The neighborhood that used to be next to downtown (Pittsburgh: neighborhoods, to live in)

[pman]

The Lower Hill before the arena: A rambunctious, crowded, loud place with 'everything you needed'

[BrianTH]

Kinda depressing. That neighborhood would be awesome by now.

[I_Like_Spam]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Kinda depressing. That neighborhood would be awesome by now.

Maybe, or maybe not.

Had this project not gone done, would the hockey team still be playing on N. Craig St and how would that have changed that neighborhood? Or would the city fathers have chosen to build the arena elsewhere?

If it wasn't for the Italians and Lebanese being displaced, would there have been enough demand to build new housing in the north of Brookline?

How would the abandonment of this project affected subsequent projects on adjacent Grant St. or at Duquesne U.?

And the Lower Hill would have changed, like every other neighborhood over the past 50 years, had it continued to exist. The 1950s were a very different time than the 21st Century.

The razing of the lower hill, the building of Chatham Center, the Arena and Wash Plaza, certainly changed the history of the region, both near and far.

[stburr91]

Originally Posted by BrianTH

Kinda depressing. That neighborhood would be awesome by now.

Not really, it wouldn't be different than any of the other run down parts of the city, and in need of major redevelopment. The redevelopment in the 60's served/ is serving it's purpose, it was the right thing to do.

[Hopes]

I was hoping for pictures!

[PreservationPioneer]

Originally Posted by stburr91

Not really, it wouldn't be different than any of the other run down parts of the city, and in need of major redevelopment. The redevelopment in the 60's served/ is serving it's purpose, it was the right thing to do.

The redevelopments of the '60s were a disaster. They did nothing but remove sections of the city. The Lower Hill, Allegheny Center, and the Point were all urban areas that were removed in the 1950s-60s, and none of them have had any sense of vibrancy since. You might argue that the park at the point is nice, but it's not the least bit urban or vibrant. It's a dead zone, just like the Lower Hill and Allegheny Center are today. The redevelopments of the '60s created dead zones, and that was probably the intention, because the mentality back then was that the core areas of cities were to be places of employment, not places of residence.

How do we know that the Lower Hill today wouldn't look like the South Side Flats, Lawrenceville, Bloomfield, or the War Streets/Deutschtown -- beautiful, preserved, vibrant row-house neighborhoods?

On the other hand, the Lower Hill, if it still existed, might look much like the Bluff does today. However, I think the disastrous urban renewal in the Lower Hill is largely responsible for the way the Bluff looks today. It's connected to the Hill, and has the feeling of a neighborhood people gave up on.

[Mr. Humble]

Originally Posted by I_Like_Spam

Maybe, or maybe not.

Had this project not gone done, would the hockey team still be playing on N. Craig St and how would that have changed that neighborhood? Or would the city fathers have chosen to build the arena elsewhere?

If it wasn't for the Italians and Lebanese being displaced, would there have been enough demand to build new housing in the north of Brookline?

How would the abandonment of this project affected subsequent projects on adjacent Grant St. or at Duquesne U.?

And the Lower Hill would have changed, like every other neighborhood over the past 50 years, had it continued to exist. The 1950s were a very different time than the 21st Century.

The razing of the lower hill, the building of Chatham Center, the Arena and Wash Plaza, certainly changed the history of the region, both near and far.

My family was one of those displaced that migrated to the near South Hills. It was a few years before I was born, but the families of most everyone I grew up with were from the Lower Hill as well. In my estimation tearing down an entire neighborhood to make way for the Arena was a mistake; 'course this was when no one wanted to live in the inner city anymore; the suburbs were the next great thing in the American story.

[PreservationPioneer]

Now that gas prices are predicted to go to the moon, many of those suburban areas may have some tough times ahead.

[stburr91]

Originally Posted by alleghenyangel

The redevelopments of the '60s were a disaster. They did nothing but remove sections of the city. The Lower Hill, Allegheny Center, and the Point were all urban areas that were removed in the 1950s-60s, and none of them have had any sense of vibrancy since. You might argue that the park at the point is nice, but it's not the least bit urban or vibrant. It's a dead zone, just like the Lower Hill and Allegheny Center are today. The redevelopments of the '60s created dead zones, and that was probably the intention, because the mentality back then was that the core areas of cities were to be places of employment, not places of residence.

How do we know that the Lower Hill today wouldn't look like the South Side Flats, Lawrenceville, Bloomfield, or the War Streets/Deutschtown -- beautiful, preserved, vibrant row-house neighborhoods?

On the other hand, the Lower Hill, if it still existed, might look much like the Bluff does today. However, I think the disastrous urban renewal in the Lower Hill is largely responsible for the way the Bluff looks today. It's connected to the Hill, and has the feeling of a neighborhood people gave up on.

You won't get an argument from me that the redevelopment was poorly done, and had mixed results at best, but it still served it's purpose. The Hill district was a very poor and dieing area before Pittsburgh went into major decline, had it not been redevelopment in the 60's, it would've surely went further into decline.

[PreservationPioneer]

Originally Posted by stburr91

You won't get an argument from me that the redevelopment was poorly done, and had mixed results at best, but it still served it's purpose. The Hill district was a very poor and dieing area before Pittsburgh went into major decline, had it not been redevelopment in the 60's, it would've surely went further into decline.

The Hill District today is the most dangerous and blighted area of the city. It could hardly have declined more by leaving it alone. Chances are, if left alone, it would be in better shape than today.