Deb Hardy sent an email sharing a great idea for how to use vacant property in Penn Hills:
What I was thinking for the old library is to turn it into a gallery space for Penn Hills' artists (and others) to exhibit. The only downside is that it's in a somewhat secluded location so don't know if it would get the interest and foot traffic that would be necessary for it to become a "place to see and be seen." Plus, there's not a lot of parking if there were any ongoing events planned there. Just a thought though. I'm trying to come up with interesting ideas to reuse some of the many vacant building sites that are in the community.
I'd also like to turn the old Foodland lot into a community garden that the high school would have a vested interest in as well. My husband (Erik) thinks that is such a huge space, but right now my thoughts are just to do something with that space, unless of course we can get another grocery store interested in reuse. I know we have a lot on our plates right now with forming the CDC but I guess I'm thinking ahead and hoping that we can, as a community, not necessarily raze empty buildings but reuse them.
Great idea. Thoughts?!
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I think the elementary schools that are to be closed could be used as places for businesses to get started. Kind of like a business incubator. Perhaps with low rent and tax advantages. The businesses could set up in the rooms and have a common area for copying, a receptionist/secretary etc. I am assuming that these buildings will be on the market for a long time. If they (school district) do find a seller the businesses will have to move, so the maximum lease will be one year.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of a local business incubator in the empty schools - maybe something to offset the cost of maintaining them. The library is an interesting challenge, for all the reasons you list above, but it's still a great space and something should be done with it.
ReplyDeleteI also like the idea of a community garden, but one of the problems with suburban community gardens are that where there is space, people all have plenty of lawn to plant at their houses. Where people need it the most is where there is high density housing - apartment buildings and town houses and the like. I don't think the Foodland is too conducive to that, though a co-op grocer would be nice to put in there (if we could find the interest!).