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Press Release

Contact:  
Jeff McLaughlin, Redevelopment Authority of the City of Uniontown, 724-428-4387
Neil Cotiaux, FHLBank Pittsburgh: 412-335-9488, Neil.cotiaux@fhlb-pgh.com

Uniontown is Awarded Mini-Grant for Blueprint Communities Park

Pittsburgh, PA, December 14, 2011 – The Blueprint Communities initiative of the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLBank) of Pittsburgh has awarded Uniontown a $10,000 mini-grant. The grant will be used to help fund acquisition and development costs for a community park.  

Working with community partners, the local Blueprint Communities team is looking to create additional green space in the East End “Blueprint” neighborhood. The park will be developed on the sites of property left empty when the Redevelopment Authority of the City of Uniontown and the City of Uniontown demolished at least 100 blighted and vacant structures on a number of city streets. 

The Blueprint Communities team is pursuing a plan of reuse, primarily developing community gardens and parks. To date, it has constructed three community gardens: one in the Lafayette neighborhood, a second in the Gallatin Avenue “Elm Street” neighborhood and a third in the East End “Blueprint” neighborhood. Currently, the team is working on a mini- or pocket-park in the Gallatin Avenue neighborhood. With the FHLBank Blueprint award, it will be able to pursue a similar park in the East End neighborhood that will feature new landscaping, new sidewalks, and possibly some benches and fencing.
 
Earlier this year, FHLBank invited active Blueprint Communities in Pennsylvania and West Virginia to submit project applications as part of a competitive mini-grant funding process. Projects were evaluated for their ability to expand the capacity of Blueprint teams, leverage dollars, and positively impact the community. Of 16 applications received, six projects were awarded a total of $63,000.

The Blueprint Communities effort in Uniontown is spearheaded by a committee of business and civic leaders. The group was formed in 2005 as one of 22 original Blueprint Communities across Pennsylvania. The  initiative was created to help civic leaders in older, smaller communities develop enhanced leadership skills, create greater capacity to enact positive change, and formulate a fresh vision and strategy to meet pressing community needs.

FHLBank Pittsburgh is a wholesale bank that serves the housing finance and community and economic development needs of its owner-members. FHLBank Pittsburgh provides reliable access to low-cost funds, competitive pricing in the purchase of mortgage loans, correspondent banking, technical assistance, affordable housing grants and other programs so members can better serve their own communities. FHLBank Pittsburgh is privately capitalized and funded and does not use taxpayer dollars. As of September 30, 2011, the Bank had 300 members in its district of Delaware, Pennsylvania and West Virginia and held approximately $47 billion in assets. FHLBank Pittsburgh is one of twelve Banks in the Federal Home Loan Bank System, established by Congress in 1932 to support the residential mortgage activities of local financial institutions.