UPBeat Newsletter – Summer 2012

SUMMER 2012
Uptown Partners of Pittsburgh
above: A segment of a possible BRT route in Uptown. right–top and middle: Construction banner at Shanahan site — Image from UPMC Mercy 10-Year Master Plan. below: Exterior banner and an interior view of one
of many unit plans at the Fifth Avenue School Lofts.
HELLO Neighbors
Uptown is hot! Pipeline projects and community development initiatives are picking up steam
this summer—including the pre-development activity of the Miltenberger-Forbes stabilization project, a
partnership of Uptown Partners and Pittsburgh Housing Development Corporation, the Paramount Film
Exchange building, and the launching of the Shanahan
apartments. UP guided the community through UPMC
Mercy’s 10- and 25-year institutional Master Plan, and
enhanced the corner of Fifth and Dinwiddie streets
with flower beds in the Public Works lot, thanks to
neighborhood and Duquesne University volunteers and
a “Love Your Block” grant through the Mayor’s Office
and Home Depot. What’s really cool, is the buzz of new
tenants in and around the Fifth Avenue High Lofts,
which is nearly fully leased and leading the transformation of the Fifth Avenue corridor. Kudos to Impakt
Development on executing a successful, high-quality
project in our front yard!
Keep your eyes on the former Uniforms USA building,
across from the Consol Energy Center on Fifth Avenue.
The 19,940 sq.ft. building, recently sold, will soon
feature a high-end sports bar, 10 loft-style apartments,
and the largest rooftop restaurant/bar in Pittsburgh.
Uptown is also in the process of exploring how a Bus
Rapid Transit system might fit into onto Fifth and Forbes
avenues, as part of the East End Corridor study. The
discussion continues on October 4 and all community
members are encouraged to bring opinions and ideas.
In July, UP said goodbye to Katelyn Hamilton, our
Working Together to Build a Vibrant Community
AmeriCorps*VISTA, ending a year of community service. Katie was invaluable in coordinating our community garden project, tree-planting efforts, code enforcement, and outreach—and will be truly missed.
Janet Stout, Co-President—UP Board
James Simon, Co-President—UP Board
UPMC Mercy
Plans for the Future
Over the past several months, UP has collaborated with UPMC Mercy to take the Uptown community through the hospital’s master planning process.
A master plan is required by the City of hospitals and
universities every 10 years to ensure that institutional
growth is compatible with community vision. The
primary focus of Mercy’s 10-year master plan is a heating and cooling power plant, a 1,200-car structured
parking garage, and rezoning that supports a consolidated campus.
Continued on back page...
above: Left: Love Your Block is a partnership of Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and The Home Depot Foundation to revitalize Pittsburgh - block by block!
Right: The great turnout for the first community discussion on BRT alignment alternatives generated thoughtful commentary.
Thank you, McAuley Ministries!
Uptown Partners applied and has been awarded an Outreach Grant from McCauley Ministries
foundation for operational support. The critical funding, $30,000 a year for three years, allows UP to hire a
second staff member to help implement a growing number of community initiatives and opportunities. Siena
Kane, a former Ameri Corps*VISTA, begins employment in August as UP Program Coordinator. This is Uptown
Partners’ second Outreach Grant with McAuley Ministries.
Uptown Looks at BRT
On May 8, Uptowners met in force at UPMC Mercy to review and comment on potential routing
alignment alternatives for a proposed bus rapid transit (BRT) system to connect Downtown Pittsburgh, Oakland
and other eastern neighborhoods. The alternatives are the work of the East End Corridor Study, an effort of
over 30 organizations, including the Port Authority of Allegheny County, the City of Pittsburgh, and Allegheny
County, facilitated by Sustainable Pittsburgh, to explore how an improved, more economical transit system can
‘fit’ onto Fifth/Forbes corridor neighborhoods such as Uptown.
BRT has been a proven catalyst in attracting economic development in cities nationwide…but it is not without
tradeoffs, as designated bus lanes are typical. In an Uptown scenario, that could mean eliminating parking lanes.
At the Uptown BRT meeting, residents, businesses and others expressed concern over the potential loss of
parking… a dialogue that will continue. At the next BRT meeting, transit consultants Parsons-Brinckerhoff will
present refined alternatives for the Uptown corridor. If you attended the first community meeting, please join us
again. If you missed the first meeting, we missed you, too. Hope to see all at our second meeting, Thursday,
October 4. Watch for notices!
What is BRT? See www.GettherePgh.org and learn about the process and next steps. Get involved. Make your
voice heard to determine the future of BRT in Uptown!
Love Your Block
On June 19, nearly 20 volunteers from the neighborhood, the Middle Hill, and Duquesne University prepared garden beds and planted perennial flowers and shrubs at the Public Works Facilities Maintenance
building at Fifth and Dinwiddie streets — enhancing a key Uptown intersection and reinforcing a Hill District connection. The project, coordinated by Uptown Partners, was funded through Mayor Luke Ravenstahl’s “Love Your
Block” Grant, $500 donated by Home Depot, with an additional UP contribution. Public Works staff, with support
of Acting Supervisor Henry Cafardi, is partnering with UP to water and mulch the new urban garden.
