The Penn State Center Pittsburgh, including Outreach and Extension, received funding from the Howard Heinz Endowments to provide business planning and marketing assistance for a local nursery owner, Elaine Price, as she positions her business for growth and relocation. Ms. Price is interested in relocating and expanding her business onto Second Avenue in the City of Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood neighborhood. This effort is part of the multi-year comprehensive community development commitment by the foundation to the Hazelwood community.
Ms. Price currently owns Floriated Interpretation and operates her current business from her home. Until May of 2015, staff assistance in business planning, horticulture and marketing is being provided by Heather Mikulas and John Berry, Extension Educators, Agricultural Marketing & Economic Development. Further input on the proposed development is being provided by a committee of our staff, Bridgeway Capital, Hazelwood Initiative and the Howard Heinz Endowments.
The Penn State Center Pittsburgh is the urban platform for the transfer of research based practice from Penn State, the only Land Grant institution in the Commonwealth, into community problem solving via resident knowledge and faculty and student engagement. Assisting a resident business in the participation of the neighborhood’s comprehensive revitalization is consistent with this effort.