WCDC Community Impact Report 2022-2023

Annual Report 2022-2023

MISSION & VISION At the Wilkinsburg Community Development Corporation (WCDC), we work to drive economic development in Wilkinsburg with an emphasis on strengthening the Central Business District.

We envision Wilkinsburg will be a prosperous, healthy, and inclusive community regarded for its strong business district and neighborhoods, historic charm, convenient location, desirable quality of life, and community pride.

Our work is defined by community input, fact-based solutions, and an ongoing commitment to addressing structural barriers to economic opportunity for marginalized residents.

EAM

We believe that a sustainable community embraces equity and fully integrates people from all backgrounds and races.

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Board of Directors Bud Wise, President Jason Cohn, Vice President Ron Porter, Secretary Michael Lefebvre, Treasurer Leslie G. Ledbetter-Patterson Monique McIntosh Patricia Pugh-Mitchell Michael Rose Brian Sieffert Stefani Smith Shawn Thomas

Diversity: We will embrace and celebrate cultural differences that exist in our community.

Equity: We will acknowledge and address structural barriers to economic empowerment, particularly for people who have been marginalized.

Inclusion: We will welcome and engage deeply with people of all backgrounds and races to create economic opportunity and provide access, especially for marginalized residents.

Measurement: We will track and publish participation and impact data to ensure we are honoring our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Staff & Consultants Tracey Evans, Executive Director Marlee Gallagher, Director of Economic Development Monica Garcia, Director of Community Outreach & Engagement Gordon Manker, Director of Business Development Evaine Sing, EKS Solutions, Strong Neighborhoods & Vacant Property Moses Workman, Office & Communications Manager Interns Roman Abels, Strong Neighborhoods

Letter from Board President Dear Supporters & Friends, I am thrilled to share our 2022-2023 Community Impact Report with you. For the past four years, I have been honored to serve on the Wilkinsburg Community Development Corporation’s board of directors, where I am privileged to have a front-row seat to witness the positive changes taking place in our community. Of course, our work is only made possible through public support and people like you - thank you to all who help us further our mission and advance our programs.

As you look through this report, I hope you feel inspired by our team’s accomplishments and encouraged to get involved in our work. We kicked off the 2022-2023 year with the last two installments of Summer at the Station, a new series at the Wilkinsburg Train Station focused on art, music, and community. Hundreds of people attended this four-part series during Summer 2022, many visiting the Train Station for the first time since we completed the restoration. We continued hosting events at the station throughout the rest of the year, including the inaugural holiday market, Wilkinsburg Made, which was made possible through a partnership with local business, Workshop PGH. Beyond special events, we made significant progress on key commercial properties in our business district, including the Wilkinsburg Bank Building on Wood Street, which Citizens Bank donated to us in December 2022, and the former Wilkinsburg High School building. We expanded our vacant property and housing work through Strong Neighborhoods, securing a significant grant through the PA Housing Finance Agency to grow this effort and support even more residents over the next year.

We continued our community initiatives, like Art All Over, which featured four Wilkinsburg artists in the Lohr Gallery over the course of the year, and our Youth & Education grants, which we awarded to seven local groups that serve Wilkinsburg youth through after-school and summer programs.

Finally, this report features one of our most dedicated volunteers, Glenn Freund, who has been active in the Wilkinsburg community for more than 20 years, including nearly a decade volunteering with us. In Glenn’s interview, he said, “Everyone I know in my community works hard and is committed to positive change.” I couldn't agree more, and I look forward to our continued progress in the year ahead. Thank you for being a part of Wilkinsburg’s positive change.

