Martin Fedorko: Seeing York as a small-scale Pittsburgh

When Martin Fedorko moved to York from Pittsburgh, he saw similarities of a city undergoing a transformation.

Presented by: Our York Media

On a First Friday over the summer, when it’s 10 at night and people still pack the restaurants, walk the sidewalks, and fill the square, York looks a lot like a small-scale Pittsburgh, at least to Martin Fedorko.

And that’s when it’s most clear to him that York is on the rise.

Martin lived in Pittsburgh before moving to York for a job two years ago. When he did, his expectations for the city were low to non-existent.

But when he arrived, the signs of revitalization and similarities to what he’d seen in Pittsburgh 10 years ago were undeniable.

He saw development, investment, innovation, and a slow change of perception. He saw the beginnings of a transformation.

And he dove in headfirst to become a part of it.

I want to make a difference in the place that I call home.

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Martin Fedorko

He started volunteering at the York County Literacy Council, joined the board of Working Class, took on a business advisory role for the STEAM Academy, and joined the board for Creativity Unleashed at the York County Economic Alliance.

It was the best way he knew to get to know the city and the people working to build it up.

To Martin, it’s not just about having a lively nightlife; you have to support everyone in the community to help a city rise, he says.

It’s the behind-the-scenes programs, like the nonprofits that help improve adult literacy and encourage children in the arts, that help build the foundation for the city.

You might see the signs of revitalization in a bustling First Friday, but the real change happens when you build up the community at every level.

Pittsburgh will always be close to his heart, but he’s proud to call York home now – and he’s excited to be a part of the city’s transformation.

“I want to make a difference in the place that I call home,” he says.

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