As the City of McKeesport curates a redevelopment strategy that celebrates existing assets and encourages future growth, Mayor Tom Maglicco wants to know how small towns across Pennsylvania are making progress.
City officials recently traveled to Crawford County to see what small towns like Meadville are doing to rebrand themselves and promote economic growth. Mayor Maglicco visited with Mayor Jaime Kinder, representatives from the Meadville Area Chamber of Commerce, and Allegheny College staff to learn how public input and municipal-university partnerships have helped to shape revitalization for in Meadville, which is situated just two hours north of McKeesport. In an effort to see firsthand how small towns across Pennsylvania are not only reinventing themselves but also reinvesting in their futures, Mayor Maglicco toured downtown Meadville, the college campus, and the Allegheny Lab for Innovation & Creativity.
The mayor also spent time in Bethlehem, PA, learning how former industrial sites known as brownfields can become target areas for redevelopment. Rather than building new, Bethlehem’ s growth is taking shape through the rehabilitation of aging and underutilized structures. Creative and adaptive reuse of vacant spaces is proving to be beneficial in the growing economy there.
McKeesport’ s hope is to encourage small business development through partnerships with the Mon Yough Chamber of Commerce and Penn State Greater Allegheny’ s Launch Box program. Recent efforts of the Young Preservationists of Pittsburgh and the Boston-based Collaborative are helping to revise McKeesport’ s comprehensive plans for community and economic development.
McKeesport Seeks Input from Small Towns Across PA
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