LOWER HILL REDEVELOPMENT - Events & Announcements

"The Future of Sustainability Includes The Past", as published in NAOIP Summer 2024 Issue

Wed, 22 May 2024 18:14:43 GMT

As published in NAOIP Summer 2024 Issue
Pittsburgh’s Greater Hill District is a community actively reckoning with decisions made decades ago during the postwar urban renewal era. Stakeholders are now looking to lay a new foundation using the three pillars of sustainability: social, economic and environmental.

Socially Sustainable: Restoring Connections
The federal government’s urban renewal practices began after World War II and targeted numerous historic, predominantly Black neighborhoods. Many urban renewal practices were the antithesis of sustainability, defined by racial redlining and demolition that isolated or fractured neighborhoods economically and culturally.

In Pittsburgh, that story played out in the Hill District. Once called the “Crossroads of the World” by Harlem Renaissance poet Claude McKay, it sits between Pittsburgh’s downtown business center and the higher education hubs and medical centers of Oakland. “The Hill” was a flourishing community of jazz, art and commerce. Pulitzer-winning playwright August Wilson set most of his plays in the neighborhood where he was born and raised. The Lower Hill District was leveled in the 1950s to make room for Interstate 579 and the former Civic Arena. In the process, 8,000 people lost their homes and 400 businesses were shuttered.

Bomani Howze is vice president of development for Buccini Pollin Group (BPG), a privately held, integrated real estate acquisition, development and management company that is leading the Lower Hill Redevelopment project. Howze is also a lifelong Hill District resident; his parents and grandparents were among those displaced from the Lower Hill in the 1950s.

“The impact was devastating for my family and hundreds of others,” Howze said. “My grandparents spent years building a home and business that were bulldozed in a matter of days. A whole community was thrown off the path to sustained economic prosperity and segregated from the rest of the city.”

Modern social sustainability requires reconnection, plus the reversal of past harmful practices and the promise of economic opportunities.

In Pittsburgh, developers, consultants and community leaders spent years working together to formulate the Community Collaboration and Implementation Plan, a road map for community benefits that included guidelines on everything from site usage to workforce development.

The team behind the project unites several prominent stakeholders in the commercial real estate industry: Wilmington, Delaware-based developer BPG, minority-owned investor Clay Cove Capital, F.N.B. Corporation, design firm Gensler, and the National Hockey League’s Pittsburgh Penguins, to which the city granted development rights for the site in the early 2000s during negotiations for the team’s new arena. The Penguins chose BPG to lead this redevelopment due to the company’s experience with urban, mixed-use and entertainment-anchored projects in other markets with similarities to Pittsburgh.

The 28-acre mixed-use site will eventually include nearly 1 million square feet of state-of-the-art office space; market-rate and affordable housing units; a live music venue; and a public safety center, in tribute to Freedom House Ambulance, the nation’s first advanced life support ambulance service, founded just blocks away by Black Hill District paramedics in 1967.

Where passersby once peered out over parking lots, the 26-story Class-A FNB Financial Center now connects the Hill District and downtown’s business district from its prominent location adjacent to the recently completed, $30 million Frankie Mae Pace Park above I-579. The tower, both LEED Silver certified and equipped with SMART technology, is a catalytic development for the project. Slated to open this summer, the $250 million FNB Financial Center will be Pittsburgh’s first modern, multi-tenant high-rise in four decades. The next area of focus will be the groundbreaking on entertainment and infrastructure elements on Block E (see site rendering, below), scheduled for later this year.

“Ultimately, this project presents an opportunity for all stakeholders to collaborate and invest in the community’s future,” said Chris Buccini, president at BPG. “It is raising the standard for redevelopment in similar high-profile settings as development teams seek to integrate history and legacy with sustainability concepts.”

The development partners envision the $1 billion Lower Hill District connecting the wider area through activated green spaces, pedestrian-friendly retail corridors and multi-modal, urban environments. The project includes convenient access to services and amenities within walking distance, and ample transit options encompassing bus, light rail and future bus rapid transit.

Economically Sustainable: Reinvestment

To be economically sustainable, a project must create shared prosperity and realize the potential for wealth-building. This is especially important in communities that have experienced disinvestment.

