Robotics Innovation Center and food justice projects take shape

Slide provided by Gilbane-Mosites

By Juliet Martinez, managing editor At the March 11 Greater Hazelwood hybrid community meeting, residents heard updates on the construction of Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Innovation Center and the progress toward building an independent grocery in the neighborhood’s business district. The meeting brought together community members, university representatives, construction leaders and a well-known local historian to discuss progress and plans for the neighborhood.

A robotics experimentation hub

The Robotics Innovation Center, a 150,000-square-foot facility near Mill 19 on Hazelwood Green, will serve as a center for robotics research and innovation. Matt Johnson Robertson, the institute’s director, said it will focus on developing robots for a range of functions including underwater exploration and environmental monitoring. The building will include labs for motion capture, aquatic robotics and high-bay research for testing drones.

The Robotics Innovation Center, often called RIC (pronounced “rick”), will include areas open to the public, such as a lobby with historic robots on display, an event space and a gallery showcasing the history of robotics. The building has been designed to maximize natural light and will feature a large, fenced-in outdoor area where members of the public can watch the researchers test the robots.

Heidi Wiren Kébé, the university library’s associate creative director, spoke about plans for a public exhibit. She said the exhibit will celebrate the history of Hazelwood, the legacy of steel-making and the evolution of robotics. It will feature wall wraps, historical maps and interactive displays with input from the Greater Hazelwood Historical Society.

Greater Hazelwood Historical Society Founder JaQuay Carter said it is important to honor the community’s history, especially the lives of those who worked in the steel industry. He invited community members to share photos, documents and stories at artifact scanning and submission sessions at the Carnegie Library of Hazelwood on March 19 and 26.

Chelsea Blackburn Cohen, the university’s strategic initiatives and engagement lead, said Carnegie Mellon is working to align its efforts with the Greater Hazelwood Neighborhood Plan. She spoke about university programs like Robotics Academy, which offers free online courses and partnerships with community colleges to help people start careers in robotics. She also mentioned fully funded summer programs for high school students interested in computer science and artificial intelligence.

Ms. Blackburn Cohen said the university is committed to outreach and engagement. She encouraged residents to use the university’s resources, including student-led projects and workforce development initiatives.

John Waddick, vice president of preconstruction at Gilbane-Mosites, said work began in 2023 and is expected to wrap up by this fall. The project has involved the community, with 24% of construction costs going to diverse businesses and 17% of the work hours coming from minority or women workers. Gilbane-Mosites will be refurbishing the greenhouse and building a new tool shed in the Hazelwood Community Garden on Monongahela Avenue in collaboration with the Trade Institute of Pittsburgh. This project both develops the skills of new tradespeople and supports community gardens and food pantries.

Grocery store and food justice

Food access and independence were next on the agenda. Lutual Love and Saundra Cole-McKamey gave updates on the Sarah Dixon Innovation Center. This project aims to open an independent and cooperatively owned grocery store in Hazelwood. The project is led by Hazelwood-based nonprofit People of Origin Rightfully Loved and Wanted, known as POORLAW, and its subsidiary, the Greater Hazelwood Coalition Against Racial and Ethnic Disparities. A new market analysis has recommended the groups plan for a 10,000-square-foot grocery store instead of the previous plan for a store of 20,000 square feet. They also plan to build a wellness space, a credit union and, eventually, a rooftop urban farm. POORLAW Founder Ms. Cole-McKamey said the project focuses on community ownership, with residents helping decide what products the store will carry.

Mr. Love thanked Hazelwood Initiative Inc. Executive Director Sonya Tilghman for her participation in the project and mentioned that the organization has promised to sell the groups a parcel of land it owns where the grocery store is planned.

Helen Gerhardt of the Pittsburgh Food Policy Council announced the opening of applications for the city’s Food Justice Fund, which provides grants of up to $75,000 for projects addressing food access, urban agriculture and nutrition education. The fund aims to support grassroots initiatives and foster food sovereignty in underserved communities. Applications will be accepted until April 14. Information is available at engage.pittsburghpa.gov/food-justice-fund. Affordable homeownership

Hazelwood Initiative Inc. is rehabbing five homes for affordable homeownership, said Nancy Noszka, the organization’s director of real estate. The homes should be ready early next year, so now is the time to start preparing to buy one.

Ms. Noszka invited anyone interested in buying these homes to a workshop on Thursday, April 24 from 5 to 7 p.m. in the organization’s offices at 4901 Second Avenue, second floor. The workshop will provide information about the home-buying process and how to prepare for it. Attendees will also learn about financial assistance available through the city. First Commonwealth Bank will be there to start to take your information for loan pre-approvals. Please bring your financial information, including W-2s and bank statements to the workshop. See Page 3 to learn more.

Announcements

Bike Pittsburgh will host a workshop on advocating for safer streets in your community on April 5 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Kingsley Association, 6435 Frankstown Ave., Pittsburgh,15206.

The Good Friday Way of the Cross Way of Compassion procession will set out from the corner of Second Avenue and Renova Street on April 18 at 9:30 a.m.

A tree adoption event will take place on Thursday, May 1, from 4 to 6 p.m. at Carnegie Library of Hazelwood, 5006 Second Ave.

For more information on these events, email info@hazelwoodinitiative.org.