development. This portion of the project is on
track, if not ahead of schedule, as RACM already has
acquired the former Coney Island, American Legion,
Don Farr Moving Company, and PhotoGraphix
buildings. Next steps include the acquisition of four
remaining parcels.
The NPP commitment also includes funds
to aid in stabilizing the Penn McKee and make
improvements to owner-occupied homes
throughout McKeesport’s neighborhoods.
A SENSE OF COMMUNITY
With all of this downtown development taking
place through McKeesport Rising and the NPP, it’s
the perfect time for the McKeesport Recreation
Board and other committees to invest in downtown.
Members of the McKeesport Community Garden
partnership have worked with city officials to clear
weeds and dead plants from downtown planters –
improving conditions for surviving plants and new
flowers and ornamental grasses to flourish.
“The planters were in such a poor condition
that the Mayor and I discussed removing them or
making them take shape and do what they were intended to do,”
City Administrator Tom Maglicco said. “We contacted volunteers,
got together, and brought the planters back to life. The feedback
has been great from our downtown business owners and
community members.”
NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION
Through both the NPP and Gaming Economic Development
Funds, Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh is taking on projects in
McKeesport’s Christy Park and Grandview neighborhoods and then
across the City’s 12 Wards.
Across the nation, Rebuilding Together works with corporate and
community partners to repair homes, revitalize communities, and
rebuild lives. We hope that the success realized by this program in
other communities will take place in McKeesport, and this vision
aligns perfectly with what the McKeesport Rising Project is doing
for city neighborhoods. While Cherepko continues to contract the
demolition of long-abandoned houses, Rebuilding Together will
work to repair occupied homes and rehab recently abandoned
homes before they succumb to blight.
“As we continue to encourage homeownership, we are happy
to have Rebuilding Together expand their focus to include the
City of McKeesport,” Cherepko said. “This is another aspect of our
McKeesport Rising Project. We are doing our part to remove blight
throughout McKeesport’s neighborhoods, and Rebuilding Together
is working to preserve our housing stock.”
Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh CEO Steve Hellner-Burris said the
project will consist of exterior improvements such as roofs, gutters,
windows, concrete, and porches.
“Rebuilding Together has done great work in the City of
Pittsburgh, and we are excited to partner with them to bring their
services to McKeesport,” Community Development Director A.J.
Tedesco said.
Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh has observed positive change
in communities the organizations has served, Hellner-Burris
explained.
“Rebuilding Together Pittsburgh has seen, where
we do concentrated blocks of owner-occupied
renovations, that markets become more stable and
begin to improve as we also work on complete
renovations in those blocks,” he said. “As we now
move outside of the city into McKeesport, we look
for those same results to occur.”
State Rep. Austin Davis described the
funding announcement as “an example of the
Commonwealth making direct investments in our
local communities.”
State Sen. James R. Brewster said GEDF monies
“help local communities advance and accelerate
work on key economic development projects,” and
Hellner-Burris said this announcement is the first of
several to impact the City of McKeesport.
MCKEESPORT AREA
❘
SPRING 2020
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