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SECURITY NETWORK
Acting as a forum for safety and security issues in Oakland, the OBID
Security Network meets at 3 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at Joe
Mama's restaurant at the corner of Forbes and Oakland avenues. This forum
is well attended, and open to anyone with an interest in safety and security.
The Security Network draws together security representatives from Zone 6
City of Pittsburgh Police, the University of Pittsburgh, UPMC Health
System, Carnegie Mellon University, Carlow College, Chatham College,
Magee-Women's Hospital, and Oakland merchants and stakeholders to share
information about safety issues in Oakland. In addition, group members
brainstorm about strategies to continue improving the safety of Oakland.
Security links: www.pitt.edu/~police,
www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/police
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PANHANDLING
The Oakland BID strives to educate pedestrians about the importance of
donating money to the local homeless shelters and programs rather than
encouraging panhandling. The BID has printed a list of human service
agencies who help those in need of shelter, food and health services. The
BID provides this information each year to incoming freshmen at the
University of Pittsburgh, as well as distributing it at meetings and in
other community forums. For more information, call the BID at 412-683-OBID.
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GREENSPACES
In 1999, the BID and pool of volunteers from the University of Pittsburgh
planted a Welcome Garden at the corner of Forbes and Craft avenues. The
garden, designed to improve the entryway to Oakland from downtown
Pittsburgh, is watered daily and weeded regularly by the cleaning crew, and
maintained through a contract with Sestili's's Nursery. Currently, the BID
is looking for a community partner who could assist in the upkeep of the
garden. If you would like more information, please call 412-683-OBID.
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STREETSCAPE ENHANCEMENTS
URA Streetface grants: The BID works to coordinate contacts between
Pittsburgh's Urban Redevelopment Authority and Oakland merchants. The URA
offers a Streetface program designed to provide 1:1 matching grants to
commercial building owners to assist them in improving their building's
facade. The BID is available at 412-683-6243 to assist property owners with
this process. Click on www.ura.org for more
information.
Design standards: In 2001, the BID contracted Strada, a Pittsburgh urban
design firm, to outline design standards for "downtown" Oakland. The
streetscape standards, aimed at improving the visual quality, ambience and
economic viability of the Oakland business district, have been reviewed and
applauded by a number of stakeholders, including Oakland residents,
merchants, institutional representatives and City government officials.
As a result of the design standards project, the BID is currently working
with Strada and the City Planning Department to create a document that will
set of design standards for the public right-of-way, which will be submitted
to the Planning Commission and City Council for approval. Following that
approval, the schematics will be distributed to developers to be implemented
as the standard for the Oakland streetscape.
Public space improvements: Each year, the BID strives to implement public
space improvements in the Oakland business district. In Fall 2002, the
BID, with funding from the URA and the Department of Community and Economic
Development, installed 37 new trashcans in Oakland. Seventeen of the
trashcans feature ash urns to help prevent cigarette butts from littering
Oakland. The BID also purchased a high-pressure washer in 2002, which will
be used regularly in the BID to remove gum, graffiti and sidewalk stains.
The BID worked with the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority to access
public water where possible, making this service almost completely free for
BID businesses.
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GRAFFITI REMOVAL
Each BID property owner has a GraffitiBusters form filed with the BID
office, which allows the BID to contact the City of Pittsburgh GraffitiBusters to remove graffiti from any BID
building. The BID monitors graffiti on a daily basis and makes weekly
reports to the City to have graffiti removed. The prompt removal of graffiti
in the BID since 1999 has led to a nearly 50 percent reduction in tags in
Oakland's Central Business District. If you have not filed a
GraffitiBusters' form, please contact the BID.
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CODE ENFORCEMENT TASK FORCE
Another partnership between the BID, Oakland Planning and Development,
Oakland Community Council and the City of Pittsburgh is the Code Enforcement
Task Force.
The CETF meets quarterly to review current code issues in Oakland and
discuss policy issues, with the goal of striving toward the most effective
and efficient code enforcement system for Oakland's needs. Through the
efforts of the task force, the BID and Oakland community organizations are
able to cooperate with City departments to identify repeated complaints and
bring them to resolution.
To help the BID and other Oakland community organizations to raise awareness
of needs in Oakland, please report all code issues (garbage, abandoned
buildings or vehicles, blocked loading zones, etc.) to the Mayor's Service
Center at 412-255-2621, visit their site at www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/mayor/html/mayors_service_center.html or call the BID at 412-255-OBID and we will file a
report for you!
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PUBLIC ART
Two new murals have been painted in central Oakland as a result of the BID's
efforts. The first, completed in 2000, is located on the Boulevard of the
Allies bridge underpass and was commissioned to beautify that area until
reconstruction begins in 2004. The second, a recreation of the OBID logo,
was painted by Pitt volunteers during the 2002 Day of Caring, and is visible from
Sennott Street and Oakland Avenue.
In 2003, the BID will convene a Public Art Committee, focused on beautifying
Oakland through artistic works in public spaces. For more information about
the BID's public art initiative, or to serve on the committee, please
contact the BID.
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