Sincerely,

Bud Wise President, WCDC Board of Directors, 2022-23

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By the Numbers Strong Neighborhoods & Vacant Property

106

13

Housing Acquisition, Repair & Preservation (HARP) Program

technical assistance inquiries community members involved in monthly leadership and planning meetings

$400,000

5 wills created 22

63+

Vacant Property Recovery Program (VPRP) applications pending

community members and local vendors participated in inaugural Wilkinsburg Home & Garden Fair

PHARE grant secured to expand the program

Business Support

37

26

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CORE Four participants; 26 program graduates

entrepreneurs received 1:1 technical assistance

businesses received facade grants and completed storefront renovations

Youth & Education

220

Art All Over

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Wilkinsburg youth supported

7 $16,800

Wilkinsburg-based artists highlighted

267 16

organizations funded, totaling

attendees

4 shows

in awarded program grants

Community Outreach people engaged through

2,500+ email communications

3,500+

350

people engaged through our social community networks members attended Summer at the Station in July & August 2022

500+

people attended the inaugural Wilkinsburg Made Holiday Show, a partnership with Workshop PGH, that featured 25 Wilkinsburg-based makers and businesses

5

pieces of artwork sold

Program Highlights

Wilkinsburg Train Station Transforming a once-vacant building into a vibrant gathering space Since our ribbon cutting at the Train Station in 2021, we have hosted eight large community events, including four during the past year. Thousands of visitors attended these events and over 30 local businesses, organizations, musicians, and performers took part in the festivities.

Summer at the Station During Summer 2022, we partnered with the Equity | Impact Center to host four Saturday community gatherings at the Train Station. The series highlighted local organizations, musicians, and artists, and provided a space for the community to gather, connect, and enjoy. Our last two events of the series, held in July and August 2022, brought more than 350 people to the Train Station to learn more about community resources, meet neighbors, and hear from some of our region’s most popular performers, including INEZ, Jacquea Mae, Sierra Sellers, and Livefromthecity.

Wilkinsburg Made Holiday Show In December 2022, we teamed up with local entrepreneur and maker, Kelly Malone, owner of Workshop PGH, to bring the first holiday maker market to Wilkinsburg. Over 500 people visited the Train Station to shop local goods and art made right here in the community. Twenty-five Wilkinsburgbased artists and entrepreneurs participated, some saying they did better at this market than some of the larger markets that draw more regional crowds. We were so happy to hear this and to have the opportunity to support our local artists, makers, and business owners.

We are looking forward to partnering with Kelly again on this year’s holiday market, which will take place December 10 at both the Train Station and Workshop PGH - we hope to see you there!

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Home & Garden Fair Together with our Strong Neighborhoods Committee, we hosted our first Home & Garden Fair in April 2023 at the Train Station. The goal of the event was to connect residents with partners and resources related to home buying, financing, home repair, greening/landscaping, vacant property, and local contractors.

Wilkinsburg Train Station 2022-2023 News & Awards In April 2023, Bridgeway Capital opened their Business Assistance Center in the lower level of the Wilkinsburg Train Station. The center offers counseling, workshops, and other programs for small businesses, including creative ventures.

Learn more at bridgewaycapital.org.

The Wilkinsburg Train Station Restoration Project received three awards this year: 2022 Mid-Atlantic Regional Emmy Award, October 2022, for Wilkinsburg Train Station: Back on Track, produced by Nathalie Berry, WQED 2021 Community Initiative Award, November 2022, Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office 2022 Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Awards – Construction Award, November 2022, Preservation Pennsylvania 7

Program Highlights

Commercial Development Revitalizing Wilkinsburg's Central Business District Wilkinsburg Bank Building

In December 2022, Citizens Bank donated its former Wilkinsburg bank branch to us for redevelopment. We are grateful to the leadership at Citizens for making this commitment to responsible development in our business district.

We are partnering with a project team led by two individuals with backgrounds in architecture, structural engineering, and converting commercial and industrial buildings to residential uses. The proposed plan for the building includes a phased, adaptive-reuse approach focused first on critical stabilization to ensure the safety and preservation of the building. To support this work, Senator Jay Costa announced that the project would receive a $1 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program grant toward initial project expenses.

The three-story, 114-year-old building was initially constructed as the Wilkinsburg Bank in 1908 and is beginning to show signs of deterioration, making the timing of this donation even more critical to the future viability of the structure.

Wilkinsburg High School

In early 2022, we began working with the Wilkinsburg School District to find a developer for the former Wilkinsburg High School Building, which has been closed and vacant for five years.

