PITTSBURGH, PA (August 12, 2020) A new café and learning space will be coming to the Centre Heldman plaza on Centre Avenue in the Hill District, under plans by the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh.
The URA is set to begin lease negotiations with The Cares CommuniTEA Café for a space in the vacant plaza, to establish a coffee house to match the expertise of Hill professionals with a learning lab for local youth. The coffee house will also offer special events and initiatives that will connect the community such as community conversations, book clubs, art displays, and jazz events.
The café is a program from the Center that CARES, which is headed by the Rev. Glenn G. Grayson, and has the support of Mayor William Peduto and City Councilman Daniel Lavelle.
"For 21 years, the Center that CARES has been committed to serving the children, youth, and families of the Hill District. Through this opportunity, the Center that CARES looks forward to providing this exciting social enterprise in order to create career development opportunities for our youth and young adults, as well as share the rich legacy of entrepreneurship, pride, and history of the Hill District,” said Rev. Grayson, the President and CEO of the Center that CARES. “CARES CommuniTEA Cafe is a unique project that empowers our youth as leaders, entrepreneurs, and change agents while also collaborating and showcasing other vendors, artists, and entrepreneurs.”
It is wonderful to have an opportunity to partner with a long standing community resource in the Center That CARES to begin populating the Centre Heldman Plaza with business,” Councilman Lavelle said. “This space with both be a much needed cafe and gathering place for the community. But it will also provide an innovative opportunity to teach children how to run a business.”
“This innovative space will match opportunities for youth with the deep resources, knowledge and culture of the Hill District community. I couldn’t be happier to be collaborating with the URA, the Center that CARES, and café operator Claudy Pierre on this proposal,” Mayor Peduto said.
The beginning of lease negotiations will go before the URA board on Thursday.
