Rarely Seen Hill District

[nuwaver88]

The area where Mellon Arena now stands will hopefully take on a new shape in ten years. It is a twenty-eight acre site. The Penguins must develop at least 2.8 acres a year starting in 2010 or 2011. In other words, all twenty-eight acres must be developed by 2020 or 2021, or the Penguins, who own development rights, will face hefty fines. I think a heavy emphasis should be put on quality housing and office space, with some retail and green space in this new Uptown neighborhood. The area down on Fifth around the new Consol Energy Center should be the focus for new businesses like bars, restaurants etc. to cater to the arena crowds.

[otters21]

Originally Posted by Herodotus

Bedford Ave. is certainly the Hill. Most Hill residents also consider Uptown, and Soho to be part of the Hill as well.

One thing to correct Drover. The Detroit riots didn't occur in April of 1968. They occurred in July of 1967. There were several major riots prior to April of 1968.
New York in 1964.
LA (Watts) in 1965
Cleveland in 1966
Detroit, Newark, and Cincinnati in 1967.

I would like to add Philly and Chicago to this unfortunate list. The former had a riot breakout in 1964 and the latter in 1968 after MLK was assassinated .

[Herodotus]

Originally Posted by otters21

I would like to add Philly and Chicago to this unfortunate list. The former had a riot breakout in 1964 and the latter in 1968 after MLK was assassinated .

Chicago's riot was when King was killed, that's why I didn't list it. Otherwise, I would have listed DC, which had maybe the worst of all of the April 1968 riots, although Chicago and Baltimore were right there.

[dubiousthoughts]

The Hill had a long and rich history up until the '68 riots, white flight, and the building of the Civic Arena-which relocated many Blacks to Homewood and other points and created ghetto conditions there due to overcrowding. Since the 1980's when I as a teen, the Hill has gone steadily downhill. I come home to Pittsburgh several times per year and even in the upper hill (nicknamed Sugartop), it looks like a bomb exploded in many parts.

Despite several attempts to revitalize the Hill, the lack of political power among Blacks in city hall, and fragmented local community groups who can't get on the same page, not much is expected to change for the Hill. The best bet is gentrification, but that will take decades.

It is sad that similar economically challenged areas in Pittsburgh that are majority White like Spring Hill, Deutschtown, Mexican War Streets, find ways to reinvent themselves yet the Hill remains blighted.

[Dale McNutt]

Originally Posted by dugdogmaster

I love The Hill, and I don't think it's nearly as dangerous as most people conceive it to be. Here's a few more pics of it

These are great photos. Could we use one in a Hill Consensus newsletter called View from the Hill? Contact dm@sohoandcompany.com if interested.

[Joshbarblahblah]

I took my students to see the Teenie Harris exhibit at the Carnegie today - the pictures were fantastic, but it's quite disheartening to see what has become of the Hill.