Mainstreets Pittsburgh: Allentown
Mainstreets Pittsburgh is a project that the Allentown Community Development Corporation is undertaking. Since October we have been working with the URA's Mainstreets coordinator, Alecia Sirk, to assist us with our application. We had a public meeting on June 28th where we discussed what Mainstreets Pittsburgh is and how it can help Allentown. In case you were unable to attend, we have posted the notes from this meeting below:
Notes from Alecia Sirk on the Mainstreets Program - Allentown CDC Monthly Meeting, June 28, 2007
- Incremental gains on all 4 points (organization, economic restructuring, design, and promotion) will lead to increased revitalization over time.
- Mainstreets is a 5 year program in which we would need to have matching funds.
- Allentown is not guaranteed to get into the planning year.
- Need a full time Mainstreets manager, the Mainstreets money covers that staff cost, money left over can be used for "anything you can dream up that falls under the 4 points (mentioned above) and you can justify it"
- There is a new URA staff person by the name of Megan Steerman to help communities like Allentown with the application process, this would ensure consistent service delivery.
- Allentown's business district has potential. It's a neighborhood serving business district that needs TLC. We need to draw more from the opportunity that comes through and surrounds it.
What is the Mainstreets Program?
The Mainstreet program’s purpose is to achieve the long-term revitalization of the commercial district. It is designed to provide Pittsburgh's neighborhood business organizations a range of technical assistance and financial incentives in a coordinated, comprehensive manner.
The program is a five-year strategy to improve the business district, develop and implement a long-term plan, and create sustainable revitalization. It has a well defined structure that helps neighborhoods approach key problems and goals.
Why do we want this?
The Mainstreets program will help the Allentown community improve the business district along Warrington Ave which in turn will impact and benefit the surrounding community. Our community needs revitalization assistance and this program with the URA is a great opportunity to get the much needed funds into our business district, into our community.
Our neighborhood business district is already accessible and for the most part walkable - so what the Mainstreets program will be able to do is to improve and enhance those parts of the business district that need strengthening. We can better address the issue of the vacant lots, dilapidated buildings, safety, as well as the various other issues that plague our Mainstreet.
In the past we participated in the Mainstreets program, but it was as a branch of the South Side Local Development Company’s Mainstreet Program. We can do much more and make greater improvements if we participate in Mainstreets Pittsburgh directly, and that is why we want to enter into the Mainstreet program’s Planning Year.
What have we done so far?
A group of Mainstreets business members have already met to work on a proposed boundary and we have established the rounded-out corner of Arlington & Warrington down Warrington A group of Mainstreets business members have already met to work on a proposed boundary and we have established the rounded-out corner of Arlington & Warrington down Warrington Ave to Route 51 as our Mainstreet. We have ended the Mainstreet in those two locations because they are the gateways into and through our business district. If someone travels up or down Arlington they will be able to notice that they are going through our business district which will hopefully attract them to visit. The Warrington-Route 51 end is a great opportunity to capture those traveling on Route 51 – and maybe instead of going through the tunnel people will detour through the Hilltop.
There are over 60 businesses between Arlington and Route 51 along Warrington Ave, with room to grow. Getting into the Mainstreets Planning Year will help us to strengthen the relationships between these businesses and will create stronger revitalization efforts.
There are several requirements that the Allentown CDC needs to meet in order to apply for Mainstreets, but we are well on our way to meeting them all. This meeting a major step, and the next part is getting letters of support from other organizations – and we’ve already started that process. So by the time the application is due in September we will be ready to submit it.
