Allegheny Together
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Allegheny
Together endeavors to encourage well-planned, well-designed and
geographically-focused investment in the established, urban commercial
districts of Allegheny County while respecting the unique history,
character, and built environment of each. The program aims to help
organize and empower each community to fulfill its collective vision.
Allegheny Together is a program of:
ALLEGHENY COUNTY
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
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Please Forward this E-Newsletter!
Spread the word about the great things happening in YOUR downtown by clicking on "Forward Email" located at the bottom of this column. Thank you!
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DOWNTOWN RECOGNITION AWARD
Van Sciver's Wallcovering and Paint
The Tarentum Business Area Advisory Committee has named Van Sciver's Wallcoverings and Paint as its Downtown Recognition Recipient. For almost a quarter-century, Marlis and Denny Fuhrman have operated Van Sciver's Wallcoverings and Paint, a store that first opened on East Sixth Avenue in Tarentum in 1923 and still bears the name of the original owners.
Van Sciver's is known as one of the region's leading Benjamin Moore paint dealers. With the store's vast wallpaper selection, interior design assistance and commercial and residential installation services, Van Sciver's has helped hundreds upon hundreds of people across the valley beautify their surroundings. And, they practice what they preach.
With Tarentum's current focus on revitalization and improving the downtown business district, Van Scivers serves as a model merchant with its clean, inviting exterior at 311 Sixth Avenue.
"We may be residents of Sarver, but we have been part of Tarentum's business district since 1986. We want to bring people into the area to support our retailers so we work hard to keep our store and the surrounding area inviting," explained Marlis.
But exterior character does not a business make. Inside, the store is filled with high-quality paint and supplies, a vast supply of wallpaper coverings and the store's second floor balcony houses a gift shop with accent pieces for the home. Daily operations are run by Robin Shoemaker, the store's stellar manager, who is always on hand to help customers solve their interior designs dilemmas and oversees daily operations.
"I want to commend Marlis and Denny as well as Robin, for serving as a great illustration of the importance and value of a welcoming exterior. The awnings, well-kept façade and window displays all work together to make it an inviting destination on Sixth Avenue," says Bill Rossey, Tarentum's manager.
Marlis notes, "I commend Tarentum for what they are doing to increase traffic into the business district and improve the vitality of it, especially around the holidays."
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Downtown Tarentum Calendar of Events Farmers Market
Opens on June 16th
Parking Lot of First United Presbyterian Church, 10th & Lock Street
Tot Wading Pool
Riverview Park
Monday Closed
Tuesday thru Saturday 11 AM to 5 PM
Sunday, Noon to 5 PM
Family Fun Night
Riverview Park
June 23rd
5 PM to 9 PM
Fireworks
Dreshar Stadium
Sponsored by Summit Hose Company
Summit Hose Street Carnival
July 19-24
W. 6th Avenue
Abundant Joy Fellowship Weekend
Riverview Park
August 12th
To find out about fun events happening in other Allegheny Together communities, check out the Allegheny Together Events Calendar. |
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SUNFLOWER GARDEN
The Tarentum BAAC is proud to announce that Tarentum has been selected to participate in a Sunflower Bio-energy Garden Initiative that has been offered to the first six Allegheny Together communities including, Bridgeville, Elizabeth, Stowe, Swissvale, Tarentum, & Verona. The goal of this initiative is to enhance the downtown corridor with a bold statement of beautiful sunflowers while adding beauty to a formerly vacant lot transforming it into a fresh urban green space and to hopefully promote future investment and development here in our downtown.
The site, located on East 5th Avenue behind the Hometown Restaurant, will be developed under the local leadership of Tim Rapp & Bill Rossey and the help of volunteers from local community groups and individuals G-Tech Strategies has been retained by the County to provide startup materials, as well as technical and educational assistance. The garden will be planted this May, weeded and maintained, and harvested sometime in September or October. The harvested sunflowers will be made into biofuel and possibly packaged food for the local Whole Foods market.
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POSITIVE PROGRESS IN DOWNTOWN TARENTUM!
Good things are happening in Tarentum's downtown. The Tarentum Business Area Advisory Committee (T-BAAC) continues to work hard toward the goals outlined in the Annual Strategic Action Plan they created with Town Center Associates through the Allegheny Together Program. The T-BAAC is focused on building upon the positive aspects of downtown Tarentum and working towards necessary improvements.
The Architecture and Design Initiative of the T-BAAC has many exciting things going on. Phase one of the streetscape project is beginning including removal of the jersey barriers and installation of attractive iron railings in its place. The final design guidelines for Phase One which includes railings, planters, and sidewalks are complete and ready for bid. A CDGB pre-application for $100,000 has been prepared for further expansion of the streetscape master plan.
A 'Ghost Sign' Project has recently been approved for the restoration of four such signs located in Tarentum. The community mural depicting periods in the history of Tarentum to be located on the retaining wall on Sixth Street is moving forward. Volunteers from the Family Services' Art Therapy Program will do the painting after the final design has been approved. Several merchants are providing the materials.
In the past few months, the T-BAAC's Community Life Initiative applied for a GTECH Sunflower Garden Project. The application was accepted and approved.
The Sunflower Garden Project plants bio-energy gardens in urban areas to address blighted lots, improve the soil conditions and appearance of the property, and serve as a transitional project for the community to foresee and possibly develop new possibilities such as parklets, etc. The T-BAAC will also be sending members to classes offered through TreeVitalize. Tim Rapp and Bill Rossey will be taking the required class offered through TreeVitalize to become a Tree Tender. Doing so may eventually allow Tarentum to participate in a program which offers free trees to the community for the business district.
