Wednesday, 1 February, 2012 Uniontown, PA – The National Road Heritage Corridor (NRHC) today announces the selection of Landmarks Design Associates (LDA) as the lead to undertake the Brownsville Commercial Historic District Project. The team also includes Fourth Economy Consulting, Skelly and Loy and T & B Associates. “The LDA team is delighted to have been chosen to assist in the revitalization of the Brownsville Commercial Historic District,” stated LDA president, Ellis Schmidlapp. “We will be working intensively over the next few months to produce a developer’s package to assist in attracting new investment to the District. We look forward to working with the Redevelopment Authority of Fayette County, The National Road Heritage Corridor, and the Brownsville Community to identify and illustrate the opportunities for adaptive use and new construction in the area.”

The project will develop a comprehensive study of the Brownsville Commercial Historic District including: a resurvey of the National Register Historic District; associated cost for stabilization, rehabilitation, preservation of key architectural facades and elements, a marketing analysis and comprehensive developer’s package that will encourage investment and adaptive reuse in the 26 buildings located in the District and owned by the RACF; and design guidelines for reconstruction and infill in the entire District.

This multi property project’s deliverables will include a comprehensive package regarding the structures contained within the Brownsville Commercial Historic District - viability, sustainability, adaptive reuse and new construction opportunities - which when compiled will clearly illustrate the economic development imperative. This tool will then be used by the National Road Heritage Corridor (NRHC) and its partner, the Redevelopment Authority of the County of

Fayette (RACF), owner of a significant number of the structures in the district, to work towards returning the economic vitality of this historic and once vibrant town.

“Several years ago the RACF took the bold step of initiating a redevelopment project in Brownsville’s downtown area”, commented Executive Director Andrew French. “The main intent of the project was to acquire thirty (30) strategic properties (to date 26 of those properties are now under RACF ownership) in order to eliminate blight and stabilize the community.” French went on to say that the agency has undertaken numerous other initiatives throughout Fayette County which have been designed to protect historic assets. “The RACF looks forward to working with the NRHC on this project – a project that will be a good step toward redevelopment and the return of economic vitality to Brownsville Borough.”

The RACF is providing $25,000 in matching funds. These dollars were the initial match to a $25,000 grant provided to the NRHC for the study through the Pennsylvania Historic and Museum Commission’s (PHMC) Keystone Historic Preservation Program. Bill Callahan, PHMC western region representative, a partner in the project put the project in prospective, “Besides the people who live and work in Brownsville, the most important and valuable economic assets the Borough possesses are its location and its historic buildings and streetscapes. This study, for the first time, will provide real data on the most appropriate way to market and promote the historic character of Brownsville, and to provide information to the most appropriate type of investors and businesspeople. There have been any number of pie-in-the-sky studies done in Brownsville, but this will be the first to take a clear-eyed view of how to approach the very real and challenging existing conditions of both Brownsville’s historic character and investment opportunities inside and outside the community.”

Funding was also provided in part by the Fayette Community Growth Fund ($ 10,000) held by the Community Foundation of Fayette County as well as a $10,000 grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Pittsburgh through the efforts of the Brownsville Area Revitalization Corporation (BARC) and the Blueprint Communities Committee.

The project will be managed by the National Road Heritage Corridor. “Brownsville is a key location on the Historic National Road. Brownsville’s history tells the stories of the development of this great Nation - from the French and Indian War, the development of transportation routes and riverboats to the Industrial Revolution and the rich era of Coal and Coke, “stated the NRHC’s executive director Donna Holdorf. “The NRHC has been working in Brownsville for over two decades and its commitment to the area continues in this important project.” Holdorf

went on to say that the NRHC is pleased to be at the table with the Mayor and Council as well as local civic organizations and redevelopment agencies. “The NRHC commends Brownsville’s Mayor, Council and community leadership for their support and recognition of the potential opportunities that can come from this effort. Brownsville has had its share of promises and beautiful pictures of what could be. This project is the first step in moving towards achieving some of those visions.”