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Real Estate & Community Outreach
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Rental updates, improvements keep
maintenance team on-the-go
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Above: Employees of DRS of Greater Pittsburgh repair a deck on an MVI rental property at 216 Bessemer Ave. in East Pittsburgh.
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Spring is here, and the maintenance team responsible for Mon Valley Initiative’s portfolio of rental properties is busy doing repairs and improvements.
This month, a painting crew from DRS of Greater Pittsburgh began restoring the exterior of a six-unit building at 216 Bessemer Ave. in East Pittsburgh, while Unit 2 on the first floor is receiving new flooring, paint and other updates.
MVI has more than 160 rental units in Allegheny, Washington and Westmoreland counties, and brought maintenance work in-house at the end of 2019. Maintenance technicians Douglas Kody and Nate Nypaver respond to routine requests and get vacant apartments ready for new tenants.
“We’re averaging three or four calls a day and most of the time, in between, we’re getting caught up on rental turnovers,” says John Bachetti, MVI senior construction manager. “We’ve hired a new person to do all of the exterior clean-ups and interior common hallway cleanings, and that will alleviate some of the pressure on our maintenance techs.”
Bachetti says that maintenance work, including preparing vacant units, is being done at a “much higher level” than before.
That’s led to a lower number of call-backs and greater satisfaction amongst tenants, he says.
Work at 216 Bessemer will include new coating on the exterior walls and deck, a new front door and structural improvements to the basement. The building was fully renovated in 2001.
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- Vacant units are ready for immediate occupancy in Charleroi, Monessen and West Newton. For information about any of MVI’s affordable, quality rental properties in Allegheny, Washington or Westmoreland counties, visit our website or call 412-271-1300.
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State DCED recognizes Clairton Inn project with
Governor’s Award for Excellence
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Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf and the state Department of Community & Economic Development have recognized the City of Clairton with an award for its dedication to removing blight while adding housing and new commercial spaces in the business district.
At a virtual ceremony streamed online May 19, Clairton officials received the Governor’s Award for Local Government Excellence in the category “promoting community and economic revitalization.”
“After being faced with an unprecedented pandemic that impacted communities across the state, this year’s awards truly speak to and honor the resilience and proactive efforts of the inspiring Pennsylvania community leaders and groups that we are celebrating today,” said Dennis Davin, Pennsylvania Secretary of Community & Economic Development, in a prepared statement.
Clairton Inn is a mixed-use development at the corner of St. Clair and Miller avenues. A project of Mon Valley Initiative, the building will include 49 affordable apartments as well as a new home for the Clairton Public Library and four first-floor commercial spaces. Completion is scheduled for mid-2022.
Funding is being provided through tax credits authorized by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, with additional financial support from the state Department of Community & Economic Development, Allegheny County Economic Development, the City of Clairton, MVI and Economic Development South as part of the Clairton Neighborhood Partnership Program.
Other Pittsburgh-area honorees included the Tri-COG Land Bank and the City of Aliquippa.
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Felix Fusco grew up in Clairton at what he calls a “spectacular time.”
“It was just an energized community,” he says. “Retail was very strong and U.S. Steel was operating at full capacity. It was a very, very positive experience for me.”
By the time he returned home from college at West Virginia University, things were changing. “You could see the school district shrinking, the business district beginning to get depressed,” Fusco says. “I had such an attachment to the city. I thought, there can be better times ahead. We can’t let the spiral keep going downward.”
After a career in retail management at Home Depot and Giant Eagle, Fusco these days is manager of the Clairton Produce Marketplace, which was created in 2018 to fill the gap created when the city’s last full-service supermarket closed 15 years ago.
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Produce Marketplace became part of MVI in January 2021.
“Our philosophy is very simple,” Fusco says. “We bring fresh food to Clairton in a dignified, convenient way for all of the community. We’re not in competition with Dollar General or Rite Aid. We don’t carry cleaning products or potato chips. We carry fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, deli meats and cheeses.”
A lifelong Clairton resident, Fusco was a long-distance runner for 38 years until it began taking its toll on his knees. These days, he enjoys growing tomatoes, peppers and other vegetables and helps manage a community garden for senior citizens in Clairton.
“We’re seeing an opportunity to turn the corner now in Clairton and MVI is a major part of that,” Fusco says. “There is some light at the end of the tunnel. I’m very pleased where we are right now.”
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- A project of the Clairton Neighborhood Partnership Program, Produce Marketplace is located at 519 St. Clair Ave., Clairton, and is open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. The store accepts debit and credit cards, checks, EBT and cash. To learn more, follow Produce Marketplace on Facebook.
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Workforce Development & Financial Coaching
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Not quite four weeks into the pandemic lockdown in 2020, MVI’s Mid-Mon Office received a referral for Daniel (not his real name), age 37. Daniel had recently been released from prison after serving 15 years, and was interested in finding employment.
