extension of SEPTA’s existing Norristown High Speed Line into the heart of King of Prussia's most populated employment centers. Once complete, this transformative project will connect the three largest commercial centers in the Philadelphia Region — Center City, University City and King of Prussia. The project will serve as a catalyst for economic development and growth for the entire region.
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KING OF PRUSSIA RAIL King of Prussia Rail Rendering
King of Prussia Rail Rendering
John J. Dougherty, Business Manager, Philadelphia Building Trades Council King of Prussia Rail Rendering
Rev. Peter M. Donohue, President, Villanova University
KING OF PRUSSIA RAIL COALITION
Pat Eiding, President, Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO
King of Prussia District is proud to serve as a strong advocate and driving force behind this transformative project. In 2015, King of Prussia District led efforts to form the King of Prussia Rail Coalition, a regional consortium of commercial property owners, elected officials, employees, residents, visitors, economic development and job growth agencies, building trades, chambers of commerce and more. King of Prussia District continues to manage the Coalition's advertising, marketing and public relations campaigns.
Gerry Johnson Geckle, Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Universal Health Services
The King of Prussia Rail Coalition is guided by an Advisory Committee of regional non-profit and for-profit leaders who believe that connecting Greater Philadelphia’s three largest employment centers via KOP Rail is necessary for our region to remain competitive.
John Fry, President, Drexel University
William H. Glazer, CEO, Keystone Property Group Zachary Gniewoz, Assistant Business Manager, IBEW 98 Eric Goldstein, Executive Director, King of Prussia District Bob Hart, General Manager, King of Prussia Mall Rob Henry, Executive Director, GVF
Jerry Sweeney, Chairman, KOP Rail Coalition Advisory Committee, President & CEO, Brandywine Realty Trust
Kevin Mahoney, EVP & Chief Administrative Officer, University of Pennsylvania Health System
Michael G. Anastasio, President, Bala Consulting Engineers, Inc.
Ryan Rosenbaum, Executive Director, Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce
Jan Boswinkel, MD, Chief Safety Officer & Vice President of Medical Operations, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
Rob Wonderling, President & CEO, The Chamber of Commerce for Greater Philadelphia
Mike Bowman, President & CEO, Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board Bernie Dagenais, President, Main Line Chamber of Commerce 66 2 0 2 1 R E P O R T T O T H E C O M M U N I T Y
For more information and to endorse the project, visit KOPRailCoalition.com.
Project Update SEPTA’s King of Prussia Rail project achieved several significant milestones in 2020 and early 2021.
January 2021 The FTA issued the FEIS and Record of Decision
• In December 2020, SEPTA officials hosted a virtual public meeting to share the refined route and unveil new renderings of its five stations, as well as a new 3D video rendering. • On January 8, 2021, the US Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration (FTA) issued a combined Final Environmental Impact Statement/Record of Decision (FEIS/ ROD) for the King of Prussia Rail project. The FEIS, which began in March 2018 following the completion of the Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS), further identifies environmental and community impacts. The FEIS commits SEPTA to specific mitigation and minimization actions to eliminate or reduce negative effects. The ROD is the official decision document of the FTA which allows SEPTA to continue further engineering and construction of the project. • SEPTA is seeking partial funding for KOP Rail from New Starts, the FTA’s Capital Investment Grant program. To apply for the New Starts program, FTA requires the development of a financial plan. The 20-year Financial Plan, currently in development, will consider a wide range of future funding options. This could include state/regional/county funding, private investment and/or other innovative finance options. • In February 2021, SEPTA’s board approved a plan to allocate $40M for Phase Two of Preliminary Design (30%) for the project. Phase Two will include FTA requirements for project development, such as a project management plan, cost estimate and project delivery schedule.
For more information and renderings, visit KingofPrussiaRail.com.
K I N G O F P R U S S I A R A I L 67
2020 KOP Rail Coalition Advertising Highlights
Why Endorse KOP Rail? KOP Rail is expected to create up to 6,300 construction jobs, stimulate 5.3M SF of new development and boost property values across the region. A trip from Center City to King of Prussia would take about 45 minutes via KOP Rail, whereas a car ride along I-76 would take over an hour.
Learn more at KOPRailCoalition.com.
