To help us set and follow a course to improving the downtown Butler district, we've prepared a Vision Plan, with community input, that describes the environment we intend to create.

We welcome ALL members of the community to review our Vision and provide feedback to ensure that our efforts are aligned with the needs and interests of everyone connected with the region.

Download a printable copy of the Vision Plan (pdf).

Butler Downtown Vision Plan

Amid the natural beauty of the hills of the Appalachian Mountains, the historic City of Butler sits in a valley just north of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  Founded in 1803, Butler was primarily farmland during the 19th century.  By the turn of the 20th century, Butler grew rapidly into an industrial town.  Butler's role in manufacturing began with Franklin Glass and the Pullman-Standard Company; continued with constructing the Austin and Bantam cars and designing of the Jeep for World War II; and Armco Steel.  As a result, Butler attracted numerous ethnic groups, many establishing their own neighborhoods and places of worship.

Downtown Butler combines small town personalized service and big-city self-sufficiency as well as access to a wide range of goods, services, and shopping centers.  As the county seat, downtown Butler aims to build a healthier and more vibrant district by highlighting its historic character, enhancing its streetscape, and encouraging economic investment to create a destination that is a...

• Neighborhood Center...showcasing the current distinctive housing and restoring attractive, downtown living quarters in upper floors for the area's residents.
• Shopping Center...expanding independently-owned business offerings, dining experiences, and cultural venues creating an exciting downtown destination daytime and evening attracting both local and regional residents.
• Economic Center...infusing its economy with new employment opportunities for current residents, area graduates, and newcomers, making downtown the center of the County’s healthcare, commercial, service and technological sectors.
• Tourism Center...promoting direct access to spectator sports and cultural events, industrial heritage and historic sites, area parks and recreational opportunities while offering a welcoming hospitality that will support all community amenities.

Private and public groups have pledged to partner to make the vision of downtown Butler a reality.

Butler—a place to work...a place to relax...a place to call home.