URA set to approve $24 million for projects in 3 Pittsburgh neighborhoods

Twelve new single-family homes in Hazelwood, a new commercial space and affordable housing in the Hill District, and a recreation center in Larimer are set to receive a total of $24 million in investment from the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh.

The money will come through the URA’s Avenues of Hope program.

The URA board is set to approve the projects when it meets Thursday.

The Avenues of Hope program aims to revitalize business corridors in predominantly Black neighborhoods.

A new commercial real estate investment program is also under consideration. It will provide up to $200,000 for local and minority small businesses and developers to acquire sites, prepare them for development and cover construction and other costs.

The idea of the new program, according to the city, is it can cover funding gaps in other Avenues of Hope projects so they can proceed.

In Hazelwood, the URA has selected the City of Bridges Community Land Trust to develop 12 new homes that will be targeted to people who earn less than 60% to 80% of the area’s median income. A family of four would be eligible if it earned less than $66,400 per year.

The houses will be build between Chatworth Avenue and Osprey Way and will align with the city’s Greater Hazelwood Neighborhood Plan.

The URA will invest $4.8 million in the project.

In the Hill District, a $9 million, 45,000-square-f0ot, three-story commercial space in the Centre Avenue Corridor will be developed by the Sankofa Group. Smokestown Culinary at Sankofa Square is planned for the first floor. It’s planned to be a place for local entrepreneurs to get their start in the food industry.

Other office space is planned for the rest of the building.

Also in the works is a $2.4 million housing development to buy five vacant lots on Rose Street and build six new homes, four of which will be sold at market rate and two that will be affordable to those who make less than 80% of area median income.

In Larimer, a $7.9 million, 40,665-square-foot nonprofit recreation center is planned that will include squash courts, classrooms and community space. It will be developed by Steel City Squash, a nonprofit that provides tutoring and college preparation for middle and high school students along with athletic training in squash.