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Coatesville, known as the Pittsburgh of the East, is the only designated city in Chester County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 10,838 at the 2000 census.
History
Coatesville is home to the former Lukens Steel Corporation, which was bought by the former Bethlehem Steel corporation and the Ohio-based International Steel Group (ISG) in 2002. Coatesville, like many Rust Belt cities and towns, has endured a lengthy run of hard times as the country shifted from an industrial and manufacturing economy to a service economy. For example, Lukens Steel was the largest employer in Chester County in the 1960s, with over 10,000 workers. Forty years later, the largest employer in Chester County is the Vanguard Group, a financial services firm also with 10,000 workers. Lukens Steel was always a boutique steel producer, and continues to be one to this day. However as with all other surviving domestic steel producers, it has, in order to stay competitive with foreign steel, implemented much-needed efficiencies in its production processes, thereby reducing the needed workforce to a tenth of its former size. The steel plant continues to employ about 1,000 skilled workers and will continue to do so.
As in many other economically-distressed communities, Coatesville struggles with its crime rate. During the economic boom of the late 1990s, Coatesville began on an ambitious redevelopment project, facets of which included the tearing down of abandoned and dangerous public housing, new single family and townhouse developments, a regional recreation center, and most recently, mixed use projects that would include retail, office, and condominium housing, as well as the renovation of the local Amtrak station.
The redevelopment plans have not been without controversy, including a five-year eminent domain dispute with a local landowner in neighboring Valley Township. It has been resolved without the need to seize the property, but it caused the outser of four incumbent City Councilpersons in the November, 2005 general elections. These four new councilpersons, two of which are ordained Pentecostal and Methodist ministers, caused further controversy with the firing of the city soliciter, the resignation of the city manager (who negotiated with the Valley Township landowner), and the departure of the assistant manager, police chief, and city treasurer. With Chester County being a rapidly growing area, demand for housing and recreation and retail facilities is growing in the region. Coatesville is ideally positioned to accommodate this demand both because of location and because of available property. The new properties, which would either be luxury apartments or condominiums priced at $150,000 to $250,000, would be targeted towards young executives in the Philadelphia area, and would be located on parcels of land formerly owned by ISG, or on places in Coatesville bought out by the city and torn down, starting in June, 2006.
Geography
Coatesville is located at (39.983556, -75.816641).
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.8 km² (1.9 mi²). 4.8 km² (1.9 mi²) of it is land and 0.53% is water.
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 10,838 people, 3,940 households, and 2,580 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,261.9/km² (5,848.8/mi²). There were 4,360 housing units at an average density of 909.9/km² (2,352.9/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 41.91% White, 49.15% African American, 0.36% Native American, 0.53% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 4.60% from other races, and 3.42% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 10.75% of the population.
There were 3,940 households out of which 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 30.7% were married couples living together, 28.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 34.5% were non-families. 29.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 12.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.70 and the average family size was 3.33.
In the city the population was spread out with 31.7% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 17.9% from 45 to 64, and 12.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 87.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,912, and the median income for a family was $36,375. Males had a median income of $31,782 versus $24,774 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,079. About 18.3% of families and 22.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.9% of those under age 18 and 15.9% of those age 65 or over.
Coatesville had 4360 housing units, of which 90.37% were occupied. Of the occupied housing units, over 45% were owner-occupied.
Famous Coatesville residents
- Fred Mascherino plays guitar and sings vocals for the rock band Taking Back Sunday.
- Ray Keech set a land speed record and won the 1929 Indianapolis 500.
- Richard Hamilton, a basketball player with the Detroit Pistons of the National Basketball Association, was born in Coatesville and is a local hero.
- Two members of the punk rock group The Dead Milkmen, Joe Jack Talcum (Joe Genaro; guitar, vocals), and Rodney Anonymous (Rodney Linderman; vocals, synth) were residents of the greater Coatesville area.
External links
"Coatesville, Pennsylvania"