McKeesport recruits
industrial developer,
River Materials Inc.,
to RIDC Park
The City of McKeesport is proud
to announce the addition of River
Materials, Inc., to the industrial/
manufacturing landscape of the
RIDC Riverplace Industrial Center of
McKeesport. This new, state-of-the-art
intermodal facility is set to open in
early June.
“There has been a tremendous
amount of anticipation surrounding
this project for the past year or more,”
McKeesport Mayor Michael Cherepko
said. “My administration is extremely
excited for the opportunity to publicly
welcome River Materials Inc. to our
town. It has been a very long process
that we’ve hinted at during council
meetings and other public events,
and this is just the beginning of
what’s to come in terms of economic
development in 2019. This is all part of
McKeesport Rising.”
The 18-acre site, located on
portions of the original National Tube
site along the Monongahela River,
is ideally located for truck, barge,
and rail intermodal activities. In
addition, River Materials will construct
office, warehouse, production, and
remanufacturing facilities for its own
use. Upon the project’s completion,
River Materials and other companies
working on site will employ more than
50 highly trained, skilled employees.
“We are excited to begin this
next phase of expansion for our
company and to provide new jobs
for McKeesport and the surrounding
community,” River Materials President
and CEO Clifford Wise said. “Occupying
this space will enable us to more easily
transport shipments to and from
the river and railways. It is the ideal
location for our expanding business,
and we look forward to establishing
roots in the community.”
River Materials currently provides
intermodal services for power
plants, recycling centers, cement
plants, and other industrial facilities
throughout Southwestern and Central
Pennsylvania. A railcar and barge
remediation facility is in a design
phase for the McKeesport facility.
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MCKEESPORT AREA
Free job training
available in
McKeesport with
New Century Careers
M2K program
N
ew Century Careers will celebrate
its 20th anniversary with the
announcement of the expansion of
its popular Manufacturing 2000, or M2K,
training program to be housed in the newly
repurposed Tube City Center for Business
and Innovation in McKeesport. The center,
at 409 Walnut Street, is the former home of
the The Daily News.
New Century Careers hosted an open
house at Tube City Center on June 13, with
a ribbon cutting ceremony that included
Mayor Michael Cherepko, state Senator
James R. Brewster, state Representative
Austin Davis, Allegheny County Executive
Rich Fitzgerald and others.
Cherepko described New Century
Careers as a welcomed addition to Tube
City Center because of the program’s
enduring record of excellence in matching
qualified graduates with employment
opportunities.
“The Mon Valley is still a thriving region
for manufacturing jobs, and we can train
young workers right here in McKeesport to
be ready for in-demand, family-wage jobs
across our region,” Mayor Cherepko adds. “I
see enormous potential to attract trainees to
McKeesport, as it is the hub of the Valley.”
With demand for machinists consistently
unmet as regional manufacturers struggle to
find qualified workers to fill vacancies, New
Century Careers CEO Paul Anselmo said the
organization continuously searches for cost-
effective methods to train and place more
students with regional employers. He said the
Tube City Center space is ideal for the program.
M2K is a short-term pre-apprenticeship
program which is offered at no cost to qualified
job seekers. NCC recruits, screens, tests, trains
and places high school graduates 18 and
older in entry-level machinist jobs that lead to
career pathways with family-sustaining wages.
Those interested in training can find additional
information at www.newcenturycareers.com or
call 1.800.822.9337.
Dog Park opens in Renzie Park
The City of McKeesport hosted a grand
opening of the Dog Park at Renziehausen Park
on June 15 with a “leash-cutting” ceremony,
free dog treats, information about dog
licensing, and other services.
The facility, located behind Sulphur Springs
and Lake Emilie ballfields, includes two
separate enclosed areas for dogs to play,
based on their size, and a third enclosed
area that will be open during maintenance
of the other two. Construction was funded
by a $200,000 Community Infrastructure
and Tourism Grant and additional city
contributions.
“The dog park is a wonderful addition to
Renziehausen Park, as we continue to improve
this asset and make it a destination point for
park-goers of all ages and all lifestyles from
across our region,” Mayor Michael Cherepko
said. “This facility will be open during park
hours for area residents to bring their dogs to
an environment where they can run safely in
an enclosed area for exercise and enrichment.”
In recent years, Cherepko has worked
with the Allegheny Regional Asset District
to improve ball fields, renovate every picnic
shelter, upgrade the Blue-Top Pavilion and
Jacob Woll (Main) Pavilion, install a spray park,
and more. Working with Highmark and the
Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation, a dek hockey
facility was added as well.
State Senator James R. Brewster said the
dog park develops a previously unused
portion of Renziehausen Park, which is able
to be linked to the park’s existing walking trail
and eventually to the Great Allegheny Passage
in other parts of the city.
“I was very happy to be able to secure
funding for the dog park in Renziehausen
Park,” Brewster said. “This is an exciting new
addition that will add to the quality of life in
our area. The dog park is one more way area
residents can spend time outdoors and enjoy
the facility.”