68 2 0 2 1 R E P O R T T O T H E C O M M U N I T Y
KOP Rail Thrive Hive Email Blast
Projects to Transform the Philly Region: Thinking Big in 2021 – NBC10
KOP RAIL COALITION SUPPORTERS @FRIENDSOFKOPRAIL
596 Followers
@SUPPORTKOPRAIL
275 Followers
SEPTA doubles down on commitment to $2B King of Prussia Rail project – The Philadelphia Inquirer
18+ Articles about KOP Rail in 2020
880
Individual and company endorsements of the project on KOPRailCoalition.com
2,409
Visitors to KOPRailCoalition.com in 2020
In December 2020, SEPTA was awarded a grant to support comprehensive planning efforts to improve public transportation access for the proposed KOP Rail project. The funding was provided through FTA's Pilot Program for Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) Planning, which helps communities examine ways to improve economic vitality, multimodal connectivity and mixed-use development near transit stations. SEPTA will partner with Montgomery County and King of Prussia District on this study. K I N G O F P R U S S I A R A I L 69
KING OF PRUSSIA DISTRICT INITIATIVE
Renaissance Park, GSK and Discovery Labs Stakeholder Engagement
In 2020 King of Prussia District and Upper Merion Township expanded the District's boundary to include Renaissance Park, Discovery Labs and the GlaxoSmithKline facility. King of Prussia District engaged Stantec, a multi-disciplinary consulting firm, to facilitate a series of meetings with commercial property owners, public agencies, business tenants and residents. The process also included a visioning exercise, interviews and surveys that culminated in an action plan for the business park. This generated Renaissance Park, GSK and Discovery Labs Stakeholder Engagement: Ideas and Actions for the Future. The report provides a matrix of prioritized improvements with estimates and suggested stakeholder participation. Improvements to pedestrian and transportation infrastructure, streetscape, signage, design guidelines, public spaces and special events are included in this road map.
Read the Report visitKOP.com/publications
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LAND USE & ZONING
Radial in Moore Park
COMMUNITY & HOUSING
Canvas Valley Forge
King of Prussia offers residents unparalleled access to high-quality schools, world-class shopping and dining options and awardwinning healthcare. That accessibility, combined with low real estate taxes, makes King of Prussia one of Pennsylvania’s best places to live.
C O M M U N I T Y & H O U S I N G 73
Community & Housing 2020 Rankings
COMMUNITY ASSETS
A+
Overall Niche grade
#4
Best suburbs for young professionals in Pennsylvania
#17
Best places to live in Pennsylvania
431 W. Valley Forge Rd.
Upper Merion Community Center Open to all, the Upper Merion Community Center is a 70,000 SF, state-of-the-art facility that offers a wide variety of classes, camps and activities. The center features an indoor track, group fitness rooms, multiple sport courts, meeting spaces and a cooking studio. The center also houses the 431 Art Gallery, which features work by artists from the Montgomery County Guild of Professional Artists.
#23
Best suburbs to raise a family in Philadelphia area
– niche.com, 2021
431 W. Valley Forge Rd.
Upper Merion Township Pool The Upper Merion Township Pool is located on the same property as the Community Center and is open to people who live and/ or work in Upper Merion. The pool is open from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, and is only open on the weekends while Upper Merion schools are still in session. Community Center passholders enjoy a discount on pool membership. 74 2 0 2 1 R E P O R T T O T H E C O M M U N I T Y
670 North Henderson Rd.
Nor-View Farm Nor-View is a real working farm operated by the township, complete with a plant nursery, mini farm with petting zoo and ice cream shop. Visitors are encouraged to visit the farm and observe the animals from spring to fall, shop for potted plants and flowers and take advantage of the well water available for purchase.
431 W. Valley Forge Rd.
191 Town Center Rd.
135 E. Valley Forge Rd.
Senior Service Center
Upper Merion Area Community Cupboard
Upper Merion Community Garden at Sunny Hill Farm
The Upper Merion Area Community Cupboard (UMACC) is open to anyone who lives within the bounds of the Upper Merion Area School District and is hungry or food insufficient. The UMACC is a collaborative and empathetic community response of Upper Merion schools, municipalities, businesses, communities of faith and caring neighbors to strengthen the most vulnerable neighbors through food supplementation.