We kicked off a year-long process with a series of community meetings in June 2022 followed by a request for proposals in October 2022.

So far in 2023, we have helped lead the developer selection process, including collecting proposals, managing interviews with interested developers, and coordinating follow-up requests. Moving forward, the Wilkinsburg School Board will select their preferred developer and proceed with a sales agreement. We look forward to sharing more information about this and the Bank Building project over the next year.

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Program Highlights

Strong Neighborhoods Expanding support for neighborhood groups, vacant properties, and home repairs After wrapping up our first successful Housing Acquisition, Repair & Preservation (HARP) Program in 2022 and awarding home repair grants to 34 Wilkinsburg residents, we were thrilled to secure $400,000 in PA Housing Affordability and Rehabilitation Enhancement Funds (PHARE) from the PA Housing Finance Agency in June 2023. This renewed funding will support our Wilkinsburg Vacant Property Recovery Initiative and, most notably, the continuation of the HARP Program.

Our Vacant Property Initiative grew out of our Strong Neighborhoods work, which was initiated and continues to be driven by Wilkinsburg residents. Through the initiative, we offer several programs, resources, grants, and other opportunities for residents and neighborhood groups to make improvements in their community.

Through our programs like HARP, PHARE funds will specifically support our work to provide financial and/or technical support to residents so that they can: Make critical home repairs; Acquire vacant property to encourage new homeownership and preservation of Wilkinsburg’s existing housing stock; Get help with wills and estate planning to prevent future vacancy.

This is the third grant we received from PHFA since 2020, totaling $750,000 in support from the agency over the past three years. PHFA’s increasing support shows the effectiveness of the organization’s work and the need to continue addressing Wilkinsburg’s most pressing issues with dedicated, consistent funding to support capacity and program development. We are grateful for the agency’s ongoing interest in and support of our work!

To learn more about Strong Neighborhoods and our Vacant Property Initiative work, visit wilkinsburgcdc.org/what-we-do/strongneighborhoods, and stay tuned for project updates over the next year.

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HARP Highlight In March 2023, Park Triangle neighborhood leaders, along with the support of our staff, hosted a breakfast meeting with community members at the Covenant Fellowship Church. The purpose of the gathering was to engage neighbors in planning a revitalization project to tackle issues such as blight, vacancy, safety, and environmental concerns in their corner of Wilkinsburg. Participants shared their priority projects and ideas for next steps, initiated a plan of action, and signed up to continue volunteering in their neighborhood.

Program Highlights

Business Support Educating and supporting entrepreneurs at every stage of business development We met Karen Denton in Spring 2016 when she enrolled in our Core Four Program, a free, eight-week business planning course. Karen runs KSC Commercial Cleaning Service, a small business of 18 employees and contractors that provide general cleaning services to small and large office buildings, apartment complexes, public and retail establishments, and more.

“The name of my business is KSC, which stands for Karen’s Second Chance. I thought the name of the company was for me, but it was for people like me who need a second chance,” Karen says. “Every time I wanted to quit, God gave me more contracts or more people. Whichever one I needed, he provided, so I kept going. Now I know that I’m in my purpose. I think that’s why he saved me, for all the business owners and families that my company helps.”

Beyond the cleaning services offered by KSC, Karen also uses her years of education and experience to mentor young business owners while continuing to grow her own business. Just this year, Karen took her business to the next level when she purchased KSC’s headquarters in June 2023, located in the former Wonday Film Service building on South Avenue, in the heart of Wilkinsburg’s business district.

“After seven years of renting in this space, I was blessed to be able to purchase the building. When I learned the owners were selling it, I went across the street to the WCDC to see if they wanted to buy the building, and their Director of Business Development, Gordon Manker, said, “Why don’t you buy the building? There are organizations that will help you.”

- Karen Denton, President & CEO, KSC Enterprise LLC We were pleased to support Karen with this purchase, connecting her with our resources and partners, including the Neighborhood Community Development Fund, which agreed to help her with the building purchase. We look forward to continuing to help Karen and other entrepreneurs looking to start or grow their businesses here in our community.

