West Chester Weekly News Roundup: May 15, 2026

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It’s Friday, May 15, 2026: Buckle up. More changes are coming to West Chester parking. The Borough is on the verge of replacing Flowbird and instituting new time limits on metered parking. I chat with Parking Director Ramsey Reiner about what is being proposed and if it’s really needed. Plus, AI Data Centers are suddenly everywhere. Could a currently vacant Borough lot be next? Let’s hope not. Several in the Borough are hoping to get ahead of the issue before that becomes a possibility. We take a look at what can be done and how others in the area are responding.

Plus, a buzzy new coffee chain is coming to West Goshen, the West Chester Public Library hires a new director, and we finally get an update on what’s happening with the Airport Rd. Post Office. It’s good news, sort of. 

Who’s ready? Let’s catch up.

West Chester Looks to Get Ahead of the Data Center Question

This week, the West Chester Smart Growth Committee narrowly advanced a draft ordinance that will amend the Borough’s Zoning Code to allow data centers in the Industrial District. The question of, “Where would be the best place for a data center?” despite everyone’s instinctive reaction of, “Nowhere!” was raised for a couple of reasons. 

The Warnings.

It was a record-breaking month for the West Chester Fire Department. No, that is not a good thing. “This is the most we’ve ever done,” Fire Chief Mark Scanlon told the Borough’s Public Safety Committee on Tuesday. The WCFD responded to 181 calls in April. The next highest monthly total was 170, and that was during Hurricane Irma.

Part of this was due to a significant increase in fire alarm calls. Over 60 percent of all calls the WCFD responded to were “no emergency” fire alarm calls. The department has not determined a cause of the increase in calls, but is looking for clues. “We are actively monitoring for any repeat offenders," said Chief Scanlon. 

University fire under investigation. Chief Scanlon also noted that a fire at the West Chester University Business and Management Center is under investigation by the Chester County Fire Marshal and West Chester University Police. The incident took place on May 4, just before 7:30 p.m. According to a post shared by West Chester Fire Information Officer David March, firefighters were notified as they were en route to the incident that WCU police had found a fire inside a trash can in the building. 

Public indecency spikes. West Chester’s nuisance crimes rose in April. Behind the increase was a 40 percent jump in public drunkenness citations and a doubling of public indecency calls. West Chester Police Chief Lee says he has met with both private citizens and community groups such as Community Action Southeast (CASE) to review what else can be done to stem the incidents. “We’ve had a lot of discussions both publicly and privately about what more we can do as police and law enforcement,” he said. 

One tactic already in place is increased foot and bike patrols, primarily in the Borough’s southeast quadrant and downtown. However, according to Chief Lee, they are not yet seeing a corresponding increase in arrests. That said, the increased patrols will continue through the summer. 

A note on the numbers: Public drunkenness arrests rose from 19 in March to 27 in April. Public indecency arrests climbed from 6 to 14.

Homicide investigation update coming. The West Chester Police Department, in cooperation with the District Attorney’s office, is continuing its investigation into the pedestrian death of West Chester University student Garrett Nicholas. “I hope to have much more detail that I can provide publicly at the next Public Safety Meeting,” Chief Lee told Borough Council members on Tuesday.

Still not done yet. In case you were wondering, yes, you’ll want to go ahead and avoid the area of 202 and 926 as construction continues for yet another week. There will be a lane closure and flagging through the intersection from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, as PennDOT installs a new traffic signal. It is part of extensive improvements designed to reduce crashes at that intersection.

The Sunshine Report.

Looks like the buzz on Paoli Pike is getting closer to reality.

Last fall, we reported that 7 Brew Coffee had plans to open at 829 Paoli Pike, in the Aldi shopping center. Well, the caffeine has officially kicked in. The project is now in full motion after being presented to West Goshen’s Planning Commission on Tuesday night.

The Planning Commission voted 8–1 to recommend approval of the land development plan to the Board of Supervisors, who are scheduled to hear the application on June 2.

The proposal calls for a 510 square foot drive-through-only coffee shop, with operating hours of 5:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Sunday through Thursday, and until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

This isn't just another coffee stand quietly pulling into town. 7 Brew is one of the fastest-growing drive-through coffee chains in the country, recently surpassing 695 locations across 38 states and continuing to expand rapidly. 

7 Brew, known for its speedy drive-through service, high-energy branding, and large drink menu, is expected to bring approximately 100 jobs to the area. If approvals and construction stay on track, the company is projecting an opening by the end of the year.

From Popeyes Chicken to cold brews, that little stretch of Paoli Pike is clearly perking up.

Keep shining! —Margie

Hello.

After nearly two years, we have an update on the Airport Road Post Office. By way of a brief refresher, the post office was left inoperable by a 2024 fire. As a result, sorting operations were moved to Wayne, and retail operations relocated to Gay St.

Last year, a Change.org petition was created advocating for the rebuilding of the Airport Rd location. Among the grievances cited by the petitioners were that the Gay St. location was unable to handle the postal needs of such a large community. 

