Reservoir Retreat Dana transformed a former reservoir site into a flourishing community space. The space utilizes recycled materials for seating and art pieces. She envisions her friends and neighbors using the space to have a picnic, walk their dogs or stroll alongside the flowers and trees. The space is even home to a shed that holds tools and materials for other ReClaim McKeesport Ambassadors! grounded strategies PittsburghRead More
Palisades Butterfly Garden Sharon Soles was inspired to make the Palisades Butterfly Garden for several reasons. Her parents met at the Palisades during McKeesport’s glory days, it also has a rich history and is located in the heart of McKeesport. With her project, she aspires to share her personal connection with the site as well as the historical significance with current residents and new comers. Sharon created a space that local organizations can use as an outside meeting and event space. She is excited to reclaim the city that…Read More
Connecting the Dots Walt Yager worked to transform a space that was once a bustling railroad crossing into a spontaneous gathering space for the community. He also restored the roof of the railroad tower as well as incorporated landscaping and historical signage to the space. Connecting the Dots: A Railroad Crossing Runs Through It incorporates historical context to Walt's site so that the youth in the community may experience the same growth and development that he gained from the city. grounded strategies pittsburghRead More
Empty to Embellished Rochelle is from the Pittsburgh neighborhood of Homewood, but has called McKeesport home for the last 20 years. She cares deeply about her community and the people in it and aspires to make her community a better place. Rochelle transitioned a vacant, overgrown lot at the entrance of the Myer Park neighborhood into a low-maintenance, embellished oasis. The space complements and enhances the beauty of Myer Park.Read More
Play in the Bouquet With the help of her son, Kim Brownfield has been caring for four vacant properties on her street for the past 6 years. She is excited to bring her skills and experience to her site on the corner of Bouquet and Grant streets. The site was full of rubble, and home to the foundation of an old garage – which might have intimidated some people – but not Kim. After asking her neighbors, she discovered that the residents would like to see…Read More
Noah’s Ark Community Park The vacant lot that Rhonda Moorer reclaimed sits behind to her church, Bethlehem Baptist, where her mother, the Rev. Earlene Coleman, is pastor. She is still working to transition it into a youth-centric community space. Her site will boast checkerboards, picnic tables and a gazebo on a lot where the Hitzrot House once stood, a mansion that later became the Eagles Lodge.Read More
Library District Gateway Garden Shari is building a gateway garden on a former abandoned property near the entrance of the Library District in McKeesport. The space will be designed to encourage neighborly connections and relationships between residents. There will be a vast array of grasses and plants to enhance the entrance of the historic Library District. The garden will also include a Little Free Library to encourage community members, young and old, to share valuable and fun literature!Read More
En-GAGE (Greater Allegheny Garden Experience) Dr. Alandra Kahl is a professor at Penn State Greater Allegheny. She and fellow PSUGA Professor, April, have teamed up to turn a vacant piece of land at the entrance to campus into a more welcoming community and outdoor learning space. Their project – EN-GAGE – Greater Allegheny Garden Experience– hopes to create a relaxing space that blends campus life into the community of McKeesport. The space will also serve as an outdoor lecture area and a place to facilitate…Read More
Trail Garden: Part of the Gap Trail Julie Fleckenstein is a youth program assistant in the city of McKeesport and has lived there all her life, except for the 9 years where she lived outside of Philadelphia. Because the GAP trail is a big tourist attraction for McKeesport, she is focusing on a vacant lot right alongside the popular biking and hiking path. She is hoping that it will be a great place for people to take a relaxing rest from the trails. The site will include…Read More
Terraced Sidelot Bioswale Mark lives on a street that is full of vacant lots and abandoned buildings in Troy Hill. He has been working diligently to transform the block into a lively space with occupied homes and beautiful green spaces. Like many Pittsburgh lots, the lot that Mark is currently working on has some interesting topography. In fact, it is entirely made up of terraces and is raised about 15 feet off the street. The design for the space incorporates this interesting topography…Read More
Star Meditation Garden Angela’s street in Perry South has been surrounded by overgrown, empty lots for many years. She had a role in the transformation of other empty lots in her neighborhood in the past, but hadn’t yet attempted to take on the lot next to her home. After her sister, Starla, passed away unexpectedly in November of 2014, Angela decided to transform the lot next to her home into a beautiful space that would be dedicated to her sister. It will be…Read More
Perry Hilltop Gateway Beautification Project Ayanna is a life-long resident of the Northside and currently calls the neighborhood of Perry Hilltop her home. Her neighborhood is one of the most blighted neighborhoods in the City of Pittsburgh with a 20% vacancy rate. The lot that Ayanna is working on has been vacant for several years. The first step was to remove the invasive plant, knotweed, that filled the site and take preventative steps to keep it from coming back. The design for the site incorporates…Read More