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Community Development Resources
by Mountain Girl ~ February 22nd, 2008. Filed under: Community, Development.
A friend of mine in the community development field recommended a book called “Comeback Cities” to me after she read it and put some of the information in it to good use. Since there seems to be another grassroots community-oriented organization coming together in Mt. Washington soon, I thought it might be a good resource.
I know there are wonderfully supportive organizations like the Urban Redevelopment Authority and the Pittsburgh Partnership for Neighborhood Development close to home, but it also doesn’t hurt to also look at best practices from urban neighborhoods in other parts of the country.
March 13th, 2008 at 2:34 pm
Sometimes what we’re looking for is right under our noses. Has anyone taken a look at the Beverly Shops in Mt. Lebanon? Appears to me that this is exactly what would work on Virginia Ave. assuming investors/developers would venture into this neck of the woods. As most know Station Square is struggling and the lights in Parkway center mall are about to be extinguished. Food for thought.
March 13th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
CRIME WATCHER:
I completely agree. I was on Washington Rd a few weeks ago and marveled at the mix of retail, restaurants, and boutiques they have in that area.
I think Rollier’s store was one of the first in the development. I wonder if they’d be willing to open something in the Eckerd space. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to go somewhere close for little things (nails, potting soil, etc) instead of having to drive to a Home Depot?
MG
March 13th, 2008 at 3:57 pm
There’s a nice little hardware store in the West End. My husband goes there.
March 13th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Edith 1:
Where in the West End?
Thanks,
MG
March 13th, 2008 at 7:54 pm
Rolliers was intrigued by the idea MG but they prefer to only have one location. I have approached True Value and Ace and both of them are not in the market to explore new locations, especially onces in Urban markets. However, Crime Watcher raises an interesting point. In the articles I have read and lectures I have attended. Neighborhood business districts are on the rise and the shopping malls of the 80’s are losing their luster. In fact many new developments are imitating a town squares and Main Streets because market forces seem to be indicating that consumers prefer this type of shopping experience. Be sure to look for the press we will be receiving on our Vision Plan for our business district.
March 13th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
We can talk until we are blue in the face. And so far, that’s what I have garnished from this blog. All chit chat no action. What are the proactive plans to help Mt. Wash. grow? Has anyone, including the MWCDC, spoken the “movers & shakers” in the city to come up with a “TAX EXEMPT” plan to promote businesses to locate or relocate to Mt. Wash? The city lost corporation after corporation in the 70’s. mainly steel related businesses. Other states such as AL & TE flew state sponsered jets to PA to attract these companies with offers of a 10 year tax exempt deal just to attract companies to relocate to their state. Guess what? they did and today their unemployment rates are 2% or less.
If you give investors/developers an attractive incentive plan to move or invest in your community, they will come. Unless the MWCDC or a business savvy person or group addresses this in an attractive tax exempt proposal to develop Mt. Wash., it will be wishful thinkling on everyone’s part.
Let;s get the mayor on board to commit to tax exempt incentives for investors/ developers. It’s the only realistic way to achieve the economic expansion of Mt. Wash.
March 14th, 2008 at 6:22 am
Crime Watcher,
Are you kidding me? Maybe you just moved to the Mount. Have you not witnessed all of the changes over the past few years? I only wish that I had time to list all of the success stories.
PLEASE open your eyes, take time to look around and see all of the good things that have been happening in our community. Maybe not as fast as we would like, but there is still forward motion.
Or perhaps get involved and work to make the changes that you want to see?
Kim
March 14th, 2008 at 7:49 am
No Kim, I’m not kidding you. A year ago, 20 concerned residents who live on Virginia Ave., Woodruff St., Maple Terrace, & Kearsarge St. got together and formed the Mt. Crime Watch Group because it was very apparent to us, that no one was addressing the growing crime issues in the neighborhood Thanks in part to our efforts, the endless drug deals that took place in the Rite Aid and Co Gos parking lots have for the most part, ceased. The graffiti in and around have also decreased. The crime watch signs you see posted around the neighborhood are the result of our crime watch group and did not cost the taxpayers one dime. We arranged a meeting with the Co Gos manager in councilman Dan Desay’s office to address drug deals, after a video was taken clearly showing their employees involvement. Drug deals no longer take place. What have you done?
I’ve lived her for 14 years and the only changes I’ve noticed is the problematic Rite Aid, the parking lot on Shiloh and the coffee shop also on Shiloh.
