New Kensington Corridor of Innovation Ideabook

Services

Client

Project Description

GOAL: To develop initiatives, policies, actions and programs that will drive development and redevelopment throughout the corridor.

Throughout its history, the City of New Kensington has been a center of technology and aluminum-related industries. The City’s business-focused Downtown has hosted retail, industry, and health services. After decades of employment and resident loss, the City is on the path to re-center itself and emerge through innovation once again. In 2018, the City of New Kensington initiated the strategic planning of the City’s Downtown area in collaboration with an advisory committee.

EPD proposed an intensive workshop approach as the most appropriate and effective direction to best address the City’s revitalization goal. The workshop successfully engaged residents, business owners, and other stakeholders to participate in the visioning and solution-building for the heart of their community.

Connecting land use and design strategies related to public space, smart city interactions, and bike-ped connectivity encouraged economic growth, aligning city systems, providing open space, and strengthened neighborhood quality and livability. An updated framework for decision-making and regulation will result in a rapid response to business opportunities, urgent public health needs, imperative job growth, and residents’ quality of life. The Strategic Framework focuses on six aspects of equal importance: Smart City, Public Amenity, Mobility, Building, Land Use & Urban Form, and Business Development. Recommendations and best practices were provided for the City in those categories.

Key recommendations with implementation strategies focused on streetscape improvements, green infrastructure interventions, and public space transformations of vacant/abandoned parcels.