Winter 2011 POSITIVELY PITTSBURGH An Advertising Supplement To The Pittsburgh Business Times ‘TECH’ TOWN: How Technology is Transforming our Neighborhoods Dave Trumbore, BioSafe Lab Technician Photography by John Altdorfer POSITIVELY PITTSBURGH Letter from the MAYOR & URA Over the past 30 years, Pittsburgh has transformed itself from a one industry town to one with a diversified global economy focused on creating next generation products and technologies. Through strong partnerships, strategic investment, and place cre- ation, we have been able to develop the support network necessary to nurture and grow the high tech industry. In 2009, the City, URA and many civic partners, including Pittsburgh Central and Keystone Innovation Zones, Landmarks Community Capital Corporation, Allegheny County, Neighborhood Business Inc., State Senator Wayne Fontana, and the Heinz Luke Ravenstahl, Mayor, City of Pittsburgh Endowments, launched a portfolio of loan products to provide capital to emerging technology companies. These financing tools, like the Pittsburgh Entrepreneur Fund, help tech companies move from formation and commercialization to growth and sustainability. The creation of “place” for these leaders of the new economy has been a purposeful partnership with community, business and government. Last year, the URA and Greater Oakland Keystone Innovation Zone established a fund to help health-science entrepreneurs with early stage business planning and incor- poration. And in December, the Mayor’s Technology Task Force convened for the first time. Composed of education, business and nonprofit leaders, the task force will work together to attract and grow high-tech ventures, and make policy recommen- dations for improving the City’s technology climate. While we have come a long way, we are committed to continue the work needed to grow our neighborhoods, making them places where entrepreneurs and big businesses alike can find success. Our communities offer investors and businesses valuable personal growth opportunities, as well as the chance to become part of something larger – an inspired, creative workforce, a new regional economy and a heightened global profile. We invite you to learn more about these opportunities and partner with us in Pittsburgh’s continuing transformation. Rob Stephany, Executive Director, Urban Redevelopment Authority Sincerely, Luke Ravenstahl Mayor, City of Pittsburgh Rob Stephany, Executive Director Urban Redevelopment Authority POSITIVELY PITTSBURGH Gene Wilson and his electrician Bob Weidner. Photography by John Altdorfer by Photography Weidner. Wilson and his electrician Bob Gene Finding meaningful opportunities in Pittsburgh’s tech community. hen community development performance parallel storage for business-critical tions and creating clean safe environment for organizations like the Urban applications. He has worked for four years at tenants and their employees. The URA acquired Redevelopment Authority of Panasas, for the past year in quality assurance. the former steel plant property and cleared Pittsburgh invest in places and Professionally he has found the technology the site. Wneighborhoods, they do so with the intention industry here to be both big enough and small Aside from the many conveniences of their that, “if you build it, they will come.” enough – big enough to provide great oppor- Allegheny West location, the Wilsons also have Successes like Bakery Square, Eastside, South tunity, yet small enough to become part of a come to love not just their neighborhood, but Side Works and others have proven to be more network that is supportive of one another. their neighbors as well. than mere fields of dreams – they have acted as Located in the Cardello Building on Reeds- “The North Side in general, and especially magnets to attract and keep young talent in dale Street, his office is situated just off the West Allegheny West, is full of wonderful people,” he our area. End Bridge. Before he moved to the neighbor- says. “When my wife and I moved here, we were But it’s people like Gene Wilson and his wife, hood, Wilson enjoyed going out for walks at embraced by the neighborhood.” The neighbors Cathy, who bring that dream full-circle by living, lunchtime and would stroll around Allegheny even organized a block party in their honor to working, and donating their talents back into the Commons and the Mexican War Streets. “I really welcome them to the street. community to which they have been drawn. fell in love with the North Side,” he says. In return, the Wilsons have been giving back Gene, a New Jersey native, made his way to the So he and Cathy decided to make the move to the community through their involvement city to attend the University of Pittsburgh where from the suburbs to the city. They found a house with the Allegheny West Civic Council. Gene has he earned a bachelor’s degree in computer sci- in Allegheny West that was about 150 years old, served for two years as editor of the organiza- ence and later a master’s in software engineering had been owned by the same family for nearly tion’s newsletter and continues to manage the from Carnegie Mellon University. 