Today, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Dennis Davin joined local leaders and community development professionals in New Castle, Lawrence County, to celebrate the approval of a community revitalization project in the South Side neighborhood. The project was funded through DCED’s Neighborhood Partnership Program (NPP) that will leverage private contributions from local businesses.

“Revitalizing our communities is so important not just because it improves the quality of life of local residents, but because businesses want to come to areas that are strong and vibrant,” Secretary Davin said. “This project demonstrates what can happen when the public and private sectors come together for the common good of New Castle, and it will bring countless benefits to this community.”

The approved project is a six-year plan focused on the South Side neighborhood, roughly bordered by E. Division St. to the north, Lyndal St. to the south, Route 108 to the west, and Cunningham Ave. to the east. Goals for the first year of the project include:

• Blight removal/demolition in targeted residential area;
• Enhancement of programs at Gussie Walker Community Outreach Center;
• Business District promotion;
• Homeowner rehab and lead abatement programs in targeted area;
• Land reuse analysis for former Jameson Hospital;
• Completion of the Earl A. Muff Sallie Field project; and
• Creation of a fresh food farmers market and community gardens.

The applicant, 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania, will receive a total of $225,000 per year for the project from private contributors UPMC Health Plan, First National Bank, and First Commonwealth Bank, which will receive a total of $180,000 in tax credits per year through NPP. The private contributions over the entire six-year period will total $1.35 million.

NPP is a component of DCED’s Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) that is rooted in a community strategic plan, collaborations with partners, and long-term business relationships, with a focus on distressed or low-income areas. NPP is a long-term program that secures business commitments for five or six years and provides state tax credits to businesses who contribute funding to the approved project.

According to 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania, New Castle’s South Side is a neighborhood of 1,540 residents and a median income of $23,310 that has suffered serious population loss over the decades, and suffers from significant disinvestment, vacancy, and blight.

More information about the NPP program can be found on the DCED website.