Downtown Pittsburg, Kansas. Source: City of Pittsburg
Following a Smart Growth America workshop, a city in Kansas is taking smart growth principles to heart as several exciting redevelopment projects move forward. By finding new uses for its historic structures and working closely with the regional university, Pittsburg hopes to spur greater economic opportunity to attract new residents and keep students after graduation.
Pittsburg is a city located in southeastern Kansas with a population just over 20,000 and an economy that was historically based around mining. Downtown includes many historic buildings, a reminder of the city’s prosperity in the early 20th century. The city has made some progress in revitalizing its downtown, and an upcoming, major redevelopment will create even greater momentum in 2018. This project, Block 22, will transform four historic properties into a “living-learning community” and aims to draw people back to downtown Pittsburg, both as residents and visitors. Block 22 is a result of the city’s strong partnership with the regional university in Pittsburg, Pittsburg State University (PSU). The proposed design will offer housing for PSU students, as well as dedicated innovation spaces and resources for both students and local entrepreneurs.
In addition, downtown’s old manufacturing plant, Dickey Clay, will undergo environmental remediation after it was shuttered several years ago. To make the most of these opportunities—plus a desire to create a long-term vision and growth plan for its downtown—Pittsburg sought assistance through a Smart Growth America (SGA) workshop in 2016: Implementing Smart Growth 101. SGA awarded the workshop to Pittsburg at no cost to the city through an EPA Office of Sustainable Communities Building Blocks grant. During the workshop SGA worked with city leaders and other stakeholders to understand how smart growth principles could be applied to their long-term visioning and planning for downtown and left the workshop with actionable next steps.
Pittsburg State University (PSU) and Block 22
Artist’s rendering of Block 22. Source: Pittsburg State University via the City of Pittsburg
Dickey Clay and the Mid-City Renaissance District
Another major redevelopment opportunity in Pittsburg is the former Dickey Clay (Mission Clay) plant which closed several years ago. While the plant will require brownfield remediation before redevelopment, Pittsburg is beginning to create a vision for the site—a Mid-City Renaissance District—that celebrates the city’s industrial history and cultural identity. Residential, retail, office, and light industrial units will be focused around recreational amenities and greenspace with opportunities to incorporate local arts and culture.