Westmoreland foundation grants support market in Mt. Pleasant, upgrades to 2 cafes

Eight projects have received a collective boost totaling more than $162,000 in the latest round of grants awarded in the Revitalizing Westmoreland program.

The Community Foundation of Westmoreland County this month approved matching grants for projects including a vendor marketplace in Mt. Pleasant Borough, a trail-side cafe in West Newton, a cafe facade improvement in New Kensington and upgrades to a church in New Florence.

Other supported projects will enhance recreational facilities in Smithton and Rostraver, bring a small business outreach center to downtown Latrobe and help develop a sewing and fiber arts studio in Monessen.

The program provides grants to nonprofits, development corporations, neighborhood and civic organizations, church groups and local governments. It is meant to support the needs of vulnerable populations in the county through projects that can serve as a catalyst for additional community improvements.

“The Revitalizing Westmoreland program bolsters development and innovation across the region,” said foundation Executive Director McCrae Martino. “When these organizations are supported, everyone benefits.”

Mt. Pleasant was awarded $23,000 to create the multi-vendor East End Market on property at Main Street and Center Avenue.

Borough manager Jeff Landy expects the grant to cover about half the cost of the market, with the borough funding the rest of the project, which will be placed out for bid.

He said four natural wood structures will be installed sometime this year to provide rental space for small businesses offering seasonal items.

“I’d like to open it up in April and have it run through December,” Landy said of the market. “We’ve already had an inquiry about a little ice cream place.”

The nonprofit Waypoint Youth and Community Center of West Newton will use its $15,000 grant to help with costs of expanding on its successful cafe, The Outpost River’s Edge Eatery, located along the Youghiogheny River and the Great Allegheny Passage biking and hiking trail.

Opened last year along Collinsburg Road, opposite the trail visitor center, the cafe is run by young interns employed through a partnership between Waypoint and the Westmoreland-Fayette Workforce Investment Board.

“There are half a dozen job positions at the cafe, and the kids have to be proficient in every spot,” said Chris Morse, Waypoint executive director. That includes learning about marketing.

The interns also serve as community ambassadors, directing visitors to other local businesses and activities.

The cafe began as a modified cargo container and has added a pavilion where live music is offered on Fridays. Building upon the success of its hamburgers, The Outpost has added chili fries and mac and cheese to its menu.

Morse said the new grant will cover costs of expanding the eatery’s 50-person seating capacity by about 20%, developing an adjacent community garden and boosting hours from three to four days per week.

Expanded hours are: 11-5 Saturday, Sunday and Monday; 11-8 Friday.

Meanwhile, the Waypoint center is planning to move from it current space, in part of a former bank on Second Street, to a much larger former warehouse on Mallard Street, where Morse hopes to provide to provide a wider range of activities for more people.

“The Outpost has been a catalyst for us to be able to do this,” he said.

Additional Revitalizing Westmoreland grant recipients:

• Knead Community Cafe of New Kensington, $30,000 to renovate the facade and marquee on the Fifth Avenue side of the cafe’s banquet hall. The cafe offers pay-what-you-can and pay-it-forward meals to the community;

• New Florence United Methodist Church, $30,000 to install a lift and add a restroom in compliance with handicapped-accessible standards. The church serves as a space for worship and community activities;

• Saint Vincent College, $10,000 to help the college located in Unity establish a community outreach center in nearby downtown Latrobe. The center will serve as the headquarters of the Saint Vincent College Small Business Development Center;

• Smithton Borough, $20,000 to continue the Play Smithton project, which is planned to include a multipurpose park, playground and nature space with trails;

• Rostraver Township, $19,600 to update the 1970s-era Betty Ambler Park with new playground equipment, a picnic table and fencing;

• The Full Potential Project, $15,000 to help renovate a former municipal building in Monessen to include the Community Threads Design Studio — a teaching and workshop space that will provide instruction in sewing and the fiber arts. The building also houses a coffee shop and gathering space.