SOMERSET, PA – Today Lt. Gov. Austin Davis highlighted how investments by the Shapiro-Davis Administration are revitalizing downtown Somerset and helping small businesses grow through the Main Street Matters program.
“I grew up in McKeesport, a former steel town, so I’ve seen what happens when businesses and governments stop investing in local communities,” said Davis. “Here in Somerset County and across the Commonwealth, it’s time to write a new chapter. While Pennsylvania’s downtowns and Main Streets are often windows into our past, Governor Shapiro and I know they can be economic engines for our future. We want to create real economic opportunity for Pennsylvanians in every community, whether you live in Somerset or Scranton, and we want every Pennsylvania community to be a place where businesses can grow and families can thrive.”
Under the Shapiro-Davis Administration, Pennsylvania is ranked the top state in the northeast for business by CNBC, and data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show that Pennsylvania ranks among the top states in the nation for five-year new business survival.
The 2026-27 budget builds on this momentum by investing $20 million in continued funding for main streets and small businesses through the Main Street Matters program to strengthen commercial corridors that are the heart of Pennsylvania’s communities.
In 2025, the Shapiro-Davis Administration announced nearly $300,000 in Main Street Matters funding for Somerset, Inc. for their Diamond Row Renovation project. In addition, the Redevelopment Authority of Somerset County received a $50,000 planning grant through Main Street Matters to rehabilitate two historic properties on West Union Street.
Today Davis visited these projects to see their progress and stopped by a new small business in Somerset.
“We're honored to be able to show the Lieutenant Governor the important work of Main Street and what this investment means to our community,” said Regina Coughenour, Executive Director of Somerset, Inc. “For years, Diamond Row has been a labor of love, with thousands of volunteer hours fueling its progress. Now, in large part because of the investment from Main Street Matters, we are finally approaching the finish line.”
Earlier this year, Davis toured downtown Etna in Allegheny County and Sharon in Mercer County to see how Main Street Matters funding is helping to revitalize those communities.
Main Street Matters has invested $34 million in 137 revitalization projects in communities across the Commonwealth since it was created in 2024.
Lt. Gov. Austin Davis visits the Diamond Row renovation in Somerset.