Category: Community Revitalization

Congressman Dan Meuser has announced that Shamokin is receiving $2.675 million in federal funding for Revitalizing Independence Street. The funds, which are derived from H.R.2471 – Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2022, will allow Shamokin to execute their GoShamokin plan to improve the appearance and safety of Downtown Shamokin.

In total, Pennsylvania will receive $14.2 million in funds, which will be distributed to communities throughout the commonwealth.

The revitalizing Independence Street project is focused on complete street improvements that will greatly enhance the pedestrian-oriented and aesthetic appeal of the city of Shamokin’s “Main Street.”

The proposed improvements will be:
• Hardscape Improvement plans that focus on replacing the existing unit accent pavers, repairing any damaged concrete sidewalks, and upgrading ADA ramps and crosswalks.
• New crosswalk marking plans or crosswalk treatments (i.e. texture paving) will be prepared.
• A street tree planting plan will be developed.
• A streetscape amenities plan that includes replacing light fixtures, benches, trash/recycling receptacles, and vertical planters to provide additional greenery in place and in addition to street trees, depending on the location.

Independence Street is the city’s main commercial corridor and is located 2 blocks from the Sunbury Street/Route 61. The downtown benefits from not being a heavily trafficked through-put arterial roadway, making it more pedestrian-oriented and suitable for main street-type development.

The biggest barrier to pedestrian mobility in the downtown is the intersection crossings. Performing a makeover of Independence Street (which is located in a Federal Opportunity Zone and eligible Historic District) is an imperative initiative in the community to upgrade the downtown with a focus on ADA/safety and aesthetic improvements such as architectural lighting, planters, banners, etc. which will all have a major impact in supporting the influx of tourists, attracting new business to the downtown and creating better livability for the nearly 7,000 citizens of Shamokin.

This project is an implementation initiative based upon the GoShamokin Revitalization Plan, funded by a Keystone Community Grant, created by Stromberg Garrigan and Associates and adopted by Shamokin City Council October 2020.

The GoShamokin Revitalization Project responds to a special Shamokin community driven desire to proactively invent itself with fresh initiatives that will enable community members to revitalize itself with fresh initiatives by harnessing new opportunities, such as the recent influx in tourism through the introduction of over 8,500 acres of former coal lands in the Shamokin Area which now comprise the Northumberland County Anthracite Outdoor Recreation Area (AOAA). The AOAA is a family-friendly motorized and non-motorized recreation facility that attracts 30,000 visitors annually.

SEDA-COG’s Betsy Kramer, Revitalization Coordinator, said, “This is a much needed and appreciated influx of funds by Congressman Meuser to assist the City of Shamokin’s efforts to revitalize and create a safe, pedestrian-friendly downtown for its businesses, citizens, and visitors.”

“I first want to thank Congressman Meuser, Betsy Kramer, and former Mayor John Brown on behalf of everyone in Shamokin. I am truly grateful Congressman Meuser cares about Shamokin the way he does. These funds will go a long way in making our downtown more accessible for everyone with the ADA improvements, as well as beautifying the City,” said Shamokin Mayor Richard Ulrich.

SEDA-COG is a community and economic development agency in Lewisburg and is one of seven Local Development Districts in Pennsylvania. SEDA-COG enhances the quality of life and economic advantage for residents and businesses in the 11 central Pennsylvania counties through its vital partnerships and initiatives.

For more information, please contact Elaine Stauder, communications coordinator, SEDA-Council of Governments, at 570-522-7249 or estauder@seda-cog.org

During the 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania Commonwealth Awards, held virtually on December 15, 2021, the Plan GoShamokin project received the 2020 & 2021 Plans and Policy Initiative Award.

As stated on the 10,000 Friends website, the Commonwealth Awards honor projects, plans and initiatives that demonstrate smart growth, community resilience, and equity principles in action. The awards recognize individuals, businesses, and organizations with the vision to find new uses for vacant and underutilized land, increase opportunities and access for all in communities on the rise, and breathe new life into older neighborhoods.

According to The Shamokin Area Implementation Plan, “GoShamokin responds to a community driven desire to proactively reinvent itself. The plan focuses on a combination on of public/civic realm investments in infrastructure and public spaces combined with programs and resources that can be tapped to partner with the private sector to stimulate building rehabilitation and business expansion. This layered approach to economic development emphasizing ‘placemaking’ fosters the greatest potential for creating jobs, reducing crime, enhancing community pride, and elevating the overall quality-of-life for all of Shamokin’s residents.”

