Bradford Neighborhood Plan

The City of Bradford’s Second Ward Neighborhood is a family oriented residential community. The neighborhood stands as the southern gateway to the city, offering visitors and residents a glimpse of Victorian revival mansion architecture from the turn of the 20th Century. It also hosts a significant portion of Zippo Manufacturing Company and W.R. Case & Sons Cutlery, both global companies based in Bradford.

The city partnered with Zippo, Northwest Savings Bank, and American Refining Group to utilize the Department of Community and Economic Development’s Neighborhood Partnership Program to jumpstart a significant revitalization of this unique and important neighborhood.

We worked with the partners in the project as well as a group of 30+ residents in the 290-property study area to gather data, analyze that data, and establish goals for a revitalized Second Ward Neighborhood.

The plan crafted for Bradford will help the Second Ward Neighborhood restore the neighborhood character as a home ownership destination for families, young professionals, and retirees and the sense of care within the community by reviving the code enforcement, façade improvements, and routine maintenance. It will strive to rebuild the physical elements of the neighborhood including sidewalks, curbs, new residential structures, curb appeal, street trees, and high quality public open spaces.

In addition, stakeholders, who were involved in the planning, will venture to revitalize the neighborhood by redeveloping the Second Ward School, redeveloping the vacant School Administration building, redeveloping the first block of East Corydon Street, strengthening existing partnerships, practicing resource conservation, and conducting education and training activities for its residents.