A large project can be a catalyst for inclusive contracting opportunities and workforce development. The Lower Hill project team engaged diverse contractors. Forty percent of project contracts to date (approximately $45 million) have been awarded to minority- or woman-owned business enterprises. That includes $25 million to Black-owned businesses, many sourced from the Hill District and surrounding neighborhoods. At the same time, the construction firms on the site work closely with trade schools, labor unions and local nonprofits to attract new workers through a range of workforce development and training programs.

Large-scale neighborhood development also benefits from immediate, upfront investment. The Lower Hill team developed a unique financial process that conveyed property tax abatements from the developers into a community-directed reinvestment fund. By monetizing the tax incentive upfront using a loan, the team delivered more than $7 million into the Greater Hill District Neighborhood Reinvestment Fund upon breaking ground. The fund will be used, in part, to support urgent property improvements for existing neighborhood residents and gap funding for community-led, mixed-use development across the Greater Hill District.

“A lesson of the Hill District experience is that development decisions reverberate for a long time. For my family, it’s had a negative impact for 70 years,” Howze said. “But the same can be true of positive opportunities. When a young person starts a career in the building trades, when an entrepreneur gets their big break with a large contract, when a resident can stay in their home because they had help replacing their roof — all those things are seeds that we have planted with this project.”

Environmentally Sustainable: Resource IntegrityA major aspect of environmental stewardship for the project includes a highway cap project over I-579 that physically reconnects the Hill District with downtown via a public park named for Frankie Pace, a longtime Hill District advocate.

“Stormwater runoff is a chronic problem in Pittsburgh. Our goal is to minimize the impact on streams and rivers,” said Craig Dunham, senior vice president of development for the Pittsburgh Penguins. “The Frankie Pace Park project is in part a storm-water project that directs the runoff back into the ground from what once was surface parking and the highway. A similar approach is being taken with our new streets and open areas. We are redeveloping an urban site that stitches together streets and neighborhoods into a healthy mixed-use community, which is by far the most sustainable way to go about development.”

The master plan earned LEED Neighborhood Development Gold designation, and the team is pursuing a buildout of the development in support of this standard.
FNB Financial Center features glass with high-insulating properties while delivering daylight and visibility to tenant areas to create a high-performance facade and more vibrant workspaces. To reduce energy consumption, the project is deploying high-efficiency HVAC systems and lighting throughout the building.

“We’re trying to tell the story of what happened here and create cultural connections between the new neighborhood and the historic neighborhood,” Dunham said. “It’s now all about building sustainable, healthy communities.”

by Boris Kaplan, senior vice president for development for Buccini Pollin Group.
Find the full NAOIP Summer 2024 Issue here
PDF here

The Historic Hill Institute and Partners highlight The Hill District's Pioneering Medical Services During National EMT Week, Freedom House City-Wide Celebration

Fri, 17 May 2024 04:00:00 GMT

As part of the Community Collaboration and Implementation Plan, one of our goals is to work with the community to preserve and incorporate the history of the Greater Hill District in the design of the public areas within the Lower Hill Development Site. We were proud to support the Freedom House Citywide Celebration on Wednesday, May 15th, highlighting the pioneering spirit that birthed the first Emergency Medical Service (EMS) in Pittsburgh's Historic Hill District in 1967. This poignant tribute was presented by, The Historic Hill Institute, Veterans of Freedom House Ambulance, the National Association of Emergency Medical State Officials (NASEMSO) and the August Wilson House. It highlighted the bravery, innovation, and trailblazing efforts of Freedom House Ambulance, one of the nation’s first advanced-level ambulance services.

The festivities began at Frankie Mae Pace Park and included the prestigious Congressional Medals bestowed upon the esteemed Freedom House pioneers. Molly's Trolley's transported guests to The August Wilson House where attendees could view, “The Freedom House Legacy: Honoring the First Modern Ambulance Service and Why We Can ‘Call 911!” exhibit, curated by Historic Hill Institute founder, Dr. Kimberly C. Ellis.

