In the past six months, Senator Costa has brought nearly $8 million to the community
Pittsburgh, Pa. − April 22, 2022 − Senator Jay Costa today announced the award of nearly $5 million in state grants for the Wilkinsburg community, adding to the major investments he has advocated for in the past six months.
“Today’s grants are a continuation of the investment I have prioritized for the Wilkinsburg community,” said Senator Costa. “The combination of state resources we have allocated along with private sector funding has made Wilkinsburg a desirable place to live and do business. We can all take pride in these projects and the cooperation it has taken to revitalize this community. Nonprofits and developers have recognized the progress we have made here and we can continue to look forward to strong investment from a variety of partners.”
The projects funded today are part of the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP), a state grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects.
RACP projects are authorized in the Redevelopment Assistance section of a Capital Budget Itemization Act, have a regional or multi-jurisdictional impact, and generate substantial increases or maintain current levels of employment, tax revenues, or other measures of economic activity.
The grants announced today include:
- $1.75 million for the conversion of an old Texaco gas station on Ardmore Boulevard into a multi-story commercial space with outdoor seating and significant new landscaping.
- $1.5 million of continued investment in the Hunter Building for refurbishing this space that serves as an entry to the business district of Wilkinsburg
- $1.25 million to Wilkinsburg Townhome Development for the construction of 14 townhouses. These units will have 2 and 3 bedrooms, basements and garages.
- $500,000 for the Pleasant Bell Building to construct a mid-rise, mixed use structure to replace an empty lot. It will include tech space, housing units and four storefronts for retail and services
- $300,000 as the final installment of state investment in the Wilkinsburg Train Station
“With the increased interest surrounding Wilkinsburg, these investments will be crucial to the current infrastructure and future of the Borough,” said Representative elect Martell Covington. “I am excited to support this continued momentum and revitalization efforts along with Senator Costa.”
The grants announced today will be matched with private dollars and are in addition to millions previously awarded to Wilkinsburg by the state in its rehabilitation efforts.
Earlier this April, Senator Costa supported a $700,000 grant for 1009 Wood Street in the Community Revitalization Fund Program from PHFA for the reactivation of this long-vacant and underutilized building in the heart of Wilkinsburg into two story, mixed use buildings with 10 commercial storefronts.
Late last year, Senator Costa secured $1 million for Hosana House, funded by RACP, to develop 24,000 square feet of commercial space with new storefronts and move-in ready business space. Additionally, he successfully advocated for nearly $650,000 in multi modal grants for three projects in Wilkinsburg: $143,312 for the 1009 Wood Street Development, $250,000 for the Whitney Avenue Transportation improvements and $250,000 for a sewer rehabilitation project on Ardmore Boulevard.
Pittsburgh, Pa. − April 22, 2022 − Senator Jay Costa today announced the award of $4 million in state grants for projects in Swissvale.
“Public services in Swissvale are going to see major upgrades in the coming months thanks to these grants we secured today,” said Senator Costa. “Libraries are a local treasure and I’m always happy to support the strong library system we have in this region; further, I’m excited to watch the redevelopment of Swissvale’s municipal building and how it will better serve our constituents.”
The historic Carnegie Free Library of Swissvale will receive $1.5 million to rehabilitate the library, including improvements to the original building and construction of a new 2 story addition that will house an elevator, stairway, along with an entrance plaza – all ADA compliant.
The Borough of Swissvale will receive $2.5 million to construct a new municipal building that will house the police department, borough administration, council chambers and a community gathering area. They will use this grant to demolish the existing building and build the new.
The projects funded today are part of the Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP), a state grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects.
RACP projects are authorized in the Redevelopment Assistance section of a Capital Budget Itemization Act, have a regional or multi-jurisdictional impact, and generate substantial increases or maintain current levels of employment, tax revenues, or other measures of economic activity.
Pittsburgh, Pa. − April 21, 2022 − Senator Jay Costa today announced the award of more than $1.75 million in state grant funding for the development of multi modal transportation along Sylvan Avenue in the City of Pittsburgh.
$1.76 million has been awarded through PennDOT to reopen a portion of Sylvan Avenue to pedestrian and bicycle traffic as a public trail parallel to SR 885 that will connect the Hazelwood and Greenfield neighborhoods to job centers in Oakland.
“Whether you’re in a car, on a bike or on foot, the City of Pittsburgh must be safe and accessible,” said Senator Costa. “Adding safe spaces for bikers and walkers is critical to ensure that we can all get around this City, particularly on the roads that take folks from home to work every day.”
This grant is part of the Multimodal Transportation Fund, created by Act 89 of 2013.
