Mt. Lebanon receives national recognition
While the historic brick streets intertwine through the hustle and bustle of Mt. Lebanon, commercial districts manager Eric Milliron knows the importance of one of the busiest roads in the municipality.
Washington Road, or what Milliron enjoys calling the “front door” of the Mt. Lebanon community, is the home to many shops, restaurants, banks and cafés.
The municipality, along with the nonprofit Mt. Lebanon Partnership, was honored by the National Main Street Center as a nationally accredited program for continued determination to meet the Main Street Program’s principles for the uptown area. Mt. Lebanon joins 34 other communities in the state to receive the award, which is coordinated by the Pennsylvania Downtown Center.
“We feel that uptown Mt. Lebanon is critical to the success of our overall community,” said Milliron. “If you aren’t from this area, it’s where you would find things to do. It’s not only the front door of Mt. Lebanon, it’s the economic driver.”
The national accreditation focuses on continued work to build an accomplished community revitalization effort through training and education. It also addresses topics such as planning methods and community involvement, all while promoting historic preservation efforts.
“When folks are looking to buy a home, they look at a number of different factors,” said Milliron. “Studies have been showing that communities where things can be easily accessed throughout are a huge driving point as to why people move into a particular area. Having a thriving area like that is critical.”
Despite the acknowledgment, Milliron said that the Mt. Lebanon Partnership, a volunteer group that promotes economic development, continues to work toward the area’s betterment.
The partnership’s board of directors is looking into such projects as improving the façades on several buildings, working on making sidewalks more functioning and accessible for those with disabilities, adding better forms of lighting and creating a connection to better utilize the light-rail access available to Mt. Lebanon residents.
“It demonstrates that we are hitting on most, if not all, of our marks,” said Milliron. “There are a lot of things involved in keeping the community vibrant. All of us are residents of Mt. Lebanon, and we care about the community. We want it to continue to be a place where people love to call home.”