One thing was certain when the Greater Johnstown/Cambria County Chamber of Commerce began looking for a new home.
The 97-year-old chamber was not about to leave the city.
“Historically, the chamber always has been in downtown Johnstown,” said President Robert Layo. “We felt it was necessary to be in the hub area.”
Over the years major stores have closed or moved out, but Layo said it is important to maintain the downtown area as a center for specialty retailers, medical, financial and government.
And so it was that the chamber relocated last year to the first floor of the former Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Building at 245 Market St., just a few blocks from its former home. The building was purchased by Johnstown Area Regional Industries whose offices are on the second floor.
Both JARI and the chamber had been headquartered in a building at the corner of Market and Washington streets.
Layo said the chamber looked at other possible locations downtown, but decided on moving to the JARI building because of its central location.
The new chamber office is located directly across from the Holiday Inn where both business people and tourists stay. They need only go across the street to get information about the city and the area.
Tourism is not the chamber’s main purposes, but it is a component of what the chamber does.
Layo and Debra Orner, chamber vice president, said the organization has been very active over the years in working to improve the downtown.
It was instrumental along with the former Glosser Bros. store in organizing the Christmas Village in Central Park and the chamber coordinated efforts to buy Christmas ornaments. It also has played a role in setting traffic patterns in the city.
One of the chamber’s goals is to be a partner in the economic development of the region including the downtown area.
Layo and Orner talked about the future of the downtown including the necessity to repopulate the city and to create employment.
Information about Johnstown businesses is included on the chamber’s new web site, Johnstownbusiness.com, and is included in the chamber’s new 2007/2008 Membership Directory & Community Profile.
Layo said he is optimistic about the future of the downtown area because of the development of the Greater Johnstown Technology Park and the interest of Wal-Mart in opening a second store in the area, possibly in the city.
He said revitalization of the downtown area will have to be a team effort.
Layo and Orner are among five chamber employees. The chamber has 645 members going into this year’s membership drive.
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