Vibrant Tarentum mural nod to past, hope for future

A former junk store standing vacant on a prime Tarentum corner will soon show signs of life.

The old Grant Building, at Corbet Street and Fourth Avenue, will be the canvas for a giant mural depicting life in the borough.

The painting will be about 10 feet tall and up to 50 feet wide, splashed across the side of the brick building in vibrant colors, according to artist Ernesto Camacho.

Camacho, co-owner of the Manos Gallery along Fifth Avenue, submitted a bright sketch depicting churches, antique shops and other buildings that make up the small town.

Highlighted around the drawing are words including family, love and community.

“I’m excited to get started,” Camacho said. “It’s going to be very bright colors. You won’t miss it.”

The artist plans to prime the wall beginning this week and then begin sketching.

“It’s exciting to see something different and welcoming to our borough,” said councilwoman and recreation board President Carrie Fox.

The idea was spearheaded by the rec board and approved by council in June.

The $3,000 price tag will be picked up by Tripak Industries, which operates along the railroad tracks in West Tarentum.

The design is a nod to the borough’s heyday but allows viewers to imagine growth in years to come, Camacho said.

A bright yellow sunshine takes center stage, with block letters spelling out Tarentum across it.

Street signs depict all that the borough offers, such as “art gallery,” “antiques” and “jewelry store.”

Council President Scott Dadowski was game for the idea, saying the project will be a focal point of town and give a warm welcome to visitors.

Public art has been popping up in local towns, as it helps beautify spaces but also can boost the economy by attracting visitors.

The mural is the latest in a string of efforts to revitalize Corbet Street and the borough at-large.

Council earlier this year approved the demolition of a building at 215 Corbet St. in favor of constructing a gazebo in its place.

The borough’s budget this year includes $75,000 for anti-blight demolition. Since 2020, council approved 60 nuisance structures to be razed.

Fox said plans for a new mural have been in the works for about three years.

The Grant Building, once home to doctor’s offices and other businesses in the borough’s commercial district, was selected for its high foot-traffic visibility.

Tarentum already is home to a large mural depicting a train carrying some of the borough’s history in each railroad car, but it is painted on a retaining wall behind JG’s Tarentum Station Grille, just below Sixth Avenue, and not readily seen by passersby.

Fox said she hopes the painting provides a feel-good moment for people. The sketch features a streetscape with a pile of blocks and a small ladder.

“All the words that are on the blocks — love, community, family — are things we want to bring here,” Camacho said.