Oct 22, 2015 2 min read

MONONGAHELA – A grassroots effort is underway to create a Main Street Program to further downtown progress in Monongahela, a small city that is already seeing new investment.

An organizational task force has been created to build on the city’s revitalization, make application to join the Pennsylvania Downtown Center and seek state funding for the program, said Terry Necciai, a local architect and former Main Street manager in Charleroi and Somerset.

“It has great momentum and a lot of interest in the city,” said Necciai, adding that the Monongahela Area Chamber of Commerce is supporting the plan.

More than $1.8 million in public and private money was spent since 2011 on improvements to the city’s historic downtown district. Some of the investment went to create new shops, while the bulk of the money was spent to remodel the Noble J. Dick Aquatorium.

That riverfront stage and the concerts it hosts during the summer have been drawing crowds of people to the downtown, improving business for local merchants.

“People woke up to realize that we have a cool downtown,” Necciai said.

He said Monongahela already has a lot of activity with the farmers market, large flea markets, concerts and interest in property development along the river.

“We want to build on that as much we can from goodwill,” Necciai said. “We want to build a coalition so that when we go to the state for money, we’re ready for it.”

He said the state budget stalemate leaves many questions about the availability of state Main Street Program funds, something Gov. Tom Wolfe wants to expand.

The group already applied for a $65,000 grant that would help building owners improve facades, he said.

It also met Tuesday to discuss Main Street initiatives with Bill Fontana, executive director of the Pennsylvania Downtown Center.