UP continues to advocate for increased safety measures on our streets, such as the new striping on this long pedestrian crosswalk. Thanks to Public Works and Councilman Lavelle’s Office for working with
UP on this and future safety efforts. photo above: Center.
www.uptownpartners.org
Shanahan Kickoff The start of construction on
the Shanahan building kicked off on June 1. Joining the ‘wall busting’ breakthrough event were Larry Swanson, Executive Director
of ACTION-Housing, Inc., Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, State Senator
Wayne Fontana, Councilman Lavelle’s office, Christopher Rosselot,
representative for US Senator Robert Casey, with Funders Mary
Ann Sipos of PHFA, Tom Cummings of the URA, Rick Savido of
BNY Mellon, Macy Kisilinsky of The National Equity Fund, Inc.,
and David Weber of the Pittsburgh Housing Authority. Special
recognition to ACTION-Housing Board of Directors and supportive
services partners of the project: The Center for Hearing and Deaf
Services, Mercy Behavioral Health, and Allegheny County Dept.
of Human Services.
bottom: Katie Hamilton guides Uptown children in a Tustin Street Garden improvement project.
top: The Shanahan building features 43 affordable rental units, designed to meet the needs of a local workforce and special needs population.
Leasing is planned for spring, 2013. For rental information,
call Carol Kelley at Supportive Housing Management Services
at 412.829.3910, x114.
UpBeat is an Uptown Partners publication.
Jeanne McNutt, editor—Soho and Company, design
To contact UP, email us at info@uptownpartners.org
or call 412.325.2723.
www.uptownpartners.org
Stay UPdated!
Join your neighbors for the next Community Meeting:
Wednesday, October 24, 2012 at 6:00pm
Location to be announced!
Learn about the UPMC Mercy Master Plan and share
your thoughts on Uptown issues. Light refreshments.
Call UP at 412.325.2723 for information.
thanks
Supporters and
Friends
ACCBO
ACTION-Housing, Inc.
McAuley Ministries
Authority
Linda Metropulos
Western Pennsylvania
Conservancy
Jake Milofsky
Laura Nettleton
Sal Williams
Real Estate
Agency 1903
NeighborWorks
Western Pennsylvania
Terry Cassidy
Kevin Nord
Castlebrook
Development
Oakland Planning and
Development Corp.
Center for Hearing
and Deaf Services
Parsons-Brinckerhoff
uptown partners
of pittsburgh
2012 Board
of Directors
Pittsburgh Association
of the Deaf
Janet Stout,
Co-President
Pittsburgh Central
Keystone Innovation
Zone
James Simon,
Co-President
Lisa Ceoffe
Christopher Cassady
City of Pittsburgh
Philip Clarke
Clean Green Hill
Pittsburgh City
Planning
Community Design
Center of Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh Community
Reinvestment Group
Luci-Jo DiMaggio
Pittsburgh Mercy
Health System
Duquesne Light
Company
Duquesne University
Everett & Hurite
Ophthalmic
Association
Fidelity Bank –
Jeni Cooper
Pittsburgh Partnership for Neighborhood
Development
Jeanne Crichlow,
Secretary
Karen Abrams
Renee Aldrich
Nate Hurt
Lynn Hyde
Mike Mrzlack
POISE Foundation
Friends of the Pittsburgh Urban Forest
Rotary Club of
Pittsburgh
G-TECH
Rebuilding Together
Pittsburgh
Hill District
Consensus Group
Mike Capsambelis,
Treasurer
Port Authority of
Allegheny County
Mayor Luke Ravenstahl
Jonathan Hill
Chris Roach,
Vice President
PNC Bank
Felix Fukui
Grow Pittsburgh
Sonny Williams
Stephen Schillo
Soho and Company
Sustainable Pittsburgh
Helen Perilloux
Peter Smerd
Advisors
Bob Kollar,
Graduate School of
Accountancy,
Duquesne University
Chris Spina
Spina Law Associates
Hill House Association
Chris Spina
Hill House Economic
Development Corp.
Sprout Fund
Staff
Colin Kelley
TreeVitalize
Craig Thompson
Photography
Jeanne McNutt,
Executive Director
Bob Kollar
Councilman
Dan Lavelle
UPMC Mercy
Bernie Lynch
Urban Innovation 21
Uptown Partners Board
Urban Redevelopment
Siena Kane,
Program Coordinator
non-profit org.
u.s. postage
paid
permit no. 871
pittsburgh, pa
710 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1000, Pittsburgh, PA 15219
return service requested
Uptown Partners is a community-based organization of
residents, institutions, and business owners—working
together to build a vibrant Uptown community.
www.uptownpartners.org
UPMC Mercy Plans
for the Future
Continued from page 1
After a careful review process, UP agrees that strategies to achieve these outcomes are in alignment
with our revitalization goals. The UP review process
included presentations to UP leadership, the Uptown
Partners Board of Directors, the Uptown Development
Review Team, and two community-wide presentations
held at UPMC Mercy.
We applaud UPMC Mercy’s efforts to ensure that
throughout the process, neighborhood voices were
valued — reflected in significant revisions to the plan
based on community feedback.
As elements of the Master Plan are launched, we look
forward to an ongoing partnership with UPMC Mercy
to assure agreement on areas of community benefit
— such as quality architectural design, greening and
street amenities.
The Master Plan has been approved by City Planning
Commission, and construction on the power plant
and garage could begin as early as this fall. The plan is
posted on www.uptownpartners.org under Neighborhood and Development Pipeline.