centerPiecePENNSYLVANIA DOWNTOWN CENTER’S QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER winter 2014

P12 | GREENSBURG CREATESa Health Care District

P6 |pa electsTom Wolf for Governor

once upon a timeIs Now | p14

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If you follow the literature of community development at all, you will know that one of the ongoing

debates deals with how much of our scarce human and financial resources should we be putting into assistance to people (job-training, life skills, reducing substance abuse, etc.) versus assistance to place (Elm Street and Main Street programs, tax breaks for rehabilitation, development or property, blight remediation, etc.). The question is to what extent does one of these do a better job of impacting the other?

Very recently I had a chance to talk with a potential funder in the western half of the state who indicated that in the current climate, much of their financial support is going to people and not to place. That was not what I was hoping to hear, but it is an increasingly common outcome of such visits.

In my opinion, that is where the whole healthy communities initiative that has taken root, presents us as place-focused community development professionals with an incredible opportunity. We have the chance to take many of the activities that we perform on a regular basis and reposition these as people-focused programs. The important issue here is that this is not simply a marketing effort; it is the reality of what many of us do every day. A January 2014 report – Leveraging Multi-Sector Investments: New Opportunities to Improve the Health and Vitality of Communities , prepared by the Health Resources in Action, provides tremendous insight into these connections. Consider Table 1 on the following page that details the impact of common community development activities and their impact on the health of the individual. Look closely at activities such as community (public) space enhancement, small business development, brownfield remediation and transit oriented development. All of these activities have a medium to strong impact on health issues such as violent crime, cardiovascular disease, substance abuse, lead-based poisoning and mental health issues.

Other states have started to leverage this connection. The State of Maine obtained $1.6 million from the Centers for Disease Control for its “Healthy Maine Streets” initiative. The folks from the Maine Main Street program will present a session on this topic at next year’s conference in Lancaster.

The challenge for us as neighborhood and business district revitalization professionals will be to pivot our activities from an over-emphasis in too many communities on promotion and marketing to a new focus on an evolving “economic

2015 EVENTS

Calendar

Executive Director’s

Corner

Healthy Communities – Connecting People AND Place

by Bill Fontana

restructuring” and “neighbors and economy” function. I also believe that adopting such a new focus will provide wonderful opportunities for greater cooperation between and integration among neighborhood (Elm Street) and business district (Main Street) programs – something that has been less than stellar.

As we get ready to ring in 2015 with a new governor and as yet unknown program opportunities and threats, we at PDC will be making that pivot and building up a menu of healthy community related programs and activities that local programs may adopt. We will open doors to new partnerships with the health care

community and new funding opportunities. The Regional Revitalization Network meetings that are beginning to take shape for February, March and April of 2015 will provide more detailed information on those opportunities and programs. The challenge will be the willingness of local programs to make that same pivot. The good old programs – design, promotion and organization - will never go away. But a rethinking of, and emphasis on, economic restructuring, neighbors and economy and safe-clean-green will make all of our communities, and our programs, healthier.

Statewide Managers Meeting Wednesday, February 11 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Harrisburg, PA

Regional Leadership Forum Wednesday, February 11 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon Harrisburg, PA

Regional Network MeetingRegional Leadership Forum

Wednesday, February 18 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Lebanon, PA

Understanding Your Community's Customer & Market Profile

Thursday, February 19 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Lebanon, PA

New Manager Training Monday, February 23 - Tuesday, February 24

8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Harrisburg, PAPDC Offices

Community RevitalizationAcademy: Asset Enhancement

Wednesday, February 25 - Thursday, February 26

8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Harrisburg, PAPDC Offices

Regional Network MeetingRegional Leadership Forum

Tuesday, March 10 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Uniontown, PA

Understanding Your Community's Customer & Market Profile

Wednesday, March 11 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Uniontown, PA

Regional Network MeetingRegional Leadership Forum

Tuesday, March 17 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon

Somerset, PA

Understanding Your Community's Customer & Market Profile

Wednesday, March 18 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Somerset, PA

Regional Network MeetingRegional Leadership Forum

Tuesday, March 24 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.6:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Jim Thorpe, PA

Understanding Your Community's Customer & Market Profile

Wednesday, March 25 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Jim Thorpe, PA

National Main Street Conference Monday, March 30 - Thursday, April 2

Atlanta, GA

Regional Network MeetingRegional Leadership Forum

Tuesday, April 7 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon

Wellsboro, PA

Understanding Your Community's Customer & Market Profile

Wednesday, April 8 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Wellsboro, PA

Regional Network Meeting Tuesday, April 14 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. Meadville, PA

Regional Network MeetingRegional Leadership Forum

Wednesday, May 13 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.9:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon

Kennett Square, PA

Understanding Your Community's Customer & Market Profile

Thursday, May 14 8:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Kennett Square, PA

2015 EVENTS

Calendar

EVENT DATE TIME LOCATION

For more information or

to register for an event or training,

please visit our online events

calendar.