Founded in 2018, across the street from the Township Building, the community garden's focus is to provide a collaborative and community garden space for residents in order to share produce with those in need and provide education to reconnect residents with the process of sustainable, organic gardening. The garden features sixty 10’ by 10’ garden plots and is part of the non-profit Upper Merion Township Foundation.
The Upper Merion Senior Service Center strives to provide a multiuse environment for physical, educational and recreational activities for the senior residents of the Township.
Upper Merion Park Partners Upper Merion Park Partners is a program to provide residents, organizations and businesses with opportunities to protect and enhance the Township’s 35 parks and open spaces, as well as educate people about the importance of parks and open spaces.
Upper Merion Township is a vibrant community, rich with assets and community services that make it an ideal location to live and work. For more information, visit umtownship.org. C O M M U N I T Y & H O U S I N G 75
COMMUNITY DEMOGRAPHICS Resident Profile by Age
Percentage of Population
15%
10%
5%
0 < 55-9
5-9
10-14
15-19
20-24
25-34
35-44
45-54
55-59
60-64
65-74
75-84
84+
Age
– US Census Bureau, 2015-2019 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates
15,422 12,898
Occupied Housing by Type
13,037
Owner Occupied
35.6%
Renter Occupied
64.4%
– US Census Bureau - ACS 2015-2019
Resident Profile by Race 2010
2017
2019
Total Housing Units – Montgomery County Planning Commission, Montgomery County Board of Assessment Appeals
White
71.8
Asian
18.9
Black or African American
6.1
Hispanic
3.0
– US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (PEP) 2019 76 2 0 2 1 R E P O R T T O T H E C O M M U N I T Y
30
31
21
202 27 14
422
20
16
40 17
33
MOORE PARK
25 19 36
276 4 2
18
9
15
5
32
24
1
7
39 3 42
37
VALLEY FORGE
23
202
41
26
10 12 THE VILLAGE AT
6
35
11
34 KING OF PRUSSIA MALL
276
22
RENAISSANCE PARK
13
29
8
76
38 43
28
Multifamily Properties in Upper Merion Township 15. Omnia at Town Center
30. Glenn Rose
2. 575 South
16. Park Square
31. Hamlet Drive
3. Abrams Run Apartments
17. SKYE 750
32. Heather Hill
4. AVE King of Prussia
18. The Smith Valley Forge
33. Heritage Manor
5. The Brownstones
19. Valley Forge Suites
34. King of Prussia Arms
6. Canvas Valley Forge
20. Valley Forge Towers North
35. King Manor
21. Beidler Knoll
37. Prussian Woods
8. Gulph Mills Village
22. Carmella Court
38. Rebel Hill
9. Hanover King of Prussia
23. Cooper Mills Station
39. Schoolhouse Commons
10. Hanover Town Center
24. The Court at Henderson I
40. Valley Forge Towers (South and West)
25. The Court at Henderson II
41. Williamsburg Commons
13. Kingswood Apartments & Townhomes
26. Crooked Lane Crossing
43. The Woods at Wayne
14. The Lafayette at Valley Forge
28. Enclave
King of Prussia District Boundary
1.
Multifamily Property Within King of Prussia District Boundary Multifamily Property Outside King of Prussia District Boundary
251 Dekalb
7. Courtside Square Apartments & Suites
11. Henderson Square Apartments 12. Indigo 301
36. Pinecrest
42. Willow Manor
27. Deer Creek 29. Glen Arbor
C O M M U N I T Y & H O U S I N G 77
EDUCATION
Upper Merion Area School District’s (UMASD) highquality academic and extracurricular K-12 programs are an incredible asset for KOP’s resident and business communities.
2020 Education Rankings
A+
Rated school district
4,148 Total enrollment
92%
Graduation rate
50%
of all students belong to non-white (non-Hispanic) ethnic groups
– niche.com, 2021
E D U C A T I O N 79
UMASD 2019/2020 ACHIEVEMENTS Like school districts across the country, UMASD was faced with tremendous challenges during the 2019/2020 school year. The District remained as dedicated as ever to providing exceptional instruction while supporting the needs of its students and parents during this unprecedented time. A few of UMASD’s achievements as shared by teachers, staff and administrators: • Committed to addressing the lack of representation of people of Color in STEM careers, UMASD is partnering with Camp Flight Control to provide two opportunities for students in the Middle School Black Student Union to engage in a STEM experience through the use of Computer Science and drones. The District was awarded one of three PA SEED Ecosystem STEM Grants offered in Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties. • Graduating Upper Merion Area Middle School students were celebrated with a heartfelt video and spirited drive by parade in lieu of the traditional Moving Up Ceremony.
