Throughout
the first half of the Twentieth Century, York City was known
throughout the region as the place to be. Several companies
manufactured automobiles in the city. The Valencia Ballroom was
a popular destination for big band entertainment, regularly hosting
big-name entertainers like Duke Ellington and Tommy Dorsey.
Streetcars connected the downtown with communities throughout
the countryside. The town was vibrant and growing. But like so
many other cities, things changed. People and businesses flocked
to suburbia, creating a healthy "ring" around the
city, but leaving many holes in the center.
But York City has come back, and continual efforts to renew
the downtown have received national recognition. York was the
recipient of the Great American Mainstreet Award in 1998, and
– more recently – was a finalist in the 2000 All-America
City Award. Today, block by block, the downtown is regaining its
one-time status as the place to be. Bricks and mortar are
finding new homes at the Susquehanna Commerce Center, a new
office complex located adjacent to the Codorus Creek, and at the
Boundry Avenue Corridor, a new collection of buildings housing
commercial, health care, and educational functions. A new York
County Judicial Center is rising along North George Street, and
plans are under way for a new baseball stadium and minor league
baseball team.
Center city York is again becoming the nucleus of the York
County community. The Strand-Capitol Performing Arts Center,
York County Heritage Trust museums, Central and Farmers Markets,
and recently expanded York County Heritage Rail Trail County
Park draw residents from throughout the county and beyond.
Restaurants like Autographs at the grand Yorktowne Hotel and
Roosevelt Tavern provide fine dining opportunities. The Valencia
Ballroom has been resurrected, and now plays host to special
events and receptions.
With renewed business support, younger residents moving into
the city, and a dedication to make the downtown a thriving urban
district, York City is again becoming the place to be.
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