Pennsylvania Downtown Center members from across the Commonwealth took a tour of the City of Pittston followed by a dinner at Rikasa Restaurant. Pittston Mayor Michael Lombardo, far right, and Pittston Main St. Manager Mary Kroptavich served as hosts and guides on Sunday, June 25.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
The City of Pittston/Pennsylvania Downtown Center tour visted the Slope Amphitheater.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
The Pennsylvania Downtown Center is shown on a walking tour the Art Loop Trail at center city Pittston.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
City of Pittston Mayor Michael Lombardo, center, is shown talking about the great mural done on the side of the Newrose Building, Pittston.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
Delegates from the Pennsylvania Downtown Center relaxed on the rooftop facilities at Rikasa Restaurant prior to dinner.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
PITTSTON – A delegation of approximately 100 convention attendees from Scranton visited and toured the City of Pittston ending with dinner at Rikasa on Sunday, June 25.
The Pennsylvania Downtown Center (PDC) is the statewide entity overseeing the Main Street and Elm Street programs, which is an affiliate of the national Main Street organization.
The PDC held the 2023 annual convention at Scranton and the first of a four-day conference was hosted by the City of Pittston when two busloads of convention attendees traveled to the city for the tour and dinner.
The City of Pittston hosts, Mayor Michael Lombardo and Main Street Manager Mary Kroptavich, received convention attendees for a tour that began at the Pittston Memorial Library down through the Art Loop Trail into the Tomato Festival lot to the grand mural on the side of the Newrose Building, ending at Rikasa Restaurant’s rooftop facility before dining at Rikasa’s third floor banquet hall.
According to Lombardo, the PDC convention moves about the state to different locations and about a year ago, local mayors as well as several local partnerships along with Lombardo and Kroptavich made a plea to hold the convention in NEPA.
“We were able to bring over 130 plus people downtown to do a tour of the Art Loop Trail, to talk about the art and revitalization and the murals in the city,” Lombardo said. “Mary (Kroptavich) and I did a presentation at the convention on the murals and what the process is. We talked about our murals and the process involved with murals utilizing a Mural Toolkit.”
Lombardo said the buses arrived at 5:30 p.m. and ended up leaving the city at 9:30 p.m.
The private event was a chance for the city to showcase the revitalization of the city along with the artwork around town.
“I was pleased with the evening and what was really great were members of the Department of Community Development (DCD) who got to see the real outcome of dollars spent on and appreciate the projects we have done in the city,” Lombardo said. “Anytime we can get state people like that here in the city works well for us.”
