Business Recruitment and Development Program
OBID’s Business Recruitment Development program has been developed to increase retail diversity and to reduce storefront vacancies in the Central Oakland business district. The program provide education, outreach and coordination of information and activities that work to build critical relationships between the Real Estate Broker community and Oakland property owners and that communicate an effective positive message about the benefits of doing business in Oakland.
OBID coordinates:
- Surveys of property and business owners to gather critical information highlighting the economic strengths of the district such as average sales per square foot, pedestrian counts, peak sale times, etc. This information is used to develop the PR and Communication message about the district;
- Meet and Greet events aimed at facilitating dialogue between the Real Estate Broker community and property owners, to learn first hand about the opportunities to recruiting businesses for the district and to tour vacant properties;
- Vacant property listings: provided as a direct service to OBID property owners to help get the word out about available space in Oakland. All information is accessible by the public at OBID’s website www.onlyinoakland.org.
Promotion and Marketing Program
OBID is committed to marketing Oakland as a whole community that offers multiple experiences. Creating a “Buzz” for Oakland has brought positive attention to the community while enhancing the image of Oakland as a great place to live, to work, to hang out in and to locate your business. The Only In Oakland campaign features a comprehensive website, www.onlyinoakland.org, highlighting Oakland shops and restaurants, attractions, cultural amenities and more. With over 100,000 people in Oakland daily, there are many audiences including students, employees, residents and visitors and OBID has designed a variety of events and initiatives aimed at raising awareness of businesses in the district and at increasing foot traffic into the businesses including:
- A Taste of Oakland, Spring Event
- Passport to Oakland, Fall Event
- Oakland Farmers’ Market, span June – November
OBID has also develops a variety of cross marketing initiatives working in partnership with the following local and regional organizations:
- Carlow University
- Carnegie Mellon University
- Carnegie Museum of Art and Natural History
- Oakland Task Force
- Pittsburgh Irish and Classical Theatre
- Pitt Athletics
- Pittsburgh 250
- Pittsburgh Neighborhood Tours
- University of Pittsburgh
- UPMC
- URA of Pittsburgh
Clean and Green Program
As Pennsylvania’s third largest regional center, Oakland accumulates literally tons of garbage annually: since 1999, the cleaning crew has swept over 90 tons of garbage and in 2007 alone, the Crew has swept over 12 tons of garbage. The OBID contracts Central Property Services to provide daily sidewalk cleaning services in the BID. A six person cleaning crew maintains the attractive and clean business district experienced by over 100,000 people daily! Along with sidewalk sweeping, the crew removes all fliers and paperwork from public utility poles and sanitizes public utilities such as payphones, news racks, trash cans and bus stops. OBID’s crew utilizes a traditional pan and broom approach to cleaning complimented by the green machine motorized equipment. To compliment the sidewalk sweeping services, in 2008 OBID added pressure washing services which takes place along a four block stretch in the heart of the business district in summer months. This service is completed prior to student arrival in the fall.
In an effort to reduce cigarette butt litter in the district, OBID is participating in the Keep America Beautiful campaigned aimed at reducing cigarette litter in the business district thru installation of cigarette butt receptacles, as well as, the distribution of 1,000 hand held pocket ashtrays.
OBID is also working in partnership with the City of Pittsburgh to install litter recycling bins throughout the business district.
Outreach and Education Program
OBID provides various outreach initiatives geared at organizing the OBID members and at increasing merchant involvement in OBID activities. To keep members informed of business district news and information, OBID publishes a monthly newsletter distributed to an audience of over 450 OBID members and stakeholders. OBID also hosts a series of monthly Oakland Roundtable sessions to keep OBID members abreast of latest issues, best practices and projects affecting their business. Each quarter, an Oakland Roundtable Session is dedicated to organizing the public safety community in Oakland to provide vital information to keep business and property owners apprised of public safety issues specific to managing a business in Oakland such as storefront safety and surveillance concerns and mitigating panhandling activity.
OBID also provides for social networking opportunities and events including ribbon cutting events, collaborative business meetings, the OBID Annual Meeting held in October and the OBID Holiday Party held in December.
Innovation Oakland
The project celebrates Oakland as the center of new technology and research innovation in Pittsburgh. Innovation Oakland comvines state-of-the-art technology, cutting edge design and multi-layered community planning to develop a physical and digital way-finding system that will benefit the more than 100,000 daily users of Oakland. Innovation Oakland is spearheaded by the Oakland Business Improvement District (OBID) in partnership with the University of Pittsburgh, UPMC, Carnegie Mellon University, Carlow University, and the Oakland Task Force.
Revitalization
OBID is working in partnership with the City of Pittsburgh, the Oakland Transportation and Management Association and the University of Pittsburgh to implement the Hometown Streets Safe Routes to School infrastructure project. To date, this coalition has secured over $1.3 million towards the project which includes the rebuilding of 11 intersections along the Fifth and Forbes corridors in the heart of the business district. Improvements will include: new crosswalks, new sidewalks and handicap ramps at corners only, new cross signals and intersection light poles, expanded sidewalk bump outs on the North side of Forbes Avenue and new decorative light poles along the Forbes Avenue corridor.
Construction is scheduled to begin June, 2008.
Funding for the project has been provided by: Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, University of Pittsburgh, OTMA, OBID and the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh.
