Real Wyomissing Boro

06/04/2026

EXTON MALL: June 30 closure claim.

A Facebook graphic is circulating claiming that Exton Square Mall tenants were given 30 days to vacate by June 30. A few other online posts are now saying similar things, including a Reddit mall-watch post and a relocation post from a mall-based robotics organization.

That makes the June 30 date more plausible than a random rumor — but it is still not officially confirmed.

What is confirmed: Abrams Realty & Development bought Exton Square Mall in March 2025, and redevelopment plans have been moving through West Whiteland Township. The township’s own notice described a master plan for the 75-acre property that would retain Boscov’s, relocate Main Line Health, add commercial/office space, and include hundreds of residential units. The plan later hit a major roadblock when West Whiteland rejected it and Abrams sued.

Why does this matter in Wyomissing?

Because Abrams Realty & Development is also tied to the proposed Berkshire Mall redevelopment.

Same broad issue, different municipality: a struggling enclosed mall, a major redevelopment proposal, Boscov’s remaining, and many unanswered questions about timing, public process, infrastructure, traffic, and what residents are told before decisions are effectively already in motion.

To be clear: the alleged June 30 tenant deadline at Exton does not prove anything about Berkshire Mall.

But it is a useful warning sign. Tenant notices, lease decisions, demolition planning, zoning approvals, litigation, and public financing discussions can all move on different tracks.

‼️ Residents should not have to learn major facts from unsourced Facebook graphics after the fact.

So for now:

👉 June 30 at Exton is plausible, but unconfirmed.

If someone has an actual tenant notice, landlord memo, or official statement, that would change the story. Until then, treat it as a rumor — and treat the Exton redevelopment process itself as something worth watching closely here at home.

Image: original editorial illustration.

06/03/2026

Was the June 1 Planning Commission meeting ready for prime time?

At Monday’s Planning Commission meeting, two development items were on the agenda for possible action or recommendation.

‼️ Neither was ready.

915 Penn Ave. — scale-waiver item tabled after the appeal was acknowledged.
1714 State Hill Rd. — conditional-use application described as incomplete.

Then the Commission moved into a broad discussion of Gov. Shapiro’s Housing Action Plan.

The useful takeaway was not “approve apartments faster.” It was much more basic: Wyomissing needs a clearer, more transparent, more online land-use process.

But talk is not a plan.

The questions now are simple:

👉 What did this meeting cost?
👉 How much was charged to applicant escrows, and how much was paid by Borough taxpayers?
👉 Could the not-ready items have been postponed — and if so, did the meeting still need to be held?

Responsible housing starts with responsible process.

Full meeting video link in comments.

06/01/2026

915 Penn Ave: Four Yes Votes Despite a Room Full of Warnings

After the vote on 915 Penn Avenue, one resident walked out and said: “You guys are awesome, man. Nice job.”

Watch the clip. The sarcasm says a lot.

That reaction did not come out of nowhere.

Residents and nearby businesses had just warned Council about parking, traffic, Court Lane, Penn Avenue access, the loss of first-floor commercial space, and the impact on the surrounding business district.

An attorney appeared on behalf of Murphy Jewelers of Wyomissing LLC and MalCody LLC, stating that his client had not received certified-mail notice of the March 30 conditional-use hearing and would have sought party/objector status if properly notified.

The request was not minor. The applicant asked to build 30 apartments with no first-floor office, retail, professional-service, or restaurant space, and with 32 off-street parking spaces instead of the 45 normally required.

Despite those objections, four Councilmembers still voted YES.

To be clear: this was not the entire Council. But it was enough to pass.

The four yes votes were:

👉 Jennifer Reimer
👉 Richard Weinhoffer
👉 Stephen Brunner
👉 Jana Barnett

Voting NO:

👉 Christopher Valente
👉 Kristen Gajewski

Absent:

👉 Adam Berkeley

That distinction matters. People should not blame the whole Council when two members voted no and one member was absent. But residents also should not forget that four yes votes were enough to approve this over serious public objections.

Before voting yes, those four did not give the public a clear explanation for why the warnings in the room were outweighed.

This is exactly how a planning vision gets weakened: one exception at a time, one waiver at a time, one “just this project” at a time.

‼️ Penn Avenue is supposed to be a commercial corridor — not just another place to grant relief from mixed-use requirements without a public explanation that actually answers the concerns raised.

The public spoke. Nearby businesses spoke. A lawyer raised a notice objection. Residents warned about the real-world impact.

Four Councilmembers voted yes anyway.

That is why people are upset.

Full vote roll-call in comments

05/31/2026

Heartbreaking news. Our condolences to her family, colleagues, and the Central Berks Police community.

Today, our department mourns the heartbreaking loss of Officer Kristen Yeager, who made the ultimate sacrifice while responding to a call for service on May 29, 2026.

Officer Yeager served our community with courage, compassion, and unwavering dedication. She answered the call to protect and serve each day, placing the safety of others above her own. Her commitment to her badge, her fellow officers, and the citizens she served will never be forgotten.

We ask that you keep Officer Yeager’s family, friends, and our entire law enforcement family in your thoughts and prayers during this incredibly difficult time.

Rest easy, Officer Yeager. Your watch has ended, but your legacy of service and sacrifice will live on forever. We got it from here.