KING OF PRUSSIA DISTRICT INITIATIVE
UMASD Student Scholarships
King of Prussia District is proud to invest in the young leaders of tomorrow by supporting the Upper Merion Area School District student scholarship and teacher grant funds each year!
$7,500 Contributed in 2020
• The Upper Merion Area High School implemented a 30-minute advisory period each day that promoted a culture of connectedness, school spirit and a focus on College and Career Readiness. • During the pandemic, the School Board and District reassigned Operations staff to projects focusing on cosmetic improvements to legacy elementary schools and preparing for the reopening of schools for in-person learning. As a result, the department was able to go through its checklist at an earlier schedule and with less cost to the district.
The District leaned into important and complex conversations, implementing a District-wide literature program on diversity, equity and inclusion with a focus on race and racism.
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27 Area Colleges & Universities Colleges
Universities
American College Bryn Mawr College Cabrini College Chestnut Hill College Delaware County Community College Haverford College Montgomery County Community College Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine Rosemont College Swarthmore College The Restaurant School at Walnut Hill College Ursinus College Valley Forge Christian College
Arcadia University Delaware Valley University Drexel University Eastern University Immaculata University La Salle University Penn State University, Delaware County Penn State University, Great Valley Philadelphia University Saint Joseph’s University University of Pennsylvania University of the Sciences Villanova University West Chester University
Upper Merion Area High School By the Numbers
1,221
Students enrolled
New Upper Merion Area High School UMASD broke ground in July 2020 on the new Upper Merion Area High School, which will be built on the high school’s current property at 440 Crossfield Rd. and will connect with the middle school. The new 300,000 SF high school will feature a three-story academic wing, amphitheatre, indoor track, fitness center and a greenhouse. Following the opening, the existing high school will be demolished and converted into artificial turf and grass athletic fields.
Upper Merion Area High School ranked in the Top 50 of the best high schools in the Philadelphia area and 74th within Pennsylvania.
90%
Of graduates continue their education
$2M+
Received in renewable scholarships – US News & World Report 2019 and UMASD
2020/2021 Enrollment School Building
Grade Level
Enrollment
Bridgeport Elementary
K-4
270
Caley Elementary
K-4
382
Candlebrook Elementary
K-4
320
Roberts Elementary
K-4
258
Gulph Elementary
K-4
432
Upper Merion Area Middle School
5-8
1,265
Upper Merion Area High School
9-12
1,221
E D U C A T I O N 81
Whether you’re looking to expand your business network, let loose and sample some of KOP’s finest food and drink establishments or spend quality time with your family, King of Prussia’s event calendar has you covered!
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COMMUNITY EVENTS
Yoga at King of Prussia Town Center
KING OF PRUSSIA DISTRICT INITIATIVE
King of Prussia District Business Networking Series Throughout the year, King of Prussia District brings together leaders from a wide variety of industries to network, explore opportunities for collaboration and learn more about KOP’s exciting future. Programmed speaker events focus on industry trends and forecasts and important issues impacting communities like King of Prussia across the country September 16
Fall Networking Breakfast December 16
Annual Meeting & Anniversary Gala & Awards – visitKOP.com/events
October 7 & 9, 2021
King of Prussia Beerfest Royale King of Prussia District’s signature event and the biggest party in the ‘burbs’, the award-winning KOP Beerfest Royale, features more than 120 beers to sample, inventive dishes from KOP’s hottest restaurants, live music, cocktail lounges, a beer garden and more, all under grant tents in the King of Prussia Mall parking lot. During King’s Plate, KOP’s restaurants collaborate with craft brewers to cook up unique dishes and vie to win the “The Best of Beerfest” King’s Plate in a culinary competition voted on by attendees. Then, things heat up for the Main Event on Saturday, featuring 60+ brewers, live entertainment and a special VIP session. – KOPBeerfest.com
2,500
Beer and food lovers attracted each year! 84 2 0 2 1 R E P O R T T O T H E C O M M U N I T Y
60+ Brewers featured
120+
Beers to sample and much more
Every Spring
King of Prussia Restaurant Week & KOP Shops for CHOP
Over 100 businesses joined us for the 2020 campaign, which raised $40,000 for CHOP, despite ending early due to statewide restrictions as a result of the pandemic. This brings our grand total to $152,500 raised for CHOP in six years!