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2013-2014 Audit Report The accounting firm of Smith, Elliott & Kearns, LLP presented the PDC board of directors with its 2013-2014 fiscal year audit of the organization. The audits Statement of Financial Position indicated that as of June 30, 2014, PDC had total assets of $1,029,500. This was offset by liabilities totaling $732,235 and unrestricted net assets of $297,315. Revenues for 2013-2014 were $743,744 and expenses totaled $766,258. The audit revealed that PDC spent 86.5% of its income on community development programs, 11% on general and administrative services and 2.5% on fundraising. Greg Hall, the CPA representing Smith, Elliot & Kearns indicated that this was an “unmodified opinion” or a “clean” audit, the highest level of opinion that may be issued for an audit. He also noted that this audit

presented a consolidated statement that included the activities of both PDC and its non-profit subsidiary, Keystone CORE Services.

Departure of Current Board Chair PDC Board Chair Chris Rockey, Vice President for Community Development Banking with PNC, announced that he has accepted a new position within the bank that will require him to relocate to Baltimore, Maryland. As a result, Mr. Rockey felt that it would be in the best interest of the organization for him to step down from his position as board chair. Mr. Rockey will stay on as board chair through the middle of March, 2015. After that, Board Vice-Chair Larry Newman, Executive Director of the Diamond City Partnership in Wilkes-Barre will complete the term as Chair through June of 2015.

Election of New Board MembersThe PDC Board elected Ms. Lisa Keck, Elm Street Manager in Bradford, PA to a seat on the board of directors. Ms. Keck will complete the term that was vacated by Rebecca Denlinger that runs through June of 2015. After that time Ms. Keck will be eligible to be elected to a first full three year term. Ms. Keck was elected based on her experience in the community revitalization field and the fact that she will be an excellent representative of the Elm Street community. It was noted that PDC still has three vacant board seats and two seats (Paul Cullinane and Andy Walker) that will have their second three year term expire on June 30 of 2015. PDC must have a minimum of 13 seats filled to be compliant with its by-laws. There are currently 16 seats occupied.

REVITALIZATION program Impact on Pennsylvaniaby Jordan Garling

Through the past several weeks, the Pennsylvania Downtown Center has been going through its records to add together all of the Main Street quarterly reports in its possession. Our goal is to try and find out the extent of PDC’s impact over the course of the years in the boroughs and cities of Pennsylvania since 1986. Because not all communities have reported their statistics consistently over the past 28 years, the final tally of statistics is likely to lean on the conservative side. And thus far only the statistics from Main Street programs have been tallied, with Elm Street information yet to come. Nonetheless, a general idea of the sort of impact our programs have can still be gleaned from the information we do have available to us.

Based on the latest tally using numbers from 1986-2013, Main Streets have contributed $1,139,143,873.57 to communities across the Commonwealth, with a rate of $3.29 in private investment for every $1 in public investment. Additionally, 749,852 volunteer hours have been donated, 20,418 jobs created, 11,047 jobs retained, 6,488 new businesses created, and 3,004 businesses retained. We hope in the next few weeks to have a fuller report to present regarding the positive impacts that Main Street and Elm Street programs have had on communities across the state, including Elm Street Programs and examinations of other indicators. But what we do have is a positive sign that our programs really are helping to sustain and grow communities in the Keystone State.

PDC Board NotesThe Pennsylvania Downtown Center (PDC) Board of Directors held its regularly scheduled meeting on November 13th in Harrisburg. Highlights from the meeting included:

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Downtown Indiana Sean Howard

Sean Howard is the Director of the Downtown Indiana Non-Profit Group. Born in Indiana, Pa in 1983, he grew up just one block off main street. After pursuing his passion for live music for several years, Downtown Indiana brought him back.

In his new position he enjoys learning new skills and meeting new people every day,

and working with residents and community leaders who have the same passion and mission in mind – the betterment of Downtown Indiana. With an experienced Board willing to enrich his skill set, Sean understands how important the group is to the community. In spite of the hard work and stress, he sees the rewards of the position with many thank yous and appreciation that comes from the community. Finishing the final phase of an enormous Streetscape Project. Sean personally invites everyone to experience and share Downtown Indiana!

Hollidaysburg Community Partnership Andrea Carnicella

As a Hollidaysburg native, Andrea was drawn to this position with a desire to improve her hometown. With a background in political science and public administration, the position touches on her passions: community revitalization, economic development, nonprofit administration, fundraising,

local government and historic preservation.

Andrea's favorite part of this position is the people that she meets and reconnects with. Hollidaysburg is full of enthusiastic, generous people. Having experienced the kindness of the business owners, elected officials, fire department, police department, and community members, Andrea is proud to be back in Hollidaysburg, the home of the Slinky!

Community Development and Community Health. Pennsylvania Downtown Center’s 2015 Annual Statewide Conference will focus on linking these two issue areas within the downtowns and neighborhoods of the Commonwealth. With a dynamic schedule of educational sessions and mobile workshops, leaders in the field will come together to discuss how downtowns and neighborhoods can cultivate a healthy community that is safe, economically secure and environmentally sound through tackling issues like access to higher quality education, employment, transportation, housing, and preventative and healthcare services. Join us as we bring together both revitalization and health

care professionals to hear from state and national leaders; and, to discuss new partnerships for making our communities healthier places and our residents healthier people.