100 years, and was a relative bargain. group’s website. After graduating, there were many reasons “In any other city, a house like this would have He and Cathy, who also works in the technol- why he decided to stay – he had family here been way more expensive,” Gene says. ogy field, worked to develop an e-commerce site, and really grew to like the city. Having grown While it had been maintained, it had not been an online ticketing system, for the group’s hugely up just outside New York City, he appreciated updated, so the Wilsons have started on a mis- popular house tours. Pittsburgh’s size. “Cities like New York are just too sion to bring the structure up to 21st century “People in the neighborhood have fixed up huge to deal with on a day-to-day basis,” he says, standards. their houses so amazingly well that people are “at least for me.” Now the former suburbanites enjoy being willing to pay money to see them – hopefully He knew he could find meaningful opportu- close to downtown, and Gene can walk to his of- ours will be that way soon.” nities in Pittsburgh’s growing tech community fice in the nearby Cardello Building, a facility that And the couple intend to stay in the neigh- and its many university spin-offs. has benefited from URA support. borhood for the long haul – “I definitely don’t see Wilson landed a position at Transarc, a CMU The Cardello Building owners worked with any reason to move. With the lifestyle we can spin-out that later was purchased by IBM, and the URA to clean up an adjacent former mill site, have here and the cost of living being so much went on to work at Panasas, a leader in high paving the way for purposeful building renova- less expensive, it’s hard to beat the quality of life.” POSITIVELY PITTSBURGH Where Investment Meets the Neighborhood South Side Slopes. Photography by John Altdorfer by Photography South Slopes. Side echnology, emerging technology to come together to realize the creation of great combine to create invigorated communities – companies, and the facilities where they places,” says Tom Link, manager of the URA’s Busi- that means new economic vitality and quality are located have helped to create a new ness Development Center. “The URA, through fi- of life for neighborhoods and business districts,” economy for the City of Pittsburgh and nancing and the vast expertise of its ardent staff, says Link. “From the new resident who buys a Tstimulate economic development throughout has been an important partner in the continuing house and invests in their neighborhood, to the our neighborhoods. realization of Pittsburgh’s new economy.” neighborhood small business that experiences When you think about places that are at- That investment has paid off, and the num- a growing customer base to the tax coffers that tracting emerging technology companies and bers speak for themselves in considering the find new revenues, the technology economy has highly skilled workers to our region, like South- positive economic impact these developments touched all aspects of our city life.” Side Works, Pittsburgh Technology Center, and have spurred and tax revenue they generate. Today Pittsburgh is competing globally for Google’s new home – Bakery Square, you most The URA reports that public investment in the companies and highly-skilled workers, many of likely are thinking about places that exist in large SouthSide Works, Pittsburgh Technology Center whom want to live, work and play in the same part because of the creativity and investment and Bakery Square has leveraged over $823 place. Neighborhoods that have been revitalized facilitated by leaders from community, business million in direct private investment into these through large scale developments like SouthSide and government, including the Urban Redevel- projects and created over 6,000 permanent jobs. Works and Bakery Square, have become a strong opment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA). These centers alone pay about $5 million annu- recruitment tool for these companies and their These developments have reinvigorated ally in real estate taxes. talented employees. Major corporations like neighborhoods like the South Side, Lawrencev- retail giant American Eagle and Google have ille, East Liberty, Downtown and many others that Where Investment meets the Neighborhood recognized their employees desires for urban are attracting people and new businesses. And The City’s purposeful strategy of place cre- lifestyles and moved and expanded their opera- that is no accident. ation has been a catalyst for hundreds of compa- tions into these newly created places. “It takes a proactive and dedicated consor- nies to start, grow and create jobs. tium of private, public and community interests “This investment and these companies POSITIVELY PITTSBURGH Max Fedor, President & CEO, BioSafe, in his office at the Pittsburgh Technology Center.