The lucrative logging industry led to the rapid development of Downtown Williamsport in the late 1800s. As pines and hemlocks tumbled across Lycoming County, office buildings and church spires rose alongside the West Branch Susquehanna River. But when the Williamsport timber economy went belly up in the early 1900s, the Italianate buildings the industry helped create remained. Today, they house a plentiful selection of microbreweries and boutique restaurants. The robust food and drink scene in the small downtown is assisted by the culinary program at the city's Pennsylvania College of Technology, says Jason Fink, president and CEO of the Williamsport/Lycoming Chamber of Commerce. “You have young people coming out of the program who are skilled and looking to ply their trade, and local restaurants can hire some of the best of the best. Some are starting up their own restaurants.” There aren’t many homes in the neighborhood, but those who are able to snag a downtown address can walk or bike a few blocks to reach these local favorites.
Locals love the outdoor dining available in Downtown Williamsport.
The Crooked Goose is a place where friends gather in Downtown Williamsport.
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New businesses repurpose, replace vintage buildings
Pennsylvania produces more craft beer than any state except California, according to nonprofit The Brewers Association, and microbreweries in Downtown Williamsport contribute to the 3 million barrels brewed annually in the Keystone State. Fink says Bullfrog Brewery on West Fourth Street is the “grandfather” of the local craft beer scene. Opened in 1996, the brewery serves breakfast food and burgers, hosting live music on Friday and Saturday nights. More breweries followed in Bullfrog Brewery’s footsteps, such as John Ryan Brewery. Housed in a Victorian mansion once the home of Williamsport founding father John R.T. Ryan, it offers upscale menu items including duck confit and fried quail. There’s a trend of downtown businesses repurposing historical buildings. Old Corner Hotel runs a bar and restaurant in an 1860s inn, while The Brickyard Restaurant & Ale House seats diners in an alley where a building once stood. “It was set up by the demolition of a building to provide this courtyard feel,” Fink says. After dinner or drinks, locals may throw axes at The Hatchet House or catch one of the 10 plays put on every year by the nearly 50-year-old Community Theatre League. Indoor entertainment is particularly useful in the winter, when temperatures dip below freezing, and snow isn’t uncommon. People can browse at The Otto Bookstore or shop for clothing at Kohl’s. The downtown Wegmans supermarket puts groceries within a mile of every home. Many of the area’s oldest congregations are downtown, with Christ Episcopal Church and St. Mark’s Lutheran Church founded in the 1840s and 1850s respectively.
Bullfrog Brewery, opened in 1996, was the first brewery in Downtown Williamsport.
Historic buildings are occupied by growing businesses in Downtown Williamsport.
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Welcoming Little League teams from around the world
Every August, youth baseball teams from around the world compete in the Little League World Series across the river in South Williamsport. Downtown Williamsport shares in the festivities as well, greeting teams, families and fans by hosting the Grand Slam Parade. Baseball teams join community organizations in riding and marching down West Fourth Street from the Millionaires Row Historic District neighborhood to downtown. In the following weeks, those teams compete at the Little League World Series Complex for the championship. Players, coaches, families and even ESPN broadcast crews fill up the hotels downtown and beyond, says Tracy Knoebel, a Realtor with Keller Williams Advantage Realty who has worked in local real estate for more than a decade. “A lot of the hotels are booked out, even the hotels in a 30- to 60-minute radius of Williamsport.” Knoebel says locals know to avoid traffic near the stadium on U.S. Route 15 when games are going on, but she adds that downtown doesn’t get crowded until the games end. “Some games don’t wrap up until late," Knoebel says. "I’ve gone downtown and thought, ‘No way I’ll get a seat at a restaurant,’ and it’s totally fine.” The city closes off downtown streets for First Friday, a monthly art exhibition with live music and galleries.
Fans enjoy a beautiful sunset as the teams compete in the Little League World Series.
Teams from around the world convene for the Little League World Series in Downtown Williamsport.
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Downtown homes a rare find
Fewer than 20 houses are dispersed around downtown, some squeezed onto a block alongside five other homes and others tucked between businesses. They showcase architectural features from the late 1800s and early 1900s, including American Foursquare and Craftsman. These small homes average about 1,600 square feet, and many are divided into duplexes. The few Victorians on West Fourth Street are larger, with turrets and rows of windows surrounded by ornate casing rising three stories above the ground. These elaborate homes were built by the lumber barons who got rich from the booming timber industry. Regardless of the style, homeowners downtown shouldn’t expect much of a yard; the median lot size is about 2,600 square feet. Transactions are rare, so there isn’t any data regarding sales prices. Typical home values range from $100,000 to $200,000, indicating what homes are worth. There are a couple of issues homeowners may face. Most of the neighborhood is in a flood zone, though FEMA says the risk is reduced thanks to the city’s levees. Homebuyers aren’t required by federal law to buy flood insurance, but FEMA recommends it. In addition, the CAP Index Crime Score is an 8 out of 10, with 10 indicating highest crime. That’s higher than the U.S. average of 4.
