A Voice Restored for the North End

By THE EDITORIAL BOARD

I

t is with a profound sense of duty that The Juniata Observer returns to the ink-stained traditions of our predecessors. For too long, the distinct character of the North End—specifically our storied streets of Juniata and the burgeoning heights of Wehnwood—has been subsumed by the broader reports of the city at large.

Our mission is simple yet steadfast: to serve as the singular record for these neighborhoods. Whether it is a development atop the Wehnwood hills or a civic gathering near the old Fourth Street square, if it matters to the residents of the "Borough," it is front-page news to us.

Critics may point to the Great Annexation of 1929 as the moment Juniata ceased to be its own master. We respectfully disagree. Annexation may have unified our pipes and our paving, but it could never dilute the individuality of a people who built the greatest locomotive works in the world. We are more than a district; we are a legacy of industry.

The Wehnwood Pivot

The massive 45,000-square-foot facility at 431 E. 25th Avenue—formerly the iQor call center—is once again on the market. The Great Commission School has opted to move its expansion to a brand-new campus in Hollidaysburg.

The school received a favorable review for the Stowell Farm property. Consequently, the 25th Avenue building has been re-listed at an estimated $2.2 million, marketed as a blank canvas for commercial or medical use.