Manning the business beat was an education in 2018
1400 Main Street apartment complex in Southpointe on Tuesday, October 2, 2018.
Matt Piatt/Horizon Properties Group, LLC
An image of Southpointe II captured by a drone.
Observer-Reporter
Washington Mall is seen in September 2018.
Year’s end is a time of reflection for many people, and a time of lists for media outlets. Here are 10 things I learned on the business beat in 2018:
1.Southpointe, holiday season or not, is a gift that never stops giving. Celebrating its silver anniversary, the mixed-use park is fully developed, yet continues to grow, change and look great – especially when you tool past on I-79 at night. It was ridiculed during the planning stages as “Frank’s Folly,” a project the late Frank Mascara, a Washington County commissioner at the time, fervently supported despite public opposition. It became “Frank’s Triumph.”
2. Washington Mall may have a barely perceptible pulse today, but it was wildly popular when it opened in October 1968 – and for three decades afterward. That was the heyday of the American mall, and the one erected in South Strabane Township was a gold standard location. It had a decidedly Washington County flavor then, built, operated and owned by locals. Lamentably, in an industry that is floundering, the mall now has only three businesses operating year-round.
3.The Pony League World Series, that annual rite of August, is a massive undertaking that has a massive financial impact on the city of Washington. It also focuses a global spotlight on Western Pennsylvania, with all games video streamed, in high definition, on mlb.com. Relatives of players from international teams can watch from home. “We want to make the World Series jump from Washington County to around the world,” said Bob Gregg, longtime Series chairman.
4. Speaking of Washington … despite lingering pockets of decay and that eyesore of a collapsed building, the city’s business district continues to remake itself. The pavilion roof was a crowning achievement in all ways, but other development has been impressive in recent years, including openings of restaurants, two distilleries, a brewery, a sporting goods shop, an arts and crafts store and an artisanal cheese location. Well done, entrepreneurs.
5. The oil and gas industry has rebounded, and while it may not attain the prolific levels of four years ago, its recovery has been robust. And, according to figures released recently by the state Department of Environmental Protection, Washington and Greene counties are at the forefront. They ranked second and third in natural gas production statewide during the first three quarters of this year. Washington had more active wells than any other county in Pennsylvania.
6.While natural gas is an abundant, cheap and valuable energy source, the fatal explosion at the MarkWest plant in Chartiers Township a few weeks ago and the September pipeline blast in Beaver County reinforce the reality that, while the process is usually executed safely, impactful accidents can occur. Safety is paramount
7.Community Bank seems like a misnomer because, well, it’s so big and continues to grow. The bank and its parent, CB Financial Services, outgrew their offices in downtown Washington and had to build a larger corporate center in North Franklin Township. CB also absorbed Progressive Bank of Wheeling in a merger last spring. A financial operation run by two guys named Pat – McCune, now retired, and O’Brien, his successor – benefits by not standing pat.
8.Until its recent closure, Rudnick’s may have been the greatest dining spot in the solar system. You could stroll into the Amwell Township eatery and get an entree and a drink for less than $10, and the sandwiches were bigger than LeBron James’ head. (It took me three days to finish one of its burgers.) And the food was outstanding. Enjoy retirement, Sherry and Vince.
9. Michael Bradwell, my predecessor in this job, covered this beat masterfully. He knew everything about business, it seemed – he was a voluminous reader – and he had sources everywhere. I’ve been an ink-stained wretch – as they used to call grizzled newspaper journalists – for 40-plus years, and may have learned more from him than any other individual. Enjoy retirement, Mike and Liz.
10 A turbulent year in journalism, which included the sale of this newspaper, and a turbulent global climate reinforced my perception that news organizations are vital. We are allies, not enemies, of the people.