Pittsburgh awarded $56.8M for parks, infrastructure, affordable housing

Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey on Monday announced that the city was awarded $56.8 million in state Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program funds, which will be used to improve city parks and recreation centers, expand affordable housing and upgrade infrastructure.

The community development grants from the state will go towards a total of 54 projects across the city.

“This is an important and critical investment for the future of our city,” Gainey said.

From the money, $1 million will be invested in preparation and development for the Avenues of Hope site at Centre Avenue in the city’s Hill District. It also will help to rehabilitate dilapidated structures for community development and fund new construction of mixed-use structures.

Additionally, $500,000 will fund a project that will split the 40,000 square-foot grocery store space in the Centre Heldman Plaza into two retail spaces. One half will remain a grocery store, while the other will be used for community and entrepreneurial programming.

Pittsburgh’s Sheraden Park will receive $500,000 of the funds for upgrades to its rest area and park building, grill area, hiking trail additions, children’s discovery garden, hillside dog park, wilderness education area, ADA-accessible community garden and apiary. This will include landscaping, signage, stair repair, pedestrian lighting, safety improvements and a project to add roughly 6,800 feet of trail and water control elements within the park.

About $1 million is allocated to the Pittsburgh Warrington Recreation Center. The project will renovate the three-story building to update the existing structure, which will include increased ADA accessibility. Other improvements include new heating and air conditioning systems, plumbing, electric, fire safety and security systems.

Using $750,000 of the money, the Homewood Medical Complex project will construct a new medical center and office building on a parking lot next to the current facility. The funds will specifically pay for site utilities and storm water management, site improvements and the building shell. The new center will house physician offices, treatment rooms and a pharmacy.

Another major project funded with the cash is the second phase of the Hilltop Community Center, which was allocated $1 million from the funding. The project will construct a multi-purpose building with parking underneath. The development will provide space for a market, classroom, office, wellness and fitness space, bathrooms and a common area. Two vacant structures on the property will be demolished.

The city also plans to spend $1.35 million to acquire the property and renovate Community Kitchen Pittsburgh. The plan includes buying the building and renovating the site. Renovations include dedicating the first floor to retail and café space for the community, as well as constructing new partitions, new flooring, construction of two new bathrooms and various other upgrades.