Allegheny Conference on Community Development

05/19/2026

When the Conference began its work in 2023 to create a Downtown Vision Plan, the number one thing we knew we had to do was create a neighborhood where individuals, couples, and families could envision themselves being.

Office conversions like the one celebrated this morning of the Smithfield Lofts create a downtown neighborhood that does just that - creating a livable community that is engaging, vibrant, and welcoming. The office-to-residential conversion project is of a 124-year-old, 12-story office tower. When complete, it will provide 46 one-, two-, three- and four-bedroom units, 39 of which will be affordable. The project will contain 12 units for people with hearing or vision loss; nine will be fully accessible.

It would not have been possible without officials including Office of the Governor of Pennsylvania Josh Shapiro, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger, Allegheny County Government Office of the Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato, and City of Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O'Connor.

This is one of several housing projects identified in that plan and we couldn’t be happier to see this conversion move forward. Congratulations to Woda Cooper Companies, Inc., the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency (PHFA), Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh, PNC and others engaged in this project on this milestone.

We look forward to joining you for a ribbon cutting next year - and to seeing people living here, kids running through the halls, and the energy that this space will bring to downtown.

04/22/2026

Yesterday, Stefani Pashman, CEO of the Allegheny Conference, participated in a press event announcing the expansion of Mondi Bags USA in Pennsylvania with a new manufacturing operations facility in Findlay Township.

Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development Secretary Rick Siger announced the project which is expected to create 170 new full-time jobs. He was joined by Rory Taylor, President Paper Bags America for Mondi; Stefani Pashman; and Lauren Connelly, Director of Allegheny County Economic Development.

Rory Taylor said that Mondi has invested in high automation at this facility, that is different from other plants and other competitors. Everything is converted from paper and is 100% recyclable. With a focus on e-commerce growth, and long term capacity improvement, the Pennsylvania location fit their team the best.

He also talked about the importance of quality of life and the cost of living for employees being a key part of their decision, and what set this region apart.

In her remarks, Stefani highlighted that Southwestern Pennsylvania is a prime are for growing companies to continue to thrive, and welcomed Mondi to the region.

04/14/2026

Friday

This past Friday, Forward Lawrence recognized our very own Ben Bush for his leadership and service on behalf of Lawrence County. CONGRATS and well-deserved!

04/01/2026

Every county, even those without a data center facility on the horizon now, must address data center development within the next three to five years. That's why we partnered with the Southwestern Pennsylvania Commission to host a delegation of county commissioners and economic development professionals to visit Data Center Alley last month — a region in Loudon County, Virginia, known for its high concentration of data centers.

From addressing community and environmental concerns to understanding how local governments can use development to support infrastructure and community needs, we heard directly from a community who has already experienced data center growth.

Learn more about our visit to Loudoun Count and how our CEO Stefani Pashman and Rich Fitzgerald of the SPC see this informing what comes next for our region.

👉 https://triblive.com/opinion/stefani-pashman-and-rich-fitzgerald-southwestern-pa-is-scouting-the-digital-frontier/ (TribLive)

Pick up your smartphone and look at your apps — banking, health care, social media, even your morning coffee order. The server holding that data and performing those actions isn’t in your hand; it’s in a data center. From personal lives to global commerce, data centers are the back...

03/24/2026

In economic development, momentum isn’t a feeling. It’s a set of conditions. That's exactly what we tackled today at our 2026 Annual Meeting.

It’s capital choosing to land here, and and stay. It’s workforce pipelines aligning with industry demand. It’s sites, infrastructure, energy, and institutions ready when the right business opportunity arrives.

That’s the kind of momentum Southwestern Pennsylvania is building.

This is our purpose.
This is our progress.
This is our place.

Southwestern Pennsylvania, the Pittsburgh region, Greater Pittsburgh. You name it, we're here.

03/12/2026

The Pittsburgh region makes the most progress when the public and private sectors pull in the same direction.

These intentional partnerships are exactly what's happening today in the city, bringing us projects like Arts Landing, Market Square, and the NFL Draft. From employers like UPMC, PNC, Highmark Health, U.S. Steel, and the Pittsburgh Steelers, to partnerships with state and local leaders, Pittsburgh is serious about intentionally bolstering the region's economy and focusing long-term growth.

Read more about what's happening across the city, where public‑private partnership and practical leadership are driving progress: 🔒 https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2026/03/12/nfl-draft-puts-pittsburgh-and-its-new-mayor-in-spotlight/

The new mayor is putting pragmatism over ideology as the city prepares to host the NFL draft.

03/06/2026

Our Region's Business is back this Sunday with a diverse look at the industries driving our region's economy.

First, get an inside look at Carnegie Mellon University's new robotics innovation center at Hazelwood Green. Then, you'll hear how the film industry is impacting our region from Film Pittsburgh, highlighting The Pitt's recent awards at the SAG Awards. BEAM Collaborative also joins the show to discuss how they creating sustainability for Main Street businesses.

▶️ Watch Our Region's Business on WPXI-TV Pittsburgh every Sunday at 11 a.m. or watch episodes online: https://www.wpxi.com/orb/

03/02/2026

We're on the clock with less than two months left until the 2026 NFL Draft comes to Pittsburgh! The city is expanding outdoor vending across the Golden Triangle ahead of the draft, opening up new sidewalks and parking-lane locations for food trucks and pop-up vendors.

Plus, work on the $600 million plan to revitalize Downtown is well underway — an overhaul of Market Square and a new outdoor entertainment venue on Eighth Street — and set to wrap up before the draft.

Read more about changes coming to downtown ➡️ https://heyor.ca/a4xMOR

From new pop-up shops to cranes hovering above Eighth Street, signs that the NFL Draft is fast approaching are popping up across Downtown. “Much...

02/17/2026

Pennsylvania doesn’t have a momentum problem. It has an ex*****on challenge.

The Commonwealth is at a make‑or‑break moment for growth — with capital moving fast and competition only getting tougher. In our latest blog, VP of Public Affairs Ben Bush digs into what the state budget really tells us about competitiveness, readiness, and moving at the speed of opportunity.

Drawing from our first Regional Growth Series discussion last week, the piece features insights from our panelists: Senator Kim Ward, Senator Jay Costa, Representative Jim Struzzi, and Representative Aerion Abney. If Pennsylvania wants to win the next decade of growth, the choices we make now matter.

Read the full blog 👉 https://www.alleghenyconference.org/media/budget-reflections-pennsylvanias-growth-moment/

With a newly proposed state budget, a narrowing fiscal margin, and capital moving quickly toward states that offer speed, the question facing our state policymakers is not whether growth is possible but whether the Commonwealth can execute in time to capture it.

02/03/2026

Today, Governor Josh Shapiro's 2026-27 budget address continued to prioritize business and includes significant investment in economic development for Pennsylvania and the Pittsburgh region.

The budget showcased a commitment to fostering a favorable business environment, while also prioritizing investments in industries like the Innovate in PA 2.0 Program for the biotechnology/life sciences industry and infrastructure investments across energy, housing, school districts, and local governments.

📢 CEO Stefani Pashman shares the budget's bright spots for our region's economic development. Read more about the newly announced budget proposal ➡️

Governor Shapiro’s 2026-27 budget address continues to prioritize business and investments in economic development.