With Mayor Ed Gainey's official declaration, May 15th now stands as a beacon of recognition, to be celebrated annually as Freedom House Ambulance Service Day. This day holds a significant place in our community's history, inspiring pride and appreciation for the contributions of the Freedom House Ambulance Service.

We were honored to participate in the recognition of Freedom House and share in the appreciation of the Historic Hill District and Pittsburgh.

Watch clip below from CBS News / KDKA Pittsburgh below.

FNB Financial Center Team Celebrates Milestone $40 Millionth Dollar Paid to Diverse Contractors

Mon, 13 May 2024 18:36:45 GMT

Pittsburgh, PA – May 14, 2024 – The FNB Financial Center team announced Tuesday that it paid out the $40 millionth dollar to diverse businesses as part of the construction of the 26-story tower. This major milestone reflects the culmination of years of investment and commitment to ensure the Lower Hill Redevelopment generates shared prosperity for the community. At project completion later this summer, the combined value of MWBE contracts for design and construction is expected to approach $50 million.

As part of this milestone, the project team celebrated the mobilization Tuesday by Butler Landscaping & Construction, which will prepare the plaza and terrace areas around FNB Financial Center. The building’s grand opening will take place in Summer 2024.

Roy Butler owns Butler Landscaping & Construction, which he founded in 1984 and grew into one of the region’s premiere landscaping companies. This week, his company began work to landscape and irrigate the grounds around FNB Financial Center, a job he expects to be his company’s largest in 2024. He said diverse contracting practices helped him get his start.

“I started my company decades ago, and it has succeeded because of a commitment to quality. I’m proud of that success. At the same time, thinking back on my big, early projects, I know that diverse contracting opened doors that otherwise would have been closed to me. Looking around the site of FNB Financial Center, I get a sense of growth. Not just for my company and my employees, but for all the companies and workers who got their first big opportunity here.”

FNB Financial Center: Diverse Contracting and Workforce Numbers

$46 million in construction contracts for Minority- or Women-owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs), which is 40% of total construction contracting.
- $25.1 million to Black-owned businesses
- $12.1 million to additional minority-owned businesses
- $8.6 million to women-owned businesses
78 MWBEs received contract commitments for FNB Financial Center.
- Of those, 48 MWBEs received contracts specifically in the construction phase.
79,427 hours worked by minority workers on the site, which is 15% of total.*
76 new construction jobs for minority workers – out of 326 new construction jobs created by the project.

Vincent J. Delie, Jr. is Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of F.N.B. Corporation, the anchor tenant and largest equity investor for FNB Financial Center:

“With our investment in our new headquarters, FNB Financial Center, we are very proud to be the catalyst behind a chain of development that will lead to the prosperity for our region. We are creating opportunities for diverse businesses and Pittsburgh residents that will have a broader positive impact on economic expansion for years to come.”

Bomani M. Howze is Vice President of Development for Buccini Pollin Group, and a lifelong Hill District resident:

“I came into the project with huge aspirations. I want contractors to look at FNB Financial Center for years to come and think: that’s where I got my big break. To make that goal a reality, we worked closely with small- and medium-sized contractors to grow their capacity to perform well on this project and compete fiercely on future projects. We also brought new people into careers in the construction trades by working with partners in the public sector, private sector and labor unions. This project is a catalytic spark that has helped charge revitalization in the Greater Hill District and the region.”

Craig Dunham is Senior Vice President, Pittsburgh Penguins:

“Central to advancing the redevelopment of the Lower Hill we embraced a bold plan with our public and community partners setting out historic goals for community reinvestment in the framework of the community reinvestment plan. It is rewarding to see that plan realized through the hard work of our development partners from the early design to the finishing touches of the landscaping. “

Amachie K. Ackah is Co–Founder of Clay Cove Capital and an investor in the FNB Financial Center.

“Today is a proud day for our team. FNB Financial Center is a model, in Pittsburgh and beyond, of a major project that creates lasting opportunities. This milestone is proof that when people of good faith and good will work together, we can build great things that endure and can inspire others.”

