Member Highlight: Tube City Renaissance

1. Organization:Tube City Renaissance
2. Founding Date:Tube City Renaissance incorporated on February 24, 2013 in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as a non-profit community development corporation
3. Executive Director:Jim Butler is the CEO and provides this management responsibilities through Vista Consulting Services, LLC
4. Current Staff Size:Tube City Renaissance does not have staff at this time.  Vista Consulting Services provides needed staff support
5. What geographic area do you serve? Although our management documents detail the Greater McKeesport area (eight Municipalities) as our target area to operate, we are concentrating our efforts in the City of McKeesport and focusing on a section of the Seventh Ward which has recently been referred to as McKeesport’s Cultural & Educational District.  Mayor Mike Cherepko designated this area as the Cultural & Educational District, because of the new state-of-the-art primary and intermediate school that recently opened in the neighborhood.  The school complex houses kindergarten through second grade on one half of the building and third through fifth grade in the second half of the building.  The school is an exceptional green building that will have a major ripple effect throughout the community.  The designated area also encompasses the McKeesport Little Theater, the Carnegie Library, many large and architecturally unique churches, and some of the most distinguished homes in the City.
6. What is your mission statement?The mission of TCR is to take a holistic approach to community development—realizing that all aspects of a healthy community must be addressed.
7. What are some projects or programs you are really excited about?We have re-established a shade-tree commission in the City and have organized volunteers to participate in a fall tree planting campaign.  Over the next several months, we will conduct community meetings with specific topics such as youth, housing, recreation, and job development.  As a result of these meetings, TCR will be able to ascertain where are the community assets; how well programs are working; where the most pressing needs exist; and a current data base of the organizations and individuals making a difference in each area.  From this community analysis, TCR will develop its action plans.  TCR is also developing a communications network to utilize all of the social media connections to begin promoting positive stories and publically track community meetings and events.
8. What are some of your organization’s recent accomplishment?TCR recently became incorporated and our accomplishments to date include: organizing our board, committees, and projects to pursue.
9. What are your favorite things about your neighborhood?Our favorite things include the diversity of our neighbors, the architecturally significant homes, and the cultural institutions such as the new school, library, and the McKeesport Little Theater.
10. What is a restaurant or business in your community that partners with your organization for an event or on a regular basis?TCR is an outreach project of the McKeesport Presbyterian Church and grew out of community and block club meetings. As such, TCR’s partners include many of the churches that are actively engaged in our community.
11. Interesting fact:Our administrative and staff leadership is a consulting corporation that has thirty years in community and neighborhood revitalization experience.  This approach maximizes our limited resources and takes advantage of the experience of our CEO.
12. Upcoming event(s):Upcoming events include TCR’s community meetings and shade-tree commission meetings.
13. Contact information:
    1. Name of contact person for further inquiries:Jim Butler
    2. Phone:(412) 672-5311
    3. Address:600 Walnut StreetMcKeesport, PA 15132