On  January 24, 2017,  at the weekly breakfast meeting of York East Rotary at Heritage Hills,   Jack Kay, President & CEO Susquehanna Real Estate, spoke of the future of the Hotel Yorktowne.  The hotel is now closed for 2 yrs. for renovations.  The hotel was originally built in 1925 and was described at that time as the “cornerstone” of a new era in downtown York.  Two years later it underwent renovations and expansion with the addition of more rooms and new ballroom.  In 1957, parking facilities were added.  The Hotel has been recently purchased by the York County Industrial Development Authority to prevent a bad outcome from the sale.  They are developing a comprehensive strategic plan for the property’s renovation with a $20 million budget that includes a $10 million grant.   An additional $7 million has been procured from private donations.    Plans for the project will address issues such as parking, improved street access to the lobby, maintaining a fine dining restaurant, possible roof top dining facility, updated hotel meeting rooms and boutique shops, upgraded, modernized HVAC systems and infrastructure repairs.  The goal is to return the Yorktowne to being an anchor or cornerstone of downtown York that compliments adjacent redevelopment activities such as the Royal Square project, York College’s Center for Community Engagement (the former Lafayette Club) and multiple other projects on the square and West Market District.  In order to accomplish the renovations, some structural changes to the exterior façade will probably be necessary and the design has yet to be finalized.  Once completed, the Yorktowne will once again be a full-service hotel  and will preserve its historic role as a  community “gathering place”.