Well, in that regard anyway, the nearly 1,200 petition signers should be glad. 

Goodbye.

After a turbulent year, the West Chester Parking Department is bidding the Bird farewell. Beginning June 1, Flowbird will no longer be accepted to pay for parking in West Chester lots, garages, or metered spaces. Park Mobile will replace Flowbird as the app of choice.

“You asked, we listened,” the Borough shared in a social media post last week. The Flowbird app is also being officially sunset, so really, they didn’t have much of a choice.

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If your pup means the world to you, now is the time to create something lasting. Book your DubC Dog Portrait experience today to honor them and create wall art of your best friend to display at home. 

Our time with them is never long enough…their DubC Dog Portrait is forever.

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**This is a sponsored post.**

The Accolades.

West Chester University is bringing NCAA baseball to West Chester this weekend. 

A little over 24 hours after coming up short in the PSAC Championship game, the West Chester University baseball team got some good news. They had secured one of four number 1 seeds in this year’s NCAA Division II Baseball tournament. 

After solid play throughout the PSAC conference tournament, WCU lost to Millersville 2–1 in Saturday’s Championship game. The loss was not what they wanted, but the experience will hopefully help prepare them for an even larger feat. 

"All in all, I'm very happy with how we competed all Tournament long," WCU head coach Mike LaRosa told the WCU Athletic Department. "I think we also learned some important things about ourselves this week that will help us prepare for Regionals next week.” 

The Golden Rams are the top seed in the Atlantic Region. They began their NCAA Tournament journey on Thursday afternoon with an easy 15-4 win over Bloomsburg. Play continues this afternoon at Serpico Stadium with a three-game series against East Stroudsburg. 

West Chester University Softball is also tournament-bound. You can read more about the Lady Rams’ journey here. 

High school baseball/softball postseason begins next week. Right now, four, maybe five, of the six West Chester teams appear to be in position to make it onto the bracket. Chest-Mont champion East Softball is sitting pretty, 19–2 for the year. The Lady Vikings are currently the top team in District 1 5A. They are the only local softball team guaranteed postseason play. Rustin may squeak in with the 12th and final seed in 5A, but Henderson is not likely to make the cut in 6A. On the baseball side of things, Rustin is in the best position with the fifth seed, but all three teams are likely to be invited to play on. 

Want to know just how good East Softball is? Read this.

Upgrade now to unlock more things to cheer about this week!

Most clicked. It snuck up on you too? Last week’s most-clicked link was the listing of Primary Candidates. Link’s still good if you need it. Primary is on Tuesday.

Pay it Forward.

Cheers to doing good! The Crush Cancer Wine & Ale Trail is back, and this year it’s better than ever. 

“My husband’s complaint was that one month is not long enough to go to 35 places,” said cochairperson Elizabeth Cottle. So this year they are making it longer. The fundraiser, now in its fifth year, is run by the Women’s Auxiliary to Chester County Hospital and invites participants to prepurchase a $50 app and, in return, get complimentary glasses of beer or wine throughout the region.

This year, 40 area restaurants are participating, including 20 West Chester locations (pretty much worth it right there). In addition to being three months instead of one, there are also more nonalcoholic options, including mocktails, and in at least one place, an appetizer. 

“We wanted to give people more options,” said Elizabeth. 

Also gone is the paper tracking system. Instead, you download the passport app and show it to your server for a complimentary beverage at participating locations. 

The Passport app is valid from May through July. All proceeds go to support the new Chester County Hospital Cancer Center. The Women’s Auxiliary has pledged to raise $2 million for the project. You can get the app and find a list of participating locations here. 

Other ways to give back this week: 

Sign up to be a hero. West Chester’s all-volunteer fire department is looking for some new members. No experience is needed, just a desire to serve the community and be part of something bigger. You can learn more at wcfiredept.org or stop by one of the three local firehouses and get a feel for yourself. 

Help fill some shelves. The Community Warehouse Project of Chester County is running (very) low on bedding. If you are making a Target run or have some new or gently used comforters and sheets you are willing to part with, they are looking for twin, full, or queen sizes. Donations can be dropped off Monday through Friday from 9 a.m–1 p.m. at 800 E. Virginia Ave., Building 3. 

Share your thoughts on composting. The Borough’s Sustainability Advisory Committee is in the process of exploring the viability of a food composting program in the borough. Something you might be interested in? Share your thoughts here. 

The Freakin’ Weekend.

What are you up to this weekend? We plan to take full advantage of the weather before it quickly soars to uncomfortable. We’ll be at Porchfest on Saturday, and judging by the results of Wednesday’s poll, we won’t be alone - 61 percent of respondents said it was the event they were most looking forward to this weekend. I also plan to pop in at the Studio Art Tour and say hello to some artist friends, and as always, we’ll be fieldside at least a few soccer matches. Although if temps deliver as promised, I won’t complain. 

