Easton's West Ward, Home of Mine
- rosajaviersales
- May 24
- 3 min read
Updated: May 31
I have lived in Easton's West Ward for the grand majority of my life.
I have been here through the downs, and I am now here through the ups. In the early 2000's, when I was a child, just mentioning the West Ward could get you dirty looks in other parts of the Lehigh Valley. But to me, it has always been my home.
This neighborhood gave me a community. It gave me a place to truly come home to. Every landmark, the old trees, old homes, the corner stores, the parks, and even the potholes, became part of me.
I remember walking around St. Anthony's, stopping by Express Mini Market on Butler St, walking around the courthouse to get Downtown, and walking with my siblings and cousins from the West Ward all the way to Heil Pool on the South Side. I remember when the Easton Area School District offices were in the West Ward. I have walked almost every inch of this part of the city.
For over 22 years, the West Ward has been part of my continuous life experiences. It is part of my DNA.
That is why, when I get the opportunity to be part of something meaningful in the neighborhood, I take it seriously. I know where the West Ward once was, and I know where it is now.
The West Ward Market? As a child, I would have never dreamed of something like that here. But now, the growth in this area is demanding change.
The area near 7th and Northampton was once a place many people did not feel safe walking around. Everyone knew Porter's, but many of us also knew the struggles that existed around that corner. Every morning on my way to the middle school in Forks, my bus driver would take Wood Avenue, and before we hit that road, we would pass that corner. We would pass that area and see kids skipping school and selling drugs before most people had even started their day.
At the time, I remember being surprised that kids my age (then 12) were already caught up in that life so early in the morning instead of being in school. As I got older, though, I began looking back at those moments of my childhood differently. I started thinking more about what those kids were living through and what pushed them there in the first place.
Because the truth is that every child wants to be wanted, loved, protected, and given opportunities. Not everyone had that.
I still remember my first day of high school back in the Summer of 2007. We had a moment of silence during homeroom for students who had died because of gun violence before the school year had started.
Easton has come a long way since then. The West Ward has come a long way. I am proud of my city. I am proud of this neighborhood. I am proud of every effort that has gone into improving, uplifting, and believing in this community.
As a real estate agent, I now have the opportunity to be part of that change in a real way.
701-703 Northampton St, is a building that has been neglected for many years. It will be a challenge to bring it back to life, but the new owners are taking on that challenge, and I am honored to be one of the professionals helping move the project forward.
This mixed-use building has residential and commercial spaces, and there is work to be done. The first step is always to name, diagnose, and address every issue so we can begin solving them properly.
I cannot wait to see how this project evolves.
I cannot wait to see what new businesses, people, and experiences become part of this corner and part of my DNA.
I promise to keep you updated at each phase of this project. If you would like to join this project as one of its future tenants, please contact me. Let's get the negotiation going!
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices
Fox & Roach Realtors
Pennsylvania
3465 Nazareth Rd., Suite 103, Easton, PA 18045
484-274-8696 - Cell
610-258-0808 - Phone
610-258-7699 - Fax
Fox & Roach Realtors
New Jersey
54 Old Hwy 22, Clinton, NJ 088089
484-274-8696 - Cell
908-735-9700 - Phone
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