As promised, here are the highlights from last week’s community meeting at West Penn Hospital, along with the slide presentations from Mainstreets Manager Karla Owens and Senator Jim Ferlo. Thank you to BDC Secretary Judy Koll for taking the minutes.

Meeting Highlights

BBA/BDC President Ben Forman welcomed everyone and thanked West Penn Hospital and  Senator Jim Ferlo. He stated that the purpose of the meeting was to engage the community in developing a shared vision for the future of Bloomfield’s commercial corridor, to discuss neighborhood issues, and to inform and educate everyone regarding the goals and purpose of the newly-formed Bloomfield Development Corporation.

The organizational history and structure of the BBA & BDC were discussed by Karla Owens, Mainstreets Manager & Executive Director of the BDC.

Senator Jim Ferlo discussed advantages of participation in the Mainstreets Program, which will provide grants through the Urban Redevelopment Authority for the revitalization of the Bloomfield business district through historic preservation and façade/design updates.

The following topics were highlighted:

• Advantages of BBA membership
• BBA/BDC revenues and expenses
• 2008 Holiday lighting deficit
• 2008–2009 BDC grants — received and pending
• BDC 2009 goals
• Upcoming BBA activities
• City and local partnerships/Little Italy Days partners

Guest Speakers included:

• Marjorie Howard
  Senior Community Development Specialist, Community Technical Assistance Center
• Sarah Dieleman Perry
  Program Officer, Pittsburgh Partnership for Neighborhood Development
• Josette Fitzgibbons
  Mainstreets Pittsburgh Program Coordinator, Urban Redevelopment Authority

A question and answer period followed the meeting. Neighborhood residents and business owners expressed opinions regarding the topics discussed as well as their interest in signing up for committees.

Slide Presentations

Bloomfield Development Corporation
Presentation Courtesy of Karla Owens

Bloomfield: Revitalization Through Historic Preservation
Presentation Courtesy of Senator Ferlo

Thanks to all who attended our first community meeting sponsored by the Bloomfield Development Corporation. A special thanks to Senator Ferlo for hosting the meeting, and to West Penn Hospital for the use of their meeting facilities.

For those of you who were not able to attend, we will be posting the topics discussed next week. Our next meeting will be Tuesday, April 28, 2009 in the West Penn Hospital Liberty Rooms at 6:00 PM. We encourage you to sign up for our e-newsletter and calendar for all the latest updates.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to call the Bloomfield Business Association at 412-681-2054.

The BBA and the BDC are thankful for all of our member businesses who have supported our community throughout 2008. The coming year will be our most exciting year yet, and we’re looking forward to sharing new initiatives and opportunities with the community. Stay informed by subscribing to Shopping Bloomfield, and we hope to see you at next year’s six bi-monthly Community Outreach Meetings, starting on January 27.

As a community, we should all be thankful for our award-winning restaurants and unique shopping, and for the local media that promote these assets to the City. This Thanksgiving, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review both tempted readers with tastes of the feast that is Bloomfield.

Sausalido “The Gourmet Bistro and Full Service Catering Company”

The Post-Gazette celebrated the savory side of Sausalido in China Millman’s article “Little Bites: Reasons to celebrate”:

In Bloomfield, the empty space left by Mezzanotte has been filled by Sausalido, which describes itself as New American and European but has an Italian-American slant, at least that’s pleasant to see in Pittsburgh’s Little Italy. Owner Nicholas Mineo, cousin of the pizzeria Mineos, has been managing the Shadyside Deli and developing its catering arm for the past five years. The menu at Sausalido includes pancetta-wrapped scallops ($26) and chicken breasts stuffed with caramelized apples and cranberries ($22). BYOB with a $2 per-person corkage.

Paddy Cake Bakery

In “Paddy Cake in Bloomfield satisfies sweet tooth”, Tribune-Review reporter Mark Kanny investigated Paddy Cake’s indulgent offerings of doughnuts, cookies, French pastries and cakes:

The trays of cookies take up two counters in the store. Pumpkin cookies are one of the basic options (69 cents, $4.99 a dozen). Holiday cookie trays are available in two-dozen ($11.95), three-dozen ($17.95) and larger orders, up to 10 dozen ($55.95).

Consider supping at Sausalido and other Bloomfield restaurants for a break from Thanksgiving leftovers, and patronizing Paddy Cake for your Christmas cookies.