Benham: $2.5 million secured for local revitalization efforts

RACP grants to fund blight removal, construct new building

BRENTWOOD, Oct. 28 – Two grants totaling $2.5 million have been awarded to support local redevelopment projects, state Rep. Jessica Benham, D-Allegheny, announced today.

“I’m proud to have secured these funds to revitalize two properties in our community,” said Benham. “I’ll continue fighting to bring tax dollars back to Allegheny County through state grants like this.”

One grant of $1.5 million will fund a project for Brentwood to demolish its vacant borough building to the subgrade level. Additionally, asbestos and other hazardous materials will be professionally remediated and the site will be restored to pad-ready condition.

The second grant of $1 million will fund the construction of a building for Casa San Jose. The entirety of the project will be based in the 1602-1606 Broadway Avenue building. RACP funding will be used to "white-box" the building and perform necessary grading, demolition, infrastructure upgrades and other site work.

Benham thanked her colleague Rep. Dan Deasy, also D-Allegheny, for assisting in securing funding for the Casa San Jose project.

The grants are sourced from the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, a Commonwealth grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational and historical improvement projects. RACP projects are state-funded and cannot obtain primary funding under other state programs.