Our recent visit to Fayette County was from October 3rd to 5th. It was a remarkable experience, centered on sustainable economic development and revitalization. Our team, part of the sustainability capstone group, stayed at Touchstone. This lodge site is located near Farmington, PA. Every night we sat by a campfire and we discussed our plans and the lessons we learned during the day. I am a part of the Sustainability Capstone group, but there are also students from business, political science, and urban studies. Together we are trying to find ways to create sustainable economic development in Fayette County. Coming into this trip, our focus was on two possible avenues. The first is the reclamation of abandoned mines, along with addressing acid mine drainage. There is funding and resources to address this issue, but we wanted to gauge public opinion on this issue. The second is working in collaboration with the Keystone Space Collaborative to introduce space and space-adjacent industries into the county as a way to foster job creation and economic growth.
Fayette County is a region with a rich history, but like many rural areas, it is facing significant economic challenges. The problem of abandoned mines and acid mine drainage has long plagued the area, affecting both the environment and the local economy. As a result, one of our primary goals was to gauge public opinion on the reclamation of abandoned mines as it would have positive impacts on the environment and likely the economy as well. The second goal, to foster space-related industries, represents a more future-oriented approach to economic development. By partnering with the Keystone Space Collaborative, we believe that Fayette County has the potential to become a hub for space technology, creating new industries and job opportunities that could drive the local economy forward in innovative ways.
Our trip began on Thursday evening when we arrived and settled in. After dinner at a local restaurant, we gathered by the campfire, exchanging thoughts on what we hoped to achieve and how we could make the most of our time in Fayette County. We understood that, to make a real impact, it was important to engage with local stakeholders and understand the existing challenges in the region.
On Friday, we headed to Uniontown to meet with Crystal Simmons, who is the director of the Redevelopment Authority of Uniontown. Crystal gave us a lot of insight into the challenges Uniontown is facing. One of the key takeaways from our conversation was the understanding that Uniontown, and by extension Fayette County, is struggling with a lack of essential infrastructure, housing, and job creation. Crystal explained that these issues are compounded by a lack of comprehensive plans, such as comp, stamp, recreation, and blight remediation strategies, as well as a lack of municipal training and general capacity to address these problems. It became clear that, while there is a desire for development, there are significant barriers that need to be overcome before they can expand to focusing on economic development.
The meeting with Crystal highlighted an important aspect of the challenges in Fayette County: while the need for economic development is apparent, there are more immediate and pressing concerns that take precedence. Uniontown is currently focused on building the foundational plans and strategies needed to address basic operational issues. Without these in place, more ambitious projects, like large-scale economic development, are difficult to pursue. This insight provided us with a reality check on how we could tailor our sustainability goals to better align with the needs of the community. Crystal is very passionate about her job and her work and we realized just how important this project is. It has the capabilities to really help a lot of people and the County is currently very overwhelmed due to lack of capacity.
After our meeting in Uniontown, we traveled to Connellsville for a tour of the new Education and Entrepreneurship Center and the Connellsville Canteen. This center represents an effort to foster entrepreneurship and education as drivers of local economic growth. Following the tour, we attended a community lunch at the Connellsville Canteen, where we had the opportunity to speak with the County Commissioner. This was another insightful conversation, as it allowed us to hear the perspectives of a local government official directly involved in the county’s development efforts.
One of the main topics discussed with the County Commissioner was the issue of abandoned mine reclamation and how it could be received by the community. He shared with us an example of a recent solar energy initiative that faced backlash from the local population. Although people in Fayette County generally support economic development, they do not want it to affect them personally. This phenomenon, often referred to as the “Not In My Backyard” (NIMBY) mentality, poses a significant challenge for development initiatives. While residents want to see progress, they are resistant to changes that may impact their immediate environment. After this discussion, our group talked about possible educational initiatives that could be introduced that may be able to gain community support regarding the reclamation of abandoned mines. I think that this could be a crucial way to positively impact the environment of Fayette County and we should not give up on this initiative.
Another crucial issue that the County Commissioner raised was the county’s plan for economic growth, particularly in Connellsville. The county is working on developing market action teams, groups that will focus on analyzing market trends, identifying business opportunities, and implementing strategies to capitalize on these opportunities. The goal is to attract new businesses to Fayette County while helping existing businesses remain competitive. The key sectors that have been identified for growth include energy, agriculture, manufacturing, tourism, and healthcare. In addition, housing and education have been designated as support sectors that will play a vital role in this broader development strategy. This plan represents a structured approach to promoting growth in the county, and while it is still in the early stages, it offers a promising path forward.
The conversation at lunch also touched on several other important topics, including the housing shortage in Fayette County. The County Commissioner acknowledged that, while there is a need for jobs, there is also a need for housing to accommodate the workers who would fill those jobs. This housing shortage represents a significant barrier to economic growth. Without adequate housing, it will be difficult for the county to attract and retain the workforce needed to support new industries. Furthermore, we discussed the issue of political representation and voter engagement. The County Commissioner is working to encourage local residents to vote and participate in the political process, as he believes that greater civic engagement is essential for ensuring that the county’s needs are addressed at the state and national levels. Lastly, we discussed the challenges of securing funding, particularly through grants. The county’s grant writers are overwhelmed with the volume of work, and the complexity of the grant application process adds to the difficulty of securing the necessary resources for development.
After our meetings, our group reconvened with Dr. Sanchez to reflect on the day’s events. One of the primary takeaways from our discussions was the realization that Fayette County is overwhelmed with the challenges it faces. The county is grappling with a range of issues, from infrastructure deficiencies to housing shortages to limited capacity for addressing these problems. While economic development is important, it is not the immediate priority for many local stakeholders. Instead, the focus is on addressing more pressing issues, such as creating the foundational plans and strategies needed to ensure the county’s basic functions are operational.
Given this reality, our group began to reconsider our approach. Instead of focusing solely on long-term economic development projects, we discussed how we could help Fayette County address the challenges it is currently facing. One idea we brainstormed was the creation of focus groups that could work on specific tasks for the Redevelopment Authorities. These groups could be based either at the University of Pittsburgh or in Fayette County, or potentially both. Their tasks could include activities such as mapping the areas most in need of development, creating more effective job descriptions, and developing training programs for municipal positions. By addressing these foundational issues, we believe we can help create the conditions necessary for more ambitious economic development projects in the future.
Our visit to Fayette County was an eye-opening experience. We came into the trip with a clear vision of promoting sustainable economic development through mine reclamation and space industry initiatives. However, through our conversations with local stakeholders, we gained a deeper understanding of the challenges the county is facing and the need to prioritize more immediate concerns. While our original goals remain important, we are now considering how we can adapt our approach to better support the county’s current needs. By helping Fayette County tackle its existing challenges, we believe we can lay the groundwork for more sustainable and impactful development in the future. We are only in year 4 of this 10 year project so we are still most focused on laying a foundation that can be built on for the next several years of this initiative.