Learn more about our business support programs and available resources at wilkinsburgcdc.org/what-we-do/business-resources.

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Program Highlights

Art All Over Creating an engaging space for artists, makers, and community members This year, we collaborated with Casey Droege Cultural Productions (CDCP) to curate the third year of Art All Over in our Lohr Gallery space on Wood Street. CDCP produced four shows featuring local Wilkinsburg-based artists: Free Mind by Ashanté Josey Aug. 27, 2022 – Oct. 15, 2022 Sense of Self by The Wilkinsburg and Braddock Youth Project & Meshwork Press Nov. 5, 2022 – Jan. 14, 2023 Bahirah Feb. 4, 2023 – Apr. 1, 2023 Megan Adgate May 6, 2023 – Jun. 24, 2023 We are currently partnering with CDCP for the 2023-2024 season at Lohr Gallery. To learn more and check out current and upcoming shows, visit wilkinsburgcdc.org.

PUCS + WCDC: Student Works April 26, 2023 – April 29, 2023 We launched Art All Over in 2020 following the completion of our Lohr Building restoration, which included a 1,300 square foot, street-level gallery space at 725 Wood Street.

The completion of the Lohr Gallery created a dedicated space to feature artworks from local artists and makers and provide an arts-focused public space in the heart of Wilkinsburg – a longtime goal of the WCDC and our community.

Over the past two seasons, we have been thrilled to work with the CDCP team and artist Naomi Chambers to curate art shows and programming at the gallery. This past year, in addition to the four featured art shows, we had a special opportunity to partner with Anne Melnyk, art teacher and artist-in-residence at Pittsburgh Urban Christian School (PUCS). Over the years, we have partnered with PUCS to support all sorts of programming in Wilkinsburg, from summer youth initiatives to shared efforts to reclaim and redevelop vacant property. When Anne approached us about doing a special art show featuring her students’ works, we welcomed the chance to do something new in our gallery space while growing our partnership with PUCS in a new way. CDCP was on board to manage the show, including help with planning, promotion, set-up, and staffing gallery hours.

“Working with the WCDC and their art gallery management, Casey Droege Cultural Productions, was a dream come true for an art teacher! They were very generous with their space and their time and helped me install about 150 student artworks in their beautiful gallery. They were there for me from start to finish—meeting with the students and talking about all of our visions for the community of Wilkinsburg. They let the students lead the discussion! We brainstormed the best way to hang our show and climbed ladders and moved panels. They even sent a gallery assistant to be at the front desk every time the gallery was open. I had a great experience with all the staff at the WCDC and I highly recommend the professional and fun art coordinators from CDCP.” -Anne M. Melnyk, Artist-in-Residence, PUCS

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Program Highlights

Youth & Education Providing Funds to Support Wilkinsburg Kids & Local Organizations Each spring, we host our annual Youth Initiative Mini-Grant Program to provide funds to local organizations that support the academic and civic endeavors of Wilkinsburg youth. We provide grants of up to $3,000 to Wilkinsburg organizations for summer youth activities.

Since starting this initiative 13 years ago, we have supported more than 3,000 youth who participate in summer and after-school programs in Wilkinsburg.

This year, we funded seven organizations: Creative Balance 4 Empowering People, Creative Kidz, Ethnan Temple, Grow Pittsburgh, Lilleshall Soccer Academy, Meskwork Press, Westinghouse Youth Wrestling Growing Creative Entrepreneurs: Workshops & Showcase After receiving a youth grant in May, Haylee Ebersole and Kyrie Bushaw from Meshwork Press kicked off their 2023 Growing Creative Entrepreneurs program, helping support four Wilkinsburg youth grow and nurture their personal creative interests and entrepreneurial ambitions. We were thrilled to support Meshwork Press for a fourth year.

This year, Haylee and Kyrie partnered with Kelly Malone, Workshop PGH, who hosted the youth workshops out of her retail and studio space on Pennwood Avenue.

