The new face at Coatesville City Hall isn’t just talking about new ideas for the future of Chester County’s once-prosperous steel city. Michael Trio is rolling up his sleeves.

“It seems like there have been a lot of starts that kind of don’t get finished, so we want to take it to the finish line this time,” he said in a recent Daily Local News interview.

Trio possesses an urban planning degree from West Chester University, but his practical, hands-on experience is what attracted the attention of the City Council, which swore him in on Aug. 10. Trio’s ownership of two consulting firms led him to an executive seat at prominent King of Prussia developer O’Neill Properties, where he served as senior vice president and land planning director. He is also a former township manager and 12-year veteran planning commissioner for Newtown Township in Delaware County.

He intends to translate that expertise and Coatesville’s unique circumstances and opportunities into a workable business plan and a focus on following through on the city’s big dreams.

“The issue is getting the word out that Coatesville is the next place to be,” Trio said in the article. “I think Chester County has done a great job with West Chester, Kennett and Phoenixville, but I think it’s Coatesville’s time. The residents and people I talk to seem to be interested in bringing a new day to the city.”

A good place to start is by hashing out ideas with any interested developers, he noted.

“A lot of the construction, it’s turn-of-the-century construction. It’s lasting construction; it just has to be maintained, has to be renovated, has to be redeveloped. We really want to make the city attractive for new businesses to come in and for businesses that are here to expand.”

Read more about Coatesville’s new city manager and his perspective on the community’s future in the Daily Local News here, and check out previous VISTA Today coverage of his hiring here.