This blog was written by Thomas Guentner and Ilyssa Manspizer, of Landforce. Nestled near the top of Brighton Heights sits a four-acre parcel of land which once housed St John’s Hospital. Built in 1896 and operational until 1995, St John’s served mill workers in the Northside communities until succumbing to a
Professional Conferences Are Worth More Than The Networking!
Professional conferences can be daunting, especially if you are traveling alone. However, there are many benefits to pursuing these experiences even if they push you out of your comfort zone. Along with expanding your knowledge base, professional network, and professional resources, conferences can offer a so many more (and less
Gavin White: Two Roles, One Goal
This blog was written by Cassidy Martin, an intern at the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy. The Pittsburgh Greenspace Alliance (GSA) is comprised of 30 non-profit organizations that are committed to improving the greenspace issues that are present in Pittsburgh today. Greenspaces are things such as parks, hiking and biking trails, and
Lots to Love (About Neighborhoods)
Pittsburgh is a city of neighborhoods. There are 90 of them, after all. Each one has its own charms, and problems, and groups of people working to solve them. But, like individuals, these neighborhoods often focus on their own challenges, and sometimes forget that other neighborhoods are working on very
Get to know ioby
Remember the acronym “NIMBY”? That’s how sociologists and cartoonists often characterize the visceral reaction that a proposed new development (airport, power plant, strip mall, etc.) will elicit among the residents of the surrounding community: “Not in my back yard!” ioby, however, is all about empowering local projects that bring positive change
Pittsburgh’s First Blight Bootcamp
[dt_sc_h6 class=””]What is Pittsburgh Blight Bootcamp? [/dt_sc_h6] November 7th was the first ever Pittsburgh Blight Bootcamp where residents, nonprofit professionals and government representatives were able to meet, mingle, and educate each other on topics surrounding the issues of vacancy and blight in the Pittsburgh region. Topics ranged from Resident Led Advocacy
How Can You Benefit From Volunteering?
Did you know that volunteering not only helps your community, but you benefit as well? According to the Corporation for National and Community Service there is a lot that you can take away from a workday, other than an immense sense of achievement. Check out their report and see if you
Urban Blight is too Costly to Ignore
[dt_sc_hr_invisible /][dt_sc_fullwidth_section backgroundcolor=”” backgroundimage=”” opacity=”” parallax=”” backgroundrepeat=”” backgroundposition=”” paddingtop=”” paddingbottom=”” textcolor=”” class=”” first] Urban blight is often associated with decay, crime and instability. Blighted property is described by the Washington Post as “a contagious affliction.” Vacancy and subsequent blight begins to spread by depreciating adjacent property values, which discourages local
Community Land Trusts in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County
What is a Community Land Trust (CLT). Community land trusts are community-based organizations established to serve as long-term stewards of land and to protect long term affordability and access to housing and other community uses that are located on that land. Lands acquired by a community land trust remain in
Greenspace Trolley Tour
In July of 2014, the Greenspace Alliance organized a trolley tour for the newly elected and appointed staff to showcase many of the projects that Greenspace Alliance Member Organizations are part of and highlight the partnerships that allow greenspace work to happen in the City. [dt_sc_blockquote type=”type4″ align=”left”]The Pittsburgh Greenspace Alliance