
Mountains Majesty: Driving economic development in the Poconos
The four-county region is looking beyond tourism to build a diverse, dynamic economy.
The four-county region is looking beyond tourism to build a diverse, dynamic economy.
A sojourn in Steel City stars a huge reuse project on the North Side, eats from different eras, a giant inflatable pickle and plenty of gorgeous vistas.
Every year, this four-acre plot in Southwest Philadelphia produces 12,000 pounds of food, welcomes 10,000 school kids, employs 22 high school interns, hosts 45 families in a community garden, distributes 80,000 seedlings, supplies 50 farmstands and welcomes 1500 volunteers. And that's only the beginning.
Across the state, the task of helping communities thrive financially, socially, architecturally and culturally is passing to a new generation. And if the five women under 40 profiled here are representative of that next wave, Pennsylvania is in good hands.
This Mon River Valley town is hoping affordability, natural beauty and historic charm can lure a generation of young creatives to a nascent arts collective.
In areas like Strawberry Mansion, a complex patchwork of challenges -- including tangled titles, aging homes and long waits for programs -- can make it hard for residents to maintain and repair their historic properties. A local CDC is working to change all that.
With a population of only 43,000 in a compact five square miles, York has an entrepreneurial ecosystem that rivals many of its big-city counterparts. Now a growing slate of incubators and development programs is boosting local food, tech and manufacturing startups.
From throwing parties to incubating companies, Bobby Zappala is working to build a better Pittsburgh. The organization's annual innovation and music festival is happening September 20-24.
Thanks to the Keystone Innovation Zone (KIZ) program, Southside Bethlehem has become a hotbed for upstart companies, thriving incubators and young urbanites.
Sanctuary is a place of refuge or safety. In urban neighborhoods throughout America, sanctuary is a luxury that can be almost impossible to find. Michael O'Bryan is working to bring that sense of security to North Philadelphia.