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‘Reinvest in our community’: City of Williamsport officials tour formerly blighted, newly renovated home

By Mark Maroney 8 min read

City officials gathered Tuesday morning in Williamsport to take a tour of a new home built and ready for sale at 743 Park Ave.on the site of what was a formerly dilapidated property that was razed to make room for this home.

Jennifer Matz, chairwoman of the Williamsport Redevelopment Authority, August "Skip" Memmi, RDA executive director, and Mayor Derek Slaughter were on hand for the open house tour of the newly constructed residence, which was listed for sale at $204,900 and was expected to go on the market within hours of the tour.

The house is right across from the Salvation Army Red Shield Community Garden, within sight of UPMC Williamsport campus.

"This morning we are at 743 Park Ave.," Slaughter said. "This is a formerly dilapidated blighted property," he said. "It had holes in the roof, pigeons living in the ceilings," he said. "We were getting a ton of calls about this property and asking us to do something."

The city worked with the Redevelopment Authority/Land Bank. The city allocated $2 million to the RDA and Land Bank a few years ago as part of the vetted distribution of $25.4 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds that came out of the COVID-19 pandemic relief.

That money was directed to "reinvest in the city and properties just like this," Slaughter said.

Today, this is a brand new home that is going to list most likely Tuesday afternoon.

"This is owner-occupied, this is public safety, it's quality of life, it's reinvesting in neighborhoods, it helps the entire block now," Slaughter said. "You take a blighted property and put a brand new home, which is the administration's goal, working alongside the RDA/Land Bank Authority to reinvest in these neighborhoods and address the blighted properties, blight elimination, blight remediation."

The city essentially went from an old and dilapidated property to a nice, new property that is going back on the tax rolls and will be owner-occupied.

"This is what it looks like to reinvest in our community and we are going to keep doing that across the city," Slaughter said.

Slaughter, to a question, said how not just neighbors are enthused by the home, but there are a lot of people who go to the nearby River Valley YMCA, who go to the community garden right across the street. "So, for many years, basically since I became mayor, folks were asking about this property," Slaughter said, adding he said he answered many who questioned him by asking, "'Derek, what is going on with that property across the street it looks terrible, you need to do something with that and so, again, working with the RDA ... now people are saying, 'Derek, thank you, thanks to the Redevelopment Authority for taking an eyesore in this neighborhood, in the city, and making it a new property again, reinvesting, getting it back on the tax rolls.'"

"It is just a huge improvement, not just to this neighborhood but throughout the city with what we want to do with all of our blighted properties," Slaughter said.

He noted how the RDA has worked on a property in Newberry at Mosser Avenue, it has done this property, there is one next to First Church and one upcoming at 1158 Isabella St., which is roofed in, windows in, and now crews are putting back and front porches on it. Siding is on site and that project should be done in about 45 days, Memmi said.

A history of the redevelopment at 743 Park Ave.

This project started in June 2024, Memmi said.

At that time, the appraised value was $6,000, he said, adding that due to structural failure and the city deeming it as unsafe, the city demolished the property. That September, the Land Bank Authority acquired the property at tax sale for $20,000.

"This was the cost of demolition, and unpaid back taxes," Memmi said. "The goal of the Land Bank Authority was to repurpose the property with an owner-occupied single-family home, adding it to the city's tax rolls.

"In March 2025, the Land Bank Authority purchased a two-bedroom, one bath, open concept single story modular home from Commodore Homes/Quality Homes.

"A month later, Steinbacher Enterprises began the process of excavating, and constructing the superior wall system, also the necessary infrastructure for the placement of the new home."

That July, OHT Transport delivered and placed the new home on the site. That same day (July 15) the city issued a stop work order. The issue was the distance between buildings a dimensional fire code violation, Memmi said.

The Land Bank Authority Board was dedicated to getting this project completed and directed its staff, solicitors and building code consultants to work with the city to resolve the issue.

Eventually, a hearing was conducted by the building codes review board, a decision was rendered that allowed the project to move forward. A new building permit was issued December 2025.

Tangible investment result to add to the tax rolls

During the tour, Matz said the city needs housing and not just in developments where the starting price point is $350,000 to $400,000. The house has one bath on the first floor but it has been framed out to add another bedroom and bath in the lower level.

There is an exit from the lower level and required windows from the lower level making it possible for this house to be a three-bedroom home.

The back yard is fenced in and is a nice private space.

"You could put a fire pit out there, you could do whatever you'd like out there," Memmi said.

"This is ample to have a pet," Matz said. "And your own little space."

The house has central air conditioning positioned at the rear.

A small patch of new sidewalk was added in the front and there is a gate to access the residence. It's really low maintenance as far as size and the grass lot can be mowed within a few minutes.

Inside, the kitchen has a small island adding to the counter space offering food preparation space. Plenty of space for kitchenware, dish clothes, etc. There is a full bathroom.

The downstairs has a basement with higher ceilings and can be converted to an extra third bedroom along with extra space for utilities or adding a pool or ping pong table, for example.

There is plumbing allowing for a second half bath or full bath.

"Your supply and return are already there," Matz said.

The extra bedroom space in the basement has enough light from an egress location with a ladder built on that makes it completely code compliant. The area provides space for a walk-in closet.

There is a framework in the basement that allows for proper and desired lighting, additional wiring and outlets and full electrical supplies. It does not have an attic but has storage space.

"It's so solid, it's so nice and clean," Matz said, adding how this ready to move into residence would serve perfectly as a starter home, or a place for retirees to settle into.

"Everything has been well thought out," Matz said, remarking how this reinvested section of the city on Park Avenue is "very walkable."

The neighborhood is not far from any restaurant, is the bus route and accessible to the central business district in a matter of minutes.

"I am curious to see who ends up purchasing the house," Matz said.

Slaughter and the RDA Land Bank Authority board of directors said they are proud to demonstrate that a blighted property can be repurposed, and wanted to let the community know that they are committed to remediating blight throughout the city and making Williamsport a better place to live, work, and play.

Asked how excited he would be to drive by and see a family living here, Memmi said, "I know my board is going to be thrilled. I will be glad to see it occupied. The mayor has tasked us to improve the quality of the housing in the city. He's tasked us with trying to deal with the blighted issues in the city, and if we can improve the tax base, that improves the community for everybody in the city," he said.

"These neighbors have been ecstatic about this project," Memmi said. "They've been very helpful, they've been interested and they realize that if they ever want to go and sell their property and if the original house was still here it reduced their values," he said.

"This house now has improved values for all of this three or four block area," he said. "If we get the asking price, it will have set the standard for this area."

"It blends nicely even though it's not the same character of the Park Avenue property," Matz said.

The allocation of the $2 million was invested to create the catalyst to improve all of the city, Memmi observed.

"And it's happening," Slaughter added. "This becomes a revolving process. The RDA sells this, gets money back and invests in the next property," he said.

"I also want to thank City Council," Slaughter said. "They agreed with the administration a few years ago to invest these dollars with the Redevelopment Authority, to deploy them into our neighborhoods."

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