“The opportunity to run our programming out of Workshop PGH has come from a unique partnership between Kelly and Meshwork with a shared mission of supporting youth makers in the neighborhood. Kelly's colorful, playful studio provided us with more space and equipment and allowed us to show our youth artists how other small business owners make and create.”

- Haylee Ebersole and Kyrie Bushaw, Meshwork Press

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The spring and summer workshops culminated in a summer maker market that coincided with Workshop PGH’s Indiemart, significantly broadening the audience for the youth maker market. Equipped with a maker space, mentors, and the opportunity to sell items they created, each participating youth received a stipend to purchase materials to actually bring their creative ideas to life in time for the market. The youth created illustrations and designs for tshirts, tote bags, jewelry, greeting cards, and notebooks as well as marketing materials, including business cards. In addition to learning basic prototyping and sketching skills, participating youth were presented with lessons on marketing, profit margins, and branding. They also learned how to source materials, package, and display their products and price their work.

The youth made over $1,100 in profit during this one-day market! In addition to this, Kelly purchased the remaining inventory at wholesale cost to sell in her retail spaces. With the knowledge and resources gained through this experience, the youth have harnessed the confidence and capabilities to participate in more markets, including this year’s Handmade Arcade. We are thrilled to see what these youth makers create next!

Volunteer Highlight

Meet Glenn Freund Recognizing the contributions and efforts made by one of our most dedicated volunteers In 1992, Glenn moved to Wilkinsburg from Swissvale because of the location, affordable rent, and diverse community he found here. A little over 20 years ago, when he was selfemployed and working various part-time jobs, he started getting more involved in the community after noticing a lot of work that needed to be addressed, including issues with litter and vacant property. His neighbors in Hamnett Place invited him to join their neighborhood association and participate in initial conversations with groups that had a stake in the community, such as St. James Church, Pittsburgh Regional Transit (formerly Port Authority), Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation, and Grow Pittsburgh. Through these conversations, he started a litter task force, working with the school district to educate local youth, raised funds to get litter collection bins for the borough, and was a founding board member of the Hamnett Place Community Garden.

Glenn continued his community service when he became a commissioner on Wilkinsburg Borough’s Planning Commission and an ongoing WCDC volunteer. As a commissioner, Glenn addresses vacant property issues and makes sure that when new businesses come into the borough, they meet the community’s high standards both aesthetically and environmentally. As a WCDC volunteer over the years, Glenn has participated in most, if not all, of our activities and campaigns, including the difficult work of circulating petitions and collecting signatures for the liquor license referendum in 2015 and annexation referendum during 2021 and 2022. Glenn consistently steps up to support our work as an event volunteer, too, and even opened his home for our Home & Garden Tour fundraiser in 2016.

“It’s hard to say how much I have personally helped the WCDC, but I think the outreach efforts of WCDC and volunteers has increased awareness of the challenges facing the borough. The WCDC itself has become a lightning rod for those who don’t want sweeping change that might transform our way of life even if we have more resources, so it’s an uphill battle convincing people that change can be a good thing.”

- Glenn Freund, WCDC Volunteer For Glenn, the most important thing about our community is our dedicated residents. “Everyone I know in my community works hard and is committed to positive change,” he explains. “Along with an aging population there is an influx of young families who want to see Wilkinsburg continue to grow and be a sustainable community.”

To this end, Glenn sees many opportunities to move the borough in the right direction, including increasing the tax base, keeping our school system viable, rebuilding our business community, and making Wilkinsburg a fun place to live and work. Thank you, Glenn, for your dedication to Wilkinsburg and the WCDC! 13

Revenue & Expenses

EXPENSES

REVENUE

2022-2023 Financials

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FY21-22 Funds Released 46.52% from Restrictions*

$527,112

44.13% Government Grants

$500,000

2.65%

Administration Fees

$30,000

2.21%

Foundation Grants

$25,000

2.15%

Individual Contributions

$24,364

2.09%

Other Income

$23,636

0.25%

Corporate/Organization Contributions

$2,872

100%

Total Revenue

$1,132,984

*This number represents remaining funds dispersed from multi-year grants received in the prior 2021-2022 fiscal year.

