Public Officials Design Institute

Towns and Gowns: Exploring Stronger Partnerships between Universities, Colleges and Neighborhoods

October 29, 2004

Regional Enterprise Tower

Hosted by Sustainable Pittsburgh and the Community Design Center of Pittsburgh

This year, the Public Officials Design Institute focused on identifying prominent efforts and effective approaches to college and university involvement in the City of Pittsburgh neighborhoods – business growth, residential redevelopment and university expansions among other issues were considered. Participants examined strategies, partnerships, and implementation models that could inspire replication. 

Both academics and residents made wide contributions to understanding their relationships. They found considerable focus on community and social development, support and understanding of each other’s leadership, ways to integrate the community into the functions of the university, partnerships with key players in the community and specific types of engagements and incorporated insights and lessons generated by others.

The goal of the session was to offer a comprehensive framework for marshalling university resources for community business and residential revitalization, and suggest action guidelines that speak to public officials and community and business leaders, in addition to college and university leaders. 

Session Synopsis

Carnegie Mellon University and Squirrel Hill

Paul Tellers, representing CMU, provided an overview of CMU’s master plan and facilitated the table discussion that focused on issues that directly affected neighborhood residents.

Challenges

  • Traffic and parking

  • Absentee landlords leading to lack of maintenance

  • Code enforcement for overcrowding and safety

  • Noise

  • Policing – university vs. city police

  • How students interact with Squirrel Hill?

  • How students interact with city and region?

Opportunities 

Housing

  • CMU will continue to encourage faculty and staff to purchase homes and live in neighborhood

  • CMU will work closer with neighborhood on housing issues to provide better balance between renters and owner-occupied

  • Neighborhood associations form relationship with building officials and other city staff

  • Neighborhood associations become familiar with zoning hearings and permitting application procedures

Transportation and traffic

  • CMU will continue to encourage faculty, staff and students to use public transportation by providing transit passes

  • Study additional rail and transit connections

  • Plan for additional streetscape improvements to encourage pedestrian/bike links

  • Improve connections between Forbes Avenue and other arterials

Planning

  • CMU offers an example of an academic institution taking leadership in anchoring local and regional growth

  • Continue to educate students and landlords about safe housing practices

  • Bridge information gap, include meaningful community participation and dialogue when formulating strategies

University of Pittsburgh and Oakland

David Blenk, representing Oakland Planning and Development and Tracy Soska, University of Pittsburgh’s Community Outreach Partnership Center facilitated the table discussion that focused on neighborhood revitalization and business development opportunities. 

Challenges

  • Neighborhood revitalization

  • Business development on Forbes Avenue

  • Joint planning and public participation

Opportunities

Housing

  • Develop shared vision about revitalization of neighborhoods

  • Encourage home ownership programs

  • Create architectural design guidelines for residential renovation

  • Improve policing and code enforcement

Transportation and traffic

  • Identify possible impacts of Mon Fayette Expressway and other developments on the neighborhoods

  • Focus on gateways into Oakland

  • Study possible improved connections between Oakland and downtown

Planning

  • Continue support for Oakland Task Force and master planning process

  • Oakland Community Council continue to follow up on code enforcement issues w/OPDC

  • Bridge information gap, include meaningful community participation and dialogue when formulating strategies

  • Create a strategy focused on ways in which universities can create economic impact while advancing own needs

  • Balance regional agenda with city agenda

  • Use Leadership Pittsburgh as a model fro continued communications

Point Park University/Duquesne and Hill District and Uptown Corridor

The downtown/uptown table was facilitated by Bob O’Gara representing Point Park University and DaNita Solomon representing the Hill Community Development Corporation. The table focused on perceptions of both universities adjacent to low and moderate-income neighborhoods and communications.

Challenges

  • Facility expansions into neighborhoods

  • Downtown student housing – location and affordability

  • Connections between the Hill and downtown

  • Public transportation improvements between downtown and Hill, Uptown, Oakland

  • Business development

  • Impacts of arena redevelopment on the Hill and universities

Opportunities

Housing 

  • Support upper floors initiative for affordable housing opportunities

  • Continue to support diversification of Crawford Square

Transportation and traffic

  • Connect Fifth and Forbes redevelopment with Hill and Uptown

  • Increase transportation connections between downtown and Oakland through the Hill and Uptown

Planning

  • Make connections between cultural district and universities and neighborhoods

  • Incorporate the expansion of universities into city’s master planning process

  • Capitalize on city universities potential to anchor revitalization

  • Bridge information gap, include meaningful community participation and dialogue when formulating strategies

National Resources

The following organizations conduct research, provide funding and work with civic leaders and universities to improve the design and implementation of university and community engagement.

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Office of University Partnerships (COPC)

www.oup.org

 

Local COPC

 

The University of Pittsburgh Community Outreach Partnership Center

Tracy Soska, COPC Co-director

412- 648-3711

tsssw+@pitt.edu

 

Initiative for a Competitive Inner City

www.ICIC.org

 

CEO for Cities

www.CEOFORCITIES.org

 

U.S. Department of Commerce/Economic Development Administration

www.cfda.gov/static/p11303.htm

 

The Fannie Mae Foundation: University/Community Partnership Initiative

www.fanniemaefoundation.org/ucpi

 

The Coalition of Urban and Metropolitan Universities

www.oup.org/funding/urbancp.html