My talk from Millennials by Millennials

1. A Rust Belt Renaissance?
Millennials as Change Agents in the Steel City
Jason Swanson. Millenials by Millenials. APF Virtual Gathering.

2. “U-Haul survey suggests young are moving to Pittsburgh” Post Gazette
“Pittsburgh Among Top Cities For People Under 30” CBS Pittsburgh
“Study shows more young people moving to Pittsburgh region” PittsburghTODAY
“Study shows more young people moving to Pittsburgh region” CBS Pittsburgh
“The 10 Best Cities for Millennials (#7)” 24/7 Wall St
“ ’I Always Knew I Would Come Back ‘ To Pittsburgh” The Atlantic

4. The future is already here —
it's just not very evenly distributed.

5. “When I first moved here, you only saw 2 types of people on bikes; crazy bike
messengers, and DYI guy riding his kid’s mountain bike to work. Now I see dozens of
people commuting by bike everyday.” – Ryan F

6. “The Gen Y people moving here are much more “green”, but even more than that it
seems like there is a real push to be self sustaining. Look at the lots turned into
community gardens, and look beyond those – it seems like every back yard has a rain
barrel and is growing something.”– Samantha P

7. “I wanted to start my own business, but no one wanted to lend to a debt riddled
student that wants to start an Asian dessert popup store. I guess I can’t blame
them…” -Jasmine C

8. “We figured it would be cool to have a cheap space for people that sort of has the
same things going on as we did. This was like 5 years or so ago. It was really tough
trying to setup, and from what I understand we were one of the first, if not the first
co-working spaces in the city. Fast forward to 2013 and there are at least 8. That
would not have been possible without the Millennials moving here.”-Kevin B

9. “You have things in this area which are more strategic training , and having that be a
type of exercise that is more functional in nature. It attracts a young crowd. What
you see in Pittsburgh are places like Cross Fit that really have that Millennial type,
and I don’t think you would have seen that 5 years ago.” - Janelle P

10. “This is the 2nd resurgence so to speak. The first attempt was in the 80’s and that
gave us a skyscraper. What is different is that this one is organic, it has a grass roots
feeling. The new generation that’s moving here don’t want to change the city, they
want to add to it the culture and keep things moving.” – Daryl C

11. Expected Futures…
“Gentrification” “More Crowded” “More Public Transportation”
“Global City” “Big Companies Invade” “Higher Cost of Living”
“The City Continues to Grow” “Harder for Working Class”

12. Visions…
“World City” “Café Culture” “City as Resource”
“More Jobs” “Continued Grass Roots Feel” “Healthier”
“Strong Local Networks” “More Green Spaces” “ More Public Trans”
“Inclusive” “Affordable” “ More Arts” “More / Stronger Independent Business – No Chains!”

14. Thank You!
jlswanson@gmail.com
@jasonswanson
#mbym