About The Yard

The Yard is more than just a new space in Altoona. It’s a bold step toward building a more vibrant, inclusive, and creative community. Made possible through a Neighborhood Investment Fund grant, this project supports transformative community development with a specific purpose: to offset the impacts of COVID-19 for individuals in communities disproportionately affected by the pandemic and/or living in qualified census tracts.

With that mission in mind, The Yard was created to spark opportunity, support small business growth, and give residents a flexible, energetic place to gather and connect.

At its heart, The Yard is guided by three core values:

Helping small businesses thrive.
Starting a business can be challenging, especially when the cost of securing a physical space is out of reach. The Yard lowers that barrier by offering affordable, move-in-ready restaurant and retail spaces built from repurposed shipping containers. With simple leases and below-market rates, local entrepreneurs—especially those disproportionately impacted by COVID—have a real chance to bring their ideas to life.

Revitalizing downtown Altoona.
Downtown Altoona has great momentum, but the limited availability of buildings has made it difficult for new businesses to find space. The Yard adds new opportunities by providing shared seating areas, encouraging collaboration between vendors, and offering visitors a centralized place to dine, shop, and relax. If the project proves successful, there is potential for future expansion.

Creating a unique public gathering place.
The Yard is more than a business park—it’s a space for connection. In addition to its four container-based businesses, including a taproom and stage, the park features a welcoming, open-air environment where people can gather for food, music, and community. It’s a fresh and inviting addition to Altoona’s cultural landscape.

The City of Altoona is proud to partner with Containers Up, a Milwaukee-based company specializing in container-based architecture, to bring this vision to life. The Yard is a community investment built for the future—supporting people, place, and potential.