Negley Corridor - City of Pittsburgh

In the longer term, the Negley Corridor Initiative should encourage the
redevelopment of Penn Plaza apartments similarly to New Pennley Place.
Should the opportunity arise to rehabilitate Penn Plaza in a similar
manner, it should be done. Local streets could then be reconnected
through the property and the residences could have a stronger, more
attractive presence on Negley Avenue. The vacant lot and auto repair
shop at 222 - 226 Negley Avenue at the intersection of Negley Avenue
with Rural Street should be considered for redevelopment to better
compliment New Pennley Place as well. In addition to these suggested
targets, the Negley Corridor Initiative will focus on additional residential
properties as opportunities present themselves.
All development and property maintenance activity along the Negley
Corridor should be undertaken in accordance with the development
guidelines prepared as part of this strategy. Charts containing the
guidelines and accompanying text are found in Chapter IV. The
guidelines, which can be used by homeowners, CBOs, and developers,
will help to achieve high quality developments that complement nearby
properties and enhance the overall image of the corridor.
Property Maintenance
Property maintenance is one of the biggest challenges facing the Negley
Corridor. The problems associated with absentee landlords are the major
concern, but property maintenance issues also pertain to individual
homeowners and multi-family buildings with local management.
This is discussed in greater detail in Chapter V, as is the issue of
homeowners struggling with the high cost of renovations and
maintenance. Improving property maintenance throughout
the corridor will require a concerted effort with a variety of techniques.
Financial Resources
A major resource for this effort will be the housing programs available
through the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA). URA
programs can be utilized in a variety of ways to improve property
maintenance. Homeowners can use low interest loans for maintenance of
and improvements to their homes. Most of these URA programs are
available citywide but low-income neighborhoods have higher income
limits and/or purchase price limits. So for the Negley Corridor, Garfield,
Friendship, and East Liberty are target neighborhoods, while Highland
Park neighborhood residents can access the programs if they meet the
lower income and purchase price limits.
URA programs can also be used to support homeownership, which is a
goal for Negley Corridor Initiative members. Most of the URA programs
require that the applicant occupy the house or a unit in the house.
Encouraging the use of these programs will further the goals of the
Negley Corridor Initiative to increase homeownership and reduce
absentee landlords. The major focus should be on marketing the existing
programs. A concerted effort must be made to educate owners about the
18 Development Strategey and Action Agenda