Sean Garrigan, the Principal with Stromberg Garrigan and Associates (SGA) – the lead firm contracted with the City to prepare the plan, submitted the plan for consideration of an award. “SGA was honored that 10,000 Friends of Pennsylvania awarded our Plan GoShamokin project a Commonwealth Award. SGA was supported by Urban Partners and the KSA Group on the effort; Plan GoShamokin was completed in October 2020 for SEDA-COG on behalf of the City of Shamokin and provided a 5-year implementation plan for economic revitalization in downtown Shamokin. SGA is currently working to create a pocket park in Shamokin called Illumination Station, a direct result of the recommendations in the plan. Thank you to 10,000 Friends for the honor,” said Garrigan.

“The GoShamokin plan has provided direction for the momentum of many different organizations at work in the city. The recognition is a huge honor and it’s exciting to see so many aspects from the GoShamokin Plan happening – including the Illumination Station Pocket Park, Hydrology & Hydraulic (H&H) Study, U.S. EPA Brownfield Assessment Grant, Comprehensive Plan and Zoning Book Rewrite, and more,” said Betsy Kramer, Revitalization Coordinator at SEDA-COG.

SEDA-COG is a community and economic development agency in Lewisburg and is one of seven Local Development Districts in Pennsylvania. SEDA-COG enhances the quality of life and economic advantage for residents and businesses in the 11 central Pennsylvania counties through its vital partnerships and initiatives.

For more information, please contact Elaine Stauder, communications coordinator, SEDA-Council of Governments, at 570-522-7429 or estauder@seda-cog.org

Shamokin City Council voted unanimously to adopt the Shamokin Area Implementation Plan for Economic Revitalization on Oct. 12.

The plan, also known as the GoShamokin! Plan, responds to Shamokin’s community-driven desire to proactively reinvent itself, and was created in partnership with the city and SEDA-Council of Governments (SEDA-COG).

Shamokin Mayor John Brown said the plan is central to the city moving into revitalization and thanked the parties involved.

“On behalf of the city, we are so appreciative to the collaborative effort of SEDA-COG, especially their Revitalization Coordinator Betsy Kramer, and the business community and SABER for putting together a plan to move Shamokin into a new era of revitalization,” Brown said.

After extensive community research, the plan focuses on the core of downtown, including the blocks of Independence Street between Market and Shamokin streets. At the center of the plan is creating successful places in the city as the building blocks of revitalizing the city. It lists ways to stimulate building rehabilitation and business expansion through public-private partnerships and resources.

The plan states this approach “fosters the greatest potential for creating jobs, reducing crime, enhancing community pride, and elevating the overall quality of life for Shamokin’s residents.”

Following are the plan’s key recommendations:

1. Foster public-private partnerships to make bricks-and-mortar redevelopment and business expansion happen;
2. Make the city development-ready through sound policies and promotion;
3. Perform a makeover of Independence Street focused on complete street improvements that greatly enhance the pedestrian-oriented and aesthetic appeal of the city’s Main Street;
4. Explore interim and pop-up solutions to address blight and vacancy downtown;
5. Create multi-purpose public spaces downtown as civic amenities and economic development venue;
6. Advance critical infrastructure improvements.

The plan also includes next steps.

Council’s plan adoption means they agree that a strategic approach to revitalization will best serve the community. Council will need to approve the plan’s individual steps, such as for grant applications. The plan is a living document that will evolve and change as needed, along with funding strategies.

In 2019, SEDA-COG created a partnership with Shamokin and SABER to guide the city into a revitalization revolution.

Betsy Kramer, SEDA-COG revitalization coordinator, was the point of contact for the plan and created the Request for Proposals. After receiving six proposals and conducting three interviews, Stromberg Garrigan & Associates (SGA) was the winning consultant and created the plan. Conducting the interviews were Kathy Vetovich, president of Shamokin Area Businesses for Economic Revitalization (SABER); Kathy Jeremiah, who was executive director of Faith Alliance for Revitalization (FAR) at the time; and Christine Jacoby, district constituent outreach specialist to state Rep. Kurt Masser.

“This is an exciting time for the city with momentum building toward Shamokin’s revitalization revolution. Mayor John Brown, city council, Shamokin businesses, and all our partners have incredible vision for making Shamokin the best it can be. We are honored to guide that momentum into one concerted effort,” Kramer said.

Vetovich said SEDA-COG’s efforts are vital to coordinating Shamokin’s roadmap for success.

“Before SEDA-COG got involved in Shamokin, we were all over the board. We didn’t know how to pull it off, how to get the resources we need to truly revitalize Shamokin. The support SEDA-COG has offered has been game changing,” Vetovich said.

To view the plan, visit www.goshamokin.com.

As a community and economic development agency, SEDA-COG enhances the quality of life and economic advantage for residents and businesses in 11 central Pennsylvania counties through its vital partnerships and initiatives. SEDA-COG also is an advocate for the interests of its communities at the state and federal levels. For more information, visit www.seda-cog.org.