The Act 132 Residential Visitability Tax Credit Program was enacted jointly by the county and the city. This program offers tax incentives for new construction or renovation projects that build access for people with disabilities into residential housing. CDCP President & CEO Anne-Marie Lubenau and Design Fund Director Jason Vrabel served on a visitability task force, helping to bring together contractors, architects, developers, and people with disabilities to solve real-world residential issues. To learn more about the county tax credits, visit the the Allegheny County's website. For more information on tax credits within the City of Pittsburgh, call the Department of City Planning at 412.255.2102.
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PNC Pedal Pittsburgh
Pancake Breakfast
April 5, 2008
Whole Foods Market 8 am - Noon
All proceeds benefit the CDCP
GRANTS l Two Organizations Receive Planning Grants
The Central Northside Neighborhood Council (CNNC) is preparing to undertake their first comprehensive community plan and received a $16,000 Design Fund grant to support the urban design and community engagement portions of the plan. CNNC will use the process as an opportunity to engage multiple voices in the neighborhood and help the community develop a vision for its future. Grow Pittsburgh recently obtained a new site in North Point Breeze that will supplement their growing operation at the Frick Art & Historical Center greenhouse. A $4,000 Design Fund grant will allow them to engage a landscape architect to design site improvements such as signage and fencing that will help integrate the garden into the community.
DESIGN l Pittsburgh Included in Berlin Exhibit on Community Design
An Architektur, a Berlin-based architectural journal, conceived and organized the exhibit titled Community Design -- Involvement & Architecture in the US since 1964, which opens March 20 and runs through April 20. The CDCP will be featured as part of the exhibit, with materials from the current programs as well as historical information about Pittsburgh Architects Workshop, the forerunner of the CDCP. Visit An Architektur'swebsite to learn more about the exhibit.
ON THE ROAD l RenPlan® Previews Subsidy Program to Public
RenPlan® Program Director Tara Merenda reviewed the residential subsidy program at the Renovation Resources Workshop on March 8 to over 60 attendees, hosted by the Greater Park Place Neighborhood Association, Point Breeze Planning & Development, Regent Square Civic Association, and Whitney Park Neighbors. The RenPlan® program offers subsidized consultations to qualified homeowners based on household size and income. Our thanks to Citizens Bank, Dollar Bank, and National City Bank for making the subsidies possible. To find out if you qualify for a subsidized RenPlan® consultation, please call Kate McGlynn at 412.391.4333.
EDUCATION l PHFA 2008 Program Adds Design Criteria
Beginning in 2008, Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency's (PHFA) annual Homeownership Choice Program will include a design component as part of the evaluation of affordable housing applications. Design Fund Director Jason Vrabel presented the Affordable Housing Design Advisor, a web-based tool to help architects and developers achieve good design of affordable housing, at an information session. The February 29th session was hosted by the Pittsburgh Partnership for Neighborhood Development and ACTION-Housing, Inc.
NETWORK l RenPlanSM Ice Cream Social Season Starts in June
Are you an advocate of ice cream in the workplace? If so, host an ice cream social this summer at your design firm. Our staff will bring everything to make delicious sundaes to your office, and will give a fun presentation on the CDCP and its programs. Last year we held three socials at Astorino, LaQuatra Bonci Associates, and Perkins Eastman. Please contact Kate McGlynn via email if your office is interested.
mission The Community Design Center of Pittsburgh (CDCP) is a non-profit organization that improves the quality of life by encouraging good design of the built environment. By 2015, our goal is to establish Pittsburgh as a recognized place where good design of the built environment is a defining feature.
