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YOUR MONEY: Wolf Approves $1.4 Million to Support Nine Community Revitalization Projects

February 16, 2017 6a00d8341bf7d953ef01a73dfbe363970d-320wi

Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf today announced the approval of more than $1.4 million in funding through the Keystone Communities program to support nine community revitalization projects across the commonwealth.

“Strong communities are built by projects that encourage revitalization and business development and the investments approved today will assist in doing just that,” said Governor Wolf. “Our communities thrive economically when the residents invest their time and energy into the revitalization process and I am extremely excited that these nine communities are doing just that.”

Administered by the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), the Keystone Communities program is designed to encourage the creation of partnerships between the public and private sectors in the community that jointly support local initiatives such as the growth and stability of neighborhoods and communities; social and economic diversity; and a strong and secure quality of life.

“$1.4 million in funding across nine projects will go a long way in supporting the efforts of these important revitalization projects throughout Pennsylvania,” said DCED Secretary Dennis Davin. “We look forward to positive outcomes from the approved projects that will contribute to the overall economic well-being of the commonwealth.”

The commonwealth strongly encourages community-based organizations, public agencies, business leaders, private developers, financial institutions, and private citizens to work in partnership with local government to develop a comprehensive approach to address community development and housing needs. These partnerships can and will create more attractive places to live and will encourage business and job expansion and retention in Pennsylvania.

The following is a list of the Keystone Communities projects announced today:

Allegheny County

  • The Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh: $25,000 to create a business district development plan for the Second Avenue corridor of Hazelwood.
  • Bloomfield Citizens Council: $200,000 to implement the Bloomfield Lighting Implementation Project, including develop and installation of a lighting master plan. The plan will identify and prioritize locations for a distributed network of lighting and multimedia installations.

Berks County

  • Borough of West Reading: $246,512 to undertake a streetscape project within a two block area in West Reading’s designated Keystone Elm Street area – the Center Point Neighborhood. The project will address issues presented by old, deteriorated, and unsightly sidewalks and broken curbs, a lack of green space, and rain water permeability.

Chester County

  • Borough of West Chester: $200,000 for the redevelopment of the Pennsylvania National Guard Armory in West Chester’s Business Improvement District, a designated Keystone Main Street program. Funding will be used for the purchase and installation of specialized lighting, visual and audio equipment, and theatre seating.

Delaware County

  • Lansdowne Economic Development Corporation: $50,000 to continue implementing the Union Gardens façade improvement program as part of the multi-municipal designated Keystone Elm Street neighborhood revitalization project in Lansdowne and Yeadon. Funds will be used for façade rehabilitation and materials for repairs with a match of 50 percent by each property owner.

Mifflin County

  • Downtown Lewistown Inc.: $50,000 for the continued implementation of the façade and building improvements program located in Lewistown’s designated Keystone Community district. The project will encourage reinvestment in older commercial and mixed-use structures in the core downtown district.

Montgomery County

  • Genesis Housing Corporation: $250,000 to ensure the completion of 34 affordably-priced townhouse units in a distressed, transitional area of Norristown. The project will replace a blighted property and provide opportunities for first-time homeowners.

Schuylkill County

  • Schuylkill County Land Bank: $200,000 for the acquisition, demolition, and rehabilitation of blighted properties in Schuylkill County. The project proposes a strategic approach for not only remediating blight, but repurposing properties to meet the public purposes of increasing the tax base, creating jobs, and making the communities more livable.

Multiple Counties

  • PA Route 6 Alliance: $183,000 to establish a façade and signage improvement program to target communities along the Route 6 corridor in Warren, McKean, Potter, and Tioga counties. Funding will allow for 32 façade and 50 signage projects to be completed.

For more information about the Keystone Communities program, visit dced.pa.gov.

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