Last week I walked Charleroi's Main Street with some of Washington County's most committed public servants. The point wasn't a presentation. It was to walk the streets together and talk through what's actually possible.
We started at Arthur Lofts on McKean Ave — a building I've been working on for a while now. It was once badly neglected. It's being turned into mixed-use space: residential units above, retail storefronts at street level. I wanted to start there because it shows what the work looks like when it's done carefully and what it does to a block.
Who Joined
The walk brought together Commissioner Electra Janis, Commissioner Nick Sherman, Nate Nevala from Congressman Reschenthaler's office, Rachel Willson from State Rep Bud Cook's office, Mayor Gregg Doerfler from the Borough of Charleroi, Daryl Price (Chief of Staff, Washington County), Bob Griffin and Nathan Voytek from the Redevelopment Authority of Washington County, Jamie Colecchi and Abigail Stark from the Mon Valley Alliance, and Casey Clark from Perked Up Coffee & Café.
That's not a ceremonial list. These are people who hold real decision-making power in the region — officials, economic development professionals, and business owners who can actually move capital and policy. The fact that they showed up and walked the street together matters more than any meeting would have.
Why It Matters
Revitalization doesn't happen because one person believes in a place. It happens when people across organizations start moving in the same direction. Officials need to see what's being built and why. Local businesses need to know they're not out there alone. Residents need to see that someone is paying sustained attention.
Charleroi's bones are good. The historic grid is walkable. The architecture is substantial. The town still has a hospital, a school district, civic organizations. Those things aren't glamorous, but they're foundational — they signal that the place didn't fully collapse, that there's something real to build from.
What's been missing is sustained attention and capital over time. A walk like this is one way that changes. Walking the same streets together, pointing to what's being restored, talking through what's actually possible — that's how shared belief starts to form.
What's Next
This was a point in time, not a conclusion. More buildings are under renovation. McKean Green is being planned. The network of local partners who understand the work is getting stronger.
I'm here for the long haul on this — not swooping in to flip something and leave, but doing the slower work of actually building alongside a community. Hiring locally. Fixing things properly. Staying.
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