a do tank, not a think tank
Over the last few months we’ve taken some time to understand the landscape of Garfield, Friendship and Penn Avenue. Knowing exactly where things stand today will help us to reach our goal. We have gathered and analyzed existing demographic data; mapped the neighborhood’s assets and liabilities; mapped the real estate holdings, foreclosures, gas shutoffs, liens and reviewed the goals of the local community organizations.
We’re not finished, but our lens is sharpening.
cityLAB is very happy to announce that our six percent place experiment has attracted new funding from both the Benter Foundation and the Pittsburgh Partnership for Neighborhood Development! cityLAB is continuing to develop its Six Percent Place experiment in the East End, with Garfield, Friendship, and the Penn Avenue Arts Corridor as its laboratory. Download a PDF of the full press release here or follow our progress here.
Councilman Patrick Dowd, and artists Bob Ziller, Laura Jean McLaughlin and John Colombo discuss the successes of the Penn Avenue Arts Initiative.
Penn Avenue divides a pattern of one way streets to the south from two way streets to the north. As a result, at numerous points along Penn Avenue, access is denied to drivers (or cyclists) trying to cross Penn Avenue from Garfield into Friendship.
data; bike pittsburgh
Garfield is an island in more than one way. As people navigate the city, the steep hill in the middle of Garfield forces people to circumvent the neighborhood completely. And so too, bicycles. Bike Pittsburgh’s suggested on street bike routes are a busy network surrounding and avoiding Garfield. Not one route passes through it.
We’ve talked to lots of people who don’t even know that Garfield exists. They have traveled Penn Avenue, but never thought to explore to the north of it. There is no reason to go there. Do neighborhoods with through routes fair better? Are people who are familiar with a place because they travel through it more likely to embrace it?
cityLAB recently received a letter from Eric Ustation, Assistant to the Mayor of Riverside, California.
Riverside, dubbed the City of Arts and Innovation, is looking for new ways to empower their local neighborhoods. Mayor Loveridge heard about our 6% Place experiment at a National League of Cities meeting and was intrigued by the concept. On the Mayor’s website residents are invited to send in their great ideas to further their aim for the city to “Seize its own Destiny” and direct their community toward becoming more innovative. An important part of cityLAB’s work is to connect with forward-thinking communities like Riverside, and to share the blueprint for the 6% place. We’re looking forward to working with Mayor Loveridge and with many other future sister cities across the country.