Pittsburgh Urban Initiatives

Initiating Investment, Rebuilding Markets

Pittsburgh Urban Initiatives (PUI), a URA affiliate, catalyzes investments in low income neighborhoods by applying for and facilitating New Markets Tax Credits.

Pittsburgh Urban Initiatives (PUI) is Limited Liability Company certified as a Community Development Entity (CDE) by the Treasury Department’s Community Development Investment Fund (CDFI). As a CDE, PUI is able to apply for and facilitate New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) investments for projects in the city that benefit low-income neighborhoods.

PUI’s mission is to strategically invest in office, retail, mixed-use, and community facility developments in Low Income Communities that benefit residents of those communities throughout the City of Pittsburgh. In total, PUI has received $238 million in NMTC allocation to use in the City of Pittsburgh.

For more information about PUI and the NMTC program, please contact Rebecca Davidson-Wager at rwagner@ura.org.

Making a Real Impact

To date, PUI has applied for and received $238 million in New Markets Tax Credit allocation for the authority to use in projects in the City of Pittsburgh. Completed projects include:

$6 Million invested in Steel City Squash

Located in the Larimer neighborhood, this project is the new construction of an academic and athletic facility for after school programming for disadvantaged youth in Pittsburgh. Currently, Steel City Sqaush serves 63 school-age students, and this new facility will allow the organization to expand to 150 students. Steel City Squash will also provide community access to the facility and offer athletic memberships at income-sensitive membership fee levels

$4 Million invested in the Triangle Building

This project involves the restoration and revitalization of the unique 6-story, 23,000 square foot commercial building in downtown. It includes commercial space, residential units, and a common area. The first floor will house a restaurant and fresh food market with the upper levels being converted to 15 residential units for families.

$8 Million invested in City of Bridges Land Trust

This is a scattered site project in the Lawrenceville, Polish Hill, Garfield, Hazelwood, Fineview, and Troy Hill neighborhoods. All of the homes to be built or renovated will be sold to low-income households. City of Bridges utilizes a ground lease structure to ensure affordability in perpetuity for those wanting to own a home