Conference questions and for more information contact

Maria WherleyPDC Network Relations and Conference Coordinatormariawherley@padowntown.org717-233-4675 ext. 116

NationallyAccredited

NationallyAccredited

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by Bill FontanaThe residents of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania elected Tom Wolf as the 47th Governor of the

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on November 5th. He will take office on January 20th, 2015.

The revitalization programs in Pennsylvania will once again be faced with both the opportunities and uncertainties (at least at this point), that come with any change in administration. A glimpse into what may

be in store for the future can be obtained by reviewing Governor-Elect Wolf ’s platform in his campaign document “A Fresh Start!” Beginning on page 33 of that plan for the future is a section entitled “Revitalizing

Our Communities and Encouraging Smart Growth." In the interest of providing the revitalization community a common jumping off point for the new administration, we are providing that section of the

“Fresh Start “ plan that deals with community revitalization in its entirety.

Currently, more than 40 percent of Commonwealth residents are living in financially distressed communities. While many factors contribute to the decline of cities and towns, one important

element is poor land use policies that favor sprawl over reinvestment and divert scarce resources inefficiently in undeveloped farm or isolated areas. Pennsylvania needs to ensure the long-

term financial viability of our cities by improving our planning and oversight of land use and development. Tom Wolf knows that reinvestment works. In partnership with his fellow community members, Tom Wolf worked to revitalize the City of York‐the economic anchor of his community. He served as the president of Better York, which hired David Rusk to develop a regional plan to help revitalize the city. Tom also chaired the board of York College, where he helped to integrate

the school into the city by having it invest in the neighborhood. Tom Wolf worked as a board member of Historic York to find new residential and commercial uses for existing buildings.

Tom’s work with these organizations led to redevelopment as well as new jobs, new social supports for city residents, and new tools to attract middle class families back to the city. As governor, Tom

Wolf will:

Residents Elect Tom Wolf, Governor

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Create a Smart Growth and State Planning Office For all projects that receive state funding, Pennsylvania must make sure that they are part of a broader smart growth strategy. This office will be tasked with coordinating the efforts of various state agencies so that community development programs and initiatives support revitalization and regional planning. Additionally, it will ensure that local development projects that receive state funding adhere to the fundamentals of smart growth.

Fund Revitalization ProjectsTom Wolf will prioritize state capital and local development funding for revitalization projects. A strategic priority will be placed on state funding for community development for projects that are located near or utilize existing investments such as transit, affordable housing, walkable communities, small businesses and struggling town centers. This “smart spending” approach will save taxpayer dollars.

Adopt a “Fix It First” Approach to DevelopmentState investments should help promote development that makes use of existing infrastructure by rehabilitating existing offices, buildings and homes that clean and reuse contaminated sites, build on open urban spaces (infill development) in existing towns and cities.

Implement a Blueprints grant program to help local communities develop regional long-term plans To help some regions save money, Tom Wolf will use existing funds to provide planning grants to engage residents and key stakeholders in the development of a regional vision, which will then be used to guide regional and local land use, and transportation planning.

Provide technical assistance to older communities Through a redevelopment certification program, the State will help older communities update their codes and development regulations, improve their review process, and otherwise make the planning process more stable and predictable.

Encourage innovative and creative land useThrough an innovative cities program, urban areas will be able to apply for funding to help them develop and implement a land use plan aimed at attracting young workers and diverse businesses. Those municipalities that are awarded grants will also receive support from the Economic

Development Partnership in navigating the multiple grants, tax credits, loans, and other existing financial supports available.

Start a technical assistance academy for local government and nonprofit leaders The Economic Development Partnership will not only help local leaders better understand how their current regulations, codes, and ordinances encourage or discourage development, but it will also help them develop new community reinvestment policies and build relationships with local leaders across the state.

Focus on building mixed-income, mixed-use communitiesToday, more than 13 percent of Pennsylvania residents are living in poverty. Those living in concentrated poverty -¬where 30 percent of all families are living below the poverty line -¬ are often in communities with high violence, poor schools, and limited access to health care. One way to deconcentrate poverty in our communities is to focus our existing development resources on mixed-¬income, mixed--use communities that are located near or utilize existing investments such as transit, walkable communities, small businesses and struggling town centers. In this vein, Tom Wolf will use a creative mix of public and private dollars to spur mixed-¬income, mixed-¬use development projects in which 10 percent of the homes are for low-¬income resident.

The language presented in the plan is encouraging as there is some reason to believe that there could be a restoration of some of the almost $50 million in community revitalization funding that has been lost since 2009. It should be noted that the plan does not specifically mention either the Main Street or Elm Street programs, which were cornerstones of the previous democratic governor’s (Ed Rendell) campaign platform.