If you are around this weekend, in addition to the aforementioned events, West Chester is hosting its first Gay Street Open Air Market event of the season. There will be virtual golf available tonight. If you are just hoping to hang and fully savor those warm weather vibes, Gemelli has released its flavor lineup for May. I can always get behind something called Espresso Rocher, but Strawberry Lemonade Sorbetto sounds pretty perfect, too. Dia Doce Coffee has a new iced banana coconut latte, and Levante has a new beer called Mandatory Yardwork. It’s a cream ale with light notes of sweet corn. Hmm. Someone try that for me and let me know if it works. 

And one shameless plug before we get to this week’s Community Sponsor, Isaac and some friends will be selling lemonade Saturday from 3 to 6 p.m. at the corner of Dean and Wayne St. They are raising money to support 5th-grade activities. If you are in the area and feeling thirsty, I know they would appreciate your support.

Finally, a very special thank you to this week’s Community Sponsor, SLA Financial. SLA Financial has proudly served the West Chester community for 30 years, providing personalized wealth management and financial planning. With a focus on helping individuals and families achieve long-term goals, they sponsor local events and offer financial education classes, reflecting their deep commitment to both clients and community growth.

View a list of all our amazing Community Sponsors here.

Business leaders: Want exclusive access to this amazing community? Of course, you do. There are only three spots an issue so each one gets a lot of attention, and from what I hear, responses. Placements are filled first come- first served. Send me an email if you are interested.

Mark Your Calendars:

May 15 – Virtual Golf on Gay St., Gay St closure in front of the Post Office, 4 – 8 p.m.

May 15 – 17 – The Prom, Uptown Theater, 7 p.m. showings Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m. showings Saturday or Sunday.  Winner of the Drama Desk Award for Best Musical, THE PROM tells the story of four big-personality Broadway stars who are desperate for a comeback. Performance by Uptown Studio. Tickets: $33/adult; $27 student.

May 15 – Trivia Night, Sunshine Rotary, Goodwill Fire Co., 6 p.m. The money raised by the event is for our 501 (C3) Foundation which supports non-profits in the community. This event is SOLD OUT

May 15 – American Patriarch: Author Talk with H. W. Brands, Philips Autograph Library, 7 – 8:15 p.m. From historian and Pulitzer Prize finalist H. W. Brands comes an inspiring portrait of George Washington that examines his unrivaled leadership in the birth of America. The event is free but registration is required. 

May 15 – WCPL Virtual Trivia Night, West Chester Public Library, 7 – 8 p.m. There are four categories of 10 questions each to challenge you. This event is free but registration is required. 

May 16 – West Chester Walking Club, meet at La Chic Boutique, 9:30 a.m.

May 16, 17 – Chester County Studio Art Tour, various, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Sunday.  Experience a weekend of art, inspiration, and discovery at the 16th annual Chester County Studio Tour. Not sure where to start? This app will help.

May 16 – Chess Club, West Chester Public Library, 10 – 12 a.m. For ages 5 – 15. No registration required. 

May 16 – Walking Tour: Revolutionary West Chester, Chester County History Center, 11 a.m. or 1:30 p.m. This new walking tour celebrates America 250 and will transport you back in time to the village of Turks Head where Chester Countians eagerly awaited news of the revolution in the local tavern. The tour covers about 1.5 miles in a 90-minute walk. Ticket: $16

May 16 – West Chester Porchfest, southwest quadrant of the Borough, 1 – 7 p.m. Stroll from home to home and enjoy live, local talent on the beautiful porches of historic West Chester. Food trucks and children’s activities add to the festivities. This is a free local event.

May 16 – Community Festival, Good Fellowship Ambulance, 600 Montgomery Ave, 2-4:30 p.m. Join Good Fellowship for a family-friendly community festival to celebrate 75 years of service to our community and recognize the lifesaving work of EMS professionals. The afternoon will include station tours, equipment demonstrations, police/fire and ambulance displays and much more. This is a free community event.

May 17 – Great American Cleanup-Crebilly Preserve, 6:30-9 a.m. The Westtown Environmental Advisory Council will lead this cleanup effort on roads surrounding the Crebilly Preserve. Meet at the Westminster Presbyterian Church parking lot (10 West Pleasant Grove Road) to receive PPE and safety review. 

May 18 – Storytime in the Park, Oakbourne Park, 10:30 – 11 a.m. Open to all. Bring a blanket! 

May 18 – True Crime on Trial, Brickside Grille, Exton, 6-9 p.m. Historians from the staff of CCHC present the evidence and give the audience a chance to reach a verdict. Based on true events. Tickets required. 

May 19 – Primary Elections – check your polling location here.

May 19 – Storybook Adventure Hike, Oakbourne Park, 11 a.m. -12 p.m. Join for a series of themed, family-friendly outdoor adventures designed for children ages 3 to 8.  Tickets: $13/child; Adults are free. Registration required. 

View the full event list here. 

That’s it. Stay safe, stay happy, and thanks to everyone who helped make this week’s issue possible. I’ll see you next week!

This newsletter has been edited by Victoria Rose, Flickering Words: Copy editing. Substantive editing. Proofreading. Content writing. Technical editing. Contact her at [email protected] or @VictoriaRoseEdits to learn more.

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