What feasible things could be done that would greatly improve your neighborhood/town? (Pittsburgh: appointed, for rent)

[ferraris]

Everywhere I've lived I've always thought "If only they could do X, that would make such a difference." So let's hear it; what is that X for your neighborhood?

For Brighton Heights I have 4 things that are relatively feasible and would have a large impact.

Allowing Restaurants -- There are three empty storefronts on California which are currently listed for rent for just $500 or $600 with utilities included. That's a great price and decent location for someone trying to get into the restaurant business. The problem? Kristoff Agency's advertisemetns all specify "No food related businesses." So we are stuck with empty storefronts instead. I'm not sure what the reasoning is, but I was very disappointed when I saw that I had to give up hope for new restaurants to move in.

Rebuild Davis Avenue Bridge -- Even if only as a pedestrian/bike bridge. Riverview Park is right there, but it's virtually inaccessible from the neighborhoods bordering the west side of the park.

Benches in Legion Park -- I'll admit this is minor, but in its current state the park is basically just landscaping and isn't really usable for any purpose. This is probably something that could be handled at the community group level since it is so cheap.

Public Transportation -- A T extension or leveling of 65 would be great, but keeping in line with feasible and realistic things, merely a bus route directly serving Oakland would be a big boost. More bus shelters/benches would help, too.

[PreservationPioneer]

Great thread idea!

For McKees Rocks and Stowe Township, where I live now:

-- Devise a system to unload tax delinquent and vacant and neglected properties to new owners, forgiving back taxes that are owed, and marketing the properties. The problem that occurs in my community is that homeowners die off and properties sit vacant forever, accumulating back taxes and falling increasingly into disrepair. It gets to the point that the property is not worth what money it would take to acquire, since property values are already so low. This is the number one thing that I would suggest for my town and maybe the whole region.

--Find a way to handle vacant and abandoned row-houses without tearing them down. Tearing down a vacant row-house in a row creates a missing tooth effect and greatly diminishes the appearance of the street. I also believe that demolishing row-houses is expensive for the homeowner who, outside of the city of Pittsburgh, is reponsible for the costs of stabilizing their party wall (not cheap) and the structural problems which may result. While McKees Rocks and Stowe do not actively tear down row houses, this is a problem which will need to be addressed in the future.

[ebyrnes]

For Marshall Shadeland:

Clear out the drug dealers, and get help for their clients; everything will follow once that huge obstacle is under control.

As far as the Davis Ave Bridge, I dream of a zip line or a gondola instead of a bridge (:

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by ferrarisnowday

Everywhere I've lived I've always thought "If only they could do X, that would make such a difference." So let's hear it; what is that X for your neighborhood?

For Brighton Heights I have 4 things that are relatively feasible and would have a large impact.

Allowing Restaurants -- There are three empty storefronts on California which are currently listed for rent for just $500 or $600 with utilities included. That's a great price and decent location for someone trying to get into the restaurant business. The problem? Kristoff Agency's advertisemetns all specify "No food related businesses." So we are stuck with empty storefronts instead. I'm not sure what the reasoning is, but I was very disappointed when I saw that I had to give up hope for new restaurants to move in.

Rebuild Davis Avenue Bridge -- Even if only as a pedestrian/bike bridge. Riverview Park is right there, but it's virtually inaccessible from the neighborhoods bordering the west side of the park.

Benches in Legion Park -- I'll admit this is minor, but in its current state the park is basically just landscaping and isn't really usable for any purpose. This is probably something that could be handled at the community group level since it is so cheap.

Public Transportation -- A T extension or leveling of 65 would be great, but keeping in line with feasible and realistic things, merely a bus route directly serving Oakland would be a big boost. More bus shelters/benches would help, too.

Keep us posted on this. I almost bought in BH. Really liked the area.

[Goodjules]

Originally Posted by alleghenyangel

Devise a system to unload tax delinquent and vacant and neglected properties to new owners, forgiving back taxes that are owed, and marketing the properties. The problem that occurs in my community is that homeowners die off and properties sit vacant forever, accumulating back taxes and falling increasingly into disrepair. It gets to the point that the property is not worth what money it would take to acquire, since property values are already so low. This is the number one thing that I would suggest for my town and maybe the whole region.

This seems like it would be a win-win for local government and the community. Anyone know why it isn't being done? Lack of political will? Complex legal issues?

[stburr91]

Originally Posted by juliegt

This seems like it would be a win-win for local government and the community. Anyone know why it isn't being done? Lack of political will? Complex legal issues?

That's a good question. I'd say it's mostly the school districts refusing to give up the back taxes.

I think there is such a program in Wilkinsburg, it's just too bad that they didn't start it much sooner.

[I_Like_Spam]

For L'ville- get Bottom Dollar to abandon its planned store in Garfield and instead move into the old Plummer St. carbarn that housed Giant Eagle for so long.

[armourereric]

McCandless

Now granted, I live in san Diego now but I went home for a visit in June so.......

Upgrade McKnight road into a landscaped parkway. a median and sides with trees and decorative lighting, a grade separated interchange at Babcock/Peebles and Cumberland, the signals at Perrymont, Duncan and Arcadia can stay for now. Extend Duncan westward to at least Perry Highway. Revive the late 1950's plan to extend McKnight along the Pine Creek valley to I-79. Make Ingomar more into a 1930's town square like village, do the same around Perry Highway and Perrymont and Thompson Run at Duncan. Develop Potters Lake Park just north of Ingomar. Get McCandless it's own zip code and post office. Bring a linear park extension to North Park along Pine Creek at least to McKnight with jogging trails and bike paths. Enhance and preserve the old Harmony line corridor as a parkway for passenger cars only with an adjacent linear park along the right of way.

[gg]

The best way to improve my area is to be able to walk the entire area via nice sidewalk/trail throughout. That way if a family wanted to go for a bike ride walk/jog, they could just walk out the door and go. That would make people heather and make for better living conditions. Sadly most are just running around in huge SUVs thinking that is some signal of an outdoors person. Little do they know.

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by h_curtis

The best way to improve my area is to be able to walk the entire area via nice sidewalk/trail throughout. That way if a family wanted to go for a bike ride walk/jog, they could just walk out the door and go. That would make people heather and make for better living conditions. Sadly most are just running around in huge SUVs thinking that is some signal of an outdoors person. Little do they know.

Do you think most people in Fox Chapel are just indifferent towards this sort of thing, or would they actually be against it due to privacy?