Monessen focus groups discuss future

By EMILY BENNETT DILULLO
ebennett@yourmvi.com
About 10 people huddled around a table to look at an overhead map detailing the City of Monessen’s downtown region at last night’s downtown revitalization focus group meeting.
The meeting’s purpose was to discuss both short — and long-term visions for downtown, discuss potential priorities and address policies, but conversations hovered on the subject of vision for the majority of the gathering held at Douglas Education Center.
Leading the charge were Amy Wiles and Jamie Protin of Mackin Engineering Co., who initiated conversation about the fade of downtown to moving forward, with little success.
Talks of organizing a new chamber of commerce were tossed about as those in attendance seemed incredulous about acquiring funding for any downtown revitalization.
Without a chamber, acquiring funds for the pre-beautification that needs to take place before garnering interest from investors is difficult, Wiles said. Instead, grants from the county, state and national level are necessities for the substantial work needed for both Donner and Schoonmaker avenues.
The map indicated areas within the downtown region that are considered “blighted” or in poor condition. The area the focus group considers most beneficial for revitalization would be between Eighth and Third streets, nestled in the area where Dollar General, Foodland, the Monessen Public Library and Monessen City Hall are located.
Protin believes a larger, mixed use commercial building would be most advantageous to the area to encourage employment opportunity and foot traffic and flirted with the idea of a ground-floor bistro or cafe, with office space and housing available on the upper levels.
The housing redevelopment authority owns the majority of the parcels in question, and Wiles said as long as a core vision is identified, progress could be made in tidying the area with an added green space and street art in order to make the area marketable. This “streetscape” could potentially involve the elimination of a side street to open up an area for a plaza, and Wiles suggested eliminating Fifth or Seventh streets.
The off-the-grid nature of the city is not beneficial to any future businesses, Wiles said, and mentioned she feels the city has a nearly nonexistent online and social media presence.
Protin was enthusiastic about the potential development of publicly-owned properties, and referred to the lots and buildings as “low-hanging fruit” for private developers, because of the lack of negotiation that would take place with private owners.
No additional focus group meetings were scheduled by the conclusion of the meeting.

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