Produced by King of Prussia District each spring, KOP Restaurant Week and KOP Shops for CHOP are the region’s only combined dining and shopping events with a charitable beneficiary, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). KOP Restaurant Week features prix-fixe two-course lunch menus and three-course dinner menus from KOP’s best restaurants. In addition, KOP’s fast casual restaurants offer deals and donation days, as do the generous retailers participating in KOP Shops for CHOP, held concurrently. Businesses can also pledge to support CHOP through the Community Champions program, making this campaign a true community-wide fundraising effort. – KOPRestaurantWeek.com
New in 2021 KOP Restaurant Week & KOP Shops for CHOP featured 10 days of deals and donations: April 11-15 & 18-22
Many restaurants offered to-go options
Diners enjoyed take-out in Takeout Under the Tents, a beautifully lit and landscaped outdoor dining oasis featuring individual dining tents and heated igloos, installed by King of Prussia District in the KOP Mall parking lot adjacent to Mall Boulevard
C O M M U N I T Y E V E N T S 85
Takeout Under the Tents
KING OF PRUSSIA DISTRICT INITIATIVE
Returning Spring 2022
Food Truck Tuesday King of Prussia District invites you to enjoy the fresh air, fun and live music on your lunch break, as we bring food trucks, bands, games and giveaways to different corporate parking lots. – visitKOP.com/ftt
Every November & December
October 25-29, 2021
Annual Holiday Food Drive
First Responder Appreciation Week
Each year, King of Prussia District and partners host a food drive to stock the shelves of the Upper Merion Area Community Cupboard (UMACC). The 10th annual food drive, held in 2020, culminated with a day-long food drive event in King of Prussia Town Center called StuffA-Truck, where generous donors helped to fill the back of a box truck with food.
King of Prussia District and Upper Merion Township (UMT) come together to recognize and celebrate UMT’s first responders with complimentary meals from some of KOP’s finest restaurants.
– visitKOP.com/events
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– visitKOP.com/events
Outdoors every Saturday, May through November Indoors & Outdoors every Saturday, late November to late April
Upper Merion Farmers Market A staple in the community since 2010, the award-winning Upper Merion Farmers Market serves up fresh goods and sustainable products from vendors as far as 100 miles away. The market also hosts seasonal special events. – uppermerionfarmersmarket.org
Sundays Late-May Through August
Year Round
Concerts Under the Stars
The Vault, The Venue & Valley Beach at Valley Forge Casino Resort
Now in its 37th year, this iconic, free concert series at the Upper Merion Township Building Park features a beer garden, food vendors and a family-friendly atmosphere. – umtownship.org
Valley Forge Casino Resort offers three unique venues for live entertainment, bringing top-rated musicians, epic tribute bands, comedians and more to KOP every weekend. – vfcasino.com
C O M M U N I T Y E V E N T S 87
April 17-25, 2021 (Virtual for 2021)
Valley Forge Revolutionary 5-Mile Run® For the past 14 years, runners and walkers of all skill levels have laced up for this five-mile, USATF-certified course through scenic Valley Forge National Historical Park. In 2021, this beloved event known as the “Rev Run” was held virtually, allowing runners and walkers to participate from anywhere in the world. Produced by Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board to benefit Valley Forge National Historical Park, the 15th Annual Rev Run falls over National Park Week and all proceeds from the race go directly into efforts to enhance the visitor experience and support this national treasure.
Yoga at Town Center
– valleyforge.org/revolutionary-run
$458,000 Raised over 14 years for Valley Forge National Historical Park!
