Since receiving a Keystone Communities Program grant for the first time in 2019, Pennsylvania Route 6 Alliance has set a goal of funding facade improvement projects in every county within the 11-county Route 6 Heritage Corridor. This year, they will fulfill that goal by bringing the PA Route 6 Facade Program to businesses in Wayne and Pike counties.
The PA Route 6 Facade Program is made possible thanks to a $100,000 grant through the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development’s (DCED) Keystone Communities Program. With additional support from the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, this grant will help facilitate the program in Wayne and Pike counties. This year, the Alliance is partnering with the Pocono Forests and Waters Landscape Area to host public information meetings, review applications, and then select projects to receive funding.
The PA Route 6 Façade Program provides local business owners with matching funds to improve storefronts and other projects. To date, the PA Route 6 Facade Program has helped businesses in the PA Wilds (2020), Endless Mountains (2021), Great Lakes Region (2022), and Lackawanna County (2023). Prior programs have resulted in façade and storefront improvements to 135 businesses with an estimated economic impact of over $1.355 Million dollars in these communities.
“The Shapiro Administration is thrilled to support the PA Route 6 Alliance through the Keystone Communities Program as we work together to make the Route 6 Heritage Corridor a more inviting place to live, work, and visit,” said DCED Secretary Rick Siger. “Governor Shapiro has proposed a $25 million investment in the new Main Street Matters program, which will build on successes like this one, and give even more communities the resources they need to attract new businesses, support small businesses, spur economic development and improve their quality of life.”
“We are grateful for the continued support of the DCED and the DCNR so that we can offer the facade program to businesses throughout the Route 6 corridor,” says Candace Hillyard, executive director of PA Route 6 Alliance. “Over the years, it has been a pleasure partnering with other organizations to reinvest in our communities and help local businesses.
“Since our first facade program in the PA Wilds, our goal has been to bring this opportunity to all 11 counties across the corridor. Making this program available to businesses and organizations in Wayne and Pike counties fulfills that mission.”
“The Pennsylvania Environmental Council (PEC) is excited to be partnering with the PA Route 6 Alliance to bring this program to Pike and Wayne County after its successful implementation in the Lackawanna Valley,” says Janet Sweeney of Pocono Forests and Waters Conservation Areas. “The façade program compliments the goals of several PEC projects most notably our Statewide Outdoor Ambassador pilot program that aims to provide an inclusive and welcoming environment for residents and visitors alike.”
The Alliance estimates that 20-25 businesses in Wayne and Pike counties will benefit from the current grant through DCED’s Keystone Communities Program.
The Keystone Communities Program is designed to encourage the creation of partnerships between the public and private sectors that jointly support local initiatives such as the growth and stability of neighborhoods and communities, social and economic diversity, and a strong and secure quality of life. The program allows communities to tailor the assistance to meet the needs of its specific revitalization.
All funds from these projects stay local. Projects engage local contractors, construction companies, hardware stores, and sign shops, all of whom employ local residents. The result is a trickle-down effect that stimulates local economies and has a much larger economic impact that extends well beyond the funds associated with each grant.
Wayne and Pike County commercial building owners and businesses/nonprofits (with property owner approval) will be able to apply for up to $5,000 each toward upgrades and improvements of their building’s façade (front exterior visible from the road). Recipients will be required to invest 1:1 matching funds into the project making a maximum total project cost of no more than $10,000. Commercial buildings may be located anywhere in Wayne or Pike counties, and eligible improvements include but are not limited to exterior paint, new signage, windows, and canvas awning replacement.
Public meetings to explain the guidelines and grant procedures are scheduled as follows:
- Monday, March 18th at 6:00 PM at Historic Forest Hall, 214 Broad St., Milford.
- Tuesday, March 19th at 9:00 AM at Historic Forest Hall, 214 Broad St., Milford.
- Tuesday, March 19th at 6:00 PM at the Boiler Room at Hawley Silk Mill, 8 Silk Mill Drive, Hawley.
- Wednesday, March 20th at 9:00 AM at the Community Room at the Greater Honesdale Partnership, 32 Commercial St., Honesdale.
Additionally, a virtual Zoom meeting will take place the evening of Wednesday, March 27th. Attendees must pre-register for all meetings and follow-up emails will be sent with additional information and links for the Zoom meeting.
For more information about the PA Route 6 Façade Program or to register for a public meeting, visit www.paroute6.com/pocono-mountains-facade-program.
The PA Route 6 Alliance, a 501(c3) corporation, was established in 2003 to manage the PA Route 6 Heritage Corridor and to implement branding and marketing plans, community development programs and other planning efforts along the corridor. The Alliance includes representatives from all 11 counties, 9 convention and visitor bureaus, 4 heritage areas, local development districts, local business owners, Chambers of Commerce, and other interested parties along the corridor.
The PA Route 6 Heritage Communities program is a program of PA Route 6 Alliance and PA Route 6 Heritage Corridor funded by the PA Heritage Area Program under the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
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