Brownsville getting inspected for renovations
BROWNSVILLE – The first downtown building inspections will be held Tuesday under Project B.R.I.G.H.T., the Brownsville Revitalization Initiative for a Great Tomorrow. B.R.I.G.H.T. is being funding through a $150,000 state grant presented personally by Gov. Ed Rendell in April. The grant is being administered by the Fayette County Redevelopment Authority and is being used to cover the salary of a full-time code enforcement officer, an assistant and legal fees.
Fayette County Redevelopment Authority Executive Director Andrew French said the code enforcement work has already begun, with the hiring earlier this summer of Don Baugh for the position, with Jessica Yuhas as his assistant.
“What we’ve been doing for the past month is setting up a listing for each property, establishing a data base,” French said.
The next step is to start the inspections, which will begin Tuesday, French said.
“The staff will go building by building, establishing a priority list,” French said.
Tuesday’s inspections will begin with taking video and still photos of the rooftops in the downtown area. French said interior inspections would be done if possible. French said the buildings that cause the greatest risk to the public would be addressed first.
“It’s a systematic approach to the buildings,” French said.
An open house will be held at the Project B.R.I.G.H.T. office Tuesday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.
“It’s so people can come in and see what all is taking place in that building,” said Mayor Norma Ryan.
In addition to Project B.R.I.G.H.T., the Oddfellows building will also house The People Place. The idea of the People Place came out of public meetings held in conjunction with an Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) pilot project to help bring about revitalization in Brownsville. The People Place will serve as a clearinghouse of information on services and programs available in the area, ranging from social service agency information to information on youth recreation options.
Ryan said Yuhas will be providing research for The People Place in addition to assisting Baugh.
The People Place also provides two offices for temporary use for social service agencies and others on an hourly or daily basis that may need to meet with individuals in Brownsville, allowing them to provide more services in the borough.
“We now have computer desks in these offices. We’re hoping now to get computers. We want them to be multi-use rooms,” Ryan said.
Ryan said she envisions the possibility of members of the public using the rooms for computer access or classes as needed.