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AMHC CO-OP NEWS BLOG 

 

Summer 2009 Brighton Corridor staging efforts underway. AMHC food related and business planning activities on hold. CKPS, neighborhood planning and community greening activities will take center stage over the summer.

http://northsidecoop.com/masterplan/BrightonStart.htm

 

 
     
June 2009 The 8600 sf community garden at 1527 Brighton rd has been been planted and mulched for the season. The perennials transplanted last year are thriving. Much thanks to everyone who donated annuals and perennial cuttings this year.

The gardeners are setting their sites on the 16,000 sf Martha Graham memorial garden on Brighton Pl.

Martha Graham Memorial and Hummingbird Garden Concept plan

 

 
     
June 2009 AMHCs newest committee CKPS (California-Kirkbride Preservation and Sustainability) group formed in December of 2008 to protect the Old Allegheny Rows National Historic District and further the Growing Community master plan.

-CKPS received section 106 consulting party status in June 2009

-CKPS has boarded architecturally significant houses with artistic rendered boards and shutters.

-CKPS has successfully caused the Brighton Pl Portfolio to be sold to the public at market rate. All properties were sold.

-The CKPS committee now has 13 members and is growing.

 

 

 
     
May 2009 Twilight Market Update - Due to the closing of Beleza Community Coffee House the Twilight Market will not be held at the park on Jacksonia and Buena  Vista next to Beleza.

This year we are inviting Twilight Market customers to join the Penns Corner CSA. Penns Corner was the main supplier at last years Twilight Market - they are the best. The CSA pick up is on Resaca St. If the drop gets to large we will move it into the church.

Harvest shares can be purchased at- http://www.pennscorner.com/

 

 
     
April 2009 In Association with TreeVitalize Pittsburgh AMHC will host a Brighton Corridor Tree Planting.

When: Saturday, April 4th 2009, at 8am,

Meeting Location - Columbia place and Brighton Road, Contact info - Brad Spencer - 412-592-2422

UPDATE: Ten 20sf sidewalk planters were cut and Ten healthy large trees were planted by 19 volunteers. Brighton road will be forever transformed.

Panning Update: Northside Coalition for Fair Housing and Mistick are no longer the planning coordinators for Brighton Corridor. Much thanks to those who scarified nine months working within the tumultuous and problematic Mistick/NCFH initiative.

 

 
     
March 2009 All AMHC resources focused on a Brighton planning initiative which has been initiated through the URA by Northside Coalition for Fair Housing in a contract naming Mistick.

Efforts to integrate "A Growing Community" master plan into the above mentioned planning process is under way.

AMHC has made a Northside wide call for the Northside Leadership Conference or group of surrounding neighborhoods to provide an intervention in this planning process and in future development of Brighton Corridor.

 
     
February 2009

 

A "Growing Community" Initiative -

Volunteer drive to assist in the planting of ten large street trees along Brighton Road. Trees were awarded last year and sidewalks will be cut and trees planted in March/April.

Planning for Twilight Market 2009 is in the works. Location TBA.

 

 
Early Winter Months 2008 AMHC board break. AMHC Board members participating in the Master Planning Process for California Kirkbride and Brighton Corridor in effort to further "A Growing Community" master plan.  
     
December 2008 Happy New Years.  
     
October November 2008 Twilight Market ends. End of year report and budget completed. AMHC activities were funded entirely through grants and donations. Membership equity was unused and we came in 400 under budget.  
     
September 2008 Funding and Membership drive

Goal: Membership Equity Drive Phase 2 - Open membership drive and issue capital certificates. Approach funding sources.

 
     
 

 

Project Focus Spring Summer 2008

 

 

Coalition Building
Stakeholders Meetings
Membership base Outreach
Leadership base Outreach

Goal: Membership Equity Drive Phase 1 - Brand Establishment Trust building. Primary marketing vehicle Twilight Market farmers market.

 
     
May 2008 Twilight market to open on June 7th at Mechanics retreat park. The AMHC membership drive will coincide with the farmers market and will be the primary marketing vehicle for the membership equity drive.

Online membership and payment system will be open on June 7th.

Information about the farmers Market http://northsidecoop.com/farmers.htm

 

 
     
April (30th) A "Growing Community" Initiative -

Rebirth Where there once was a vacant lot of deteriorating concrete and a makeshift garbage dump a garden took root. The soil is filled with worms and the their are many plants growing in the new soil and mulch. This is a good because the mother bird needs to only hop down to feed her babies.

