Urban Mountain Gathering Place

213 Bailey Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15211
412-381-8647


MISSION

Business Mission: To provide first class event and meeting space to business, agencies, and individuals with state of the art presentation technology, staff support, free parking, and a spectacular view of Pittsburgh from atop Mt. Washington.

Social Mission: To benefit the vulnerable children and youth of Mt. Washington and Duquesne Heights.


CURRENT PROGRAMS

Our meeting/event center began operations in 2004 as a nonprofit, social enterprise planning to generate revenue beyond costs to benefit our social mission.  With the conferencing business (our first “bottom line”) now growing at a healthy rate, the Board of Directors decided through a strategic planning process to operationalize fully the second “bottom line:” our commitment to children and youth in the neighborhood.

The Children and Youth Program's objective is “to earn for Mt. Washington and Duquesne Heights a reputation as a neighborhood good to move into because of our caring for children and youth.”  We do that through tutoring in reading, arts education, and academic skill building.  We do that through free family experience events from game nights to a community Halloween parade to a petting zoo.  We do that by gathering representatives of neighborhood organizations to form a Youth Policy Council that will keep the question, “How are our kids?” foremost in our concern.  We do that by employing a Community Youth Advocate.

With sponsorship from the Birmingham Foundation, Dr. Stone (former President of UMGP) supervised a four month feasibility study of the need for after-school programming for middle school and senior high youth. With the closing of Prospect Middle School in June 2006, local after-school activities ended. On the basis of our study and with the hard work of many community volunteers and the MWCDC, the Birmingham Foundation made funds available for YouthPlaces Inc. to begin their after-school recreational program at our newly-reopened Ream Community Center in September, 2007.

The UMGP is also partnering with the Presbyterian Church of Mt. Washington and the Bower Hill Community Presbyterian Church to sustain a Neighborhood Tutoring Program in Reading and the Arts. This eight year program tutors 2nd and 3rd graders in reading, 4th and 5th graders in the arts. The children in this program attend Whittier Elementary School, Grandview Elementary School, and Bishop Leonard-St. Mary of the Mount Academy. In 2007 we expanded our tutoring program to assist middle school students with their reading and math skills as they prepare for the annual Pennsylvania System of Schools Assessment (PSSA) tests.


HISTORY

The Gathering Place began as a vision of a few far-sighted, community-minded individuals in the spring of 1999.  An Advisory Committee brainstormed new uses for the unused third floor of the Presbyterian Church of Mt. Washington’s educational building located on the bluff of Mt. Washington.  Opaque glass casement windows—originally designed in 1929 to obscure a smoky city—opened out over the now-spectacular Pittsburgh skyline.

The Gathering Place began operating as a fully marketed, nonprofit social enterprise in spring 2004.  This conferencing suite with concierge service and a spectacular view has now served over 3,000 clients, with extraordinary customer evaluations.  The Bylaws of the UMGP, Inc. require the majority of the Board of Directors to be Presbyterian.


PROFESSIONAL STAFF

Mr. Robert Moll, Board Chair; Ms. Holly Patton, Manager; Ms. Denise Spencer, Assistant Manager; Ms. Ann Thalimer, Coordinator of Tutoring; Ms. Tracy Link, Tutoring Supervisor.


OPPORTUNITIES FOR CONGREGATIONAL OR INDIVIDUAL INVOLVEMENT

Volunteers are needed to assist in our tutoring programs.


INFORMATIONAL PROGRAMS AVAILABLE

Speakers are available and tours can be arranged.


VISIT US ON THE WEB

www.umgp.com