Concert at Town Center
Year Round
Events at King of Prussia Town Center With a rotating roster of movie nights, live music, fitness pop-ups and seasonal festivals, King of Prussia Town Center keeps Main Street and the Town Center lively and active! – kingofprussia-towncenter.com
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Every May
Taste of the Suburbs This sampling event brings 500+ people each year to the King of Prussia Mall to enjoy a taste of 30+ of the area’s top restaurants, wineries and breweries. Produced by the King of Prussia Rotary Club, ticket sales benefit the Rotary’s nonprofit King of Prussia Charitable Foundation, which serves international, national and local programs. – kingofprussiarotary.org
500+ People attend each year
30+
Restaurants participate each year
Revolutionary Run
Concert Under the Stars
Food Truck Tuesdays
KOP Town Center
C O M M U N I T Y E V E N T S 89
KING OF PRUSSIA DISTRICT
2020 REVENUE AND EXPENSE SUMMARY Completed copies of the December 31, 2020 audited financial statements by Kreischer Miller for King of Prussia District are available upon request. Contact Julie DeMasi, Manager of Finance & Administration, at julie@kopbid.com. 2019 vs. 2020 Revenue & Expense Summary Revenue
2019 ($)
2020 ($)
% Change
1,283,229
1,923,218
+50
2,300
1,900
-17
Commuter Shuttle Systems
970,725
6,236,481
+542
Corporate Sponsorship
56,800
14,661
-74
368,206
198,051
-46
2,528
1,464
-42
115,000
2,031,382
–
$2,798,788
$10,407,157
+272
Functional Allocation of Expenses
2019 ($)
2020 ($)
% Change
Physical Improvements
272,896
174,794
-36
Marketing & Communications
791,813
792,994
+0
1,310,413
5,917,560
+352
23,533
46,522
+98
0
0
–
179,241
415,432
+132
85,572
91,967
+7.5
$2,663,468
$7,439,268
+179%
Assessment Fees Corporate and Individual Contributions
Special Events Interest/Fees Net Assets Released from Restrictions Total Revenue
2019 vs. 2020 Revenue & Expense Summary
Transportation Land Use & Zoning Tax Policy Management & General Fundraising Total Expenses
All revenues and the Functional Allocation of Expenses reflect audited financial statements from December 31, 2019 and December 31, 2020. The significant Transportation increase is the result of revisions from existing managed shuttle systems by King of Prussia due to COVID-19 travel and social distancing requirements. The increase in Management expenses includes a one-time 5-year, $100,000 pledge of support for the new Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s King of Prussia location. Revenue released from retained earnings was a grant used for construction of the Linear Park Phase One.
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Board of Directors Carol McCoy, Chair, Radial Bob Hart, Vice Chair, Simon Property Group Richard Kubach, Treasurer, Best Western Plus, The Inn at King of Prussia Lea Anne Welsh, Secretary, AVE by Korman Communities Eric Davies, Past Chair, Wurzak Hotel Group John Bown III Industrial Investments Michael Brookshier Keystone Property Group
King of Prussia District Staff
Staff Eric T. Goldstein, Executive Director
Jeff DeVuono Brandywine Realty Trust Cheryl Gebeline-Myers Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Audrey Greenberg The Discovery Labs Anthony Hamaday Upper Merion Township
Rachel Ammon, Director, Marketing & Communications Chris Basler, Director, Capital Projects & Planning Julie DeMasi, Manager, Finance & Administration Shauna Sanchez, Digital Marketing Associate
Rob Henry GVF Andrew Horning Bala Consulting Engineers, Inc. Dennis Maloomian Realen Properties Joseph Mancusco CBRE Global Investors David McManus The Westover Companies Daniel Platt UGI Corporation Steven Powell Kravco Company, LLC
K I N G O F P R U S S I A D I S T R I C T S T A F F & B O A R D 91
2020 EVENT SPONSORS Thank You to Our Generous Sponsors KOP Restaurant Week
First Responders Appreciation Week Presenting Sponsor
Supporting Sponsors
Friends
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King of Prussia District’s 2021 Report to the Community was researched and written by King of Prussia District staff and designed by AgileCat. King of Prussia District has made every effort to avoid errors in this publication. View online at visitKOP.com/about/publications. Stay informed by signing up for the King of Prussia District monthly eNewsletters at visitKOP.com.
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visitKOP.com 234 Mall Boulevard, Suite 150, King of Prussia, PA 19406