Garden Location: 1527 Brighton Road Garden

 
     
April (Late) A "Growing Community" Initiative -  

Twilight Market - Concept space of the market established and planning has been completed. Implementation underway. Market to open at the end of May 2008.

 

     
April (mid) Megan Cook of Urban Foodworks named manager of the AMHC farmers market.  
     
March 28-29 2008 AMHC staged a wonderful booth at the Farm to Table Conference at the Pittsburgh Convention Center. Many thanks to Elena Firsova for designing and setting up the booth. Thanks to Becky and Evelyn for making the AMHC presence a complete success!  
     
March 28-29 2008 Membership Executive Director to be hired by AMHC to work with project coordinator Michele Johnson. Job Description distributed to food industry community.  
     
March 2008 1527 Brighton road being privately developed for community use. 8,100 sf lot will be the first member producer space. Space to include greenhouses and commercial space for crafters and gardeners who wish to sell at the AMHC farmers market and future food Coop.  
     
March 2008 Stakeholders Dinner and Presentation was a complete success  
     
February - March AMHC receives private donations in materials, meeting space and financial support.  
     
February 2008 Coalition building initiated. Stakeholders, associates, membership, volunteer drive under way.  
     
February 2008 AMHC membership drive materials finalized and ready for public review  
     
January 2008 AMHC wins grass roots Community Connections grant through the Sprout Fund  
     
January 2008 Initiative Incorporated as Allegheny market House Cooperative  
     
December 2008 Project vision and and initial planning complete.  
     
November 2007 Project Coordinator hired by AMHC  
     
August 26th 2007 NCGC has been renamed to AMHC or Allegheny Market House Cooperative  
     
April 28th 2007 Membership drive planning is on our plate. We are still working out the technical details of this task.  
     
April 7th The Steering Committee approved the final draft of by laws to be used during the initial stages of the Coop and for incorporation.

The project steering committee committed to the revival of the Northside Market House. The AMHC location will be known as the Allegheny Market House.

 
     
Summer 07 Thrivent donation of soil to 1527 Brighton.  
     
March Coop actively seeking to stabilize vacant lots along Brighton road. Sunflowers and public art will be placed along lots on Brighton road.  
     
January 22:

After a long break the AMHC Steering Committee is back at a work. Apparently not everyone was really on holiday break. many documents have been worked on and generated, the AMHC Urban Gardening Working Group was formed and important associations with other urban farmers were made. 2007 looks to be a very productive year and our community goal is in  site and close to our hearts.

Look for committee and working group start ups in January and February.

 

Happy Holidays!
     
December 4th Feasibility Study near completion and call for feedback. North Side residence called on to participate in Feasibility Study.

 

 
     
November 2006: Coro fellow Nancy Castillo started work with the Coop Steering Committee Feasibility team.  
 
Northsidecoop.com domain established
 
AED (Architecture Engineering and Design) Committee established
 
Northside CDCs and other organized leadership contacted regarding the community grocer coop intentions and goals.
     
Fall 2006 CMU Brighton Corridor Urban Lab Completed After three community meetings dealing with the neighborhood redevelopment of the Brighton Corridor the community voted on a Food Cooperative and Urban Agriculture Initiative to be the direction Brighton Corridor should follow. Residents and neighborhood stakeholders participated in all three phases of the neighborhood design. A Growing Community project vision.

AMHC and local residents do not endorse removal of any buildings along Brighton corridor but do support the careful inclusion of green space, where vacant lots are available, and a food cooperative on Brighton corridor.

     
October 6th 2006: Work assignments distributed and working documents established.  

Feasibility Study is in full swing

Site location are being identified, compared and analyzed.

Initial draft of By laws doc in progress

 

 

 
     
September 30th 2006:  Steering Committee established.  

Steering Committee:  The mandate of the Northside Grocer Co-op steering committee is to produce the business plan, feasibility study,  identify and procure grocer property while ensuring spirit and community needs are met by involving people of the community. The steering committee is tasked with identifying potential Co-op managers, board members and eventually relinquishing control of the project to the board of directors.

The steering committee is the first formal group working towards the formation of the Northside grocer Co-op.  At the first general membership meeting, an official board of directors is elected.

 

 
     
September 2006 Grocer Cooperative presented at general public meeting at the Central Northside Neighborhood Council.  
     
September 2006: First ad hoc grocer meeting  
     
August 2006: Public project established  
     
August 11th 2006 Coop Vision document distributed to the Northside Community.  
     

 

 

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