City of Reading

Reading is a thriving and diverse city of 85,000 and is the county seat of Berks County.  It is governed by a mayor (elected), city manager (appointed), and seven council members (six elected by district and one at-large council president).            

There has been significant new investment in the downtown in recent years including a new state-of-the-art Sovereign Bank operations facility, a newly expanded Reading Eagle newspaper building, the construction of Reading's first LEED-certified office building, an IMAX Theatre, and the Miller Center for the Performing Arts.  The Sovereign Center continues to draw large crowds for concerts and sporting events, and the Sovereign Performing Arts Center is home to the Reading Symphony and a wide variety of dance, music, and theatrical groups.  The GoggleWorks Center for the Arts is the largest public arts facility in the United States.

To learn more about development in the City, please visit Reading Community Development for information about zoning and codes.