Jane Lipton may have grown up in Montgomery County, but she lived close enough to Manayunk that she could throw a rock and hit the Northwest Philly neighborhood.

Lipton remembers her first exposure to Manayunk; late-night visits to Main Street with dad to get water ice.

"It was a treat. It was exciting," she said.

As she grew older, Lipton came to know Manayunk in a business sense because her parents opened up a retail store on Main Street. Lipton, who developed an interest in real estate early on, helped locate the perfect for her folks' shop, which offered gift baskets and children's clothing.

That was in 1986, when Lipton was in her mid-20s. Today, Lipton has the honor of being the new executive director of the Manayunk Development Corp. And while she's only been on the job for a couple weeks, the woman with strong business acumen and strong ties to Manayunk is ready to tackle economic development head-on.

"I came here because I care about the corridor, I care about the neighborhood, but I took the job because I believe in the success of the district," Lipton said at her office Monday. "Everybody wants the same thing for the corridor - to be thriving, diverse and interesting."

Aside from her childhood visits and professional experience, Lipton has served for years on the board of North Light Community Center. Her volunteerism at the nonprofit opened up a whole new world for Lipton, one where she was able to meet many of the local players. Because of this, Lipton enters her new position not as a newcomer, but as someone who can build upon her familiarization with the neighborhood and help move the community forward.

"I did really believe they needed to hire the best person for the position, and if that wasn't me, that's fine, because I care about the community first," she said.

But the Hiring Committee did see Lipton as the best person to help usher Manayunk into a new era, one where resident and merchant work hand in hand.

While some civic leaders have complained that the MDC doesn't involve residents in business decision-making enough, Lipton pledged to unite the residential and commercial components. You can't have one without the other, she said, since residents patronize Main Street, and merchants bring in revenue.

After her parents opened their store in Manayunk in 1986, Lipton was asked to be manager, something she initially shunned. But the more she came to Manayunk, the more she began to appreciate the neighborhood, then in the early stages of revitalization.

"You could just feel something getting ready to happen," she said.

Lipton was soon managing the store, located at 4323 Main St., a building previously occupied by a five-and-dime. The building was old, and needed some upgrades, but it had interesting features, such as the curved front doors, tin roof, and "perfectly intact ballroom."

Lipton began to realize the potential in the then-sleepy neighborhood. After she began working here full-time, Lipton got involved with the community in various ways. She joined the local business association, started volunteering on committees, and got involved in events that would long leave a mark on Manayunk.

Lipton was heavily involved in the Main Street Stroll, a now-defunct promotion that was designed to promote the annual bike race. Then, of course, there's the Manayunk Arts Festival, a long-running tradition that started two years after Lipton came to town.

"That arts festival was a real pivotal thing for Main Street," she said.

Because of her familiarity with, and fondness for, the neighborhood, Lipton jumped at the chance to apply for the MDC executive directorship.

The hiring process was rigorous, she said, and there was stiff competition, but when it came time to make a decision, MDC board members viewed Lipton as the perfect fit for the job.

Lipton views this as an exciting time to lead the MDC, since the organization just wrapped a strategic plan that was a year in the making. From visions for the Schuylkill River waterfront, to the planned performing arts center on Venice Island designed to be a citywide destination, Lipton sees a new dawn ahead for the community.

Lipton said that, while people may differ on their vision for Manayunk, one thing they share in common is their dedication to the community.

"People who work and live here and own property here are passionate and care about the neighborhood," she said. "Their commitment can't be questioned. On every level, people care about Manayunk."

When two developers attended a recent Manayunk Neighborhood Council meeting and caught flak for proposing to restaurants with liquor licenses, Lipton was in the audience batting for both sides.

She urged the residents and businessmen to come to an agreement acceptable to everyone.

Joan Denenberg, a public relations consultant working with the MDC, said Lipton has a good business sense as well as firsthand knowledge of Manayunk as a community - something that should help guide her when it comes to seeking out viable businesses.

And because Lipton already knows many people in the neighborhood, especially through her work with the community center, she should be viewed as someone who can help facilitate smart growth.

Irene Madrak, North Light's executive director and a MDC board member who sat on the search committee, said she initially feared Lipton's hiring at MDC could mean less time for the center. But selflessly, she backed Lipton for the job, since Lipton is intimately familiar with Manayunk.

"I think that she is a perfect fit at this point in terms of life experience and background for this position," Madrak said. "I also think that she brings a passion and a commitment to it that we haven't seen in a long time. Her heart's definitely in it."

Lipton is excited about working in a community that people care about. Many businesses in Manayunk are owner-occupied, not rented storefronts, Denenberg said, which fosters merchants' commitment to the neighborhood.

Even during tough economic times, "the spirit of entrepreneurship is alive and well and thriving here," Lipton said. "There was a recession in the 80s, and Manayunk kind of 'happened' then."

To Lipton, Manayunk is preparing to enter a new revitalization, and she's excited to be a part of it.

"You walk down the street, and you still feel good," she said. "There's nothing but pure potential here."

While some look upon the MDC with critical eyes, since previous directors stayed aboard for less than a year, Lipton pledges to remain involved for as long as she is needed.

"I can see myself staying for a long time," she said. "As long as we have work to do."

Reporter Jon Campisi can be reached at 215-354-3038 or jcampisi@phillynews.com