Every month, our South Pittsburgh newsletter highlights neighborhood news, project updates, and major developments. Much of our everyday work that goes into to bigger accomplishments goes untold. Here are just a few things City Council District 4 did in February!
- I was honored to attend Ready to Run, a bipartisan political training that encourages women to run for government and leadership positions. We know our government works best when we are represented well, and women make up 51% of the population. With only 1 woman from Western PA in the State legislature and none in Congress, women's voices and experiences are underrepresented in the democratic process. I want to help encourage other women to run and lead.
- We have been working on getting the Gender Equity commission up and running. Stay tuned for our announcement that we are accepting applications!
- We met with the City's Greenway and Open Space Coordinator, Josh Lippert, to discuss the new Greenway Plan he has been working on, and determine how we can best utilize our City resources to give residents opportunities to access the recreational opportunities in our lovely greenways
- We braved the bitter cold with neighbors in Brookline so we could evaluate some concerns about a new development. Although the development is in Mt. Lebanon (and therefore has to be approved by Mt. Lebo) we have worked with the Planning Board of Mt. Lebanon, the developer, contractor, and the City's Bureau of Police, and Department of Public Works to get answers to these concerns. Call our office to learn more at 412-255-2131.
- Staff attended the Hillcrest Art Meeting and got an update from the developer on the project. Applications for renting apartments should be released soon. We will post information about applying on our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/PghDistrict4/. Follow us for this and many more updates!
- Ashleigh Deemer toured the under-construction Beechview Senior and Community Center and the photos she shared with the office were amazing - we were delighted by the light flooding in through the new windows. The interior has been framed out, and the project is proceeding at a good pace. We anticipate the building to reopen to the community in late spring or early summer. Check out our Facebook page for the photos.
Do you spend time at Phillips Park? Would you like to be involved in programming, maintenance and planning for this wonderful neighborhood asset? We are looking for 3 Carrick residents and 3 Overbrook residents to sit on a "Friends of Phillips Park" group. The first priority for the group will be naming the trails in the park, so we can have signage for the park and its trails at all entry points to it.
Interested residents are asked to submit their name, phone number, email address, as well as a short interest statement about why they would like to be involved. Please send applications to
dist...@pittsburghpa.gov by March 31, 2017 or call our office at
412-255-2131 for more information. Meetings are expected to commence in the Spring.
On that note, you may have heard the Phillips Park Recreation Center is getting a brand-new entryway design. This came out of a community process that involved the Penn State Center; this project has been in the works for years. We are happy to report that the work is authorized, the bid has been awarded to a local contractor, and that construction will start after April 3, 2017. Work will be complete by May 26, 2017.
The next PLI forum will be held on Wednesday, March 8 at 9AM. Forums are held in the 1st Floor Conference Room at 200 Ross Street, Pittsburgh 15219.
This month will feature Director Maura Kennedy and department staff as they discuss the permitting process and development review.
The last update that we provided on the St. Basil's School, the property owner had recently been fined $2000 by Magistrate King for property violations on the building. Since that time, my office has spend considerable time meeting with interested parties to determine next steps to get this building into the hands of a responsible neighbor. In December, we sat down with Economic Development South (EDS) and the URA to discuss ways to take the property back from the owner. As we were looking into several possibilities, we were made aware by our Real Estate Division and Jordan Tax Service that a Sherrif's Sale proceeding had been filed for the property and that the owner had declined to go into a payment plan that would pay off his delinquent taxes.
On February 2, we met with the Carrick Community Council, EDS, The Design Center, and the URA onsite to talk about possible future uses for the building and to update everyone on the Sherriff's Sale. During this visit, we learned that that the owner had recently been back to the building. Up until this point, we had reached out to the owner many times to no avail, so this told us that he was also becoming active with the property again.
On February 14th, the attorney for Jordan Tax informed us that the property owner filed for bankruptcy to put a stop to an attempted mortgage foreclosure, which the bank was pursuing at the same time that Jordan Tax was pursuing Sheriff's sale. This put a temporary hold on the foreclosure and the tax sale. Both the mortgage holder and Jordan tax submitted request to the Judge to dismiss the bankruptcy which was accepted. This means that the mortgage holder can move forward with the foreclosure in state court; however, Jordan may consider going ahead with a tax sale rather than waiting for the mortgage foreclosure to move the process along more quickly.