About FNB Financial Center:

Class A, best-in-class, sustainable mixed-use building designed by Gensler
26 stories of offices, ground floor retail and on-site parking
Nearly 550,000 square feet (total)
- 400,000+ square feet of Class A office space
- 20,000 square feet of retail space
- 2 levels of on-site parking

Amenities include a state-of-the-art fitness center with locker areas, a large-scale conference center, and a tenant-only terrace retreat and dining area, and public plazas.
Timeline: FNB Financial Center broke ground in late 2021, topped off its 26th story in 2023, and will open Summer 2024.

Community benefits: FNB Financial Center is part of an innovative partnership between public and private entities, community organizations, lead investor F.N.B. Corporation, the Pittsburgh Penguins and lead developer Buccini Pollin Group, in order to share the prosperity generated by the Lower Hill Redevelopment with the entire Historic Hill District.

*Workforce numbers as of April 1, 2024.

Virtual Community Meeting: April 30, 2024

Wed, 01 May 2024 19:11:54 GMT

Tuesday, April 30, 2024 the Lower Hill Redevelopment team's commercial developer, Buccini Pollin Group and Pittsburgh Penguins led a virtual community meeting updating attendees on the 28 acre Lower Hill Redevelopment project, home of the former Civic Arena. Notable updates for Block G FNB Financial Center, and Block E Parking Garage and Music Venue were given by Buccini Pollin VP of Development, Bomani Howze and SVP Pittsburgh Penguins, Craig Dunham. This was the first Community Meeting of 2024 held by the development team, a trend that will continue throughout 2024. Scroll through the presentation deck below to see all the exciting news.

Download the April 2024 Community Meeting PDF here
Watch the virtual meeting recording here

The First Source Center Attends August Wilson Birthday Block Party

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 19:46:54 GMT

Participation in the August Wilson Birthday Celebration Block Party has become an annual tradition for the Lower Hill Redevelopment team. For the third consecutive year, Lower Hill's First Source Center (FSC) representatives tabled at the family-friendly event celebrating the late August Wilson - a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright who grew up in the Hill District.

Dakota Roberts, Diamond Beck, Lorenzo Alexander, and Janise Zenmon, actively greeted attendees and passionately discussed upcoming training and opportunities available through the FSC partners. This dynamic group of local youth from the Hill District make up a strong segment of the First Source Center's Street Team. They are the friendly faces who engage with community members, distribute literature at local events and shed light on partner organizations such as Pittsburgh Gateways ITCT, A. Phillip Randolph Institute Breaking the Chains of Poverty, CARP and Bankwork$. These organizations provide ongoing workshops, trainings, apprenticeships and cohorts focused on everything from construction trades to professional service opportunities.

This free event, held on April 27, 2024, featured over 150 vendors, children's activities, a foam party, a lip sync battle, food trucks, musical performances, and more. Buccini Pollin Group proudly sponsored the grand reopening of The August Wilson House, an arts center for the Hill, in August 2022.

Hill District community events like the August Wilson Birthday Block Party, are an integral part of the FSC outreach mission to grow awareness about jobs, training, and career advancement opportunities to residents of the Hill District. For additional information about upcoming events and opportunities, follow the First Source Center on Instagram and Facebook or call: 412-223-7890 or email: lowerhillopportunities@gmail.com

Lower Hill District News & Updates - November 20, 2023

Mon, 20 Nov 2023 21:00:49 GMT

The Lower Hill District

News & Updates

November 2023

Season’s Greetings. In the picture above, the FNB Financial Center now stands tall and nearly complete, with the reflection from the sky bouncing off its state-of-the-art glass exterior. We remember the day when the construction team first raised the tower crane high into the sky. After rapid progress this summer and earlier this fall, that crane has been disassembled and the project has advanced that much closer to a 2024 Grand Opening. Along the way, the focus on new and greater opportunities for businesses and individuals has had significant impacts, with recent updates summarized in the stories below. We are thankful for your continued interest and partnership in re-building, re-connecting and re-energizing the Lower Hill.

PLEASE JOIN US!

Virtual Community Conversation

November 29th | 5:30 PM | Zoom and Facebook Live

The Lower Hill Redevelopment team would like to invite you to our final public meeting of the 2023 year, a Virtual Community Conversation, on Wednesday, November 29, at 5:30 pm. This meeting is a chance to learn more about the overall development in the Lower Hill District and ask members of the development team questions directly. We hope you can join us, and we hope you’ll invite friends and neighbors who have an interest in the project.

