City residents now have the opportunity to weigh in on a new look for downtown Reading.

Members from the Reading Center City Community Group met at Holy Cross Church Tuesday night to express their opinions on the proposed plans to renovate Fifth and Penn streets.

"I'm interested in anything that looks to the positive," said Chris Miller from Reading.

"I'm committed to downtown Reading. My office is downtown. I do property management downtown. I work with real estate downtown and everything that's in my business is focused on the city," said Sean Moretti.

The project is called Downtown 20/20.

The intersection at Fifth and Penn streets would be replaced with a roundabout and a fountain in the center. The streets would be lined with trees, and there would also be two buildings for farmer's markets.

"Bring suburban and rural Berks County vegetables downtown, get rid of the crime, making it a wholesome setting, I think it sounds like a good idea," said John Rush.

Part of the renovations would also include reducing the sidewalks by about 18 feet and putting in designated stops for buses on all four corners of the Fifth and Penn street intersection.

"First of all, can we afford it? I mean, obviously this is a plan that's been brought forth," said Mayor Vaughn Spencer. "I think there needs to be community input."

The mayor said he plans to attend the upcoming public meetings with the police chief and the director of public works.

To offer an opinion on the Downtown 20/20 project, attend the following public meetings:  February 24 from noon to 1 p.m. at the County Commissioners Board Room (13th floor of the County Services Center); March 14, from noon to 1 p.m. at the Abraham Lincoln/Wyndham Hotel Ballroom; or April 18, from 5:30-7 p.m. at the Peanut Bar.