On February 22nd, the City's Department of Public Works sent an itemized bill to the owner for $568.82, the cost of boarding up the building yet again. The letter states that if not paid, a lien can be placed against the property.
We will keep you updated as we find out more information.
The Final sign ups for the Beechview Athletic Association will be held on Saturday, March 4th, from 11AM to 2PM at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church (1516 Beechview Ave 15216). Credit cards are accepted and payment plans are available!
Last August, the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy applied for and was awarded $437K in grant funds for green infrastructure in McKinley Park. Mainly dealing with stormwater management, this park, situated uphill from a frequently flooded area of Route 51, provides recreation to many, but it can do more!
At McKinley, the grant funding will be going to address stormwater, the park entrance, and creating community trail connections, to ensure the park is serving it's neighbors.
The next meeting about the "Chicken Hill" project will be held Thursday, March 30th from 6-8:00pm. To attend, please register at
www.pittsburghparks.org/projects/mckinley-park. The meeting will be held at the McKinley Park Activities Building, 900 Delmont Avenue.
If you are over the age 55, then you qualify for this free program! If you are already a volunteer or looking for new volunteer opportunities, the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) can help support your volunteering activities. This national service program supports senior volunteers countrywide, and will add your voice to the national volunteer narrative! We help match volunteers with opportunities that will best utilize their existing skills and experience. After you begin volunteering, we continue to support your volunteerism through a modest array of benefits. We provide travel reimbursements, supplemental insurance, seasonal giveaways, and others, including a connection with a broad network of national service volunteers!
Registering now only takes a phone call and will help provide all volunteers with some duly deserved benefits and recognition. Please call Pittsburgh Cares at
412-471-2114 and ask about RSVP.
What is Pittsburgh Cares?
Pittsburgh Cares' mission is to effectively act as a liaison between volunteers of all ages, nonprofits, and businesses by matching volunteers year-round with compatible one-time and recurring volunteer opportunities to meet the most critical needs of the community. Their goal is to make volunteering as easy as possible. Pittsburgh Cares has been serving the volunteer and social service communities since 1992, and are celebrating their 25th Anniversary this year. Visit their website at
www.pittsburghcares.org and start volunteering today.
We just got word that the damaged and missing street trees along Brownsville Road will be replaced this spring. Looking forward to a new and improved main street!
This year's Biscuit's Bingo will be held on Saturday, ¾ from noon to 5PM at the IBEW Local #5 Union Hall, 5 Hot Metal Street 15203. Come on out and have fun playing bingo WHILE supporting a great cause! Admission is $25 and cash-only. Bring pet food items to donate and qualify to play a special game!
Proceeds benefit Animal Rescue League and Western PA Humane Society, Hog Heaven, Homeless Cat Management Team, Pittsburgh Pets, Hello Bully, Forever Home Beagle Rescue, Great Pyrenees of Western PA Rescue, Angel Ridge Animal Rescue, Foster Cat, Inc., Animal Friends, Club Pet Adoption, Rabbit Wranglers, Hope Haven, Senior Pet and Animal Rescue (SPAAR).
The Hilltop Alliance is compiling a database for Hilltop-based contractors. Why create a database? So that when contractor work is needed, local contractors can be used.
The Beechview Community of Christ has mini-grants available to fund a Beechview neighborhood Easter Egg hunt in April 2017.
Interested individuals or groups should send a brief proposal and budget by March 10 to
beechv...@gmail.com.
The proposal should include the tentative date, location, and time of the activity, along with a list of how the funds will be used. Priority will be given to groups that demonstrate a commitment to reaching out to a large and inclusive group of Beechview residents.
Proposals are due Friday, March 10. All applicants will be notified by March 12. Selected group(s) will be asked to provide a photo of the activity as a final grant report.