Older homes near Lycoming College are being renovated in Downtown Williamsport.
In Downtown Williamsport you'll find row homes with Victorian influences.
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Reliving history on the Timber Trail
South of downtown, block after block of asphalt and brick gives way to trees along the bank of the West Branch Susquehanna River. Pedestrians and cyclists travel alongside the water on the 4-mile Susquehanna River Walk, a paved trail on top of levees. When Williamsport was considered the lumber capital of the world in the mid-1800s, the placid waters were jammed with pine logs floated downriver by “wood hicks,” the regional name for loggers. A portion of the river walk is named the Timber Trail in recognition of this history. Downtown residents are less than a mile from Brandon Park, where parkgoers can stroll trails through an arboretum or take their children to a playground made of logs and stumps. Little League was created in Williamsport in the 1930s and lives on at the park. Williamsport Area Little League uses two of the fields, while the third is the home field of the Lycoming College Warriors baseball team.
The Susquehanna River Trail is a popular place for a walk in Downtown Williamsport.
The Susquehanna River provides recreation opportunities for Downtown Williamsport residents.
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Williamsport Area High School offers dual enrollment
The Williamsport Area School District zones children living downtown to Cochran Primary School from kindergarten to third grade, followed by Curtin Intermediate School. After sixth grade, students can go to Williamsport Area Middle School; all three schools get grades of B-minus from Niche. Graded a B-plus, Williamsport Area High School lets students earn free college credits through the PC Now dual enrollment program. The program is a collaboration between the high school and Pennsylvania College of Technology, a public school in Williamsport affiliated with Pennsylvania State University.
Williamsport Area Senior High School receives an overall B+ grade from niche.com.
The student to teacher ratio at Williamsport Area Middle School is 13 to 1.
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Connectivity via interstate, bus
Interstate 180 runs along the south side of downtown, connecting to neighboring boroughs such as Montoursville and Muncy. I-180 extends about 25 miles from downtown to Interstate 80, which travels east to west across Pennsylvania. River Valley Transit Authority buses stop at multiple places downtown, including Wegmans, and at UPMC Williamsport, a hospital about a mile outside the neighborhood. It’s about 5 miles to Williamsport Regional Airport, where planes fly nonstop to Washington Dulles International Airport near Washington, D.C.
Downtown Williamsport locals use River Valley Transit busses to get around the area.
I-180 runs along the Susquehanna River next to Downtown Williamsport.
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Solid Investment ! Prime Downtown corner, W 4th & William, across from the Genettii., and Crooked Goose. 4 successful retail stores on ground floor, 8 apts upstairs on upper two floors. Fully rented. All 8 have been totally gutted and remodeled over the last 15 years. 3 very large 2 beds, other 5 are spacious, incl a great 1 bed ''penthouse'' with large balcony, and exposed brick. Very cool
9 unit in the heart of downtown Williamsport. First floor retail/office space (Currently vacant but have a potential lessee) and 8 apartments. There are 6 off street parking spots behind the building plus convenient city parking directly next to the building. The property recently received new flooring in multiple apartments, fresh paint and the store is getting improvements too. Please give
Lori SolomonIron Valley Real Estate North Central PA
Thriving Bar & Restaurant Business for Sale - Prime Downtown Location! Seize this incredible opportunity to own a well-established bar and restaurant in the heart of downtown! This turnkey business is fully equipped with all fixtures, appliances, and equipment, making it ready for new ownership. The spacious first-floor layout offers the perfect setting for a bustling dining and nightlife
Jack PersunReal Estate Excel, A Girio Realty Company
Amazing studio efficiency: 1 bed, 1 bathroom unit in Williamsport. Amenities included: central air, central heat, updated kitchenette, and updated bathroom. Utilities included: cable, electricity, heat, internet, air conditioning and water. Units are furnished and linens are provided with weekly cleaning service.Is not pet friendly. Date Available: units available now . $950-$1150/month
Elevator, newer , modern, unfurnished 6 room apartment in trendy downtown Williamsport. Featuring 2 full baths,1 large bedroom, dinning and living rooms, large newer kitchen with granite counter tops, dishwasher, microwave , range/oven, fridge and washer and dryer, central air , laminate and hardwood flooring, walk in closet , internet , 7 large windows and a parking deck pass included. All
Dave RizzoBerkshire Hathaway HomeServices Hodrick Realty, WPT
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Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Renters
Demographics
Total Population
779
Median Age
37
Population under 18
15.4%
Below the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
12.5%
Below the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$38,836
Significantly below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$50,828
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
77.5%
Below the national average
89.1%
College Graduates
12.9%
Below the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
6.6%
% Population in Labor Force
66%
Area Factors
Very Bikeable
Bike Score®
78/ 100
Very Walkable
Walk Score®
84/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
