Green Space Improvements

WCDC has secured funding for many projects to make Wilkinsburg greener, safer, and cleaner.

The Borough of Wilkinsburg Sustainability Assessment details over 125 specific recommendations to help Wilkinsburg pursue a sustainability strategy. The report also identifies grant programs to help mitigate transition costs for several of the recommendations.

Carnegie Mellon University produced a Sustainable Community Development Project in 2009 for Wilkinsburg. It includes a Vacant to Vibrant toolkit and recommendations for making Wilkinsburg Strong, Green, and Home.

In the fall of 2012, Penn State Landscape Architecture students worked on a semester-long project to create new plans for vacant lots in Wilkinsburg.

Moss Architects created a great plan for the Penn Avenue Parklet. It’s part of our initiative to make Wilkinsburg greener!

LITTER PREVENTION AND REMEDIATION

Visit the business district today, and you are likely to encounter far less litter than you might have a year ago.

The WCDC installed 44 new litter receptacles in the business district to combat litter and present a clean, attractive business district. The receptacles were purchased with a 50% match from the Wilkinsburg Municipal Authority.

Eric Wildman (left) and Ray Appleby, owner of Technique Architectural Products, install the first of forty-four litter receptacles in the business district.

Designed by the WCDC Design Committee, the 45-gallon receptacles are constructed of steel with a hunter green powder coated finish, and have a hinged door on the side with a rigid plastic liner.

When the WCDC design committee began discussions about purchasing new litter receptacles, they turned to Ray Appleby of local business Technique Architectural Products for advice. Appleby has been creating masterpieces for over a decade as owner and founder of Technique. His shop is located in the former Earl Sheib building at 815 Penn Avenue.

TRAFFIC SIGNALS & LAMPPOSTS
The WCDC facilitated the completion of an upgrade to twelve traffic signals along Penn Avenue. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation completed the upgrade in order to provide a coordinated traffic signal system along the Penn Avenue corridor. Work began in September 2009 and was completed in 2010.

In addition to the new traffic signals, pedestrian safety was enhanced with the construction of handicap ramps and the inclusion of crossing signals with countdown timers, which indicate the amount of time that a pedestrian has left to cross the intersection.

In April 2011, the WCDC received a $20,000 grant from Duquesne Light Company to refurbish 63 existing decorative lampposts in the Borough of Wilkinsburg’s business district. Work will take place during the 2011–2012 fiscal year. The grant was made through Duquesne’s “Power of Light” program, which places a special focus on illuminating regional and neighborhood landmarks, recreational lighting, as well as lighting initiatives promoting economic vitality, safety and security in the various communities and neighborhoods Duquesne Light serves.

Business District Street Tree Plan

In October & November of 2012, TreeVitalize, in partnership with the WCDC, Nine Mile Run Watershed Association, and Wilkinsburg’s Shade Tree Committee, planted 76 trees along Penn Ave and around Wilkinsburg.  The trees were planted on four different planting days by volunteers.

The WCDC partnered with the Borough of Wilkinsburg’s Shade Tree Committee, Western Pennsylvania’s TreeVitalize, and the Nine Mile Run Watershed Association to facilitate a grant from Penn-Vest which provided for the planting of 500 new trees throughout the Borough. The tree plantings were in accordance with Nine Mile Run’s Street Tree Plan for the Wilkinsburg Business District.

Click here to request a free street tree for your residence or business!

Volunteers plant trees along the Business District of Wilkinsburg.

In April 2011, funds secured by WCDC were used to prune 42 trees along Wood Street. Pruning is an important step in maintaining safe and healthy trees in an urban environment.

• Wilkinsburg Revitalize Project Plants 500th Tree from Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
• What’s one way to reviatlize Wilkinsburg? Plant 500 Trees from PopCity

WILKINSBURG BUSINESS DISTRICT SAFETY INITIATIVE

Safety is very important in Wilkinsburg and WCDC, in partnership with the Wilkinsburg Police, has launched the Wilkinsburg Business District Safety initiative. Local business leaders meet on the first Thursday of the month at 8:30 am at the WCDC office – 1001 Wood St. to discuss how we can make Wilkinsburg safer in the business district.

Refurbished Lamp Post with new Street Banner