ReClaim the Route: Junk Collage GTECH partnered with the Dick’s Sporting Goods Pittsburgh Marathon and Operation Better Block to green-up a vacant lot around the route. On the day of the Marathon, GTECH, Operation Better Block’s Junior Green Corps and the Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse will set up a space adjacent to Homewood’s water station at North Lang Avenue and Frankstown Road. With help, we collected “junk” to be incorporated into a work of art throughout the day. Like a paint-by-number project, the pieces…Read More
Biochar Research CONTEXT In 2014, with the help of the Sprout Fund and the Garden Club of Allegheny County, GTECH researched potential uses of knotweed, the invasive plant taking over many vacant lots in Pittsburgh. The Knot on Lots project included a study of knotweed biochar, that is, a nutrient-rich soil amendment made from burning knotweed. We learned through that project that knotweed biochar can be made at a low cost using materials found at your local hardware store. GTECH, along with…Read More
Knots on Lots Japanese Knotweed, Polygonum cuspidatum, was introduced in the United States from Asia as a decorative plant, but soon grew out of control. Because knotweed loves moist environments and can grow in poor soil quality, it can be found all over the Pittsburgh’s region riverbanks and has spread to roadsides, lawns, and, of course, vacant lots. (Most of the 27,000 empty lots in Pittsburgh have Knotweed growing on them.) Currently there is no great way to deal with the Knotweed, besides…Read More
MOMS Green Play Yard Located in East Liberty, Sojourner House’s MOMS Program is an affordable residence program for transitioning single mothers and their children. The residence opened its doors in 2004, and later expanded in 2008. At that point there were over thirty children living in these homes, and the number was growing. However, there were no green spaces in the area for children to play in. In 2008, GTECH partnered with volunteers from the Student Conservation Association (SCA) to build a fence, remove…Read More
Hops on Lots Testing innovate vacant land strategies is at root of ReClaim activities. This project brought hops within Pittsburgh city limits and enabled us to have locally grown and produced beer! Garfield has an active community dedicated to revitalizing their neighborhood despite their high vacancy rates and limiting topography. The Garfield Hops Projects brings new biodiversity to their already flourishing urban agriculture initiatives and creatively utilizes their hillsides. In collaboration with the Hops Project, Garfield Community Farms, and East End Brewing Company…Read More
T1i Block Cluster Plan Operation Better Block created a learning lab for parcel-level application of state law enabled tools for vacant property redevelopment. The initial learning lab concept paper, completed by Irene McLaughlin, J.D., projected a 3-year time frame. This learning lab represents a collaboration between McLaughlin and OBB to analyze OBB-derived parcel-level property and resident data to determine the most appropriate legal tools to apply to individual parcels. The target area for the first learning lab is referred to as T1i. Though the…Read More
Borland Green GTECH’s first community-based project has transformed into a model for community gathering space. Located in East Liberty at the intersection of Black Street and Beatty Street, the project started on the site of old row homes that were demolished. After removing tons of rubble, tilling the soil, adding compost, planting both canola and sunflowers and installing fence, the site was ready for a more intense project. In 2011, with community input from nearby East Liberty residents and from the Borland…Read More