PennDOT evaluated the applications and made selections based on such criteria as safety benefits, regional economic conditions, the technical and financial feasibility, job creation, energy efficiency, and operational sustainability.
Additionally, PennDOT anticipates accepting Multimodal Transportation Fund applications in fall 2022 for Fiscal Year 2023-24 funding. For more information about the program, visit www.penndot.pa.gov and click on Multimodal Program under the “Projects & Programs” button.
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PITTSBURGH, April 14, 2022 – State Rep. Dan Frankel and Sen. Jay Costa today announced the awarding of more than $500,000 in state safety and security grants to a dozen local religious nonprofits, even as they continue their fight to strengthen Pennsylvania’s anti-hate crime laws, expand civil rights and protect at-risk groups through public police.
“This community knows all too well the violence and devastation of hate crimes, and it’s a top priority of mine in the legislature to prevent those crimes,” said Sen. Costa. “I will continue to advocate for the funds to protect our local facilities that could become the next target. While I’m happy to announce today’s grants with Representative Frankel, I would be remiss if I did not also mention that we have introduced legislation that would empower law enforcement with additional tools to track hate groups and prevent violence. We await hearings in the state legislature on those bills.”
Across Allegheny County, more than 20 religious nonprofits were awarded grants totaling more than $1.1 million. The grants were made possible by a bipartisan agreement to extend Act 83 of 2019, legislation championed by both lawmakers in the wake of the Squirrel Hill synagogue attack in 2018, using funding from the American Rescue Plan. This is the third year grants from the program have been disbursed.
“Our houses of faith are integral to a vibrant, diverse and loving Pittsburgh community. With this funding, the state of Pennsylvania acknowledges both the vital role that these organizations play and the dangers of today’s world,” Frankel said. “These places are the centers of their communities, places of peace, of hope, of friendship. No one should ever have to be afraid to step through their doors.”
Grant recipients can use the funds for security enhancements designed to protect the safety of the users of the facility that is owned and operated by the nonprofit organization. These include safety and security planning, purchase of security equipment, safety and security training, and other safety-related projects.
Priority for funding was given to organizations that indicated their organization and/or membership was the victim of a hate crime, that received credible hate-crime threats, or that serves a population susceptible to hate crimes, which includes people of certain race/ethnicity/ancestry, religion, sexual orientation, disability, gender and gender identity.
Grantees locally included
Chabad of Carnegie Mellon University, Inc.
Jewish Residential Services, Inc.
Chabad of Squirrel Hill Inc.
Yeshivath Achei Tmimim of Pittsburgh.
Lubavitch Center.
Congregation Dor Hadash.
Hillel Jewish University Center.
Chabad Young Professionals Inc.
First Unitarian Church of Pittsburgh.
Rodef Shalom Congregation.
Tzohar Seminary.
Temple Sinai.
Pittsburgh, Pa. − March 9, 2022 − Today, Senator Costa announced the award of nearly $100,000 in state grant money for local organizations to do violence prevention work.
“We hear about acts of violence after they’ve occurred, but I want to draw attention to and support for the organizations that are dedicated to preventing the next act of violence,” said Senator Costa. “Today’s grants are going to very worthy organizations doing life saving work. I’m so glad we were able to offer them state level support as they improve our local community.”
Three organizations in the 43rd senatorial district will receive funding for projects that promote safer neighborhoods after a competitive application process statewide.
- Great Pittsburgh Area MAD DADs will receive $11,947. MAD DADS is an acronym for Men Against Destruction-Defending Against Drugs and Social-Disorder. MAD DADS, INC. was founded in May of 1989 by a group of concerned Omaha, Nebraska parents who were fed up with gang violence and the unmolested flow of illegal drugs in our community.
- Greater Valley Community Services will receive $36,205. Greater Valley Community Services is a nonprofit organization that believes all persons deserve the chance to develop in a nurturing, safe, and established environment.
- The Pittsburgh Contingency will receive $44,803 for its South Pittsburgh Peacemakers Outreach Team. The South Pittsburgh Peacemakers consists of South Pittsburgh intervention specialists and a chaplain, who are trained peace makers, violence interrupters and outreach workers designed to prevent shootings by identifying and mediating potentially lethal conflicts in our communities.
Today’s grants are awarded by the PA Commission on Crime & Delinquency as art of the Project Safe Neighborhoods program. Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) is designed to create and foster safer neighborhoods through a sustained reduction in violent crime, including, but not limited to, addressing criminal gangs and the felonious possession and use of firearms and projects that support innovative cooperative efforts and partnerships between federal, state, and local law enforcement engaged in a unified approach led by the U.S. Attorney in all 94 districts to identify and prevent violent crime.
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