July 23, 2025 - Lewistown, PA
Governor Josh Shapiro and Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Rick Siger visited downtown Lewistown to announce its new Main Street designation through the Main Street Matters program, which provides downtown business districts with the tools they need to create healthy, vibrant communities.Because of this new designation, the borough's revitalization organization Downtown Lewistown, Inc. (DLI), will implement its approved five-year strategy to target investment and development, and will focus on removing blight and improving greenspace and amenities. With the recent purchase of the former Bon-Ton building by Geisinger Medical Group for the new Geisinger School of Nursing, DLI plans to leverage the Main Street designation to grow the nursing program and attract additional health professionals and medical businesses to invest in downtown Lewistown and Mifflin County."Every community in our Commonwealth - rural, urban, or suburban - has a Main Street, and we know how vital they are to local economies. Our main streets are the beating hearts of towns and cities, and their success is directly tied to the small businesses that line them," said Governor Shapiro. "That's why my Administration is making strategic investments to revitalize these corridors and grow our local economies. Here in Lewistown, we've seen how a Main Street strengthens the community - and that's why I'm calling for $20 million to continue funding the Main Street Matters program in my 2025-26 proposed budget. We're bringing people together to invest in communities, grow businesses, and improve quality of life for all Pennsylvanians."Speaker List:Mifflin County Commissioner Kevin KodishGovernor Josh ShapiroRyan Cherry, Owner, East End Coffee Co.Secretary Rick Siger, Community and Economic DevelopmentJulie Fitzpatrick, Executive Director, PA Downtown Center
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