Allegheny County – November 1, 2024 – Today, Pennsylvania State Senator Wayne Fontana announced $37,225,000 in Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grants for the 42nd Senatorial District.
“I’m thrilled to share that tens-of-millions in state money is being utilized for important, job-creating projects in our neighborhoods,” said Sen. Fontana. “Last week, Gov. Shapiro presented a shared vision for Downtown Pittsburgh and these awards, along with awards to other impactful projects in surrounding communities, shows that the state is invested in our future.”
Sen. Fontana has secured over $165 million in RACP funding for communities, nonprofits, parks, and redevelopment projects in his district since 2020.
Grants announced today include:
- 933 Penn Avenue, $2,500,000
This project is a comprehensive overhaul of an existing office building adjacent to the Convention Center downtown. The project will involve major upgrading to window assemblies and modernizing building systems, such as HVAC, electrical, plumbing, and fire safety, ensuring optimal functionality and modern handicap accessibility.
- Allegheny County Sustainable Asphalt Plant, $5,000,000
Located in Neville Township, this Lindy Paving project includes design, permits, site preparation, and purchase of the Gencor Low Carbon Plant.
- Allegheny YMCA, $1,500,000
This project in the Northside entails renovation and update of all common spaces, kitchen, member fitness facilities including the wellness floor, pool area and locker rooms, and meeting rooms. Eighty-nine rental units will also be renovated with a new configuration that replaces shared bathrooms with private facilities, laundry rooms, and a community room.
- August Wilson African American Cultural Center, $500,000
This will go towards the replacement of the center’s four rooftop air handling units.
- Brickworks Residential Development, $2,500,000
This project is the first of two multi-purpose, multi-family buildings, each with 125 residential units and in-building parking in the Strip District next to the Strip District Terminal Building.
- City Club Apartments Pittsburgh II, $3,500,000
This project includes construction of a 294-unit residential complex at the site of the former YWCA headquarters Downtown, which will include new restaurant and retail space for downtown residents and visitors.
- City’s Edge, $1,975,000
The project will turn a vacant parking lot Uptown into a vibrant and impactful mixed-use project with 110-apartments and 145-space parking garage with service enriched amenities for the residents and community.
- Clemente Museum, $750,000
This project involves several areas, including elevator installation, roof upgrades, IT upgrades, and improvements to the façade of the historic Engine House 25 building on Penn Avenue in Lawrenceville.
- Downtown Investment Strategy, $4,000,000
This Urban Redevelopment Authority project entails the construction and rehabilitation involved in converting near-term office space to mixed-income housing and improving street-level retail spaces in Downtown.
- Gulf Tower, $6,000,000
This project involves reconverting 14,000SF to ground level retail marketed for grocer, all-day bar/restaurant, reimagined sidewalks; a126-key luxury hotel with 27 suites independently managed (floors 3-11); and 226 apartments (floors 11-38) with 27 affordable units.
- Highmark Stadium Expansion, $3,000,000
This project’s Phase I entails construction of the seating expansion and event center upgrade. This includes the construction of a roof top deck with additional suite seating, locker room, upgrades, and improvements to group event areas.
- Holy Family Institute, $500,000
A new building will be constructed on the campus of Holy Family Institute in Emsworth near the existing Nazareth Prep high school. The building is one floor, including locker rooms, storage and receiving, restrooms, concessions and the multi-use performance, meeting, and athletics area. The multi-use performance space will feature a fixed stage, flexible seating for 300, and a regulation-sized gymnasium.
- Horace Mann Village II, $500,000
This project includes redesign and renovation of the historic former Horace Mann School in Marshall-Shadeland and new construction for residential and commercial spaces.
- Life Science Accelerator Small Labs, $500,000
This project entails renovating 15,000 to 20,000 square feet of existing space on the Northside to provide wet lab facilities that can be rented on a per-bench or small lab (2 to 8 benches) basis. The space will be divided into small lab suites and have several shared lab suites. Each lab suite will include basic equipment. The remaining space will be for shared equipment, storage rooms, consumable storage, freezer storage, gas storage, waste collection, and support areas.
- National Aviary, $500,000
The project includes construction a state-of-the-art Veterinary Hospital with viewing areas where visitors can watch staff as they work, building habitat and programming space where learners can engage with animal ambassadors, and includes office space.
- North Charles Street Affordable Homes, $500,000
The project consists of new construction of 7 or 8 affordable, energy-efficient, for-sale homes to be built in the Perry South neighborhood as part of larger mixed-use development plan that includes mixed-income housing.
- PGH VIN Urban Vineyard, $1,000,000
This project entails a comprehensive overhaul of the Mt. Washington property beginning site work and then construction of the winery structure.
- Privado 14 Downtown, $2,000,000
This project will renovate and develop the building at 414 First Avenue in Downtown Pittsburgh. Dedicated floors for affordable office space with a focus on businesses run by women and people of color will be created. Overall, the building will house converted space for a business incubator, a welcome lobby, café, and kitchen. Renovations include structural, foundational, plumbing, electrical, and décor.
- St. Clair Hospital Center for Health Sciences & Medical Education, $500,000
The project includes modification of three existing hospital spaces in Mt. Lebanon. The Center will include renovated, state-of-the-art spaces: Resident & Medical Student Workspace, Hospital based Medical Library, and Graduate Medical Education (GME) Space to support and train the next generation of healthcare professionals.
RACP is a Commonwealth grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the acquisition and construction of regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement projects. A full list of grant recipients can be found online.