Allegheny Together - Program Technical Assistance Provider
Allegheny County Economic Development
Economic Strategy
Allegheny County Economic Development manages business retention, expansion, and attraction for the 129 municipalities in Allegheny County, excluding the city of Pittsburgh. Its Allegheny Together program focuses on traditional business districts in the County and encourages well-planned, well-designed and geographically-focused investment while respecting communities’ unique history, character, and built environment.
Municipalities within the County were hit hard when the steel industry left the region and have not seen as robust a recovery as the City of Pittsburgh. As the Technical Support Provider for Allegheny Together, Fourth Economy utilizes community organization and data-driven planning to direct public investment, spur private investment, and revitalize communities.
Our Approach
Fourth Economy manages the community application process and leads accepted communities through a facilitated strategic planning process, utilizing data analysis, community engagement, and an urban design review. We convene stakeholders, conduct comprehensive data analysis, listen for insights into where to focus, and support priorities toward implementation. Each community receives a slate of technical assistance based on the strategic planning process, including business district planning, business attraction and retention, Main Street organization planning, funding support identification, and actionable next steps. In addition, we host an annual summit to share best practices, creating a mechanism for peer support for all municipalities across the County.
The Results
The first round of commercial district strategic action plans launched in late 2019, and to date, this program has served eleven communities within Allegheny County. As a result of these plans, over 27 new Main Street businesses have opened their doors and streetscape improvements such as lighting, sidewalks, greening and public art initiatives have been completed. Efforts are underway to market the business districts and direct additional investments within each community.
Location
Allegheny County, PA