In Fayette County, Pennsylvania, a groundbreaking project is under way to address regional development challenges. This initiative, titled Appalachian Bridges to the Future, aims to slow the loss of educated residents in the county.
The 10-year-long project is led by Michael Glass, assistant professor of urban studies in the Kenneth P. Dietrich School of Arts and Sciences, and three other Pitt faculty members. Glass is an expert in how aging infrastructure influences how regions are conceived and planned. By investing in and leveraging these assets, Glass believes that regional equity, sustainability and practical policy development can be achieved, thereby enticing younger, more educated people to live in the area.
Glass also is applying his expertise in urban planning to innovation districts, which are areas near universities that are designed to spur economic development through research and business partnerships. The challenge, Glass explains, is in ensuring that these economic benefits reach the community outside the boundaries of the innovation districts themselves. He is researching best practices and developing a framework for innovation district planners to ensure that universities’ investments are maximized to benefit as many people as possible in their communities.