Julia Felton stories, Page 47
Mayoral press secretary named to Pittsburgh’s LGBTQIA+ Commission
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey has appointed Maria Montaño, the city’s first transgender press secretary, to the LGBTQIA+ Commission. The appointment was unanimously approved by City Council on Tuesday. “Our great city has a rich history of advancing the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community,” Montaño said. “I feel humbled to be...
UPMC Matilda H. Theiss Health Center returns to Pittsburgh’s Hill District
The UPMC Matilda H. Theiss Health Center will begin seeing patients in Pittsburgh’s Hill District again on Friday. The clinic moved out of the Hill District last August because of structural problems at its prior facility, and it operated temporarily in the South Side, according to Dr. Jonathan Yadlosky, the...
Uptown Partners event looks to rally support for preserving historic Tito House
Pittsburgh’s Uptown Partners is holding an event Saturday to educate the community about the Tito House, a building nominated for historic designation. The event is part of a larger effort to rally support for preserving the Fifth Avenue building, which is at risk of being demolished to make way for...
URA Deputy Executive Director Diamonte Walker leaving for private sector
Pittsburgh’s Urban Redevelopment Authority said Friday that Deputy Executive Director Diamonte Walker is stepping down this spring to take a job in the private sector. Walker began working for the URA in June 2017, serving as the minority and women-owned business enterprise program officer and helping to expand the program...
UPMC Health Plan’s Freedom House 2.0 program graduates 9 in Hill District ceremony
Nine people graduated Friday from UPMC Health Plan’s Freedom House 2.0 program, an initiative that trains people from economically disadvantaged communities as emergency medical technicians and community health workers. The 10-week program is based on the groundbreaking 1960s Freedom House program, which similarly recruited, trained and employed people for jobs...
Shadyside’s Rodef Shalom synagogue considered for historic designation
The Rodef Shalom synagogue in Pittsburgh’s Shadyside neighborhood is being considered for historic designation. “It’s just wonderful that our history is going to be recognized as part of Pittsburgh’s history,” said Matthew Falcone, president of the board of trustees at Rodef Shalom Congregation. “We’re very excited that our historical narrative...
Planning Commission OKs Duquesne University’s building plans for osteopathy school
Duquesne University will move forward with plans for a new school of medicine after Pittsburgh’s Planning Commission on Tuesday approved the school’s plans for a new building to house its College of Osteopathic Medicine. The five-story structure will replace the former Life Works building being demolished at Forbes Avenue and...
Planning Commission approves UPMC plan for 363-bed hospital in Oakland
Pittsburgh’s Planning Commission signed off on UPMC’s plans for a new 363-bed hospital in Oakland on Tuesday, paving the way for finalized plans to go to the city’s zoning administrator for approval. UPMC said the new hospital, planned for the former Children’s Hospital site at the corner of Fifth Avenue...
Pittsburgh’s planning commission approves Oakland Crossings development, sends proposal to City Council
Pittsburgh’s planning commission voted 5-0 to recommend the controversial Oakland Crossings development zoning amendments to Pittsburgh City Council, which will have the ultimate vote on the measure. The recommendation comes with several conditions, including that university and college campuses are excluded from acceptable uses for the site and that City...
Pittsburgh to resume street sweeping with related parking enforcement after 2 years
Pittsburgh is planning to resume street sweeping with related parking enforcement in April, after a two-year enforcement hiatus during the covid-19 pandemic. The street sweeping and related parking enforcement will begin on April 1 and continue through Nov. 30. For the past two years, the city has not implemented parking...
Section of Pioneer Avenue in Pittsburgh’s Brookline to close through mid-July
A section of Pioneer Avenue in Pittsburgh’s Brookline neighborhood will be closed through mid-July because of gas line replacement work. Pioneer Avenue will be closed between Dunster Street and Berkshire Avenue from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays, according to...
Amazon’s withdrawal from Churchill development met with mixed reactions
News that Amazon will not forge ahead with its plans to build a massive warehouse in Churchill was met with mixed reactions Friday. Amazon’s decision to nix the proposed 2.6-million square-foot warehouse, which was to be developed at the former site of the George Westinghouse Research Park, came after more...