Click here to register

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Construction Workforce Impacts

The FNB Financial Center project has resulted in over 200 new construction jobs since breaking ground in 2021. Of that total, over 50 of those hired have been minority workers. On-site minority and female labor has exceeded 20% of the total hours worked on the project. If you want to hear more about MWBE inclusion efforts and the workforce impacts of this project, join the upcoming Community Conversation on Wednesday, November 20th, at 5:30 PM.

Pittsburgh Penguins and F.N.B. Small Business Development Camp

F.N.B. and the Penguins have teamed up to assist locally-owned small businesses through the F.N.B. Small Business Development Camp. In this six-week program, industry experts will cover various topics, including financial services and resources available to small businesses, pricing models, general marketing, finding and attracting investors for businesses, building and managing a team, and general pitch preparation. At the end of the program, each business will present a "pitch" to an expert panel of judges, with the top three groups receiving a share of a $50,000 grant towards their operations, and all five companies will receive marketing opportunities with the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Home Repair Funds Granted to 23 Hill Home Owners in First Round

Shared prosperity is an important aspect of the Lower Hill Redevelopment, so we are excited that 23 Hill District homeowners will receive funds for home repairs from a $7.1 million contribution made by the Lower Hill Redevelopment team in September 2021 that went into the Greater Hill District Neighborhood Reinvestment Fund. This marks the first time Greater Hill District Neighborhood Reinvestment Fund money will be available directly to Hill District residents. In August 2023, the URA and Reinvestment Fund announced plans to use $465,000 for a grant program for homeowners to receive up to $20,000 to cover the cost of home repairs. Over 250 applications were received. These initial disbursements to local homeowners are imminent.

Curtain Call and Urban Open Space in the Lower Hill District

Over the last three months, there have been multiple meetings reviewing the Curtain Call and Urban Open Space portion of the Lower Hill Redevelopment: August 22 - a site walk and meeting at St Benedict the Moor convened by Hill CDC, Consensus Group and Schenley Heights Collaborative, August 29 - Hill CDC Bi-Monthly Plans Meeting, September 6 – Development Review Panel and September 18 – joint RCO Development Activities Meeting. The next portion of the open space is ready for public review and we invite you to attend the upcoming Development Activities Meeting on December 18th to learn about the Block F2 Urban Open Space project at Logan St. & Wylie Avenue.

Development Activities Meeting

December 18 | 6:00 pm | Zoom

The Hill District Consensus Group, Hill District Community Development Corporation, and Hill District Collaborative are hosting a Development Activities Meeting (DAM) with the Department of City Planning on December 18th at 6:00 pm. The Block F2 Urban Open Space project at Logan St. & Wylie Avenue will be discussed, and members of the public are encouraged to attend. Once completed, the Urban Open Space plan for the Lower Hill District will be over 3 acres and will be completed in phases with the development project. The first phase, being constructed as part of the FNB project of 0.6 acres, will open in 2024. The link for the meeting will be posted at here one day before the meeting.

The First Source Center

The First Source Center willl be available virtually during regularly scheduled office hours this Winter: Tuesday and Thursday, 10 am - 4:30 pm, and Wednesday, 10 am - 6 pm. If you would like to request an in-person appointment, call or email today! Check the calendar on the First Source Center webpage for upcoming events.

CAREER AND CAPACITY BUILDING

Builders Guild Build-On □️

Friday, November 17th | 8 am - 1 pm

(Students Only)

Saturday, November 18th | 9 am - 12:30 pm

(All Access)

David L. Lawrence Convention Center,

1000 Ft. Duquesne Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15222

The First Source Center will be in attendance! Please stop by our table and learn about our partnerships in the construction industry. Sign up with us so we can keep you informed about new programs and opportunities!