As part of the committee's Business Development Initiative, the committee recently hosted a Merchant Breakfast to update the local merchants as well as community members about the committee's efforts. The Merchant Breakfast was also a forum for the introduction of two new business development programs, Downtown First and Downtown Properties, which are being offered to Tarentum's businesses and property owners by Town Center Associates (TCA). These innovative new programs are focused on supporting and retaining Tarentum's current businesses, as well as recruiting new businesses to the community. To learn more, please see the specific articles about these programs in this e-newsletter. As you can see many positive things are happening through Tarentum's participation in the Allegheny Together Program and through the persistent efforts of the Borough, the T-BAAC Committee, and Tarentum's invaluable volunteers!
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YOUR WORK AND YOUR HEALTH
Health and wellness are receiving a lot more attention today than they have in the past for good reason: increasing healthcare costs are a burden and more and more people are looking for ways to take control of their health and feel better. Workplace wellness is the term for any activities and policies that a business adopts to support employees making healthy lifestyle choices. Focusing on workplace wellness makes sense because a worker spends more waking hours at work than at home or anywhere else.
Often very simple changes can improve employee wellness and morale. A well-designed wellness program can help businesses see positive results in their bottom line. The Allegheny County Health Department is offering to help businesses start their own workplace wellness programs and will provide resources and technical assistance to interested businesses. Even if you own a small business there are opportunities to partner with neighboring businesses to develop wellness programs. If you would like more information please contact Darija Wiswell at the Allegheny County Health Department 412-247-7815.
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TAKE THE DOWNTOWN FIRST PLEDGE TODAY!
Join the Movement. Put
Your Money Where Your House Is
"Homes located in communities with a walkable downtown business district are worth 10-20% more than homes in other communities"
The Downtown First Pledge is simple. All you have to do is try to choose businesses in your
downtown first. Before looking elsewhere, try to think about what local
restaurants, shops, or professionals in your community might offer the
service or product you are looking for.
When you take the Downtown First Pledge,
you'll quickly see the difference these simple decisions have on your
quality of life. You'll spend less time in your car, get to know local
business owners, and help ensure that good businesses remain in your
community.
Furthermore, the economic benefits of shopping locally will be felt throughout our region by strengthening our local economies. If
half the employed population spent just $50 each month in locally
owned, independent businesses, it would generate more then $42.6
billion in revenue. How's that for a return on your investment!*
CLICK HERE TO TAKE THE DOWNTOWN FIRST PLEDGE TODAY. It only takes a few seconds and demonstrates your support for your community!
DOWNTOWN FIRST PLEDGE:
I
PLEDGE that I will try to choose my downtown businesses FIRST. I will
try to think about what restaurants, shops or professionals in my
community might offer what I am looking for, before looking
elsewhere. By supporting this movement, I am helping to improve the
vibrancy of my community and our region.
Downtown First is a downtown business support and promotion program created by
Town Center Associates.
*According to a study by the US Department of Labor |
FIND AVAILABLE PROPERTIES IN DOWNTOWN TARENTUM!
If
your business needed a retail storefront or office space in downtown Tarentum, how would you find a building currently available for sale or
lease?
Town Center Associates has the answer: a new website, www.downtownproperties.net. Think
of it as a multiple listing service just for downtown properties in
select towns in the Pittsburgh area. This site lets you search for
available commercial properties in nearly 30 area downtowns. Each
listing has a recent property photo and contact information, as well as
demographic information on the community, mapping, and other helpful
features.
If you own a downtown property that you would like to
sell, or if you have a storefront you would like to lease, contact Town
Center Associates at 724-728-0500 or 412-577-7447, or email us at tca@towncenter.info. Our
friendly staff will make sure that your property is placed on this
website for all to see. Best of all, your property will be promoted at
NO CHARGE to you! When you call or write, ask about receiving a FREE
poster that will help promote both your property and the site!
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PHLF UPDATE
Great businesses capture foot traffic, maintain their building's historical integrity, and are intensely focused on customer service. PHLF is offering technical assistance to business owners to help them make their businesses the best they can be.
As many property owners are aware, Allegheny County's Allegheny Restores program is a way for you to make capital improvements to the façade of your building. However, this is not the only assistance available to you. PHLF is offering the services of an interior designer to you and your business. Our designers can help you draw in more foot traffic through an eye-catching window display, improve the interior layout of your space, and offer suggestions for new paint colors or window treatments. This is a great opportunity for your business to get recommendations from a design professional, free of charge. To set up an appointment, please contact David Farkas at 412-471-5808.
As previously mentioned, Allegheny Restores is a great opportunity for property and business owners in the Allegheny Together communities to make improvements to their facades. PHLF will be stepping up its role in this area and assisting property and business owners in bidding the work out to subcontractors, as well as helping to advise about the construction phase. PHLF brings over 40 years of restoration and renovation experience, and we are excited about working with interested business and property owners.
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STAY UP TO DATE ON DOWNTOWN TARENTUM
With Our Quarterly E-Newsletter
You are
reading the Tarentum FOCUS: your quarterly downtown e-newsletter. By using
e-newsletters instead of print newsletters, we can send the information about
our downtown revitalization efforts to a greater number of people and save
paper--a win for the community and the environment!
To
receive your copy of the e-newsletter via email, simply send an email to
tca@towncenter.info and indicate your email address, as well as the name of the
town or towns for which you'd like to receive the e-newsletters. You can
also call Town Center Associates to sign up at 412-577-7447.
Please also
take a moment to forward this email along to your friends, colleagues, family
and neighbors, and encourage them to sign up today! This will help to inform
(and involve) more citizens about the revitalization efforts taking place in
our downtown. |
This e-newsletter was created by Town Center Associates for the
Allegheny Together Program of Allegheny County Economic Development.
For more information about the Allegheny Together program, please visit
www.alleghenytogether.com.
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