Pittsburgh, Pa. − July 23, 2024 – Today, State Senator Lindsey Williams (SD-38), State Representative Mandy Steele (HD-33), and County Executive Sara Innamorato are proud to announce Business in our Sites (BiOS) Funding benefitting the Borough of Sharpsburg to make the final improvements to the 19th street entrance to the site of the Allegheny Riverfront Project. The Department of Community and Economic Development awarded a $4,000,000 grant and a $6,000,000 loan during this morning’s CFA board meeting.
This initiative represents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to dramatically transform and reclaim the waterfront brownfield site known as Allegheny Shores for the benefit of Sharpsburg Borough and its surrounding communities. The overall project aims to mitigate the community’s largest transportation barrier – the Conemaugh Line – a railway owned by Norfolk-Southern, which has for over a century divided the Borough and isolated its residents from the Allegheny River, a key natural and historic resource.
“This project is about more than just infrastructure; it’s about reclaiming and revitalizing our riverfront to serve as a hub of economic, recreational, and environmental prosperity for generations to come,” Senator Williams said. “I look forward to catalyzed economic development, enhanced quality of life, and the creation of a vibrant, mixed-use destination that respects the area’s rich industrial history while paving the way for a sustainable future.
“I continue to strongly support the Riverfront 47 project in Sharpsburg,” Rep. Steele said, “and I am so pleased to announce this latest round of funding through the Business in our Sites Fund. This important revitalization of a brownfield site has regional implications throughout the Allegheny Valley, and it is exactly the kind of project that we need to encourage in our small riverfront communities.”
“I’m delighted that Sharpsburg is receiving $10 million in new funding from the state,” County Executive Innamorato said. “This project represents an important investment in Sharpsburg not just today but for generations. Reclaiming the waterfront will help benefit Sharpsburg and surrounding communities be connected to nature and their neighbors, and I want to thank everyone involved in making this BiOS Funding a reality.”
“We extend our sincere gratitude to Senator Lindsey Williams and State Representative Mandy Steele for their leadership and unwavering advocacy in securing the BIOS funds for the redevelopment of our Borough’s waterfront,” Christine DeRunk, Manager of Sharpsburg said. “This critical funding will enable essential site work, setting the stage for a revitalized waterfront that will significantly boost economic growth and improve the quality of life for our residents. Their unwavering commitment to our community has been pivotal in advancing this transformative initiative.”
“On behalf of the entire Mosites team and our partners at Sharpsburg borough, I wish to express profound gratitude for the unwavering support and visionary leadership provided by Senator Williams, Representative Steele, and the Shapiro administration,” the developer of the project, Steven Mosites Jr., president of The Mosites Co. Inc., said. “This strategic investment symbolizes years of successful public-private collaboration, propelling us further in the development of this remarkable, untapped waterfront property. Ultimately, it’s a resounding victory for the borough, its residents, and a significant boon for the entire region.”
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