Business District 27.87% Revitalization

$315,796

Management & General Program

$258,574

22.82%

17.42% Strong Neighborhoods

$197,379

16.66% Community Vitality

$188,737

12.45% Merger Analysis

$141,039

2.40%

Fundraising

$27,197

0.38%

Train Station

$4,262

100%

Total Expenses

$1,132,984

With Deep Gratitude

Thank You to Our Dedicated Supporters The WCDC would not be able to offer such valuable services to our community and residents without your generosity

MAJOR DONORS

FOUNDATIONS & BUSINESSES Alschuler Communications BK General Contracting Conturo Prototyping, LLC DuoLingo First National Bank Hosanna House, Inc. James Floral Koppers Maher Duessel Marin Chua Architecture Metro Community Health Center

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Howard & Nell E. Miller Foundation Neighborhood Community Development Fund Palo Alto Partners, LLC PDDM Solutions Pennwood Paint and Supply Company Pittsburgh Magazine Sota Construction Services Soul Food Connection Take Pride Construction & Design LLC United Way Wildman Chalmers Design

INDIVIDUAL SUPPORTERS

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Marilyn K. Alexander

Hosea Ghafoor

Lisa & Craig Moss

Martha Arnold

Janice H. Gordon

Nancy Murphy

Alice May Backoefer

Robert Griffin

William O'Neil

Karen M. Barbati

Rose Hammonds

Leslie & Elmore Patterson

Michael J. Boyle

Thomas Harbert

John & Lynne Perrella

Susan E. & Gerald Brandt

Donna Hedding

Ronald Porter

Paula Breuer & Victor

Barbara Henninger

Joshua Rolon

Pregel

John B. & Margaret Hill

Michael Rose

Jay R. Brewster

Walter Jacob

Robert E. & Jane Ruppel

Alice J. Buchdahl

John & Nancy Jacobs

Kirk Savage

James Bukes

Yvonne James

Bill & Mikell Schenck

Linda & Bob Burns

Ann Kelton

Roger & Vicki Schneider

Nancy Carpenter

Frank Kirkwood

Lois A. Geschwindt

Zare Carter

Ruth Kittner

Schroeder - In Memory of

Chad & Brigitte Chalmers

Edie Klebacha

David Geschwindt

Diane Charles

Irene M. Kugler

Howard Seltman

William & Diane M.

Christine Kush

Brian Sieffert

Chessman

Jeffrey Leech

Lee Silverman

Jason & Pam Cohn

Michael Lefebvre

Pete & Vicki Smith

Loretta E. Cole

Eric Lipsky

Thomas C. Somerville

Hazel R. Colson - In Honor of

Paul E. Long

Harry A. & Jane Thompson

Rankin Family

Donald Martin

- In Memory of Margaret

James Cunningham

Patricia McElligott

Hazlitt

Stephanie Davies-Larson

Tony & Cynthia McKay

Brenda & Jerome Wells

Ashley Deal

Melissa M. McSwigan

William C. Weltman

Nancy Del Presto

Lois Cielo Meadowcroft

Bernard C. Wetzel

Alexander Denmarsh

Ginny Merchant

David & Margarita Wetzel

Elisabeth Ehrlich

Patricia Mitchell

Gregory Whitted

Tracey Evans

Francis Monaghan

Eve Wider

Carl Fertman

Richard & Betsy Monheim

David Wingenroth

Bill Flanagan

Anne Elise & Tim Morris

Charles & Barbara Wise

Michael Flanagan

Audrey & Erik Mosley - In

David Wylie

Barry L. & Debra Gallagher

Memory of Wallace Mosley

Ralph Yearick

CONTACT US

PHOTOGRAPHY BY

FOLLOW WCDC

729 Wood St. Wilkinsburg, PA 15221 (412) 727-7855 info@wilkinsburgcdc.org

Greg Sciulli Jason Cohn Gail Manker

@WilkinsburgCDC

wilkinsburgcdc.org