Thursday
April 25, 2024 
A number of large-scale development projects are on the horizon in Doylestown this year.
From the premier of the expanded and remodeled County Theater to proposed plans for hundreds of apartments along the “Broad Street Corridor,” the historic borough is anticipated to see significant changes to its landscape.
The list includes:
The iconic County Theater on East State Street is expected to reopen this winter, after a multimillion dollar project expanded the nonprofit arthouse theater from two screens to three. The work also included a complete renovation of the existing theater that’s been part of the community since 1938.
Originally set to have a partial reopening last summer, as work continued on the new box office and third screen, officials decided to keep the entire theater closed after the COVID-19 pandemic began in March 2020.
John Toner, the County’s executive director, said a priority this year will be to raise another $200,000 needed to fully fund the ambitious project.
Another borough plan at 263 N. Main St. will see a five-story development that will, officials said, be the first of its kind in the community. It includes 59 “luxury rental flats” with underground parking, a dog park, fitness center and a rooftop terrace. Arcadia Land Holdings is the developer.
Next up is the former site of The Intelligencer newspaper at 333 N. Broad St., where plans call for a mixed-use development that includes approximately 200 apartments in two buildings. One, a four-story building that would sit closer to North Broad Street, would also include 10,000 square feet of retail or office space. The second building is planned to be five-stories, with parking on the bottom floor and apartments above.
Almost directly across the street, Arcadia Land Holdings has presented plans for an apartment complex that would feature 150-180 “luxury” apartments, commercial space and a parking garage. The site shares property with the borough and Doylestown Township, which will also need to approve the proposal. A joint planning commission meeting to discuss the plan is scheduled for Jan. 28.
Last but not least is the borough’s own project that runs along North Broad Street. This long-awaited development includes the Broad Street Gateway Park, a passive park where visitors can walk, sit and relax. The park is adjacent to the redevelopment of former PennDOT offices that are being transformed into the headquarters of the Central Bucks Regional Police Department and the borough’s administrative offices. This project is not expected to be completed until the end of 2022.
Owners of the Doylestown Shopping Center have made an “informal presentation” to create a five-story “luxury apartment” complex to replace the former Bon-Ton store that declared bankruptcy in 2018. The plan calls for a parking garage, swimming pool and landscaped walkways that would connect to the area’s trails.
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