Hazelwood Green: Case Brief

This case brief outlines the vision, purpose, and transformative potential of the Center of Life Capital Campaign to build the Center of Life Community Hub at Hazelwood Green. More than just a building, this new space will serve as a vibrant anchor for education, music and arts, wellness, and community connection in Greater Hazelwood.

This is our moment to invest in equity, opportunity, and a future where all of Hazelwood can thrive.

Center of Life at Hazelwood Green: A World-Class Vision

Historically, development in Pittsburgh’s underserved urban communities has left in its wake the disproportionate displacement of families who live at or below the poverty level. Repeated cycles of displacement highlight the urgent need for equitable economic development.

To mitigate the inherent potential for displacement, the Hazelwood Green master- planned development has adopted a collaborative, inclusive approach. By actively seeking to incorporate the invaluable input of the very individuals who call the neighborhood home, Hazelwood Green will become a model for equitable development.

Center of Life is at the forefront of this vision, serving as a leading example of how community-rooted organizations can drive equitable development from the ground up.

“We are not just doing this for Hazelwood. What we’re doing here can be done in other areas ofPittsburgh and beyond, where there is high unemployment, low wages, loss of local businesses, poor housing, limited choices for education and healthcare, high crime rates and significant loss of young lives due to drug addiction and gun violence.”

~ Pastor Tim Smith, Founder and CEO, Center of Life

Center of Life History and Programming

Founded in 2002 by Pastor Tim Smith, Center of Life (COL) was created to support families and youth in Hazelwood, a Pittsburgh neighborhood deeply impacted by the collapse of the steel industry. Recognizing the need for long-term community investment, COL began with a focus on education, the arts, and spiritual uplift. Over the years, it has grown into a multifaceted organization serving over 500 individuals annually through year-round, cost-free programming that empowers residents and fosters a strong, healthy community.

COL is now a trusted anchor institution known for its holistic, intergenerational approach—meeting families where they are and walking with them every step of the way.

Youth & Education Programs

  • Fusion (K–8 after-school): Academics, enrichment, wellness, and mentorship.

  • Aspiring Teen Leadership Academy (ALTA): Workforce readiness, financial literacy, and peer mentoring for high schoolers.

  • Camp Hazelwood: A summer program combining learning, leadership, and fun for elementary and middle school students.

Music & Arts Programs

  • KRUNK Movement: Youth-led hip-hop performance and production group focused on social issues and sustainability.

  • COL Jazz: Music education and performance ensemble that connects youth with professional jazz artists.

Family & Community Engagement Programs

  • Family Engagement: Supports caregivers with tools, workshops, and resources for economic mobility and wellness.

  • Community Engagement: Builds neighborhood leadership, civic participation, and sustainability through partnerships and events.

Center of Life at Hazelwood Green

Today, COL is embarking on its largest project to date. COL is the first community-based landowner at Hazelwood Green. Having been awarded a substantial plot of land at the location where the existing community meets the developing community, COL is an integral partner in the visioning and planning of Hazelwood Green and is well-placed to serve as a liaison with the community.

COL’s hub at Hazelwood Green will serve as a community eco-system that will facilitate the revitalization of an underserved neighborhood by providing essential in-house programs and services and partnering with and engaging Hazelwood Green organizations in the everyday life of the community. The goal is for every child and family to have the opportunity everyone deserves —to cultivate and achieve their potential, regardless of their ZIP code, background, or wealth status.

The Four Pillars That Guide COL’s Approach

The design and function of COL’s development at Hazelwood Green rests on the same Four Pillars that inform all of COL’s programs. When these Four Pillars are at work in any given community, urban or suburban, individuals and families can experience economic progress, address illiteracy, and eliminate poverty.

To cultivate these Four Pillars in Hazelwood, COL currently collaborates with, and will expand its partnerships with industry leaders, community service providers, and local universities. The following entities are expected to be among the first to lease space in the new facility:

Together, with COL and the tech-based industry leaders at Hazelwood Green, these anchor tenants will create training and job opportunities for Hazelwood residents and for others across the region. In addition, the facility will provide a centralized location for key community resources and medical services for the residents of Hazelwood.

Invest in the Future of Our Region Today

In 2001, when COL began its work in Hazelwood, the elements described by these Four Pillars did not exist in the neighborhood. Almost 25 years later, with these Four Pillars as the backdrop, COL’s work has produced incredible community impact. Crime rates have dropped, civic engagement has deepened, a certified neighborhood plan has been developed, and community pride is growing. This success, driven by a continued focus on the Four Pillars, will expand as COL steps into the next era of its evolution and impact in a new world-class facility that will serve the community today and for generations to come.

COL will serve as the regional equity impact partner at Hazelwood Green, developing a replicable, adaptable model for economic development without displacement.

With an investment of approximately $25 million from the philanthropic community in Pittsburgh and beyond, combined with additional funds from public sources, COL will establish a hub at Hazelwood Green and establish an endowment that will ensure its sustainability. This new facility will serve as the platform from which existing strategies will be refined and methods tested for replication in similar neighborhoods where the threat of gentrification and displacement limit the potential for economic progress.

The COL hub at Hazelwood Green will offer expanded learning facilities, access to university resources and programs, connection to tech industry opportunities, support for entrepreneurial enterprise, jobs on the Green and beyond, high quality services in mental and physical health, commercial spaces for local businesses to serve the needs of the neighborhood, and vibrant spaces to grow and build community.

Thank you for helping to create a better future for the residents of Hazelwood and our entire region. Your generous philanthropy will enable more youth and families to dream about and build futures they never imagined possible.

For additional information contact:

Pastor Tim Smith

161 Hazelwood Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15207

(412) 521-3468

Visit our Hazelwood Green Landing Page for other information about this project.