Uptown’s rough exterior belies a vibrant community nestled between the Monongahela River and the neighborhoods of Oakland, the Greater Hill District and Downtown. Thanks to the hard work of Uptown residents, supported by Uptown Partners, if you venture off the beaten path in Uptown, you will find community gardens, pockets of public garden beds and intricate murals. Uptown Partners plans to continue to revitalize the neighborhood by bringing vibrant art and healthy greenery into the landscape. 

Uptown Partners is creating a sustainable fund for neighborhood greening and arts projects!

We are excited to announce that we have already been awarded a $1,500 grant from the City of Pittsburgh through the Love Your (Resilient) Block program to help neighbors create a woodland parklet. The funds from this campaign will build on this initial investment from the City. 

Projects to be funded include:

• PARKLET: Make substantial improvements to the "Central Park SoHo" parklet on Moultrie Street, home to wild deer, turkey and songbirds. This small plot of land will become a quiet refuge for the public, complete with a large ‘tiny free library’ that will feature environmental information specific to native plants, animals and ecology. New foot paths, trees, and perennials will help transform this neighborhood gem. 

• PENGUINS: Commission Uptown artist James Simon to create and install a series of penguin sculptures in Uptown to enliven our streetscape. The penguins will reflect the quirky, vibrant energy of our community. James is a local treasure who has an international reputation.

• BANNERS: Create colorful banners identifying Uptown and install them on utility poles that line Fifth and Forbes Avenues. This will help put Uptown on the map, as the public is often baffled about our neighborhood’s name. (We’ve been called SoHo, the Bluff, or the Lower Hill at various points.) Banner graphics will echo our colorful mosaic Welcome to Uptown sign!  This is a long-term project that may cost upwards of $15,000. Our hope is that the Greening and Arts Fund will provide seed money that we can build on to complete this project down the road. 

We encourage you to donate online!

However, if you prefer to donate by check, make the check payable to “IOBY” and include the campaign name (Parklets, Penguins and Placemaking) on the memo line. Send the check to IOBY at 540 President St. 3rd Fl., Brooklyn, NY 11215. If you would like a receipt for your tax deductible donation, be sure to include a note with your name, email address and phone number.