Volume 29 No. 3
March 2013
AGH helps employees buy homes in the Northside in 2005, AGH employees have purchased l15 homes on the Sandy Palmer currently lives in Northside and there is a growing interest in the program with 10 Glassport, but with the help of the to 15 employees taking part in the Allegheny General Hospital she is working to join her friends who rave workshops offered by the hospital. To qualify for the incentives of about the good neighborhoods on the program – including 10 grants the Northside. of $1,000 toward the purchase Allegheny General Hospital, of a house offered each year – in partnership with the Northside individuals must have completed a Leadership Conference and PNC minimum of one year of full-time Bank, are providing more than employment with AGH, remain in 4,000 of their employees with the good standing with the hospital, opportunity to take one step closer to joining the Northside community meet certain income restrictions and complete the Neighborworks through the Workforce Home homeownership education seminar. Benefit program. The January workshop reached The Workforce Home Benefit full capacity with 15 people in program focuses on establishing attendance. homeownership in one of 15 Palmer, who has been communities around the Northside contemplating buying a home for and provides several home buying a while, attended the January 26 resources, like matched home workshop and received a clearer ownership savings account plans, low interest mortgage products with view of the buying process and tips to make it go smoother. As a result, low down payment requirements, she is now more concerned about home buyer education services and access to expert financial and credit who she is working with to find the best fit for her situation. counseling. “Real estate agents, mortgage “I have always loved it over here, brokers, bankers and insurance especially because it is so central agents have paydays that rely on to everything,” said Palmer, who the transaction happening. Home frequents the Carnegie Science Benefit Program can be focused on Center, the Andy Warhol Museum, the buyer because their only stake in Pirates and Steeler games and the the outcome is a good new resident National Aviary. “You are [within] walking distance to a lot over here.” for the area,” Palmer said. While the program was created Debra Caplan, senior vice for AGH employees, employees president of Allegheny General throughout the West Penn Hospital, said the hospital works Allegheny Health system may to connect its employees with the attend the workshops hosted at community where they work. AGH on May 18 and August 24. “The Northside is a great place Caplan said the workshops and to work and live, and we want to program works to create “educated invest in it as a wonderful and consumers” that will provide vibrant community,” said Caplan. participants with an advantage “For employees, we think it is a when navigating the important great thing for them to live in the area, and it’s convenient.” See AGH, page 21 Since the start of the program
By Megan Trimble
Photo courtesy AGH
Participants in Allegheny General Hopsital’s Workforce Home Benefit program listen to NeighborWorks’ instructor Stan White, who lectures on morgages.
MWS city historic district may expand borders, triple in size By Kelsey Shea On Wednesday, February 6, the Historic Review Commission for the city of Pittsburgh approved the proposal to expand the Mexican War Streets historic district. The proposal will now move on to city council for its approval. The application proposed that the current city historic district, which currently encompasses streets between West North Avenue and Sampsonia Way from Drovers Way to Sherman Avenue, expand several blocks deeper into the Central Northside and four blocks west to Reddour Street.
The proposed expansion would allow the city historic district to match the preexisting national historic district. The application was submitted by former Central Northside resident Kirk Burkley in collaboration with the Central Northside Neighborhood Council and the Mexican War Streets Society. The CNNC believes that expanding the historic district would be beneficial to the community who would have more leverage in dictating infill housing
See MWS, page 12