Ironworkers Local 3 is seeking apprentices. Download an application at
www.iwlocal3.com or get one in-person:
Ironworkers Local #3 – Pittsburgh Training Center
2315 Liberty Avenue 15222
9am – 3pm
Cement Masons' Union Local 526 is seeking apprentices. Applications may be obtained on the following days and times at the AJ Furlan Building, 2606 California Avenue 15212, on Monday, April 3 through Friday, April 7 AND Monday, April 10 through Friday, April 14th, 2017 from 8:30am to 11am daily. Call (412)761-6310 for more information.
Calling all middle and high school students! You are invited to attend the 2017 MANRRS High School Symposium. MANRRS, or Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences, promotes academic excellence and professional advancement by empowering minorities in agriculture, natural resources, and related sciences. MANRRS is a national society that welcomes membership of people of all racial and ethnic group participation in agricultural and related science careers.
Citiparks is now seeking Lifeguards. Pay starts at $9.09/hr. Lifeguard training courses are being held at the Oliver Bath House, 38 South 10th Street 15203. Trainings will run:
- Saturdays, March 18 through April 29 from Noon to 6pm (no class April 15th)
- Tuesdays & Thursdays, May 9 through June 1 from 6pm to 9pm PLUS Saturday, May 20 from 9am to 5pm
For more information, please call the Aquatic Division office at
412-323-7928
The Equal Opportunity Review Commission, in partnership with Chatham University Women's Business Center and Center for Women's Entrepeneurship will be hosting an event on March 9th for women business owners to discuss bidding on City Contracts. The event will feature small group discussions with City departments and local authorities and will provide information on how to bid and secure a City of Pittsburgh Contract.
City of Pittsburgh Women Business Enterprise (WBE) Contract Roadmap
Thursday, March 9th
8am to 11am
Chatham University
Mellon Board Room
Woodland Road 15232
The Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections (PLI) has updated their permits pending information on their website. The new information more accurately reflects the permits queue.
Any plans that are checked in for review or applications for which they have requested revisions will be listed on this spreadsheet.
The list order matches their review order. It also not clearly identifies:
- The general time frames for review (commercial vs. Residential applications and initial vs. Revised/amended permit)
- Description of work and occupancy (as applicable)
- The date an application was submitted to PLI
- An expected review date
PLI is posting this information as a spreadsheet in order to allow users to search, sort and/or filter the information to fit their needs. The list will continue to be updated once a week either on Monday or Friday.
To access the spreadsheet, go to:
http://pittsburghpa.gov/pli/ and scroll down to "Permits Pending Review" there you can click the large blue button to download the spreadsheet.
Beechview Area Concerned Citizens Meeting
Thursday, 3/2 – 7pm, Beechview United Presbyterian Church, 1621 Broadway Ave
Beechview Athletic Association Signups
Saturday, 3/4 – 11am to 2pm, Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 1516 Beechview Ave 15216
Biscuit's Bingo
Saturday, 3/4 – noon to 5PM, IBEW Local #5 Union Hall, 5 Hot Metal Street 15203
Carrick-Overbrook Block Watch
Monday, 3/6 --7pm, Concord Elementary School Auditorium, 2350 Brownsville Road 15210
Carrick Community Council Open Meeting
Monday, 3/13 -- 7pm, Concord Elementary School, 2350 Brownsville Road 15210
Brookline Block Watch
Tueday, 3/14 -- 7pm, Judge Motznik's office, 736 Brookline Boulevard 15226
Beltzhoover Community Forum
Thursday, 3/16 -- 5:30pm, Beulah Baptist Church, 201 Chalfont 15210
Mt. Washington Community Forum
Thursday, 3/16 -- 7pm, Senior Center, 122 Virginia Avenue
Zone 3 Public Safety Council
Monday, 3/20 -- 6pm, Zone 3 Police Station, 830 East Warrington Ave 15210
Overbrook Community Council
Tuesday, 3/28 -- 7pm, Fairhaven Church, 2415 Saw Mill Run 15234
McKinley Park Grant Meeting "Chicken Hill"
Thursday, 3/30 -- 6pm, McKinley Park Activities Building, 900 Delmont Ave 15210
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