Introduction
Each year, beginning in 2020, the Chester County Planning Commission has completed a report of non-residential construction in the county. The report includes data on the number of projects and new square feet for agricultural, commercial, industrial, and institutional projects. Both additions to existing buildings and new construction are included in the report.
When evaluating non-residential data, the Chester County Planning Commission acknowledges that non-residential data can vary between years due to a small data set, and large projects can cause significant changes. Furthermore, meaningful overarching trends will not become clear until additional years are recorded. This report provides an overview of current conditions, and subsequent reports will better portray trends, strengths, and challenges for non-residential development in the county.
New non-residential construction saw highs in 2017 and 2018, peaking at 1,466,203 new square feet in 2018. In 2019 non-residential construction slowed before increasing in 2020 through 2022 to over 1,000,000 square feet annually. In 2023 non-residential new construction dropped to a low of 915,348 square feet. The number of projects mostly followed similar patterns, with a high of 83 projects in 2019 and completed projects ranging from 36 to 44 from 2019 to 2023. Despite the decline in the amount of new square feet in 2023, the number of projects remained one of the highest seen from 2019 through 2023, at 44 projects. Commercial and institutional projects had the highest total number of both square feet and projects from 2016-2023.
In 2023, East Whiteland, London Grove, and West Goshen Townships had the greatest total new non-residential square feet, London Grove, West Goshen, and East Whiteland Townships had the greatest commercial, West Goshen, London Grove, and New Garden Townships had the most new industrial square feet, and East Whiteland Township, Charlestown Township, and Kennett Square Borough had the highest new institutional construction. Elk Township had the highest agricultural new development in 2023, followed by West Fallowfield Township.
West Goshen, West Whiteland, and East Whiteland Townships had the highest cumulative number of non-residential projects built from 2016-2023, at 33, 30, and 23 projects respectively. East Vincent, West Goshen, and Tredyffrin Townships had the highest cumulative amount of non-residential construction from 2016-2023.
Key Points
- New non-residential square feet decreased to a low of 915,348 in 2023.
- There was a total of 44 completed non-residential projects.
- Commercial and institutional uses constituted the majority of new square feet added in 2023.
- Two projects with over 100,000 square feet were constructed in 2023, part of a phased Kaolin Holdings Corporation project and the GVSD Center building.
- East Vincent, West Goshen, and Tredyffrin Townships had the highest cumulative amount of non-residential construction from 2016-2023.