$3.4M to fight blight coming to Allegheny, Westmoreland counties

Brian C. Rittmeyer, The Valley News-Dispatch, Tarentum, Pa.
·2 min read

May 26—Communities in Allegheny and Westmoreland counties are receiving about a quarter of the combined $12 million in state grants to combat blight, Gov. Tom Wolf's office announced.

In Allegheny County, 23 municipalities and organizations are receiving about $2.1 million, while five in Westmoreland County are getting about $1.3 million.

Projects include demolishing abandoned properties, preparing sites for redevelopment, repairing roadways and curbs, building new homes and redeveloping brownfields.

In announcing the grants, Wolf said the program was created last year with the intent of "making our communities safer and more pleasant for both residents and visitors alike."

The governor added that the grant money would "serve as a lifeline to communities struggling with blight as well as a critical resource in maintaining a high quality of life everywhere in Pennsylvania."

The approved projects include:

Allegheny County

—McKees Rocks, community blight rehab project: $300,000.

—Penn Hills, blight remediation, 235 and 270 Bramble Street landslide: $300,000.

—McKeesport, downtown blight remediation project: $294,063.

—Char-West Council of Governments, multi-municipal demolition project: $200,000.

—Tri-COG Land Bank, Woodland Hills School District blight remediation: $190,000.

—Stowe Township, demolition project: $110,000.

—City of Bridges Community Land Trust, 438 N. Fairmount St. redevelopment: $106,519.

—FCP Services, Tarentum, blight remediation: $75,000.

—Braddock Hills, blight remediation: $74,880.

—Bridgeville, blight removal: $74,520.

—Elizabeth Borough, blighted property demolition: $68,310.

—Bellevue, blight remediation: $61,630.

—Liberty, 2910 Liberty Way: $45,000.

—Steel Rivers Council of Governments, Glassport and Versailles demolition: $30,000.

—Wilmerding, blighted property demolition: $30,000.

—East Pittsburgh, blight planning grant: $25,000.

—Oakland Planning and Development Corp., predevelopment-Oakcliffe: $25,000.

—Quaker Valley Council of Governments, data-driven code enforcement: $24,600.

—Dravosburg, blighted property demolition: $20,000.

—Perry Hilltop Citizens' Council of Allegheny County, predevelopment Wilson and Perrysville: $20,000.

—Forest Hills, blighted property demolition: $19,800.

—West Deer, blight remediation: $18,481.

—Pittsburgh, Homewood vacant property study: $17,500.

Westmoreland County

—Arnold, blight remediation program: $300,000.

—Westmoreland County Land Bank, blight remediation: $300,000.

—New Kensington Redevelopment Authority, Dattola Theater roof restoration: $298,286.

—Monessen, mid-downtown stabilization phase 1: $199,480.

—Trafford, blight remediation: $197,200.

Brian C. Rittmeyer is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Brian at 724-226-4701, brittmeyer@triblive.com or via Twitter .