BizFIT Tier 2

November 28 - February 6, 2024| Tuesday & Thursdays | 6 - 8 pm

For the fourth year, Buccini Pollin Group, Development Manager Matt Corace, will share his construction management expertise by teaching a class on bidding and estimating as part of Riverside Center for Innovation's (RCI) BizFIT Tier 2 Construction program. This comprehensive program combines training, connections, and expertise to enable entrepreneurs to grow sustainable enterprises. The program runs November 28, 2023 - February 6, 2024, Tuesdays and Thursdays: 6 pm - 8 pm, offered Online via Zoom. If you want to learn more about construction management, gain confidence in your trade, and master your skills, sign up today!

IN THE NEWS

Bomani Howze Honored as, 'Developer of the Year' at Black Excellence in Real Estate 2023 Awards Gala

C-Suite Awards: A Q&A with Charles Casalnova, F.N.B. - Pittsburgh Business Times

Meet Charles Casalnova, executive vice president, human resources and corporate services, F.N.B. Corp. and one of our 2023 C-Suite Awards winners.

Bomani Howze Discusses Revitalization and Redlining

The Lower Hill Development team's, Bomani Howze, mission to revitalize neighborhoods affected by redlining is reshaping the trajectory of low-income communities. Hear from him in this short clip. Video courtesy of 2023 Black Excellence in Real Estate.

C-Suite Awards: A Q&A with Tracey McCants Lewis, Pittsburgh Penguins - Pittsburgh Business Times

Meet Tracey McCants Lewis, chief people officer and general counsel, Pittsburgh Penguins and one of our 2023 C-Suite Awards winners.

Watch the FNB Financial Center Rise

Questions, Comments or Content Suggestions? Send us your feedback at LowerHillOpportunities@bpgroup.net. We will do our best to answer quickly and accurately. Your question may just be featured in our next newsletter!

Lower Hill Redevelopment

Urban Open Space in The Lower Hill District

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 02:35:23 GMT

Block F2 Urban Open Space is the westernmost gateway of the Lower Hill Master Plan’s comprehensive Urban Open Space framework that stretches eastward to Crawford Square and the historic Hill District Neighborhood, as well as historic and cultural sites such as the August Wilson House and Freedom Corner nearby. Situated at the corner of Washington Place and Centre Avenue, and stretching to Logan Street, the Block F2 is part of a connected series of open spaces that will link the Lower Hill along the re-established Wylie Avenue corridor to the recently completed Frankie Pace Park and Pittsburgh’s downtown business district, and beyond.

The landscape design is molded into the site’s steep topography and uses a series of switchbacks pathways to facilitate universal accessibility throughout the space. It draws on the Lower Hill PLDP’s sustainability strategies, using the open space for stormwater management and infiltration, as well as a primary native planting and a rich palette of materials that complement the other public open space improvements in the Lower Hill.

This Final Land Development Plan (FLDP) for Block F2 Urban Open Space is part of a cohesive and contiguous framework of parks and public spaces for the Lower Hill redevelopment. Block F2 is a 1.27-acre tract that will extend the open space now under construction and approved as part of an earlier FLDP submittal for Block G4 and will provide community gathering spaces featuring an event lawn, overlooks, informal amphitheater, seating terraces, gardens, plazas, and pavilions which support active and passive uses. Block F2 will also provide continuous universal accessibility throughout the entire site from Washington Place to Logan Street when fully built out. The proposed uses and programming conform to and are consistent with the recent Preliminary Land Development Plan (PLDP) Amendment approved by City Planning in January 2023.

Development Activities Meeting
November 20 | 6:00 pm | Zoom Link here

Join us for a presentation on the Block F2 Urban Open Space being hosted by the Hill District Consensus Group, Hill District Community Development Corporation and the Hill District Collaborative November 20th at 6:00 pm for a Development Activities Meeting.

Find Us at the Builders guild 'build on' November 17th and 18th At the David L. Lawrence Convention Center

Tue, 14 Nov 2023 05:00:00 GMT

BizFIT Tier 2 Construction and Trade Program

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 20:01:45 GMT

For the fourth year in a row, Buccini Pollin Group, Development Manger, Matt Corace, will be sharing his construction management expertise teaching a class on bidding and estimating as part of Riverside Center for Innovation's (RCI) BizFIT Tier 2 Construction program. As a native Pittsburgher, Matt feels right at home working on the Lower Hill redevelopment project and finds working with the budding entrepreneurs in RCI's BizFIT program very rewarding. This comprehensive program combines training, connections, and expertise to enable entrepreneurs to grow sustainable enterprises. The program runs November 28, 2023 - February 6, 2024, Tuesdays and Thursdays: 6 pm - 8 pm, offered Online via Zoom. If you want to learn more about construction management and gain confidence in your trade, and master your skills, sign up today!