After so many years of being removed from the workforce, Daniel faced a variety of barriers in addition to his criminal record, including difficulty finding a place to live, no transportation and a lack of valid ID cards. Jane Black, MVI employment & financial coach, was able to help Daniel start the process of getting his paperwork updated.
She also connected Daniel with potential employers, including one that offered him a walk-in interview at 9 a.m. Attitude is everything: Daniel promised to be there at 8:55 a.m. “so they know I’m very serious.”
He was offered a job, and soon after began working with Jane on developing a household budget. Daniel also opened a bank account and enrolled in MVI’s “Twin Account” program to build his credit rating.
Unfortunately, his employer was forced to close its doors in December, so Daniel returned to MVI. Jane connected him with a temporary job, which led to a permanent position at a new company. That firm paid Daniel as he trained for his commercial drivers’ license. He started his new career in May.
Daniel’s dad recently emailed Jane to say, “I’ve worked in social services for over 30 years ... I have only encountered a precious few individuals in workforce development that have been truly effective in assisting those in our communities to find suitable employment ... thank you, for all you do in serving our communities and the individuals in them.”
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- Do you know someone who could benefit from our employment and financial coaching process? Call us at 412-464-4000, ext. 4000, or 724-565-8040, ext. 1; email dmattie@monvalleyinitiative.com; text “workforce” and your name to 412-545-3181; or visit our website.
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Live talk with workforce director asks: What’s next?
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With more than half of eligible Pennsylvanians fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and restrictions being lifted, life and business both seem to be returning to normal, said T. Charles Howell, MVI’s director of workforce development & financial coaching.
Howell recently joined Jason Togyer, communications manager, for a live chat on Facebook to talk about changes in the employment market over the past 12 months, the myth of unemployment benefits being “too good,” and fnding a sustainable career after a COVID-19 layoff.
You can find the video online at our Facebook page.
Howell is seeking ideas for other topics in workforce development that can be discussed during future Facebook Live chats. If you’d like to suggest a topic, email jtogyer@monvalleyinitiative.com.
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Doors Open Pittsburgh is coming to the Steel Valley
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Doors Open Pittsburgh, a volunteer-led organization that shares local architectural treasures with the public, is coming to the Steel Valley on June 26.
Since 2016, the group — whose motto is “Be Nebby” — has held a large event in downtown Pittsburgh every fall, where visitors are invited to go behind the scenes of a famous (or not so famous) local landmark.
Doors Open Pittsburgh also hosts neighborhood walking tours, says founder and executive director Bonnie Baxter.
The next walking tour will visit locations in Homestead, Munhall and West Homestead, she says.
“The public will be immersed in the exciting transformation happening in Homestead, West Homestead and Munhall as we invite them inside a diverse collection of buildings imagined as new spaces,” she says.
Besides participants, Doors Open is also recruiting local volunteers to serve as greeters and tour guides. For more information, visit the group’s website, or to volunteer as a greeter, visit the online application.
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Mon Valley transit improvements make planners’ list
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Improved connections between Homestead and McKeesport, the extension of the East Busway, and extended service between the Mon Valley and Pittsburgh’s South Hills are among some of the priorities identified by Port Authority of Allegheny County’s “NEXTransit” planning process.
NEXTransit is the transit agency’s long-range transportation plan, which is designed to guide investments and decision-making through 2045.
Following four meetings, 37 in-person community events and more than 1,600 surveys, planners identified a series of short-term and long-term improvements that both riders and residents would like to see. Top 10 priority projects include the possibility of a transit hub in East Pittsburgh, adding faster bus service on Route 837, and studying the extension of the East Busway from Braddock to McKeesport.
Residents who were surveyed placed a high priority on making transit more accessible to people who have limited mobility, improving the safety and visibility of transit stops, and making bus and light-rail rides more affordable to low-income users.
To read the entire draft report, visit the NEXTransit website.
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Chamber hosting legislative lunch June 18
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State Sen. Jim Brewster will deliver the keynote address during the annual Mon Yough Area Chamber of Commerce Legislative Luncheon, to be held at 11 a.m. June 18 at Youghiogheny Country Club in Elizabeth Twp., a spokesman said.
This year’s event is entitled “The Road to Prosperity — Economic Development in the Mon Valley,” the chamber announced. Also delivering remarks will be Mark Compton, chief executive officer of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.
Local television personality Michael Bartley will serve as master of ceremonies.
Maury Burgwin, president of the chamber, said the legislative luncheon is a chance for local business owners and elected officials to discuss important issues in the Mon Valley.
Seating is limited and the country club will be observing COVID-19 protocol. All attendees will be asked to wear masks except when eating and drinking.
The cost of the event is $40. To register, visit the chamber’s website.
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