🖤💙 End of Watch: May 29, 2026

05/29/2026

🚨 Breaking Update: Murphy Jewelers Appeals 915 Penn Avenue Approval
Notice Defect Now in Court

Murphy Jewelers and MalCody, LLC have filed an appeal in the Berks County Court of Common Pleas challenging Borough Council’s May 12 approval of the 915 Penn Avenue conditional-use application.

According to the appeal, the appellants are adjoining property owners and state they did NOT receive the certified-mail notice required for the March 30 conditional-use hearing.

The appeal asks the Court to declare the approval “void ab initio” — void from the beginning — or alternatively require a new hearing with proper notice.

This raises the accountability question:

👉 Why was Council allowed to move forward with the vote before the certified-mail notice issue was clearly verified?

👉 The legal guidance Council relied on is now directly in question.

👉 The notice problem is now in litigation.

Appeal documents will be posted in the comments.

05/27/2026

REAL WYOMISSING BORO IS NOW META VERIFIED
Same independent resident page — easier to identify.

The blue check helps confirm that this is the authentic page for our resident-run civic coverage of Wyomissing Borough meetings, public records, local decisions, and community issues.

‼️ To be clear: this page is not an official Borough page and is not affiliated with Wyomissing Borough government, any political party, or any candidate.

Verification confirms the identity of the page. It does not mean Meta endorses the content.

Real Wyomissing Boro remains an independent resident advocacy page focused on facts, public records, transparency, and civic process.

Thanks to everyone following, sharing, commenting, and helping more residents stay informed.

05/26/2026

Breaking: 915 Penn Avenue Notice Problem Confirmed
Appeal Window Closes June 22

The Borough has now confirmed that the public notice requirements for the 915 Penn Avenue conditional-use decision did not precisely follow the procedure required by the Borough’s own ordinance.

That matters.

Council approved the conditional use on May 12. But before that vote, Murphy Jewelers’ attorney told Council that his client did not receive certified-mail notice of the March 30 hearing.

Now the Borough says the Court of Common Pleas could void the conditional-use decision, and impacted property owners have only until June 22 to file an appeal.

This raises a serious question:

❓Why was Council allowed to move forward with the vote before the certified-mail issue was clearly verified?

👉 That is not a small detail. It is the difference between a clean land-use approval and a decision that may now be vulnerable in court.

👉 The Borough should release the certified-mail records, mailing list, and receipts, and explain what legal guidance Council relied on before approving the application.

This is not just about 915 Penn Avenue.

It is about whether major decisions in Wyomissing are handled carefully, legally, and fairly before the vote happens.

05/20/2026

915 Penn Ave: Murphy Says They Were Not Notified
We Filed an RTK for the Mailing Records

At the May 12 Council meeting, Murphy Jewelers’ attorney said his client did not receive notice of the March 30 conditional-use hearing for 915 Penn Avenue.

That matters.

👉 Murphy Jewelers is not a random outside commenter. They are preparing to open a high-end retail jewelry store directly across the street at 902 Penn Avenue.

👉 Penn Avenue’s character is not just about buildings. It is about the business mix, parking, access, and whether serious private investment is treated with basic fairness before major decisions are made.

👉 Murphy’s attorney said the Borough’s mixed-use requirement — including first-floor retail or commercial space — was one of the things that attracted them to the location. Kim Murphy then told Council they had no knowledge of what was happening across the street and did not receive certified-mail notice.

⁉️ So the question is simple:

Did Council approve major relief from Wyomissing’s own mixed-use and parking standards after a directly affected neighboring property owner was not properly notified?

If the Borough followed the ordinance, the proof should be simple:

Show the certified-mail receipts.
Show the mailing list.
Show who was notified.
Show whether 902 Penn Avenue / Murphy Jewelers / Mal Cody LLC received the required notice.

A general statement at a hearing is not the same as certified-mail proof.

On May 13, we filed a Right-to-Know request for the mailing records. The Borough’s response is due tomorrow unless it takes an extension.

We will report what the records show.

05/17/2026

"What would Wyomissing’s founders think?"
Thank you to Berks Nostalgia for this incredible look back at the history of 915 Penn Avenue.

This is not just another parking lot. This corner is tied to the roots of Wyomissing’s civic history, and the May 12 vote set in motion a permanent change to the character of Penn Avenue.

Residents deserved a much clearer public explanation from Council before approval.

05/14/2026

200 MW AI Data Center Announced for Titus Station
Big project. Big questions.

Titus Development Company has announced a strategic agreement with Go Energy Group for the proposed TRON USA AI Campus at the former Titus Station site near Reading.

According to the company release, the first phase is expected to include a 200 MW AI data center campus on the former coal-fired power plant property.

The release points to existing substations, regional transmission access, fiber connectivity, water availability, and possible future on-site power generation. It also says more details will come after final development and interconnection procedures.

👉 Nearby Cumru Township has already adopted AI data-center rules addressing issues such as noise, water use, energy use, and monitoring/enforcement. That is the kind of guardrail conversation every impacted municipality should now be having.

‼️ This may become one of the most significant redevelopment projects in the Reading/Berks area. It deserves clear answers on power, water, noise, emissions, traffic, jobs, and local oversight.

Source: Titus / Go Energy press release, May 14, 2026.
Full release in comments.