WHAT:
Senator David G. Argall (R-29) and Representative Jerry Knowles (R-124) will be joined by several community partners for a tour of the ongoing Bank on Broad renovation project in Tamaqua. This project will upgrade and modernize seventeen new apartments in three existing downtown buildings and restore the exterior of the Berwick House to resemble the historic 1905 Tamaqua National Bank.
This project is the latest in a series of revitalization projects undertaken by the Alliance for Building Communities including the successful conversion of a long-vacant shoe factory on Hazle Street and an abandoned textile factory on East Broad Street into housing. The development was initiated with Tamaqua’s Upper Floor Revitalization Plan—a community plan to utilize vacant and underutilized 2nd and 3rd story spaces in downtown Tamaqua.
When completed, several of the apartments will be occupied for the first time in many decades and the Tamaqua Historical Society Museum will significantly expand its exhibit space.
The project received a $350,000 Affordable Housing Grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh, a $500,000 grant from the PennHOMES program, and $485,000 in tax credits from the Pennsylvania Housing and Finance Authority. The remainder of the funding comes in the form of equity from Riverview Bank.
WHO:
Senator David G. Argall
Rep. Jerry Knowles
Micah Gursky, Director, Tamaqua Area Community Partnership
Ralph Melone, Project Architect and former member of Tamaqua’s Historical Architectural Review Commission
John Panzitta, Panzitta Enterprises
Brett Fulk, Chief Executive Officer and President of Riverview Bank and other representatives
Fred Banuelos, Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh
Brad Fatzinger, Executive Director of the Alliance for Building Communities
WHEN:
Thursday, May 13 at 11:30 a.m.
WHERE:
35 West Broad St., Tamaqua, PA 18252
Media RSVP and Questions:
Please contact Jim Brugger at 717-787-2637 or jbrugger@pasen.gov