UPTOWN PARTNERS OF PITTSBURGH

UPTOWN PARTNERS OF PITTSBURGH (UP) WAS FOUNDED IN 2007 AS A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION OF RESIDENTS, INSTITUTIONS, BUSINESS OWNERS AND OTHER CONCERNED STAKEHOLDERS TO IMPROVE COMMUNITY QUALITY OF LIFE - AND TO COLLABORATIVELY CREATE A VISION AND PATHWAY FOR UPTOWN'S MUCH NEEDED REVITALIZATION. WE ACHIEVE OUR GOALS BY PURSUING AN ACTION PLAN THAT: ENSURES THE DEVELOPMENT OF A CLEAN, SAFE, GREEN, AND EQUITABLE NEIGHBORHOOD; REBUILDS A MIXED INCOME POPULATION BY RECLAIMING VACANT, BLIGHTED PROPERTIES AND ENCOURAGING NEW RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT; ATTRACTS NEW NEIGHBORHOOD RETAIL AND COMMERCIAL BUSINESS, WHILE SUPPORTING EXISTING BUSINESS OWNERS; FOSTERS GREEN, QUALITY DESIGN IN ALL DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS; AND CREATES A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT WHERE THE ARTS FLOURISH AND ARE INTEGRATED INTO THE URBAN LANDSCAPE. TODAY UPTOWN PARTNERS IS WORKING WITH THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH, OUR COMMUNITY ANDE INSTITUTIONS, PORT AUTHORITY OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY, THE URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, GREEN BUILDING ALLIANCE, OAKLAND PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT CORP., AND OTHER INTERESTED STAKEHOLDERS IN A UNIQUE PUBLIC/PRIVATE PLANNING INITIATIVE, EMBODIED IN THE UPTOWN/WEST OAKLAND ECOLNNOVATION DISTRCT PLAN (ALSO REFERRED TO AS THE UPTOWN ECOLNNOVATION DISTRICT). THIS CREATES A FIRST EVER CITY MODEL, AND AMONG ONLY A FEW NATIONALLY, THAT DEPLOYS BEST PRACTICES FOR A NEIGHBORHOOD TO BECOME "RESILIENT, VIBRANT, RESOURCE EFFICIENT, AND JUST." PROGRAMS: UPTOWN PARTNERS CREATED THE REAL ESTATE DESIGN, AND DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE (REDD) TO ENSURE THAT NEW DEVELOPMENT AND PUBLIC SPACE UPHOLD HIGH EQUITABLE, ENVIRONMENTAL, CONTEXTUAL, AND DESIGN STANDARDS. THE PURPOSE OF REDD IS TO FOSTER SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD BY BALANCING COMMUNITY NEEDS AND IDENTIFYING MARKET OPPORTUNITIES, REFERENCING CURRENT AND PAST COMMUNITY PLANS FOR COMPATIBILITY. ALL PROJECTS WILL BE VETTED FOR QUALITY, SUSTAINABLE AND CONTEXTUAL DESIGN WITH AN EMPHASIS ON INTEGRATING ARTS INTO THE NEIGHBORHOOD. REDD WORKS WITH THE DEPT. OF CITY PLANNING, SPECIFICALLY, THE CONTEXTUAL DESIGN ADVISORY PANEL. REDD WELCOMES POTENTIAL DEVELOPERS WITH A VIABLE PROJECT TO PRESENT TO THE COMMITTEE FOR PRODUCTIVE DISCUSSION AND FEEDBACK ON THEIR PLANS. WORKING IN TANDEM WITH THE COMMITTEE HELPS ENSURE A SMOOTH PREDEVELOPMENT PROCESS AND A SUCCESSFUL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT. TO ESTABLISH ART AS A VISIBLE AND ACCESSIBLE PART OF UPTOWN'S IDENTITY, THE UPTOWNARTS WAS CREATED TO CELEBRATE, ENCOURAGE, AND ADAVOCATE FOR PUBLIC ART IN A SPACE THAT IS WELCOMING TO ALL ARTISTS. LED BY UPTOWN PARTNERS STAFF, THE PROGRAMS COMMITTEE CONSISTS OF RESIDENTS, ARTISTS, AND THOSE WITH A PASSION FOR ART WHO ALL SHARE AN INTEREST IN TRANSFORMING OUR URBAN LANDSCAPE WITH RICH AND RANGING PUBLIC ART. THE UPTOWNARTS COMMITTEE MEETS TO COLLABORATE ON ADVOCACY, PUBLIC ART IDEAS, OPPORTUNITIES, FUNDRAISING EFFORTS, EVENTS, AND MORE. THE COMMITTEE ALSO MEETS WITH DEVELOPERS TO DISCUSS WAYS THAT PUBLIC ART CAN BE MEANINGFULLY INTEGRATED INTO FUTURE AND EXISTING DEVELOPMENTS. THE COMMUNITY ACTION TEAM IS A SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE UPTOWN TASK FORCE, A PARTNERSHIP OF UPTOWN STAKEHOLDERS FOCUSED ON IMPLEMENTING THE UPTOWN ECOLNNOVATION DISTRICT PLAN TO IMPROVE AND ENHANCE THE UPTOWN NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH. THE COMMUNITY ACTION TEAM'S AIM IS TO ADVANCE PROJECTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY SECTION OF ECOLNNOVATION DISTRICT PLAN. THE TUSTIN STREET COMMUNITY GARDEN, AT 2021 TUSTIN ST., PROVIDES LOCAL RESIDENTS AN OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE THEIR HEALTH (WHILE SAVING MONEY) BY GROWING A VARITETY OF THEIR OWN VEGETABLES. TEN RAISED BEDS WERE CONSTRUCTED BY UPTOWN PARTNERS BOARD MEMBERS AND RESIDENTS IN NOVEMBER, 2010 AND PLANTED THE FOLLOWING SPRING. THIS GARDEN IS GENEROUSLY SUPPORTED WITH EXPERTISE AND RESOURCES, SUCH AS A COMMUNITY BUILD TOOL SHED, BY GROW PITTSBURGH AND MANY OTHERS. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PITTSBURGH COMMUNITY SERVICES INC., UPTOWN PARTNERS PROVIDES MONTHLY FOOD BOX DISTRIBUTIONS FOR UPTOWN RESIDENTS. FOOD BOX DELIVERIES ARE MANAGED BY PCSI AND ARE COMPLETED ON A BI-WEEKLY BASIS. PUBLIC SAFETY IS OUR COMMUNITY'S 1 PRIORITY AND IS A PRIMARY FOCUS OF UPTOWN PARTNERS (UP). IF YOU HAVE A CONCERN OR IDEAS ABOUT A SPECIFIC SAFETY CHALLENGE IN UPTOWN, JOIN UP AND SAFE STREETS UPTOWN (SSU) TASK FORCE MEMBERS FOR THE FIRST PORTION OF THE SAFE STREETS UPTOWN BIMONTHLY PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING. RESIDENTS, BUSINESS OWNERS, LANDLORDS, AND DEVELOPERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO BRING NEIGHNORHOOD SAFETY AND QUALITY OF LIFE ISSUES TO THESE MEETINGS. SAFE STREETS UPTOWN MEETINGS ARE HELD ON THE SECOND WEDNESDAY OF EVERY OTHER MONTH (JANUARY, MARCH, MAY, JULY, SEPTEMBER, AND NOVEMBER). THESE MEETINGS ARE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASSIST UP AND THE TASK FORCE IN STRATEGIC, TARGETED APPROACHES TO SOLUTIONS THAT CREATE A SAFER COMMUNITY FOR CURRENT AND FUTURE RESIDENTS.