In other post election governing matters, Senator Dave Argall (R-Schuylkill County) a long-time champion of community revitalization and the Main Street and Elm Street Programs, has been elected Chair of the Senate Republican Policy Committee. Also, Dave Reed, a former Main Street Manager from Indiana County has been elected by the House republican caucus as House Majority Leader– a key position in advancing legislation in the House of Representatives, where the Keystone Communities Program took a $5 million hit in the 2013-2014 fiscal year budget.

FALL ‘14

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While analysts were chattering about which big-box stores will open on Thanksgiving Day this year, the resurgence of independent business is the holiday shopping story that’s more important to many Americans.

Six in 10 customers say they go out of their way to shop at locally owned stores, and their support is fueling brick-and-mortar merchants, like the more than 50,000 independent businesses that are part of Local First alliances across the country.

This season, events like Neighborhood Toy Store Day, Back to Black Friday, Indies First, Shift Your Shopping, and Small Business Saturday will draw tens of thousands of people into independent retail stores.

For the key facts about shopping locally this holiday season, check out this infographic, put together by the Advocates for Independent Business, or visit indiebizadvocates.org for more information.

AIB’s Infographic has the Facts to Know

shopping local for the holidays

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At this time of the year we are bombarded with celebrations, events, and sales to kick-off the

holidays, but this year has also been a reminder that this is a season of giving; of sharing with those who may be less fortunate than ourselves. We have Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday, but what about global Giving Tuesday and the local Extraordinary Give? The Day of Giving or Giving Tuesday (this year, December 2nd) was originated by NYC’s 92nd Street Young Men’s and Young Women’s Hebrew Association in partnership with the United Nations Foundation, and is a global celebration of giving back. To date, over 10,000 organizations participate in this national and global day of giving. The initiative provides numerous tools to think outside the box when it comes to philanthropy. There’s the #UNselfie campaign and ideas to develop volunteerism. More than anything, it’s part of a movement that encourages us to think about others and other ways to give, not just our money, but our time as well. It’s part of a movement to begin a “new tradition of generosity.”

On more of a local scale, I’ve recently participated in two similar, yet distinctly different days of giving - the Lancaster County

Community Foundation’s Extraordinary Give and Gifts that Give Hope. The Lancaster County Community Foundation’s Extraordinary Give or Extra Give is in its third year and its biggest year yet. The Extra Give is a 24-hour giving-marathon always occurring the Friday before Thanksgiving and is the area’s largest day of online giving. This year over $4.4 million was raised through 31,000 individual gifts to help support over 300 local organizations. The money that’s raised by the public is stretched by the Community Foundation and other local partners to add an additional $300,000 to the pool of funds. This event is not just about giving the public a vehicle to facilitate giving, and thinking philanthropically, but also about the power a community has when working towards a common goal. I look forward to watching this event continue to grow in the years ahead and I’d encourage you to share this event with your own local community foundation.

Gifts That Give Hope is another day of giving, but one that is focused on the stories behind the organizations and the faces of those who are touched by the generosity of those who give and support. It’s an alternative gift fair that supports local and international non-profits that focus on more socially-connected initiatives that give folks an opportunity to give meaningful gifts in the name of others. It provides a chance to step-back from the traditional gifts of “stuff ”, to give gifts of hope by supporting organizations whose missions are based off of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

These are just a few of the local examples that exist in our communities, and perhaps your town has your own similar event or initiative, and if it doesn’t I’d encourage you to look at ways that you could encourage this kind of alternative gift giving in your own town. And, to keep within the theme of this year’s conference, Cultivating Healthy Communities, a healthy community is a generous community.

by Julie Fitzpatrick

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Interest In Community Revitalization Growsby Rick Viglione

During the past few months PDC Field Outreach Staff has visited the Borough of Mercer

and the City of Meadville to discuss revitalization options including the Keystone Community program.

Mercer Borough is the county seat of Mercer County located in western Pennsylvania a short distance from the Ohio border. The Mercer Area Boomtown group has begun to organize for community revitalization efforts. A Vision has been developed and formal committees have been formed. PDC staff will remain in contact with the Boomtown group and include DCED Regional staff to begin discussing the next steps for this group.

The City of Meadville is the county seat of Crawford County and is located in the northwest corner of Pennsylvania just below Erie County. Past revitalization efforts, including a 3-Year Main Street program in the 1980’s and more recent redevelopment programs have encouraged commercial investment in the downtown section of the City. 2015 has been designated as “The Year of Meadville” by Allegheny College; Allegheny College is a private, coeducational liberal arts college

located within the City limits of Meadville. A weeklong event is planned to discuss and address Affordable Housing, Downtown Revitalization, and Youth Empowerment along with potential funding opportunities.

Keystone Community Designation for the City of Bradford – “It’s Working”The City of Bradford received one of the first Keystone Community designations handed out by the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. Sara Andrews, ED of the Bradford Office of Economic and Community Development has been able to maintain its two long-term staff members; Main Street Manager – Anita Dolan and Elm Street Manager – Lisa Keck. These talented staff members are leading the city’s revitalization efforts. The past several months have seen resurgence in downtown business revitalization with more “feet on the street” in the central business district. The 2nd Ward Neighborhood District has been identified as the area for the Elm Street program emphasis. November saw the installation of new neighborhood banners developed with design assistance from Derck & Edson Associates. Approximately 20 housing units have been targeted for exterior façade improvements along with new sidewalks, curbs, street lights and trees and signage improvements.