Developer looks to build at Pittsburgh site housing property up for historic designation
A developer is looking to build a mixed-use development on Fifth Avenue in Pittsburgh’s Uptown neighborhood — though the fate of the project may be determined by whether the Tito House, which is located on the site, earns historic designation. Fountain Residential Partners — which specializes in college housing —...
Mail-in ballots on way for elections to replace House seats vacated by Gainey, Wheatley
Allegheny County’s Elections Division has begun sending mail-in and absentee ballot packets to voters who will be participating in the special elections to fill state House seats vacated by Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey and his chief of staff, Jake Wheatley. The special elections to fill the seats in the 19th...
Pittsburgh closing sidewalk on Meadow Street Bridge for repairs
Pittsburgh’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure announced Thursday they will be closing a portion of the sidewalk on Meadow Street Bridge for repairs. The bridge, located in the city’s East Liberty and Larimer neighborhoods, spans Negley Run Boulevard. Officials are closing the northeast sidewalk to accommodate necessary repairs, a decision...
Apartment Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh sues city over rental registry
The Apartment Association of Metropolitan Pittsburgh is suing the city over its rental registry, a program that was struck down in court once before. Pittsburgh City Council in November approved legislation to create a rental registration and inspection schedule for rental units, though a similar measure enacted in 2009 failed...
Hearings to be held on Pittsburgh City Council proposals to generate money for infrastructure fund
Some people opposed to a Pittsburgh City Council proposal to levy a 1% tax on college tuition and medical bills to generate money for infrastructure improvements appear to be more open to a separate proposal to seek money from nonprofits instead. The Fern Hollow Bridge collapse in January heightened concerns...
Pa. adopts new rules for using Pittsburgh’s Point State Park for large events
New rules at Pittsburgh’s Point State Park call for large events at the park to be held at least five days apart and limit events to no more than seven days. The rules prompted the Three Rivers Arts Festival, a 10-day event that traditionally has been held at Point State...
Pittsburgh City Council approves measure requiring mayor to make sure budget proposals are legal
Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday approved legislation that will require the mayor’s office to make sure budget proposals comply with federal, state and local laws and the city’s home rule charter before they are introduced to council. The measure comes after former Mayor Bill Peduto proposed a major pay increase...
Pittsburgh City Council proposal would turn to nonprofits for infrastructure funding
Legislation being introduced to Pittsburgh City Council on Tuesday would seek voluntary payments from nonprofits to help pay for infrastructure improvements and, in turn, replace a controversial proposal to get the money by imposing a 1% tax on tuition and medical bills. The legislation cosponsored by Burgess and Councilman R....
Oakland Portal project to prompt lane closures on Fifth Avenue in Pittsburgh
Work related to the Oakland Portal development project will result in lane closures along Fifth Avenue in Pittsburgh’s Oakland and Uptown neighborhoods, the city’s Department of Mobility and Infrastructure said Monday. Work being done by Peoples Gas will obstruct one or two travel lanes on Fifth Avenue between Robinson Street...
Pittsburgh City Controller’s office launches site to track American Rescue Plan spending
Pittsburgh City Controller Michael Lamb’s office has launched a webpage where people can track how the city is spending its American Rescue Plan money. The American Rescue Plan Trust Fund Monitoring Page is part of the website Fiscal Focus Pittsburgh, which the Controller’s Office has maintained since 2018. The site...
URA poised to launch pilot programs to encourage minority entrepreneurship, business expansion
Pittsburgh’s Urban Redevelopment Authority is poised to create two new social impact pilot programs aimed at encouraging minority entrepreneurship and business expansion. URA Ventures and the Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise Developer Equity Fund programs will provide risk capital to minority and women-owned businesses. The redevelopment authority is hoping to...
Pittsburgh City Council establishes affordable housing committee
Pittsburgh City Council approved legislation this week to create a committee to address the city’s affordable housing needs. Councilman Ricky Burgess, who introduced the legislation in February, said the measure was spurred by his belief that everyone in the city deserves access to “clean, decent, affordable housing (that is) affordable...
Police: Man in stable condition after being shot in Squirrel Hill
A man was taken to the hospital in stable condition after being shot in the leg in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill South neighborhood early Friday morning, police said. Police said said they responded to a call for a man who had been shot at the 5700 block of Forward Avenue just...