In todays environment, you most certainly present: 1. a safe neighborhood to a prospective developer (otherwise they definitely will not be interested) and 2. give him a tax incentive to make him want to establish his business in the Mount.
Assuming all of Virginia Ave is rezoned commercial, is there an established program in place, authorized by the city which includes tax incentives to actively solicit and entice investors/developers? There certainly should be or as I stated earlier, it’s all talk and no action.
March 14th, 2008 at 8:22 am
Hey CRIME WATCHER, Nice job on the block and postings…
So what you are saying is if a business owner comes up and establishes his business on any one of the business districts, to give him an abatement for say 3 years (like they did with Lord & Taylor - which is probably not the best example)to stimulate the local economy?
I like it especially for small business owners who make it or break it in the first few years.
I guess the next question is what if the small business owner only leases from the investor? We would need to have the investor pass on the savings to the lessee.
I like the suggestion. Maybe the CDC already has something like this in the works… does anyone know?
March 14th, 2008 at 8:44 am
I think the market will take care of all of this and I don’t buy into the thought that business won’t open up here unless there is some sort of tax relief incentive. Not all business owners are obsessed with getting tax breaks, they are confident in their product and hopefully they are competent business operators. If you have to rely on the government to help your business succeed you’ll be waiting a long long time. Thankfully entrepreneurs don’t think this way or nothing would ever get accomplished.
March 14th, 2008 at 9:12 am
With all due respect 15211advocate some business owners due think this way. That is why the majority of housing developments downtown offer abatements. I don’t think CRIME WATCHER was insinuating that nothing will get done without tax incentives but suggested using this as a means to make it happen faster.
Also if a business has tax incentives in it’s first few years of business it does not mean they are not confident in their product but rather the incentives allow them to build capital to grow more in the future.
March 14th, 2008 at 9:21 am
oops I meant “do think this way” not “due”
March 14th, 2008 at 9:27 am
Well since I’m a business owner I think I know how business owners think. Of course business owners would like abatements but it’s not going to stop them from opening shop if there aren’t any out there. If a business owner is only going to open shop because of an abatement then they are short sighted and have no hope in success.
There are many more factors that would make a business in Mt. Washington successful, abatements are just an incentive to attract. The problem with that is, you could attract a business that doesn’t fit or belong in Mt. Washington, but they want to put up shop here just because it’s cheaper (Lord and Taylor is the perfect example)
So I think we agree, yes they are good and we should offer them, but we need to be careful that we don’t attract the wrong type of business because of a simple, temporary tax break.
Did the South Side have any tax incentives for businesses opening there? Did Shadyside or Squirrel Hill or Mt. Lebo?
March 14th, 2008 at 9:50 am
I’m not sure. I do see on the URA website that you can apply for them in certain areas they are trying to improve… (on a case by case basis)…
March 14th, 2008 at 9:57 am
http://www.ura.org/lertaDocuments.html
Oh look at this - the entire city of Pittsburgh is eligible for the LERTA Commerical abatement…
March 14th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
15211Advocate:
I would hope that any abatement would be contingent on the amount invested and number of jobs created.
MG
March 14th, 2008 at 7:40 pm
If you have no bucks, chit chat is just about all you can do. If you want action, find the money but use the leverage.
Tell developers they won’t have our support unless they sign an agreement with the community with a few of our needs included (which incidentally is also in their best interests). We have an asset here like very few others in this country. No one can build a spectacular view. If they want out support let them earn it.
March 14th, 2008 at 10:09 pm
The Lord & Taylor deal, conceived by former mayor Murphy, was at best, ill conceived and ludicrous. The attempt to essentially BRIBE a company to locate in Pittsburgh smacks of lunacy. To use,imply or liken this as an example of a way in which to attract investors/developers to establish a business in Mt. Wash. is of course certainly without merit. A large company such as Lord & Taylor wouldn’t even blink at Mt. Wash. My initial point of offering a tax incentive plan to attract new SMALL businesses is to be proactive. We certainly have enough bars & pizza joints in our neighborhood. The goal is to attract businesses, such as book stores, craft shops, hobby shops, antique stores etc. and of course jobs where residents can walk to work. Remember other communities are trying to accomplish the same goals as we are. So if we work hard to outsmart them, and come up with an incentive plan that persuades them to come to Mt. Wash. instead of some other community, we WIN period. I’d bet that if a tax exempt approach was taken with Rolliers, a different outcome could have been reached.
