Swissvale officials and residents are hoping a new initiative will restore some shine to the neighborhoods surrounding the Kopp Glass site.

The Mon Valley Initiative has teamed up with local entities in an effort to restore 15 old buildings and construct 10 new ones in the Kopp Glass corridor.

Blocks on Monongahela, Palmer, Duquesne and Park avenues are scheduled to see new construction -- if all goes well -- next summer.

Patrick Shattuck, senior real estate developer for the Mon Valley Initiative, said it has already received an unspecified financial commitment from the Allegheny County Department of Economic Development and the Pennsylvania Finance Agency under the Neighborhood Revitalization Program.

He said his organization will find out about additional funding sources by the middle of October.

"We really have been working to build a strong partnership with churches, neighborhood groups, council and SEDCO [Swissvale Economic Development Corporation]," Mr. Shattuck said.

"We've built broad-based consensus around redevelopment efforts," he said.

"We've been coordinating with Allegheny Together, the county's Downtown program, and we've been focusing on businesses in the loop corridor of Noble and Washington [streets]."

The initiative not only will create and renovate homes, but will make use of a large unused building by converting the former Madonna Del Castello Catholic Church to four townhouses.

"We've really looked [to] address a variety of housing options," Mr. Shattuck said. "Larger homes, condos ... and they're all home ownership."

Sharon Hanchett, a Swissvale council member and the chairman of SEDCO, said an increase in home ownership in a small area would have a positive affect throughout the community.

"I think owning your own home is the American dream, and it's a wonderful thing," she said.

"I'd like Swissvale to remain in people's eyes as a good place to live."

Len Shockling, real estate broker and SEDCO treasurer, said: "The hopeful impact, I believe, would be to see an increase in the number of homeowners in an area who will have descent housing -- as a matter of fact, probably better-than-average housing -- and to see an opportunity to better themselves and the community."

Another impact all parties involved hope to see will be improvements to the adjoining neighborhoods of Rankin and North Braddock, as a result of Swissvale's changes.

Mr. Shattuck said projects completed by MVI in those neighborhoods, such as the Corners at Fifth project in Braddock, are attempts to improve the neighborhoods surrounding what will be a major project in the future.

"We're really keeping things going developing both communities, and both communities are adjacent to the redevelopment effort planned for the Carrie Furnace site," he said.

While improving Swissvale aesthetically is certainly a priority, according to Mr. Shockling, the most important changes will be made in the lives of residents who see their neighborhood making a transition.

"We hope to improve the quality of life of people who are living there now, many of whom are older and of limited means," he said, adding that the initiative also hopes to purchase and renovate many of their homes.

"It's hard to see some of the homes in the condition they're in," said Ms. Hanchett, a lifelong Swissvale resident.

"It will be good to see some of those homes revitalized."