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Community Commons

Health Indicator

Map Galleryby Jordan Garling

Community Commons describes itself as “an interactive mapping, networking, and learning utility for the broad-based healthy, sustainable, and livable communities movement”. So, it makes sense that they have decided to create an expansive, informative, and free service to help non-profit hospitals better understand the health problems affecting their communities for their now federally mandated Community Health Needs Assessments reports. Luckily the service is available to anyone, not just those in the health care industry.

The gallery includes at present count 114 maps covering a wide range of health factors, falling under the categories of Demographics, Social and Economic Factors, Physical Environment, Health Behaviors, Clinical Care, and Health Outcomes. The maps reveal a holistic understanding of what makes a healthy community, covering data not always associated with health at first glance, such as motor vehicle accident mortality, violent crime rates, and mass transit use.

This data stands alongside other, more traditional health statistics such as fruit and vegetable expenditures, access to primary care, ozone levels, cancer rates, food access, and a multitude of others. The level of detail these statistics are available depends upon the statistic being examined. Most often it’s at the Census Tract level, but sometimes it covers counties, school districts, or other jurisdictions.

The Community Commons map gallery provides an easy, free, and reliable source for community health data accessible to anyone. With this information you can begin to understand the health needs affecting your community, and work towards addressing them for the wellbeing of your town.

TECH REPORT

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The Main Street program in Greensburg is managed by Steve Gifford, the executive director

of the Greensburg Community Development Corporation (GCDC), and the City of Greensburg. Steve has a Bachelors degree in Political Science from Gannon University and a Masters in Public Policy Management from the University of Pittsburgh. His experience in development stems in part from working at the Westmoreland Chamber of Commerce. Steve has demonstrated his skills in matching properties and uses with investors to attain a good economic and cultural mix of development. Seton Hill University is building a new Dance and Visual Arts academic building to infill a former commercial site. Complementing such development, a new 38 unit apartment building has been developed to attract students. Other initiatives

have included a number of property transactions to spur the buying of real estate and the opening of new businesses and office space. A new environment of entrepreneurship has arrived in Greensburg. Graphic design students at the university have assisted in the creation of cultural and shopping district banners, and large artwork panels that cover vacant storefront windows. The sponsoring of the downtown shopping and cultural district banners has been one of this Main Street program's most successful fundraising projects.

Steve has been working in this capacity going on ten years and in this time has developed an interesting approach to the renovation and design of facades. Part of the challenge has been to convince property owners that there needs to be a specific design standard across the board, and that the storefronts should reflect the character of the business. Two of the examples he references, illustrates some of the new emerging uses in the downtown. The sense is that a storefront for a tattoo shop should have the appearance that reflects the personality of the owner and the business, while a pet grooming business façade should be unique to its owner and business.

An additional successful facade project included four storefront tenants who agreed to work together to complete a façade renovation program of uniform lighting and signage with each storefront being painted a color that compliments the adjacent color. The following year, a similar renovation focused on the signage of five adjacent businesses and storefronts, with

Greensburg is creating a Health Care District

by Stefan Klosowski

complimentary colors, logos and fonts unique to their businesses.

One of the most interesting developments is the newly established City of Greensburg Health Care District. While a thriving farmer’s market had been a part of the town for 30 years, it is currently located outside of the downtown. A new permanent structure and site has been proposed and will include 20 vending spaces, toilet facilities, storage closet under roof with an adjacent surface parking lot and neighborhood park.

Additional enhancements to the Health Care District include a pedestrian and bike bridge linking Seton Hill University and Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine with the neighborhood surrounding the Excela Westmoreland Hospital. The hospital is currently within the Health Care District. The bridge will create linkages among several assets; the University, the Hospital, the Farmers Market, Downtown Greensburg and the Five Star Trail. The trail can eventually be linked to the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP)that connects Pittsburgh and Washington, DC. A large vacant warehouse near the railroad and University will be renovated to include apartment units and commercial space. This development will reinforce the use of these elements. To top things off, they intend to install solar panels on the roof of the farmer’s market and collect the rainwater.

Some of the highlights of the Greensburg Main Street Program include:

• The GCDC’s most successful event is the annual Development and Investment Meeting. This gathering includes an invitation to contractors, architects, engineers, commercial real estate agents, and bankers touting the downtown property successes. The event includes prospective sites and infill potential to fit local business model interests.

• Increasing downtown residences nearing the completion of 40 apartments and converting 11 vacant upper floors into productive real estate.

• Guiding the owners of the White Rabbit Café & Patisserie through the process of creating a business plan, buying commercial real estate, and securing permits and licenses from local and state agencies resulting in a successful coffee shop and bakery being located on the Main Street.

As the Main Street Manager of Greensburg’s downtown, Steve has had the distinct ability to bring the critical players together in the development process to successfully make it work. He is armed with the technical ability to cater to the details needed to combine the market forces with the economic needs. This has provided a confident business operating and investment environment.

