- The Strip District boundaries run from 11th to 33rd Streets and the Allegheny River to Bigelow Blvd (until 27th Street where the boundary steps down to Liberty Ave).
- We say the boundaries are from train trestle to train trestle as a trestle passes over 33rd street and one that crosses 11th at Penn. East of the trestle at 11th is the Strip and west of it (including the train station) is downtown.
- Liberty Ave, Penn Ave, and Smallman Street are the main roadways traveling through the Strip District and they run (roughly) east to west.
- Penn Ave. is one way from 31st Street to 11th and a dedicated bike lane runs from 16th to 11th along Penn.
- Penn Ave is the neighborhood’s “main street” and is home to much of the retail business.
- The Strip District became part of Pittsburgh in 1837.
- Portions of the Strip District are on the National Register of Historic Places.
- The Strip District was the original home to Westinghouse Air Brakes, Armstrong Cork, Alcoa, as well as many lesser known Pittsburgh brands that helped make the city an industrial leader.
- The Strip became a center for immigrants of Italian, Polish, and Slavic ethnicity during the late 1800’s and early 1900’s.
- Until 1906 trains ran through the Strip District into downtown. In 1906 the rails were removed from Liberty Ave below 11th making the Strip District into a wholesale hub.
- The Great Flood of 1936 placed much of the Strip District under water, took the lives of many, and lead the government to build many of the flood control dams along the 3 rivers we have today.
- The Great Depression turned parts of the Strip District into a shanty town which depressed already low home values.
- The Home Owners’ Loan Corporation “redlined” the Strip District along with the Hill District, parts of the Northside, and Lawrenceville below Butler Street.
- Post WWII the Strip’s residential population shrunk as redlining, aging housing stock, low rates of home ownership, and poor city infrastructure lead to an exodus of residence.
- As residents left wholesale and warehousing as well as specialty (ethnic) grocery kept the Strip District economy growing.
- In the late 1980’s some of the warehouses and other spaces began being converted into nightclubs and dance venues and nightlife became a major economic driver.
- Through the 90’s and 2000’s retail growth on Penn Ave. outpaced the nightclubs. Retail shopping increased from mostly a Saturday activity to a Sunday and week-long day-time activity.
- The late 1990s saw a reversal of this down trend in the residential sector for the Strip as both condos and apartments began to open in refurbished buildings.
- The early to mid teens saw increased growth in residential, retail, and other sectors including nonprofits, and light manufacturing.
- Strip District Neighbors (Neighbors) was founded in 1999.
- Neighbors obtained 501(c)(3) status in 2004 as Neighbors in the Strip.
- In 2016 Neighbors in the Strip began doing business as Strip District Neighbors.
- Neighbors is a geographic membership based organization with members representing diverse neighborhood interests including retail, wholesale, manufacturing, residential, and more.
- Strip District Neighbors is a community based neighborhood advocacy group.
- Strip District Neighbors is a National Main Streets Organization.
- Neighbors is managed by a board of directors made up of stakeholders who are members-in-good-standings with a vested interest in the neighborhood.
- Neighbors Board of Directors meets a minimum of 6 times per year (historically meeting monthly taking only one month per year off).
- Neighbors board and committee meetings are open to the public.
- Neighbors also has a non-voting board of advisors consisting of leaders in business and finance, government and elected officials, community partners, regional experts, Strip District Neighbors members, neighboring community partners, special interest groups, and more.
- Members of the Neighbors Advisory Board members often attend Board of Directors meetings, take roles on committees, or send representatives.
- Neighbors is funded by membership dues, private foundation grants, competitive public grants, corporate and private donations, and limited other sources including but not limited to public community funding such as block grants and business district improvement funding.
- Strip District Neighbors helped establish the Pittsburgh Public Market (PPM)’s board and to help them set up their own 501(c)(3) corporation. They were a separate organization with their own bylaws and board of directors (called Market Council) before they liquidated their assets.
- Over more than 15 years Strip District Neighbors has won many awards for community organizing, promotion, and more.
