Larimer / East Liberty Choice Neighborhoods Initiative

The Larimer / East Liberty Choice Neighborhoods Initiative is a $30M award from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to revitalize the Larimer/East Liberty Neighborhood. Revitalization includes 334 new housing units and neighborhood park.

Developed334Housing Units

For this initiative, stakeholders created a $401M transformation plan called the Vision-to-Action Plan with the goal of being a “21st Century Green Neighborhood that Works.”

It involves a comprehensive effort to address the neighborhood, housing, and people needs of the Larimer community. The Housing Authority and the City of Pittsburgh are Co-Grantees. The URA manages the Neighborhood Improvements including the Park Development and the Choice Neighborhoods Homeowner Assistance Program.

Park Development

The proposed 25-acre Larimer/East Liberty Park spans from Station Street and Larimer Avenue to the northern corner of the Larimer Neighborhood at Orphan Street and Larimer Avenue. The park will serve 4,177 residents who live within a five-minute walk.

The park will include both urban neighborhood park conditions plus a more natural greenway that complements the woods, historic stream valley and steep slope at the edge of the neighborhood. It is proposed that the park system extend to the edge of Highland Park, which would connect Larimer and East Liberty residents to the regional park system through a network of multi-use trails.

Phase 1 includes a new signature 3-acre park at Station Street and Larimer Avenue as a fundamental element of the overall Larimer Choice Neighborhoods redevelopment. This new park will serve both existing residents, as well as the new 334-unit, mixed-income rental housing development. The Phase 1 neighborhood park will include a new public plaza, passive open space, an extensive play area and terrace bioswales to manage stormwater.

This project has the potential to manage up to four million gallons of stormwater runoff annually. The stormwater management system will also help improve river water and watershed quality.

Choice Neighborhoods Homeowner Assistance Program

The Larimer Homeowner Residential Façade Program provides grants to Larimer homeowners to assist with property beautification and basic maintenance. This grant allows existing residents to update their homes to reflect the look and feel of the Choice Neighborhoods development within their community. To date, 70 homeowners have applied for the program.

Facts

Replaces the publicly assisted East Liberty Gardens housing complex and the public housing complex of Hamilton Larimer
The URA manages the Neighborhood Plan and the Critical Community Initiatives and acquires City-owned and private land for the development.The Neighborhood Plan consists of the following Critical Community Initiatives:
- Park development
- Homeowners assistance program
- Green infrastructure
- Job creation via real estate development
- For-sale homes strategy
- Redevelopment of key community assets
Housing Developers: McCormack Baron Salazar and Allies at Ross Management and Development Corporation
Housing Plan: 334 units of high quality, mixed-income housing built in four phases over the next four years.
- Phase I was completed in 2016 and consisted of 85 units in 18 buildings
- Phase II began in October 2017 and consists of 150 units
- Phases III & IV completes the final 99 units by 2021
Urban Strategies is the People lead. The People Plan/Resident Support Services consists of the following programs for the original residents of East Liberty Gardens and Hamilton Larimer: case management activities; wellness support and health promotion activities; workforce development services; school and community connections and mobility support services.