Governor Tom Wolf today announced $ 6 million in Keystone Communities program grants for 34 projects in 22 counties in Pennsylvania.
“The Keystone Communities program supports towns and cities with initiatives that develop and stabilize neighborhoods and encourage partnerships between the public and private sectors,” Governor Wolf said. “My administration is proud to support these projects which will build stronger communities, attract new residents and businesses and stimulate our economy.
As of January 2015, the Wolf administration has approved approximately $ 38 million under the Keystone Communities program to fund 247 projects statewide, including frontage grants for businesses, accessible housing projects, home improvements. ‘public infrastructure and other projects aimed at strengthening inner-city communities and neighborhoods. The Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) administers the program.
Here is a list of the 34 approved projects:
Allegheny County:
- Action Housing Inc .: $ 700,000 to complete construction of the Second Avenue Commons homeless facility in Pittsburgh
- Community Kitchen Pittsburgh: $ 91,020 to upgrade the training center to provide an on-site food preparation and service experience
- Hazelwood Initiative Inc .: $ 205,909 for Phase 3 of the Hazelwood Affordable Rental Preservation program – acquisition of 20 apartments to provide long-term affordable housing
- McKees Rocks Community Development Corporation: $ 250,000 to remediate and stabilize a commercial building at 602 avenue Chartiers
- Municipality of Mount Lebanon: $ 22,250 for planning related to the second phase of the street landscape transformation project in the corridor designated by the main street of Mount Lebanon
- Wilkinsburg Community Development Corporation: $ 50,000 to continue improving facades along a targeted area of downtown Wilkinsburg, including Penn Avenue
Beaver County:
- Aliquippa Economic Development Corporation: $ 216,500 for Neighborhood Sidewalk program streetscape improvements
Blair County:
- Altoona Blair County Development Corporation: $ 500,000 to redevelop the “Green Church” in Hollidaysburg into a mixed-use commercial structure
Butler County:
- Zelienople Borough: $ 223,605 to complete Phase 3 of the Zelienople Revitalization and Economic Development Project, including upgrading over 50-year-old infrastructure along State Route 19, from West New Castle Street to Grandview Avenue
Central County:
- Philipsburg Revitalization Corporation: $ 23,280 for the renovation of a two-story brick building located on North Front Street in the historic downtown Philipsburg district
Clearfield County:
- Downtown DuBois Inc .: $ 50,000 to continue the Facades program, which improves downtown DuBois by providing grants to businesses and homeowners
Cumberland County:
- Center for Independent Living of Central Pennsylvania: $ 200,000 for Home Accessible Services program to help adults and people with disabilities in multiple counties
Delaware County:
- Habitat for Humanity in Montgomery and Delaware counties: $ 365,836 for the construction of four affordable housing units on Dudley Avenue in the Borough of Lansdowne
Erie County:
- Corry Community Development Corporation (DBA Impact Corry): $ 50,000 to continue improving residential facades in the town of Corry
- Our West Bayfront: $ 165,000 to redevelop three vacant properties into affordable housing in the town of Erie
Greene County:
- Township of Franklin: $ 175,000 for renovations to the multi-use building in Crawford Park
Lackawanna County:
- NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania: $ 50,000 to implement a grant program for the facade of Main Avenue and Luzerne Street in West Scranton
Lancaster County:
- City of Lancaster: $ 450,000 for a streetscape improvement project along South Ann and Juniata Streets in the designated Elm Street neighborhood
Lawrence County:
- DON Enterprise Inc .: $ 50,000 to establish a facade program for businesses in the Lower East Side of New Castle City designated by Elm Street
- DON Enterprise Inc .: $ 500,000 for Phase 2 of the restoration of the Wright Building, a vacant mixed-use building located in the designated area of City’s Elm Street on East Washington Street in New Castle
- Lawrence County: $ 50,000 to implement a new residential facade program in Union Township
County of Lehigh:
- Allentown Housing Authority: $ 500,000 for the redevelopment of Phase 1 of the Little Lehigh social housing site
Lucerne County:
- Diamond City Partnership: $ 25,000 to continue the rehabilitation of Public Square Park in the town of Wilkes-Barre, a designated community on Main Street.
- Greater Hazleton Community Area New Development Organization Inc. (CAN DO): $ 236,250 for Phase II rehabilitation of the Broad & Barrell property at 21-23 West Broad Street in Hazleton
Montgomery County:
- Ardmore Initiative: $ 25,000 to continue a facade improvement program in the Ardmore business district in the Township of Lower Merion
- Pottstown Area Industrial Development Inc .: $ 320,400 for renovations to the former PNC Bank building, vacant for over 15 years, in downtown Pottstown Borough
Northampton County:
- Greater Easton Development Partnership: $ 50,000 to continue a facade improvement program in the designated Main Street area of the City of Easton
Philadelphia County:
- Friends of the Rail Park: $ 25,000 to create a fair development plan for Rail Park – a new three-mile park under development in Philadelphia
Schuylkill County:
- Borough of Frackville: $ 35,000 to initiate a facade renovation program in the business district of downtown Frackville
Union County:
- Lewisburg Downtown Partnership Inc .: $ 25,000 to plan security upgrades to the nine-block “Market Street Corridor” in historic downtown Lewisburg
Washington County:
- Monongahela Main Street Program: $ 45,000 to reinstate a facade improvement program in the central business district of downtown Monongahela
York County:
- York City Redevelopment Authority: $ 12,500 to plan for the re-establishment of a corporate zone in the boroughs of West York and North York and in the townships of Spring Garden and West Manchester
Statewide:
- Inglis Foundation: $ 287,500 to continue its statewide program, which provides funding for accessible housing to people without local access programs
- Downtown Pennsylvania: $ 14,950 for a statewide planning project to determine the impact of COVID-19 on the neighborhoods of Main and Elm Street in Pennsylvania and to develop information on local economic resilience
For more information on the Wolf Administration’s commitment to community development and revitalization, visit the DCED website.