The City of Jeannette, Pennsylvania

The city of Jeannette is one of several urban centers of Westmoreland County located along the main line of the Norfolk Southern (Pennsylvania Railroad) line east of Pittsburgh. It once housed much of the manufacturing centers of the glass industry surrounding the greater Pittsburgh region. Eventually, along with the steel industry, glass manufacturing relocated elsewhere leaving Jeannette economically distressed. After viewing the geographical layout of the city on Google Earth, I believe there could be another theory playing a role in the slow recovery of this former manufacturing hub; it is somewhat isolated. Its main road dead ends at both of its termini rather than continuing on as a through street providing access to other parts of the region. State Route 130 passes through the northern portion of the city, but it is nowhere near the business corridor. Below is a Google Earth image of the layout of the city.

The only main transportation line passing within a block of the business district is the Norfolk Southern line. Given its isolation regarding the street layout, I have my own theory of how to possibly revitalize this city. I consider myself to be a strong supporter of commuter/regional rail, and I believe this could be used to improve access and mobility of the city. It could provide a sense of connectivity with the rest of the county and the region as a whole.

I have been reading the comprehensive plan for Westmoreland County, and according to the 2004 document they are trying to pursue commuter rail options for county residents. One of the options is using the Norfolk Southern line between Pittsburgh and Greensburg. Also stated in the comprehensive plan is bus data, and the shuttle bus serving this very corridor is one of the most frequently used in the county. By adding regional rail, I think more people would be enticed to use public transportation along this corridor. Aside from Greensburg and Jeannette, I believe other possible station locations would include Irwin, Penn, Trafford, and various densely populated areas of neighboring Allegheny County.

Establishing regional rail would be only the beginning of the revitalization. Having rail access right in the economic heart of Jeannette could drive up property values, potentially enticing developers to consider investing in improved business use for the city. By establishing regional rail service accessing Jeannette and especially considering its complicated street grid, the city should

• Encourage transit-oriented development to promote pedestrian activities
• Improve the street layout to promote safety for pedestrian traffic
• Improve and possibly redesign some of the streets to allow for any increased traffic due to the station.
• Construct structured parking to accomodate autos associated with commuters using the train station
• Establish zoning to encourage mixed use development around the rail line and station site

Revitalizing Youngstown

Youngstown, Ohio, at one time was a major industrial center located roughly half-way in between two larger industrial cities: Cleveland and Pittsburgh. In the 1970s, the steel industry began to sharply decline, sending jobs and the corresponding population numbers elsewhere from each of those cities. While Cleveland and Pittsburgh have reinvented themselves, particularly around healthcare/medicine and education, Youngstown continued to struggle.

Currently, there are pushes underway to turn around Youngstown and make it into a vibrant commercial and economical center it once was. Many neighborhoods are undergoing a renewal and revitalization by identifying key commercial corridors and building a neighborhood around them. One neighborhood in particular, Idora, will rebuild itself around the Glenwood Avenue corridor, a corridor which will look to incorporate numerous commercial uses to complement the existing residential units. Similar projects are underway in several other parts of the city. For the most part, these projects' goals include:

• Improving the streetscape to encourage more pedestrian activity and promote overall safety of the neighborhood
• Encourage local business growth and development
• Encourage new business growth and development (i.e. new grocery stores)
• Establish a solid and sustainable local economy
• Increase and improve the housing stock
• Preserve and enhance the character of the neighborhoods

For additional information, you can check out the neighborhood development corporation's website at http://www.yndc.org/.

Redevelopment of Coatesville warehouse possible

http://www.dailylocal.com/article/20130805/NEWS01/130809850/developer-has-plan-for-lipkin-s-warehouse

I saw this in the Daily Local today while at my current job. The new owners of Lipkin's Warehouse want to convert the building into a mixed-use development containing condo units on its upper floors and a ground-level restaurant. Don Cochran, the owner, has expressed interest in possibly opening a microbrewery because such a use will cater to younger people, bringing them into the city of Coatesville which has been economically struggling for decades.

Mr Cochran also hopes that this new development will encourage other new endeavors to pop up throughout the city, sparking a reinvestment bringing in more businesses and residents. As for the city itself, the city has had the tendency to chase businesses away based on what a close source has said to me. If the city is trying to bring itself back, then they would be doing all they can to not only entice new businesses but to keep them there long term once they set up shop. This source, a Thorndale business owner who is a former Coatesville resident, informed me a while ago that a developer wanted to come in and put in a large mixed-use complex, but the city rejected the application.

As for this proposed development, it would be a great addition for the city of Coatesville. Hopefully this development will come to fruition and other businesses can follow suit back into what was once a vibrant city. I think if cities or other municipalities are struggling, the governing body(ies) need to become more open-minded and think outside the box when brainstorming ideas to bring their cities back.

Pittsburgh's Federal Reserve Bank Building

The Federal Reserve Bank closed their Pittsburgh offices of the Cleveland Branch. A new owner is about to close on this building, and there is already some speculation of how this building could be reused. Some speculate more office space, while others look towards the potential of another hotel in Downtown. Below is a street-view image courtesy of Google Earth. There is a news release regarding the new owner's ideas for this building at http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/blog/the-next-move/2013/08/office-or-hotel.html?page=all

Given the orientation of this building, its height and architectural design, I think a hotel would be the best use for this building. One downside is the entire northeastern facade contains no windows, but I suppose that shouldn't be too much of an issue. This building will likely be renovated regardless. Other than that drawback, I could see this as a good possibility of a hotel. My reasons include:

• Good "L-shape" layout
• Parking lot could be replaced with underground garage with rear (William Penn Pl.) entrance and an expansion on top.
• Existing high demand for hotels given the strength of the economy and the current occupancy rates overall for the Pittsburgh region
• Close proximity to the Convention Center, several offices along Grant Street, Amtrak and Greyhound.

Office space could also be a good use, but I am unsure of what upgrades would be necessary for class A status. There are some companies still in search of class A office space downtown, and this building once renovated could satisfy some of those companies' requirements.