BIzFIT Tier 2: Construction and Trade
November 28, 2023 - February 6. 2024
Tuesdays and Thursdays: 6 pm - 8 pm
Attendance is required for graduation
Online via Zoom

Registration Deadline: 11/28/2023 9:00 AM (EST)
Fee: No Fee

Point of Contact: Victoria Snyder 14129748215
Location: Pittsburgh PA 15212

Bomani Howze awarded, 'developer of the year' at Black Excellence in real estate 2023 gala

Thu, 21 Sep 2023 04:00:00 GMT

The Lower Hill Development team's, Bomani Howze, VP of Development for the Buccini Pollin Group and CEO and President of OLMEC Development was named Developer of the Year at the 2023 Black Excellence in Real Estate Awards Gala, September 21st, 2023. Black Excellence in Real Estate, founded in 2021 by Mary Hester, Owner of LifeVenture Real Estate Solutions, and Tammy T. Thompson, Founding Executive Director of Catapult Greater Pittsburgh promotes collaboration, partnership, and advocacy for the benefit of increasing Black homeownership in Pittsburgh.

2023 Black Excellence in Real Estate Honorees
Developer of the Year:
Bomani Howze, VP of Development, Buccini Pollin Group
President and CEO, OLMEC Development
Non-Profit of the Year:
Action Housing Inc.
Legacy Award:
Richard Snipe, Executive Director, Pittsburgh Housing Development Corporation
Trailblazer of the Year Award:
Gloria Besley, Broker of Record, Regency Crest Realty
Community Bank of the Year: PA Housing and Finance Agency

Congratulations to all honorees for your demonstrated dedication to the real estate industry, advocacy, and leadership in the community and beyond!

Lower Hill Redevelopment Team provides updates on Urban Open Space, Residential Units and Announces Release of LERTA Funds for Hill District Homeowners

Thu, 17 Aug 2023 22:46:25 GMT

Pittsburgh, August 10, 2023 – The Lower Hill Redevelopment Project team members hosted a community conversation with residents and stakeholders in the Lower Hill District at the Energy Innovation Center to discuss – and community members to ask questions about – the development.

Topics included the FNB Financial Center on Block G; the live music venue and garage on Block E; the Curtain Call public art project on Block A; an update on plans for housing on Block B, however, the most exciting announcement came in the form of a new opportunity made available to homeowners in Pittsburgh’s Hill District. The URA plans to use $465,000 from the Greater Hill District Neighborhood Reinvestment Fund to launch a grant program for homeowners to receive up to $20,000 to cover the cost of home repairs. The cash being used for the grant program is part of a $7.1 million contribution by the Lower Hill Redevelopment team made back in September 2021 that went into the fund. This marks the first time Greater Hill District Neighborhood Reinvestment Fund money will be available directly to Hill District residents.

The Greater Hill District Neighborhood Reinvestment Fund takes diverted tax revenues from the Lower Hill redevelopment project — which is set to include a new live music venue, public safety station and other amenities — and provides funding for community needs throughout the Hill District. Its board is comprised of 12 Hill District community stakeholders.

The application will close Monday, September 18, to allow time for applications to be reviewed and the first round of funds to begin to be distributed by Tuesday, October 31.

To find out more about the LERTA & GHDNRF and apply online at:
https://www.ura.org/pages/lower-hill-lerta-greater-hill-district-neighborhood-reinvestment-fund

For questions call 412-676-7550 voicemail system (calls will be returned within 48 hours) or email: hillrepair@ura.org

Mail Paper Applications to:
Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh
Residential Lending & Investments
412 Boulevard of the Allies, Suite 901
Pittsburgh, PA 15219

URA to assist Hill District homeowners with new fund dedicated to home improvements

Mon, 14 Aug 2023 18:15:55 GMT

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - People living in the Lower Hill District will soon start to see direct investment in the neighborhood from those leading the redevelopment of the former Civic Arena site.

