Children's Plaza construction has begun

Construction has begun on a new Children's Plaza in the downtown area. The plaza, which will be located on the north side of Bank Street, is a joint effort between The Kiwanis Club of Phoenixville and the Main Street Community Development Corporation. At this point, construction of the plaza is scheduled to be completed by Thanksgiving.

Here are some excerpts from The Phoenix article dated 9/27/06

----
"The Kiwanis have undertaken the construction of the Plaza as a significant community service project that will provide a legacy for the future," said New. "Club members are working closely with Barry Cassidy (Main Street-CDC Executive Director) as well as project planners, landscapers and construction personnel to insure that the construction of the Kiwanis Children's Plaza meets the downtown area's redevelopment standards. The Kiwanis Club will also provide significant support to the project."
...
The Children's Plaza will have multiple uses, according to New, as it will contain a small entertainment venue designed for children's programming. The design calls for the construction of a fountain as a central focus of the Plaza, as well a limited number of permanent benches. Bank Street will have bricks installed consistent with other Borough venues.
...
This program has been going on for a year. We felt that one of the things, from a Kiwanis standpoint, is what can the Kiwanis do to help the project. We'd hope to see more people get active and to date, the Kiwanis is the only civic club that is doing something for the plaza. It will be a great type of venue. Not only the physical structure, which should be done by Thanksgiving, but the fountain and the initiation of the First Friday fund. We want to start a fund that'll ensure that the children will have a variety of entertainment things to do throughout the year, and the way to do that is to initiate the fund. We want to start it and hope to see it continue throughout the years. Our plans for the first activity in the plaza will be the Santa Claus house.
----

As a new father this sounds like a great addition to the downtown area.

Source: The Phoenix.

Iron Hill Update

Quick update on the Iron Hill opening. Via their mailing list I received this yesterday

----
The contractors are almost finished and we are in the home stretch! We have been diligently training our staff, preparing our soups and sauces and fermenting our beer.

Our goal is to open next Monday Oct 2 or Tuesday Oct. 3 at 5 pm. We will notify you via email as soon as the date is finalized.

----

Molly Maguire's to open Fall 2007.

The website for Molly Maguire's Restaurant and Pub has (partially) been launched. According to it the new restaurant will open in Fall of 2007. To date, the About Us is the only page that has any real info but there is a lot of good info. Here is some of what the site says..

---
Molly Maguire's Restaurant and Pub will house an extensive first class kitchen serving American and Continental cuisine in a resplendent environment styled after the finest publican facilities in the developers homeland of Ireland.

The two upper floors of 195 Bridge Street will be converted to three condominium living units. The restaurant complex will encompass the ground floor of both 195 & 197 Bridge Street and the second and third floors of 197 Bridge St. a/k/a "The Corner"

The restaurant will seat about eighty diners on the first floor with an additional fifty seats on the second floor and another sixty seats on the third floor. The third floor will function primarily as a banquet space. The second and third floors will be available as banquet space for the many private functions the new Phoenixville is expected to attract. Both the first and second floor dining area will include an authentic old world style bar serving libations and beverages suitable for all members of your families.

---

Thanks to reader Daniel F. for the tip!

Iron Hill to Open Sept. 25?

In an email they sent out towards the end of August, Iron Hill indicated that their target opening date is Sept. 25. From the looks of things I have my doubts but its clear that they are close. Here is the rest of the update

---

Hello Phoenixville! We are knee-high in construction and working fast and furious to open our doors. After final installation of the brewery we plan to start brewing on August 15 if we have PECO on the same side as the beer Gods. With much mashing, sparging, fermenting and filtering we'll have our six house beers on tap by opening! Our target opening date is Monday, September 25th. This date is still a target and will most likely move up or back depending on how construction goes but everything is proceeding well.

We will have more information and a firm opening date in upcoming newsletters. Thanks for your patience and we can't wait to serve you!

---