He has also enabled the businesses to express their distinct personal business flavor onto their facades and still maintain a semblance of rhythm and cohesiveness. In consideration of more recent needs into the health sector, he has brought together the major health and residential elements into creating a healthier living environment and the foundation for a successful Health Care District.

Steve GiffordMain Street ManagerGreensburg Main Street ProgramGreensburg Community Development Corp.

41 West Otterman Street Greensburg, PA 15601724-689-0040gcdc@thinkgreensburg.comwww.thinkgreensburg.com

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In my neck of Penn’s Woods, recent news stories have filled me with dismay. In towns across the county, historic buildings are being torn down in the name of “blight removal.” This is a short-sighted and

permanent solution to a temporary problem – a problem that should not be allowed to progress to the point of blight in the first place. While headlines scream about global warming and tension over sources of energy cause global unrest, demolishing buildings seems a shameful waste of existing resources.

Once Upon a Time Is Now

by Mary Lee Stotler

Once Upon a Time Is NowIn some states, the EPA estimates that up to 50% of commercial waste comes from construction and demolition debris. This doesn’t even account for the fuel needed to demolish the building, nor the gas to haul it away. It would be difficult to track the amount of energy that is wasted when a building is torn down. Instead of adding to the mountain ranges of debris that we already generate as a society, we should be finding ways to adapt and reuse one of the biggest sources of trash that we generate. We don’t do this though, because people think it’s too much trouble or too expensive to save old buildings.

Our industry has a reputation of being snobbish party planners, but I think we’re just pragmatic. It makes good economic sense to preserve what is already built. In an analysis of studies pertaining to preservation’s economic benefits, The Brookings Institute says “dollars spent on preservation rebound through the economy, magnifying the ‘direct’ effects of investment with positive ‘indirect’ effects.” * So often we see a building brought back from the brink of destruction to become a popular brew pub or eatery that catalyzes investment all around it. People are suckers for a success story.

One of my favorite pastimes as I travel is to look at architecture. A town’s building stock is a solid indicator of the rise and fall of fortunes within a community. A concentration of Victorian architecture in one town, an Art Deco grouping in another – or sometimes different architectural eras massed in one locale – make it clear that this is when prosperity came to town, because people were building. Few would argue with the idea that a walk down a thriving historic street is a great experience. In fact, it is widely noted that Walt Disney took pains to recreate that experience in his design of Disneyland.

These buildings tell a story. They are eloquent tales of the hopes and ambitions of people who lived and worked in your town. They embody not only the local history, but often employ locally available raw materials. Stone quarried nearby and local sand mixed with lime are common historic building materials. The building may be clad with bricks kilned right on site. Paint may have been hand-mixed by local artisans. In many cases, the

craftsmen who worked on historic buildings in your community may still be identifiable: someone’s grandfather or great uncle was a mason or plasterer or painter. Conversely, does anyone know or care who manufactured the gypsum wall board that went into the new strip mall?

When we tear down these old buildings, we are deciding, quite clearly, that those things no longer matter. We are throwing away the raw materials and negating the skill that went into creating them. Sure, new construction adds jobs, but vocations exist for skilled craftsmen who can maintain and repair old buildings. Rather than telling kids that they all need to go into debt to get a degree, why not teach them the skills that their grandparents and great-grandparents had?

Because preservation means just that – preserving existing materials – the real cost of preservation often comes in manpower. Skilled workers are hard to find, and when you do find them, they may not be the cheapest laborers around. However, if you’re reasonably handy and can follow directions, the National Park Service Preservation Briefs are amazingly helpful. You can find them here.

Historic preservation is not a passive act, but rather a passionate action. A building that sits vacant with no maintenance will eventually fall, to become part of a growing proliferation of trash. Preserving an historic artifact means taking the necessary steps to ensure its integrity before it becomes a problem. This may include creating ordinances that hold property owners responsible for the condition of buildings – and these ordinances need to have teeth so that it hurts to violate them. We have to change attitudes and educate the public on why preservation is important. We have to tell our story, so that the buildings we love can go on telling theirs.

Read more.

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Historic preservation is not a passive act, but rather a passionate action. A building that sits vacant with no maintenance will

eventually fall, to become part of a growing proliferation of trash. Preserving an historic

artifact means taking the necessary steps to ensure its integrity before it becomes a

problem.

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First Great Places

in Pennsylvania Designated

For 2014, there were two categories of Great Places: Great Public Spaces and Great Neighborhoods. A total of 27 nominations from across the Commonwealth were submitted. They were then reviewed and rated by a panel of eight judges. The outcome was the designation of seven Great Places in Pennsylvania: three in the category of Great Public Spaces and four in the category of Great Neighborhoods.

Congratulations to the 2014 Winners!

Great Public Spaces•Allen Street and College Avenue Intersection – State College Borough•Race Street Pier – Philadelphia•Steel Stacks Campus – Bethlehem

Great Neighborhoods•Downtown West Chester – West Chester Borough•The Strip District – Pittsburgh•West End Theatre District – Allentown•West Reading – Berks County

The 2015 Great Places in Pennsylvania categories will be announced in January. Consider nominating a “great place” in your community!

