Second Quarter 2011 

Downtown Stowe E-Newsletter

Stowe Business District Advisory Committee       

ALLEGHENY TOGETHER PROGRAM 

 

 

 

 

In This Issue:
2nd Quarter Downtown Recognition Award
Downtown Stowe Calendar of Events
The Easter Bunny Visits Broadway
Find Downtown Businesses...Fast!
Free Posters to Help Market Your Vacant/Available Properties
Allegheny Grows
Sustainable Business Designation Program
Ride the Ohio River Trail

Allegheny Together 

allegheny together 

 

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


ACED logo

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2ND QUARTER DOWNTOWN RECOGNITION AWARD  

Sonny Jani
 Jani  

The Stowe Business District Advisory Committee has chosen Sonny Jani as its 2nd Quarter Downtown Recognition recipient for 2011.  This quarterly Downtown Recognition is an opportunity for the committee to recognize notable individuals, businesses, or groups who have contributed to our community's downtown efforts in some positive way.

Sonny grew up in the Stowe Township area and saw an opportunity in purchasing properties on Broadway. Sonny was hopeful to acquire those properties as he did not want to see them sold to a property owner that would live outside the Pittsburgh area.  He values Stowe Township and wanted to see these properties flourish. He is fortunate to own several other properties such as the location of Blue Eagle and that of Fox's.

Currently he is working on a film about Mike Webster's life and is also working with congress to rename CTE, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (the Mike Webster Disease) which he has suffered.

The Committee thanks Sonny for his interest and dedication to our community and wishes him luck with his film making!

DOWNTOWN STOWE CALENDAR OF EVENTS 

 

Car and Craft Show
September 17th
Broadway Avenue
12-8 PM
*Rain Date: September 24th

Public Safety Day
October
Date and Time TBA

Christmas on Broadway
December 10th
2 to 4 PM

THE EASTER BUNNY VISITS BROADWAY 

 

Easter Bunny 1


On April 16th children in Stowe Township were treated to a visit from the Easter Bunny at Marge's Place! There were opportunities for photos with Peter Rabbit, a chocolate bunny raffle, crafts and an Easter Egg hunt. The event was well-attended and much fun was had by all. A very grateful thank you to all the merchants and individuals who donated time, money or talent to make this event happen!

Easter Bunny 2 Easter Bunny 3
FIND DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES....FAST!
DTF Stowe

Thanks to the Downtown First business directory, it has never been easier or faster to find what you are looking for in your downtown. Downtown First provides a free and easy-to-use online AND printable business directory for your downtown as well as approximately 20 other business districts in the region.

 

You can search for businesses by:

  • Downtown: including your downtown and many nearby communities!
  • Business Type: such as antiques or restaurants and cafes
  • Keywords: such as the business name or a specific services you are looking for

 

Downtown First is leading the movement to support local businesses by making it possible for you to narrow your search to include only local, independent businesses....and making it easier for you to support them!

 

Remember to "put your money where your house is" by supporting your downtown businesses...first!

Stowe Logo 

FREE POSTERS TO HELP MARKET YOUR VACANT/AVAILABLE PROPERTIES!

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Help to market the vacant and/or available properties in your downtown with TCA's FREE DowntownProperties.net poster! Placing the colorful DowntownProperties.net poster in your window will let everyone passing by know that it is available, whether your property is vacant or still being occupied.    

   

Most importantly, the poster can direct those interested in your property to DowntownProperties.net, where they can access important information about the property, such as contact information, address square footage, a photograph, community demographics, and more!      

 

If you are interested in a free poster for your property, please contact Town Center Associates at 724-728-9400 or tca@towncenter.info.

ALLEGHENY GROWS

Good things are growing in our Allegheny Together communities! In 2010, Allegheny County Economic Development started a community-food gardening initiative called Allegheny Grows. In partnership with Grow Pittsburgh and the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy this program provides technical, organizational and planning assistance-along with materials and supplies-to communities interested in getting a community gardening effort off the ground. With community driven enthusiasm and participation, we assist residents with growing their own food, generating a green civic space for long-term use, creating a platform for civic participation and economic development activity, re-imagining vacant underutilized land, and stimulating conversations about local sustainability.    

 

The program targets low-to-moderate income populations that demonstrate the following: an appropriate gardening site, strong community leadership, interested participants, and willingness to learn and work together. This is a two year program providing intensive start-up services and materials in the first year and continuation planning and seedlings in the second.    

 

Important Information:

Applications available August 15th, 2011 (anticipated) at this web address: http://economic.alleghenycounty.us/applications/CommunityApp.doc.    

 

A mandatory information session is to be held in September.

Applications are due: September 30, 2011.   

 

For additional information, please contact Iris Whitworth at (412)350-5594, iris.whitworth@alleghenycounty.us.
SUSTAINABLE BUSINESS DESIGNATION PROGRAM

SB

Allegheny County Economic Development and Town Center Associates (TCA), in partnership with Sustainable Pittsburgh, offer an innovative "Sustainable Business Designation Program" to recognize downtown-based businesses that are making efforts to implement sustainable business practices. Through the support of Allegheny County Economic Development, the program has been launched in all the Allegheny Together communities and will be introduced to the newest communities, Carnegie and Dormont this summer.

The Sustainable Business Designation recognizes businesses for implementing actions that are simultaneously good for their bottom line, the environment, and the social fabric of their communities. Businesses that incorporate sustainable practices into their operations are showing their intentions to improve their performance, and as such, stand out as valuable contributors to their local community business districts.

This Sustainable Business Designation is reflected for each qualifying business in the business directory for their town, available at DowntownFirst.net. The "Sustainable Business" designation helps consumers to identify and choose businesses who are committed to sustainability and who view sustainability as core to their mission and business model.

Sustainable Pittsburgh staff will be visiting each business owner to personally let them know about the program. They will provide the business owners with information on resources available to businesses to assist them in implementing more sustainable practices: ultimately saving the businesses money, and having a more positive impact on the environment.
RIDE THE OHIO RIVER TRAIL
ORTC Logo

Taking advantage of our region's resources is one of the most valuable ways we can participate in our community. The Ohio River Trail Council and Western Pennsylvania Wheelman have paired up and designed several programs to do just that.

 

Combining exercise and the outdoors, biking the Ohio River Trail has never been easier. The ORTC and WPW invite the community to participate in the brand-new Trail Ride Series in the tri-state region. Beginning Saturdays in April, twice-monthly rides are being held along Western Pennsylvania's beautiful 'Rail Trails,' typically within 2 hours of the city of Pittsburgh. The rides range in terrain difficulty and typically run between ten and forty miles long and involve a stop at a local restaurant for lunch.

 

It is the hope of the ORTC to encourage involvement in the beautiful outdoors that surround our local communities in a spirit of adventure and physical wellness. Partnerships in our region are underway with new programs rapidly developing to include a number of interests. Canoe & Kayak Club, Walking & Hiking Club, Running Club, Fishing Club, Birding & Butterflying Club and a Photography Club are all beginning to grow in popularity as our region continues to flourish.

 

The Ohio River Trail Cycling Club promotes fitness and recreation in our community, and the club invites riders of all abilities to explore our region on 2 wheels! For questions or comments, contact Vincent Troia or Nathan Peluso and refer to the ORTC ride calendar for event dates, visit their website at www.ohiorivertrail.org or call their offices at 724-728-2625.

STAY UP TO DATE ON DOWNTOWN STOWE
With Our Quarterly E-Newsletter
 

   

You are reading the Stowe 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.