Say "Reading" and many will say "outlets," even though the heyday for those shops has long past. Now, federal stimulus money is going to be part of the effort to revitalize the buildings that remain. 


  >> REPORTER: What once made Reading famous...is now an eyesore...and the kind of area that fits the bill for 11-million dollars worth of stimulus funding allotted to the county. 

>> MARK SCOTT: The intent here is to encourage economic activity in a blighted area by providing tax free financing. 

>> REPORTER: Thursday, the County Commissioners approved giving $7-million of that funding to the Shuman Development Group. Alan Shuman began buying up the 10 buildings of the Reading Outlet Center in 2005...and is now ready to start giving them a second life. 

>> SHUMAN: One of the only areas of the city that really lays out well as an urban community is Northeast Reading. You've got lots of residential and it surrounds the outlet district. 

>> REPORTER: Shuman's already sold two of the buildings. He plans to use the stimulus funding on Building 1 and Building 4. Blueprints for Building 4 include a grocery store and retail space. 

>> SHUMAN: Building 1 is going to be the biggest block of demolition. About 60% of the building will come down to open it up and provide 200 to 250 parking spaces. 

>> REPORTER: Shuman says he's close to inking a deal with a major retailer to move into the remaining part of that building. The Shuman Development Group has revitalized some of Reading's other retail space. Just last week, Dollar General opened here in the old Burlington Coat Factory here on Rockland Street. And the redevelopment of this building leaves room for other businesses to move in. And Shuman says he's looking for committed tenants for all of his properties. >> SHUMAN: We're more expensive than a lot of the suburban places like 5th Street Highway and stuff. 

>> REPORTER: The goal here is not the glory days that brought in people from all over...but instead to build some neighborhood pride for those who have lived here all along. 

>> SHUMAN: It's a great area to actually redo that core area and have a great urban community like you would find in New York or Philadelphia.

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