Making Space for Equitable Development in Pittsburgh
“Are you creating jobs that could reasonably be offered to folks in the community? If the answer is no, then we typically can’t offer those groups any significant amounts of space.”
Thread International makes bags from fabric made from recycled plastic, and they’re based in Pittsburgh in a newly renovated industrial building. The tenants here are curated carefully to reflect the building’s original function as a place for manufacturing and blue-collar work — good paying jobs that don’t necessarily require four or more years of college debt. (Photo courtesy CDFI Fund)
At Knotzland Bowtie Company, founder Nisha Blackwell and the team recently reached a new milestone. A member of the seamstress team surpassed Blackwell’s own record for the number of handcrafted bowties completed per hour. The seamstresses get paid per piece.
“We celebrate it,” Blackwell says. “People ask how are you going to grow, and part of it is I believe in this. Part of it is I’m in a great location.”