Award Winners

The PA Chapter of APA kicked-off the “Great Places in Pennsylvania” Program in the Spring of 2014. The purpose of the Program is to recognize places with exemplary character, quality, identity,

cultural interest, and community involvement. Great Places are unique and have a sustainable vision for tomorrow; they serve as a model that other

communities want to emulate.

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DOWNTOWN WEST CHESTER, WEST CHESTER BOROUGHA PDC MemberIn 2000, with commercial downtown property values declining, the West Chester Business Improvement District (BID) was formed to re-establish downtown as a destination. Improvements, such as new sidewalks, a parking garage, bike racks/lockers, solar trash/recycling cans, and flower planters helped to revitalize the downtown and resulted in much success. Today, the downtown is thriving with a multitude of restaurants, shops, banks, governmental offices, and professional services. The original four-square block downtown, laid out in 1784, has become the Borough’s “Old Town” historic district. A series of historical interpretive signs tell the story of the Borough. Dozens of downtown community events attract thousands to the downtown and creates vibrancy in both the daytime and evening hours. The BID, guided by the Borough’s Downtown Plan, Comprehensive Historic Preservation Plan, and Comprehensive Plan, continues to work diligently to maintain and improve the accessibility, walkability, and attractiveness of downtown.

THE STRIP DISTRICT, PITTSBURGHThe Strip District is Pittsburgh’s only remaining historic market district. This old-world-style marketplace is abuzz with shoppers patronizing wholesalers, fish/produce merchants, ethnic food shops, antique galleries, specialty shops, textile/interior design firms, and sidewalk vendors. Multi-generational family businesses sit side-by-side with small niche businesses passionate about their craft. Small businesses, as well as innovative high-tech, marketing, public relations, and other professional firms, continue to gravitate to The Strip, making it a hub for job growth. Additionally, it offers residential properties, warehouses, a world-class museum, an international crafts gallery, a theater group, two historic churches and a variety of nightspots, ranging in style from upscale lounges to cozy pubs. Overall, it provides a captivating opportunity to explore an innovative re-imagining of obsolete urban industrial spaces.

WEST END THEATRE DISTRICT, CITY OF ALLENTOWNAllentown’s western gateway, known as the West End Theatre District, was developed in the first half of the 20th century. It has an eclectic mix of single homes, ranging from 1910-1930 Colonial Revival to 1960’s mid-century modern, and is host to a variety of retail stores, restaurants and several cultural gems. The Civic Theatre, a 1928 art-deco building that hosts live performances, anchors the burgeoning business district of this traditional, walkable neighborhood. Another gem, the Allentown Fairgrounds Farmer’s Market, is one of the last places in the Lehigh Valley where farmers and merchants can sell fresh goods weekly. The Fairgrounds property also hosts The Great Allentown Fair each August, drawing over one million people annually to experience agriculture, fun, food, and entertainment. Culturally rich, business-friendly, and ethnically diverse, the West End Theatre District is a leading Allentown neighborhood and a destination for residents, visitors, college students, entrepreneurs, and artisans.

WEST READING: THE AVENUE, CENTER POINT & TEN POINTS, BERKS COUNTYA PDC MemberWest Reading is a densely populated 15-block area built on a human scale in the late 19th and early 20th centuries for factory and mill workers. It includes a five-block business district (The Avenue) and surrounding residential areas (Center Point and Ten Points). Today, The Avenue is a mix of distinctive shops and diverse dining destinations. It hosts a variety of community events, attracting visitors from the surrounding region. A recent streetscape project resulted in infrastructure improvements and upgraded amenities. In Center Point and Ten Points, attractively painted homes, flowerpots, public art, and canopy streets are prevalent. Residents take pride in the community and are willing to work to make it better. The Community Revitalization Foundation, a partnership of residents, business leaders and government officials, plans, sets goals, and measures successes. West Reading boasts that it is "small town America with urban sophistication and a fun place to play, where visitors are greeted with beauty and romanced with color."

Neighborhoods

“Great Places are unique, memorable places that work not only for their community, but as a model others want to emulate – places of exemplary character, quality, planning, identity, cultural

interest, and community involvement with a

sustainable vision for tomorrow.”

ALLEN STREET & COLLEGE AVENUE INTERSECTION, STATE COLLEGE BOROUGHCommonly referred to as “The Corner,” this area is home to a thriving mix of residential, commercial and academic uses. It serves as a critical link between the front door to Penn State University (the “Gates of Old Main”) and downtown State College. In addition to its iconic image as the center point of town-gown connectivity, it is an important multi-modal transportation hub, a year-round popular gathering place, and focal point for many community events. Of particular note is the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts, which attracts art exhibitors from around the world. According to the Downtown State College Master Plan, the overall concept is to establish this intersection as the “town square.” Many streetscape design enhancements and innovative practices are proposed to further enliven this public space.

