Community Highlights:

Food & Beverages

Accommodations

Historic Sites

Parks & Recreation

Youghiogheny River

Directions & Map

Our Region

Cornerstone Building

´ Affordable Housing
´ Office/Retail Space
´ Virtual Tour

Main Street Program

´ Comprehensive Strategy
´ Projects & Priorities
´ Partnerships
´ Contributions
´ Committees

Business Incentives

´ Design Challenge Grant
´ Commercial Rehab Loan
´ Microloans
´ Design Assistance

DWNI Mission and Vision

Downtown West Newton, Inc. (DWNI) is a 501(c)(3), non-profit, community development corporation. Our committees include Organization, Promotion, Design, and Economic Restructuring.

Our mission is to help West Newton's downtown by stabilizing our economy, enhancing our assets, and encouraging development, while preserving our unique charm.

DWNI has developed a strategy for enhancing the downtown. Our vision is to ...

• create attractive entrances into downtown
• improve the look of the trailhead and riverfront
• create better access from the trail into downtown
• support businesses and attract new businesses and customers
• improve parking and traffic flow
• promote our unique historic,scenic and cultural assets.
  

In 1998, DWNI and West Newton Borough Council received funding for a professional strategic plan to help us focus on our priorities. In addition, we have secured funding for architectural renderings of Main Street facades to guide property owners in historically-sensitive rehabilitation using cost-effectvie measures. Commercial National Bank and DWNI sponsor a low-interest rehab loan program at 2% below prime as another incentive to appropriately renovate downtown properties. Six facades have been completed so far.

DWNI has purchased an anchor property on the corner of Main and Second Streets known as the Cornerstone Building. Restoration and construction will be completed this April. The Cornerstone Building features affordable housing on the upper floors and prime space for retailers or offices on the ground floors.

DWNI is also very proud that West Newton is a national "Main Street Community." For the next five years, we will receive much needed technical and financial assistance for upcoming projects. DWNI will oversee the program for the borough and will operate four committees under the Main Street approach.