77 Local Businesses Receive Funding to Update and Modernize Building Exteriors

SPIRIT IN LAWRENCEVILLE IS ONE OF THE BUSINESSES THAT WILL BENEFIT FROM THE LOAN | PHOTO BY KRISTY GRAVER

City of Pittsburgh officials announced on Aug. 19 that dozens of local businesses will soon receive special funding for a variety of improvements, among them lighting, signage, windows, doors, brick pointing, sidewalk activation and painting.

A total of 77 recipients will receive their share of $1,134,400 through the spring 2026 funding round for the Commercial Façade Grant Program, marking a significant investment in Pittsburgh’s neighborhood business districts through the Main & Main Initiative, officials say. 

The 2026 Commercial Façade Grant awardees represent a diverse range of businesses and organizations citywide, including restaurants, cafés, retail businesses, childcare providers, nonprofits, arts and cultural centers and office spaces. Among the businesses represented are the Allegheny Elks Lodge #339 in East Allegheny, Black Brewhouse in the Central Business District and Ascend on the South Side. A full list of recipients can be found here.

“Pittsburgh is saying yes to growth, and that means investing in the small businesses and commercial corridors that make our neighborhoods strong,” Mayor Corey O’Connor says in a statement. “Main & Main began with $500,000 and a goal of supporting up to 25 businesses, and now we’ve been able to more than double that investment to over $1.13 million for 77 businesses and property owners. We’re seeing real movement in our neighborhood commercial districts, and this investment helps keep that momentum going.”

Project work will begin after commitment letters are executed and must be completed within six months.

“This investment will have [a] meaningful impact across Pittsburgh’s neighborhoods and help create vibrant and welcoming business districts,” says Siena Kane, director of commercial lending at the Urban Redevelopment Authority. “We’ve seen firsthand that investing in the physical environment can have a ripple effect beyond the storefront itself. These improvements will strengthen commercial corridors, increase economic activity, support individual business growth, and improve quality of life for residents over the long term.”

Businesses that have received the funding in previous years say it has allowed them to modernize or restore older buildings, which in turn brings in more curious customers and bolsters local economies.

“In 2017, Elizabeth Pharmacy was awarded a Streetface Renovation Program forgivable loan. This made it possible to change a dilapidated-looking building built in 1910 into a nice, clean-looking modern business,” said Joe Reich, owner of Elizabeth Pharmacy, which is located on Second Avenue in Hazelwood. “Thanks to that financing, I was able to coordinate that new façade with a total inside remodel to transform the business into a beautiful modern vibrant business.”

Kards Unlimited on Walnut Street in Shadyside is one of the businesses that will receive funding this year;owner Amanda Blair says the money will help her restore the shop’s facade to “its former glory.”

“Not only have we sold gifts, books and greeting cards for over 50 years, we always seek to provide a safe and inclusive space for marginalized members of our community, as well as donate to organizations that support those communities,” Blair says. “We applied for this grant to help with much needed repairs that will make it safer, last longer, and help us stand out and serve our community for generations to come.”

The 2026 funding round was made possible through investments from the URA’s affiliate, Pittsburgh Urban Initiatives, and the City of Pittsburgh. Additional project funding and matching dollars may be available to the awardees through low-interest loan programs offered by the URA and its partner InvestPGH.