Lackawanna County

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PA Route 6 Façade Program

Lackawanna County

The PA Route 6 Alliance and partner Lackawanna Heritage Valley recently announced $246,000 in facade improvements in Lackawanna County.

The PA Route 6 Façade Program awards matching grants to business owners, and all of these funds stay local through collaboration and contracting with local construction companies who employ local workers who in turn support other local businesses. This economic benefit far exceeds the initial investment and will continue to provide financial gains for each community for years to come.

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Major Improvements

PA Route 6 Alliance has announced the award recipients for the 2023 PA Route 6 Façade Program in Lackawanna County. The program is funding 24 projects in Lackawanna County totaling over $246,000 in façade improvements. The success of this year’s façade program was a culmination of partnerships among PA Route 6 Alliance, the Lackawanna Heritage Valley National and State Heritage Area, Lackawanna County Planning Commission, Lackawanna County Visitors Bureau, and NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania .

The PA Route 6 Façade Program was made possible by a $100,000 Keystone Communities Grant from the PA Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED), support funding from the PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR), and matching funds from local businesses and organizations, and is part of a larger Alliance initiative aimed at stimulating economic development by enhancing the attractiveness of the small towns throughout the 11-county PA Route 6 Heritage Corridor.

Bolock Before & After Facade Program

After public informational meetings in February of 2023, Lackawanna County businesses and organizations were invited to submit applications for individual matching grant awards of up to $5,000 to fund physical improvements of building façades.

Imagine NEPA Performing Arts Center in Clarks Summit was one of the recipients of grant funding through the program. “We are so grateful to have received this grant, to help return the front of our antebellum building to its historic glory,” says Katie Lane, founder and Artistic Director at Imagine NEPA Performing Arts Center. “It truly beautified the front of our building and will also help us with better heating and cooling efficiency and safety.”

All projects funded through the façade program utilize local contractors, suppliers, and resources, resulting in an economic benefit to the community that often exceeds each individual grant award.

“When conducting a countywide program, partnerships are extremely important, and we were very fortunate to have quality partners in the Lackawanna Heritage Valley National and State Heritage Area, Lackawanna County Planning Commission, Lackawanna County Visitors Bureau, and NeighborWorks Northeastern Pennsylvania,” says Candace Hillyard, executive director of PA Route 6 Alliance. “All of these organizations were very involved with spreading the word, conducting the public meetings, and in the selection process. It was also a great opportunity for businesses to learn more about and apply for funding directly through the Lackawanna County Planning Commission, which awarded an additional $140,000 to area businesses through their Business Improvement Grants.”

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Funding & Economic Development in Lackawanna County

Awarded Projects in Lackawanna County

78 Salem, LLC – Carbondale
Bella Faccias Personalized Chocolates & Gifts – Old Forge
Berlew’s Hoagies – Moosic
Bolock Law – Clarks Summit
Carbondale Vacuum Center at the Fixit Shoppe – Carbondale
Columbia Hose Co. #5 – Carbondale
The Dalton Downtown – Dalton
DLJ Properties, Sticky Smart Wallet, Inc. on River Street – Carbondale
DLJ Properties, Sticky Smart Wallet, Inc. on Salem Street – Carbondale
Dogwood Rentals – Clarks Summit
FMS Holdings DBA Bluestone Laundromat – Dalton
Grove 276, LLC – Clarks Green
Honors Award, Taylor
Hotel Anthracite – Carbondale
Imagine NEPA Performing Arts Fund – Dalton
Italian American Club Olyphant – Olyphant
Krisa & Krisa Realty – Blakely
McDonnell’s Restaurant – Carbondale
Nina’s Abington, LLC – Clarks Summit
NEET Center – Mayfield
Pete’s Place – Carbondale
Pets N Friends, LLC – Moosic
Riverside Elementary East Elementary – Moosic
Sheeley’s Drugstore – Scranton
Slice Slice Baby, DBA Armetta’s Restaurant – Chinchilla
Waverly General Store – Waverly
WSK Plaza – Mayfield

More About the Facade Program in Lackawanna County

Commercial building owners (or businesses/nonprofits with property-owner approval) may apply
Maximum award of $5,000 per person
1:1 matching funds required from each recipient
Maximum total project cost of $10,000 each
Buildings may be located anywhere in Lackawanna County
Improvements must be to the building façade (front exterior that is visible from the road)
Examples of eligible projects: exterior paint, new signage, railings, and canvas awning replacement

Lackawanna County Department of Economic Development

An additional opportunity is currently in progress through contact with the Lackawanna County Department of Economic Development in which their Business Improvement Grant could possibly be used to offset costs to business owners. Under the PA Route 6 Facade Program, grant recipients are required to supply 1:1 matching funds for projects. Although details are still being worked out, it’s possible that the Business Improvement Grant could be used for matching funds for businesses. More details will be available at the public meetings.

Read more about the Lackawanna County Department of Economic Development’s Business Improvement Grant here.
Here’s the link to additional programs available through the Lackawanna County Department of Economic Development.

Opportunities for Facade Funding in Lackawanna County

City of Scranton Facade Grant Program: Businesses located in eligible areas of the city may apply for a façade grant of up to $10,000 with a 25% match. If multiple eligible small businesses share the same façade, they can submit a joint application for upgrades of up to $20,000. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis. The application and map of eligible areas is available on NeighborWorks website: https://www.nwnepa.org/
“Best Side of West Side” Façade Grant Program: NeighborWorks can provide façade grants of up to $5,000 with a 1:1 match to some business or property owners located on Main Avenue or Luzerne Street that do not qualify for the city’s program. For more information, see the attached application or contact Miranda Pace at mpace@nwnepa.org or 570-558-2490 for details.
Pine Brook Façade Grant Program: United Neighborhood Centers received a Keystone Communities façade grant for the Pine Brook section of Scranton. I’m not sure whether the program is up and running yet, but you can contact Chrissy Manuel at cmanuel@uncnepa.org for more information.

“We were delighted to partner with PA Route 6 Alliance in offering this façade program to businesses in Lackawanna County,” says Owen Worozbyt, director of operations for the Lackawanna Heritage Valley National and State Heritage Area. “By improving their storefronts, business owners will attract more customers while preserving the historical and cultural character of the heritage area. We are pleased that so many local businesses were able to participate in this program to enhance and beautify their communities.”

The PA Route 6 Façade Program in Lackawanna County is the fourth such façade program implemented by the Alliance. Previous façade programs were conducted in the PA Wilds, Endless Mountains, and Great Lakes Region. A combined total of 135 businesses and organizations have received façade grant funding across the 11-county corridor. The PA Route 6 Façade Program’s total economic impact in the region exceeds $1.355 Million.

For more information about the program, contact the Alliance at info@paroute6.com or call 814-435-7706.