The MWCDC should respond to the community and specifically state what they are proposing to potential new businesses. What are we offering as incentives as compared to Oakland etc. Do they have a viable plan? Have they formalized one with the city? If so what specifically is it? We NEED to know and once we know, we can critique it in an intelligent manner instead of rambling on in oblivion.
March 15th, 2008 at 7:50 am
Geez the Lord & Taylor was obviously a bad example… but the point is to get small businesses support (or prospective small businesses the support). Maybe the CDC has a division to help small businesses write business plans, establish projections, understand the book-keeping, etc.
I am not sure if the CDC has the power to give tax incentives but I think the URA can work closely with the CDC to help existing and new business owners utilitze any incentives that exist even if they are not tax incentives(maybe a small business mentoring program).
I think the blogging gives us a way of coming up with different solutions and perspectives. I am sure the CDC reads this.
March 16th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Well from the looks of some of these comments it looks like most of your questions have been answered. The concept of tax incentives for small businesses is an interesting one. We actually will be posting our new business recruitment package on our vuplus website very soon as we expect to have a lot of press regarding the potential of our community for business. The package lists an outline of incentives available to locate within our community. There is a tax abatement on storefront renovations regarding property tax. Unfortunately, there isnt ONE magic ingredient attracting business. That is why the Mainstreet Program is based on 4 points. Organization, Design, Promotion and Economic Restructuring. If this is some of interest to people reading I invite them to attend our monthly mainstreet meetings and become involved. There is a lot of manpower necessary to create vibrant business districts and we can always do a more effective job with more committed volunteers. As Kim mentioned there are a number of positive changes that have happened in the last few years that have made a difference. In fact since the mainstreet program has been operating at the CDC we have seen almost 2Million dollars in Re-investment and will most likely exceed that this year. Our mainstreet meetings are the third wed of every month at 6:00 at 301 Shiloh street.
March 16th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
This is interesting to see that the only types of business being proposed are in retail. What is being done to attract non-retail business to Mt. Washington? If we have more people who are coming to work up here, wouldn’t that help our retail sector by creating a larger demand for retail services? I do see the few attorney firms, dental offices, etc… up here, but what can we do to expand that market? If we are not adding either more residents, more employers, or more tourists up here, how is the retail sector going to expand? Yes I understand that retail employs people, but how much of a percentage do you think the 10 employees of either Subway (which has been great to see up here) or Cogos have contributed directly to the economy of Mount Washington?
I’m sure there’s not a huge demand for it on Grandview, but if Virginia Avenue is rezoned, couldn’t that maybe be overlooked potential growth? I’m not saying to build another Tremont Plaza on Virginia Avenue. I’m not saying to turn it into an office park as well. I do not want to suggest the idea of something out of character of the neighborhood at all. Just offering an opinion/idea on something I feel may be slightly overlooked.
Most people I talk to outside of Mount Washington don’t even know of Shiloh Street. Most only know the restaurants on Grandview, the Inclines, and the funeral homes.
March 16th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Alex:
I think you sum up what has been a big obstacle to development on Shiloh St, Bailey/Boggs & Southern. There is a complete lack of awareness when it comes to people not knowing how large and diverse Mt. Washington is. It’s not just one or two streets of high-end restaurants with a view (although they are an asset). Based on that, I have to disagree with you about attracting and encouraging retail businesses in the community. We have a captive audience of over 1 million people that come to Mt. Washington every year to see the view. They’re constantly searching for and inquiring about shopping and we have nothing to offer them. Retail is our most immediate need.
I think you’re right that we should be vigilant about making sure that strip mall-like shops do not crop on Virginia. I sense the folks that own property there know they would have many of us to contend with if they tried to erect something that completely goes against the character of our neighborhood.
Have you been to a CDC or REDO meeting? You should try and attend some of them. They would benefit from the participation of more thoughtful, new residents.
MG
March 16th, 2008 at 9:12 pm
MG,
Your right retail should be our highest focus, especially on Shiloh street. Virginia does have loads of potential. However, I think that could be an area to intoduce some second story office space for doctors, professional services etc. I even heard talk that years ago there was talk of relocating the Library there. What can be done to ensure we dont have a suburban style development there with little appeal or character? its an incredible opportunity and it would be a shame to blow it.
March 16th, 2008 at 10:53 pm
Crime Watcher:
Just curious, just what do you see is the difference between a bribe and an incentive? I do like your list of businesses we need book stores, craft shops, hobby shops, antique shops, etc. Any one of those would be lovely.