RACE STREET PIER, CITY OF PHILADELPHIARace Street Pier is a one-acre park situated in a highly visible location along Columbus Boulevard, just north of Penn’s Landing, with breathtaking views of the Delaware River and Benjamin Franklin Bridge. In keeping with the history of the original 1890’s waterfront Pier, the physical design of the revitalized Pier is split into two levels – an upper level with a grand sky promenade and a lower level for passive recreation and social gathering. Additionally, two of the original wharf drops, which were used for unloading cargo, have been covered with grating to allow visitors to view the sub-structure of the Pier, as well as the River itself, in an authentic and unusual way. Race Street Pier is a popular gathering place and has served as catalyst to stimulate development of nearby properties, thereby transforming the waterfront into a vibrant space for residents, visitors and businesses.

STEEL STACKS CAMPUS, CITY OF BETHLEHEMThe Steel Stacks Campus sits directly at the foot of the iconic blast furnaces of the former Bethlehem Steel site. In 2004, the National Trust for Historic Preservation listed it as one of the Country’s most endangered historic sites. However, through community engagement, planning, and creative design/placemaking, this unique site has been transformed into a community asset that incorporates many of the original historic characteristics. Stack House, the oldest building on the Campus, has been restored into the Visitors Center and the outdoor music venues make full use of the site’s spectacular views. Today, this thriving mixed-use public space is home to many community events, festivals and concerts that attract well over one million residents and visitors annually. Connectivity to the surrounding neighborhoods assists in the success of the Campus and allows the neighborhoods to share in the growth and success of the site as well.

Public Spaces

February 19 Lebanon, PaMarch 11

Uniontown, PA March 18

Somerset, PAMarch 25

Jim Thorpe, PA April 8

Wellsboro, PAApril 15

Meadville, PAMay 14

Kennett Square, PA

We all have customers. Governments have taxpayers. Retail businesses have shoppers. Attractions have tourists and visitors. Non-Profits have clients and members. Business districts have consumers. Neighborhoods have residents.

In a world of “big data,” and information overload, how do you sort through this wealth of information to better understand your “customer” base? In this day-long workshop, we will help you:

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could become a Great American Main Street Award® winner

by Julie Fitzpatrick

The

Coolest

Small Town

Cute and trendy, hip and fun, that’s what Lititz has become. Growing up a few minutes away,

downtown Lititz has always been one of my favorite towns to visit, to share with family and to show off to out of town guests. Some of my oldest holiday memories involve Christmas shopping at a longtime (but former) establishment, the Herb Shop and of course Wilbur Chocolate. To this day, certain smells still take me back to those two Lititz favorites, many, many years ago. Now, as an adult Lititz remains as the town where I gather with new friends to explore and share the joys the town has to offer.In 2013, Lititz was named as the Coolest Small Town in America (by Budget Travel), was previously awarded the Distinctive Destination award through the National Trust of Historic Preservation, and has become a finalist in the Great American Main Street Award® (GAMSA) through the National Main Street Center for 2015. “Since 1995, the National Main Street Center, Inc. has been awarding the Great American Main Street Award® (GAMSA) to communities exemplifying the use of the Main Street Approach to revitalization of their traditional downtowns and/or neighborhood business districts.” Previous Pennsylvania

winners include York (1998) and East Carson Street Business District, Pittsburgh (1996).

Let’s just say, Lititz is a great town, win or lose, it’s a great Main Street, too! Sure, I’m partial, but everyone who comes to visit, wants to come back. It’s one of those towns that appeals to anyone and everyone, regardless of your age or gender. There are brewpubs and coffee shops, bookstores and thrift stores, candy shops and chocolate shops, furniture stores and foodie stores. Literally, something for everyone! There are clothing and accessories stores for children, men and women. Bakeries, delis, and barbeque joints, antique shops and galleries round out the list.

Two of my personal favorites are Tomato Pie Café with its “simple yet artful menu” and Café Chocolate, with their motto “Chocolate for Life”. If you visit Tomato Pie Café, I’d recommend trying the ooey-gooey goodness of the famous tomato pie, the TPC croissant, or the curry chicken salad. At Café Chocolate, the mole chili (Chili con Chocolate) or mulligatawny are hard to beat! Both cafes offer splendid creations from their baristas, too! During the growing season, Lititz offers a wonderful farmers market to visit on a Saturday morning. It’s a friendly place where you can meet the growers and local purveyors of homemade goodies and fresh local produce. If you’re interested in history, Lititz has the oldest historic district in Pennsylvania and maintains walking tours throughout the town, honoring its Moravian history and storied past. Additionally, on July 4th, Lititz Springs Park is the site for their almost 200 year old continuing candlelight celebration.

At the heart of the success of the downtown is their Main Street organization, Venture Lititz, their executive director, Kelly Withum and the countless volunteers that help to make the town the great place that it is today. Lititz is the kind of place where you could spend an afternoon or a weekend, so the next time you’re thinking of a one-tank adventure, think about visiting Lititz, I promise, you’ll want to come back for another visit.

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At the heart of the success of the downtown is their Main Street organization, Venture

Lititz, their executive director, Kelly Withum and the countless

volunteers that help to make the town the great place that it is

today.