Folks living throughout the Greater Hill have wondered how the Lower Hill redevelopment at the site of the former Civic Arena could help them.
Many tell KDKA, a vote on Thursday is a step in the right direction.
"We don't want it to be like Homestead when they built the Waterfront," said Dorian Moorefield, who lives and owns a business in the Hill District.

Moorefield went to the Energy Innovation Center with an open mind to learn more about future Lower Hill redevelopment projects. He lives in the Lower Hill and owns a business in the neighborhood, but has concerns.

"The people who live in the top of Homestead never benefited from that in regards to housing and funding and upgrades and things like that," he added.

Members of the public were invited to weigh in on the projects at the site of the former Civic Arena, which includes a music venue, multi-level garage, space for local businesses, and affordable housing.

But they also learned just hours earlier the Urban Redevelopment Authority unanimously approved a $465,000 fund for homeowners in the Hill District.

"This is for the people in the older houses who need a roof fixed, who need plastering done, who need a new door, who need handicap accessible entries," says Dr. Kimberly Ellis, director of community, arts, and culture for the Buccini/Pollin Group.

Read more from CBS News Pittsburgh KDKA

Parking Garage Pre-Bid Meeting for contractors held with Carl Walker Construction

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 14:04:29 GMT

Download the presentation deck here

Pittsburgh City Paper highlights: Black-led Community Spotlight: Dr. Kimberly Ellis

Wed, 14 Jun 2023 05:04:58 GMT

As featured in Pittsburgh City Paper by By Kahmeela Adams-Friedson
Community members have not forgotten what the Hill District once was, and what it could be again. Among those set on revitalizing the area are Dr. Kimberly Ellis and her employer, the Buccini/Pollin Group, a development firm based in Wilmington, Del. Ellis is also very concerned with other area neighborhoods being rebuilt well before “one of the oldest and most famous neighborhoods in the country.”

A large part of Ellis’ motivation can be attributed to the people who call the neighborhood home. “I just wanted to keep the mothers in the community that I knew who walked around the Lower Hill, who saw The Hill as still a safe haven, I wanted to keep them safe,” she says.

Read the full story here as posted in Pittsburgh City Paper, June 7, 2023

FNB Financial Center Topping Off Ceremony Video Recap

Mon, 29 May 2023 18:13:04 GMT

May 18th 2023 marked a significant day for the Lower Hill Redevelopment and Pittsburgh region with the Topping Off Ceremony for the FNB Financial Center, a 26-story commercial office building, home to the new headquarters of anchor tenant, First National Bank. Working with construction manager, PJ Dick, and MWBE consultant, E Holdings, lead developer, The Buccini/Pollin Group, and project partners, the Pittsburgh Penguins, Clay Cove Capital and First National Bank are proud to announce that one-third of construction contracts for the project have been awarded to minority-owned businesses.

Watch partners, community stakeholders and elected officials give remarks before signing the last structural beam then step back to view the crane lift it over 400' to it's permanent home at the crown of the building structure.

Speakers in order of appearance:
• Bomani Howze , Vice President of Development for Buccini/Pollin Group
• Deputy Mayor Jake Pawlak
• Vince Delie, Jr., President, Chairman and CEO, F.N.B. Corp
• Kevin Acklin, President & CEO, Pittsburgh Penguins
• Theresa Giacomino, PJ Dick
• City Councilmember Daniel Lavelle
• Amachie Ackah, Managing Partner, Clay Cove Capital
• Missy Johnson, Owner, Diverse Industrial Solutions
• Janai Williams, Managing Partner, E.Holdings Inc.
• Dr. Kimberly C. Ellis, Director of Community, Arts and Culture, Buccini/Pollin Group
• Chris Buccini, President, Buccini/Pollin Group

Special thank you to guest speakers and contractors working on the site:
• Curtis Morehead, Owner, Emerald Electrical Services LLC
• Roy Butler, Owner, Butler Landscaping
• PJ Dick, Mascaro Construction, Massaro Construction

For more information www.fnbfinancialcenter.com