Tempoary funding page

Brookline-pgh.org and SPDC are funded by the following:

South Pittsburgh Development Corporation uses the National Trust’s Mainstreet Model as its organizational framework for improving the conditions of the Brookline Business District.  Since the Mainstreet model’s success depends on a “crawl before you walk, walk before you run” methodology, SPDC has focused primarily on the first two points of Organization and Promotion. 

However, we have also worked on the Design phase by attempting to secure grants from the Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority’s “Streetface” program for Boulevard building owners who are interesting in improving the appearance of their building facades.  SPDC has also applied for grant monies through our elected representatives from the Pennsylvania Department of Commerce and Economic Development for to administer “mini-grants” to businesses and building owners to entice them to improve building appearance through smaller but effective upgrades such as exterior paint, display lighting and better signage.

South Pittsburgh Development Corporation has also been an instrumental watchdog in the boulevard reconstruction project that has been on the city’s agenda for nearly eight years.  Recently the project became news again as the city prepares its final design and budget. SPDC has spearheaded community concerns related to the substantial reduction of construction scope, budget and design for this critical improvement.  Along with the Chamber of Commerce and Brookline Area Community Council, our board has met face to face with our elected representatives and the City public works and engineering department making sure that Pittsburgh’s second largest tax base gets a fair shake.

To become familiar with the National Trust’s Mainstreet Approach, please read the outline below excerpted from:   http://www.mainstreet.org 

What is the Main Street Approach to Commercial District Revitalization? 

The Main Street Approach is a community-driven, comprehensive methodology used to revitalize older, traditional business districts throughout the United States.  It is a common-sense way to address the variety of issues and problems that face traditional business districts.  The underlying premise of the Main Street approach is to encourage economic development within the context of historic preservation in ways appropriate to today's marketplace. The Main Street Approach advocates a return to community self#5A715A-reliance, local empowerment, and the rebuilding of traditional commercial districts based on their unique assets: distinctive architecture, a pedestrian-friendly environment, personal service, local ownership, and a sense of community.

The Main Street Four-Point Approach™ is a comprehensive strategy that is tailored to meet local needs and opportunities. It encompasses work in four distinct areas — Design, Economic Restructuring, Promotion, and Organization — that are combined to address all of the commercial district's needs. The philosophy and the Eight Guiding Principles behind this methodology make it an effective tool for community-based, grassroots revitalization efforts. The Main Street approach has been successful in communities of all sizes, both rural and urban.

The Main Street approach is incremental; it is not designed to produce immediate change. Because they often fail to address the underlying causes of commercial district decline, expensive improvements, such as pedestrian malls or sports arenas, do not always generate the desired economic results. In order to succeed, a long-term revitalization effort requires careful attention to every aspect of downtown — a process that takes time and requires leadership and local capacity building.

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