Community

…smack dab in the middle between two of PA’s largest economic generators, Downtown Pittsburgh and Oakland, in one of the highest performing transit corridors in the region — with state-of-the art transit systems on the horizon.  
[ Jeanne McNutt, Executive Director, Uptown Partners ]

 
Uptown Partners of Pittsburgh propels this underserved neighborhood forward. Uptown was once a bustling, diverse neighborhood of residents and businesses. But poverty, chronic apathy and disinvestment has been the norm for the better part of the past half-century. Residents and others have watched the neighborhood fabric disintegrate through deterioration and demolition. Today, every fifth house is in poor condition, 25% of real estate is surface lots and only 66% of buildings are fully occupied.

 

But there’s good news!

Over the past four years Uptown has organized and is focused on a common vision for the future. Its residents, businesses and institutions are determined to work together to create a vibrant community.

Uptown’s partners include change-makers at the Mayor’s Office, City Planning, Urban Redevelopment Authority, Pittsburgh Partnership for Neighborhood Development, Duquesne University, UPMC Mercy, McAuley Ministries and Metropulos Development. To create a dynamic Fifth/Forbes corridor, Uptown has teamed with Oakland Planning and Development Corporation, the PCKIZ and the Hill House Economic Development Corporation.

The PCKIZ is collaborating with Oakland Planning and Development, the Hill House Economic Development Corporation

and Uptown Partners on the Pittsburgh Partnership for Neighborhood Development Multi-Corridor Strategy.

 

This dynamic video promotes this strategy.

 


Uptown Assets

uptownpartners.org

Strategically located between PA’s two largest economic generators, Downtown Pittsburgh and Oakland, Uptown has an articulate vision. In 2009, Rothschild Doyno Collaborative, Metropulos Development and GSP Consulting led the community through a community-wide visioning process, resulting in an articulate Vision Plan, now in early stages of implementation.
One of the highest performing transit corridors in the region, with state-of-the art transit systems on the horizon. Over 50,000 commuters pass through Uptown every day; the Fifth/Forbes corridor is one of the highest-performing Port Authority bus routes. Evolving Transit Oriented Development opportunities are embraced by City and others.
UPMC Mercy: increasing its services, patient and employee base, it’s a world-class trauma and burn center. It has recently absorbed the majority of UPMC’s South Side facility. Long-range plans include a bigger hospital footprint. Mercy is committed to work with the Uptown community vision.
Duquesne University: with 10,000 students and attractive buying power, it now generates Forbes Avenue activity with the new Power Center. Campus and community housing for undergrad and graduate students is a current priority. And its sustainability program is a model for Uptown’s future.
Consol Energy Center: drawing over 1,000,000 visitors each year. It’s the new Pittsburgh Penguin’s ice hockey arena in Uptown. It has great potential to spur market forces. Street-level activity brings increased vitality and new amenities to the west end of the community along Fifth Avenue. Its 16,000-18,000 capacity draws a diverse audience for hockey, arena football, music, and other events.
Pittsburgh Central Keystone Innovation Zone: supporting high-tech start-ups, the PCKIZ is a public/private partnership that promotes and stimulates local community economic development.
Major walkable and bikeable corridors.
An energetic arts community transforming the streetscape… Art on Gist is a community effort to ensure that public art takes center stage in enlivening the streetscape and generating economic development. To date three murals funded by the Sprout Fund have been created.
Acres of available property await development
A community organization dedicated to thoughtful economic development and quality of life. Uptown has one of the lowest trees per capita among city neighborhoods…but the community is now in tree-planting mode with help from Tree Vitalize and Friends of the Pittsburgh Urban Forest. Community Tree Tenders has planted over 60 trees since 2009.
Uptown is a URA certified Redevelopment Zone—making tax incentives available for developers and investors.
The historic Fifth Avenue High School, essentially vacant four decades, was sold in 2009. Impackt Development is now transforming it into 65 market rate apartments.

UP Partners and Collaborators

NeighborWorks Western PA

Hill Consensus Group

Oakland Planning and Development Corp.

Hill House Economic Development Corp.

Pittsburgh Partners for Neighborhood Development

Community Design Center of Pittsburgh

Community Technical Assistance Center

Pittsburgh Community Reinvestment Group

Port Authority of Allegheny County

McAuley Ministries

UPMC Mercy Hospital

Duquesne University

City of Pittsburgh Zone 2 Police Department

Urban Redevelopment Authority

Pittsburgh Central Keystone Innovation Zone

Uptown Business Community

Consol Energy Center

Southwestern Commission

Sustainable Pittsburgh

Poise Foundation

Duquesne Light Company PA

Dept. of Transportation

Grow Pittsburgh GTECH

Western PA Conservancy

Sprout Fund

Pittsburgh Association of the Deaf

Sal Williams Real Estate

Agency 1903

 


Innovation Matters

Community Impact—Dale McNutt

It’s PEOPLE, that matter — the deeper realization for sustainability of human spirit and opportunity — as much as the generation of dollars based on innovative ideas that drives sustainable economic development. StartUptown is uniquely poised to help. By embedding young technology and socially innovative entrepreneurs in the underserved, Uptown/Hill community this opportunity can take hold — spurred by the advantages of being in the Pittsburgh Central Keystone Innovation Zone; in the vital corridor linking Oakland’s university/medical center and Downtown Pittsburgh; alongside the Second Avenue technology strip. In this startup coworking space questions are asked about community development — ”How does it happen? At what speed?” — and are answered, “It only happens through local residents, businesses and anchor institutions taking charge — creating a neighborhood organization that makes productive noise. It’s grassroots. It’s democracy at it’s messy finest.” StartUptown aspires to be an integral part of this community-building process by developing an entrepreneurial campus that can retain a startup through an extended incubation period, and growth of up to 20-50 employees. It will educate and cultivate both sides — community and entrepreneur — about the accrual of economic advantages in working side-by-side.