News Around the Neighborhood

Dear Neighbors:

And just like that, we’ve arrived at the holiday season! What a beautiful autumn we’ve had. I’ve really been enjoying these sunny days, along with the cooler evenings and changing colors on the trees. This autumn has felt particularly special.

This past month, Councilman Wilson joined us for a neighborhood walkthrough to look at concerns residents have raised over the past year. CM Wilson was accompanied by staffers Julianne Hluska and Morgan Martin, along with representatives from the Mayor’s Office, Permits, Licenses, and Inspections, Community Health and Safety, and other city departments. We covered streetlight repairs, drainage, brickwork restoration after the recent pipe replacement projects, parking, and trash regulations. Councilman Wilson is also looking into the sidewalk near the playground on our side of the park, where several tripping hazards have been identified. One message came through clearly from everyone in the group: call 3-1-1. It is the best way to get a concern, complaint, or question on the city’s record, even if you are also raising it another way. Thank you to Councilman Wilson and his team, along with other city employees, for spending the time with us. I look forward to seeing what improvements come in the months ahead.

Looking ahead, our Victorian Christmas Tour will be here in a month! If you’re new to the neighborhood and would like to get involved, I encourage you to join one of our volunteer teams. It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet neighbors, make friends, and celebrate the season together. More details are included in the comprehensive update on the tour on page 2 and 3. If you’re interested in helping decorate our community Christmas tree, please reach out to Aaron Bryan or me. We’d love to have you be part of the festivities.

Congratulations to Modern Café for taking the top spot during Northside Sandwich Week! What a great accomplishment and well-deserved recognition for one of our neighborhood favorites.

The 14th Annual Handel’s Messiah Sing-Along Concert will be held at Calvary United Methodist Church on Saturday, December 12. Free tickets are available by registering online here: https://allevents.in/pittsburgh/14th-annual-handels-messiah-sing-along-concert/100002003010776151.

Lastly, I want to say how grateful I am to be part of this community. Whether we’re volunteering together, socializing with neighbors, advocating for historic preservation, or simply enjoying a walk through the neighborhood, it is the connections we share that make this place so special.

Wishing you and your loved ones a happy Thanksgiving and a joyful start to the holiday season. I look forward to seeing you around the neighborhood!

Warmly,

Elizabeth Barbush
AWCC President

We’re Back!

Back from vacation, back to school, back to work, and back to business!

Our General Membership Meetings resume this month. Please join us on Tuesday, September 8 at Calvary Church. Agenda and meeting details can be found at the end of this Gazette.

Until then, I will keep my updates brief:

• Many residents had contacted the Allegheny West Civic Council regarding a Zoning Board of Adjustment (ZBA) hearing for a variance application that would have permitted firearm sales at 900 Western Avenue. We would like to inform everyone that the business owner has withdrawn the application at this time. As a result, the matter will not appear on the ZBA agenda for September 3. Should the application be resubmitted in the future, we will monitor the situation and notify the neighborhood so it can be discussed appropriately.
• This is also a reminder to review the proposed bylaw amendments before our September meeting. The proposed changes are available on our website, www.alleghenywest.org, under the Constitution and Bylaws tab.
• Our email discussion list was shut down in August when the company that hosted it discontinued the service. We are looking for a replacement so that we can share time-sensitive notices and updates.
• I also hope to see you at our final block party of the year! Our annual Labor Day Block Party will take place on Monday, September 7, beginning at 4:00 pm in the 800 block of N. Lincoln Avenue. See the bottom of the page for more details. We look forward to celebrating with you!
• Finally, the Department of City Planning will be hosting its final public workshop to gather community feedback for the city’s comprehensive plan. The workshop will be held on September 16 at the Mattress Factory, 509 Jacksonia Street, from 5:30 pm to 8:00 pm. Residents are encouraged to participate and share their thoughts about Pittsburgh’s future. To register, visit: https://pgh2050.com/events.

We look forward to seeing you at these upcoming events and working together to continue making Allegheny West a great neighborhood. 

Warmly,

Elizabeth Barbush
Allegheny West Civic Council