“Bridging Yesterday and Today”.  As the Borough's slogan implies, the 40th Street Bridge serves as an inspiration for Millvale's revitalization efforts that focus on maintaining connections with its past history as a compact community with a vital retail core.  Millvale is a small borough bordering the City of Pittsburgh to the north, with just over 4,000 residents living in the span of less than 1 square mile.  The town is nestled within the hills along the Allegheny River, with its own exit off of Route 28.  Founded in 1868, the town was named by H.B. Lyons, an early resident referring to the grist mills in the valley (Mill Vale).  The town had a manufacturing base consisting of a saw blade factory, small steel mills, and breweries.  Today most of the manufacturing is gone but there remain a number of popular destinations. 

While Millvale houses a limited number of retail shops, many serve the international market as well as local residents, including Esther’s Hobby Shop, Attic Records, and Candles by Tara.  Also working out of Millvale is Magic Bean Wishes, a company who marks agricultural and heirloom beans with words so that you can grow your own wishes.

After the flood of September 2004, almost all of Millvale had to do some sort of rebuilding.  Normally bringing in customers from all over the county, Jean-Marc Chatellier’s French Bakery had a sign in their window that sums up the town’s positive attitude even after the flood “Yes, We Will Reopen!!!  At this Location - MILLVALE is Great!”  Many business owners took the opportunity to design new façades or to expand their current location.

The Millvale Main Street Program began in 2000, working to bring businesses to the main streets of Grant, Lincoln, North, and Sedgwick.  Seven new businesses moved into town in 2004, and more are moving in than are moving out, which is a promising sign for the small town.  The Millvale Borough Development Corporation, also founded in 2000, has worked on a number of projects, such as opening a community center and rehabilitating rental housing for sale to moderate-income homebuyers.  Goals for the borough include focusing on retail business attraction and paving the way for more live/work spaces with residential units located above retail storefronts. 

Another of the Borough’s projects was the purchase of the Allegheny riverfront property.  Millvale Riverfront Park is home to picnic pavilions, trails, bike and boat rentals, boat docks, and the very popular Mr. Small’s Skate Park, an indoor/outdoor recreation center that includes a vertical ramp and street course and has been voted Pittsburgh's best place to ride a skateboard.

The entrepreneurs that opened the skate park, Mike Speranzo and Liz Berlin (of the band Rusted Root), also started several other ventures in Millvale, including a recording studio and concert venue in the former St. Ann’s Catholic Church.  The site attracts international as well as local artists, ranging from the local Yves Jean Band to George Clinton to Ziggy Marley to rap artist 50 Cent.  Information on upcoming shows is available at www.mrsmalls.com.

The Millvale Mural, titled "A Walk Through Millvale", was designed by S. Kessler Kaminski in September 2003 to depict some of the scenes in Millvale, both inside and out. Kaminski has painted several murals in the town. This one was funded through the Sprout Fund; others were funded by the Borough or individual property owners.

Links

Borough of Millvale

Cool Space Award Winners

Mr. Smalls Funhouse Theatre & Recording Studios (2005)

Sign for Millvale Business District

Marc Chatellier's Bakery

Mr. Small's Funhouse Theatre

Lincoln Avenue

"A Walk Through Millvale"

Mural at McCarthy Park