The Charles Street Valley
Empowering a Community to Reclaim its Public Space
$450,000+
Funding Secured
9 Community Spaces Rebuilt
1 Dormant City Plan Reactivated
The Challenge: Overcoming Civic Inertia
On Pittsburgh's North Shore, The Charles Street Valley is a community with a powerful spirit and a clear vision for its future. Like many neighborhoods, it faced a common challenge: cherished public spaces were struggling to get the attention and resources needed for critical updates. A central gathering spot, Cross-Strauss Park, had fallen into disrepair over several years, a casualty of tight municipal budgets and complex civic processes that can often slow progress.
The community had the passion but needed a strategic partner to help navigate the system, build a coalition, and transform frustration into a funded, actionable plan.
Our Solution: A Strategy for Empowerment
We were brought in to build a bridge between the community's vision and its implementation. Our first move was not to create a grand, top-down plan, but to listen. We walked the park with neighbors, learning about their hopes, fears and frustrations. We engaged, gained trust, and built consensus around a set of achievable goals.
We translated that shared vision into inspiring renderings to serve as a powerful tool for building public excitement and demonstrate potential to funders.
Armed with a clear vision and a unified voice, we worked with neighborhood leadership to reframe the project as a mission-driven investment into the health and well-being of Pittsburgh youth. This strategic approach unlocked new possibilities, allowing us to build a diverse public-private partnership that attracted support from corporate donors and foundations and ultimately secure over $450,000 for the park's complete revitalization.
This initial victory was a proof of concept. During the project, a larger vision for a neighborhood-wide Greenway emerged. We leveraged the newfound civic momentum to begin implementing a decade-old, shelved City Greenway Master Plan, starting with a disused trail across the street. The most powerful visions are the ones built from the ground up, piece by piece with tangible victories. We helped the Charles Street Valley find the momentum, credibility, and support needed for a bigger, more ambitious future.
“Everyone came together because we knew we needed a playground and we made it happen and that is the power of community and collaboration.”
Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey, 6/22/24
The Outcomes: A Neighborhood on the Rise
Our partnership with the Charles Street community transformed years of frustration into a series of celebrated, tangible victories that have sparked a neighborhood-wide renewal.
$450,000+ secured through a new public-private funding coalition to completely renovate a beloved community park.
9 community spaces were rebuilt, creating a safe, beautiful, and vibrant new community hub.
Reactivated a dormant city-wide master plan, beginning the long-awaited implementation of the Perry South Greenway.
Empowered a community by providing the strategic tools, including a long-term Funding Matrix, to continue advocating for and building their vision for years to come.
