Greensburg, PA sits in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, about 35 miles southeast of Pittsburgh in Westmoreland County.  The small city of 16,000 residents in five square miles offers a metropolitan existence without the loud atmosphere associated with larger city living.  The city has three major parks within its boundaries; combined the parks have an outdoor amphitheatre, an 18-hole golf course, an ice arena, swimming pool, jogging trails, and a summer concert series, among other amenities.  Residents also enjoy Community Days, the much anticipated annual Memorial Day celebration with live entertainment, food, crafts, and fireworks.

On a hill overlooking the City is Seton Hill, founded in 1883 by the Sisters of Charity, chartered in 1918, and earning university status back in 2002.  The co-ed Catholic liberal arts university has been increasing enrollment with new educational and athletic offerings for students in recent years.  Athletics now includes a total of ten sports for women and eight for men, including lacrosse and equestrian for both men and women. 

A partnership between the City of Greensburg, Seton Hill University, the Westmoreland Trust, and Greensburg Salem School District promotes revitalization by expanding and enriching cultural events and facilities, educational opportunities, and excitement for the future of downtown Greensburg.  The partnership is working to create a university center downtown, building housing for upperclassmen and moving classrooms and the theater department into the city.  This redevelopment area will be home to future mixed-use development, with the hope of bringing residents back into the urban core to live closer to their businesses.  The University and School District also share a football field in town.

The Westmoreland Trust owns the 1300-seat Palace Theater, which has been renovated and restored since their purchase in 1990 and is now used as a community and University outlet for music and drama.  The Westmoreland Museum of American Art was established in 1959 and places an emphasis on Pennsylvania art and artists.  But there is history elsewhere in the town as well.  The Greensburg Train Station, which used to be the life-blood of the railroad town, is now home to the renowned Red Star Brewery & Grille and the AMTRAK station.  The historic six-story Troutmans Building once held a department store but is now home to 27 housing units and three stories of office space, with an additional 65,000 square feet ready for new tenants.

Like many cities, Greensburg has a grandiose courthouse at the urban center, keeping more than 800 attorneys in business.  When court is in session, jurors fill many of the restaurants and shops, including those along Pennsylvania Avenue, which has recently undergone streetscape improvements and is now a part of the Mainstreets program.  A new Mainstreets manager and the Greensburg Business Association (now in its second year) are working to expand the improvements to other streets as well.  And near all of the city’s amenities are strong residential neighborhoods, which will be enhanced by a recently awarded Elm Street grant.

The city is also making history with a new multi-municipality comprehensive plan, which includes the City of Greensburg, Hempfield Township, the Borough of Southwest Greensburg, and the Borough of South Greensburg.  By working together they can get more funding to benefit all; they already share emergency dispatching and hope that in the future they can share other municipal services, such as police and recreation.  With 65 municipalities in Westmoreland County (each with their own mayor and board of supervisors), this cooperation is just the start of an attempt to eliminate barriers in communication and service provision for residents. 

Links

City of Greensburg

Seton Hill University

Smart Growth Partnership of Westmoreland County

Westmoreland Museum of American Art

Cool Space Award Winners

Center for Conservation Education (2005)

Main Street

Greensburg Courthouse (Main Street)

Palace Theater

South Pennsylvania Avenue

DV8 Espresso Gallery

Red Star Brewery and Amtrak Station