The Penn Avenue Arts Initiative was created in 1998 in collaboration with the Bloomfield Garfield Corporation as a way to revitalize the Penn Avenue Corridor (4800-5500 Penn Avenue) through the arts. Four hundred artists representing the diverse economic, social, and cultural fabric of the surrounding neighborhoods were identified during the 1990s as a strong asset group for the area. High vacancy and abandonment rates were identified as opportunities in blighted 10-block Penn Avenue business corridor. Our “Light Bulb Moment” eleven years ago—Let’s use these assets/opportunities to revitalize our business district and build our neighborhoods! Thus, the PAAI was born. Part of a larger community development strategy that intertwines neighborhoods, residential, commercial and cultural projects, the PAAI is a joint-project between the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation (BGC) and Friendship Development Associates (FDA) Inc. In 2006, FDA was designated as a Main Street district. The “Main Street” Program is a countrywide, volunteer driven program created by the National Trust for Historic Preservation to restore cities to bustling and vigorous urban settings. The Main Street Program complements the revitalization efforts already taking place along the avenue through PAAI and together are developing Penn Avenue into a diverse cultural and social thriving arts and business destination.
Thanks to generous support from the URA, our banking partners, the Foundation community and hundreds of volunteers we can say that today the Penn Avenue Arts District and its neighboring communities are….
(IN PROCESS)
Artsy-er
Penn Avenue Arts Initiative
Where Green Art and Technology Meet – GA/GI
Annual GA-GI Festival
Pittsburgh Glass Center
Dance Alloy
MWFA
Garfield Artworks
Irma Freeman
Modern Formations
Artica
Green-er
Penn Avenue Green & Screen
http://www.bloomfield-garfield.org/pages/documents/June2011Bulletin_001.pdf pg 10
Farm To Table
Garfield Community Farm
Healcrest Farm
Busi-er
Voluto Coffee
Yoga Hive
MUV
Loyson
Evolve EA
Check out Evolve’s cool vision for the future
Edge
Croce/Luchino
Tasty-er
Salt of the Earth
Verde
http://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/print-edition/2011/05/13/verde-mexican-kitchen-catina-pittsburgh.html#ixzz1MqYhKPPI
Quiet Storm
BFG
Spaks
Peoples
Pho Minh
Homey-er
5000 Penn
Glass Lofts
http://www.glassloftspgh.com/2011/09/30/article-glass-act-in-pittsburgh-magazine/
Clean-er
Pick Up Penn
http://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/Pittsburgh-Magazine/June-2011/A-Transformed-Penn-Avenue/
Other media
http://www.bloomfield-garfield.org/pages/documents/June2011Bulletin_001.pdf pg 10 Green & Screen
http://www.bloomfield-garfield.org/pages/documents/July2011Bulletin.pdf pg 12 – Avenue Insider – new FDA series to highlight what’s good in our neighborhood
Glass Lofts
http://www.pittsburghmagazine.com/Pittsburgh-Magazine/July-2011/Glass-Lofts-in-Garfield/
