Keeping an Eye on the Lower Hill: Dec. 2020

Posted on December 15, 2020 by Carolyn Ristau

Lower Hill in the News:

URA board votes in favor of FNB Tower (Pittsburgh Business Times, May 21, 2020)

FNB tower will be among first post-pandemic buildings (Pittsburgh Business Times, May 22, 2020)

The Penguins and FNB Corp provide funds for tech center in the Hill District (Pittsburgh Business Times, August 27, 2020)

FNB and Penguins establish partnership (Pittsburgh Business Times, September 10, 2020)

Funding secured for FNB tower in Lower Hill (Pittsburgh Business Times, October 8, 2020)

Penguins miss deadline; URA considering next moves (Pittsburgh Business Times, November 12, 2020)

Lower Hill commercial redeveloper, Mayor Peduto, and Councilman Lavelle announce partnership (Mayor’s Press Release, November 19, 2020)

New Lower Hill partnership could move project forward (Public Source, November 19, 2020)

Lower Hill redeveloper establishes downtown office and announces local firms and personnel added to team (Pittsburgh Business Times, November 19, 2020)

Previous posts in series:

Keeping an Eye on the Lower Hill: Jun. 2020

Keeping an Eye on the Lower Hill: Jan. 2020

Keeping an Eye on Uptown: Introduction

Keeping an Eye on Uptown: Nov. 2020

Posted on November 15, 2020 by Carolyn Ristau

Uptown in the News & on the Web:

President Trump tweets about BRT grant award (Post-Gazette, May 29, 2020)

Locust/Miltenberger Development Website

51-unit apartment proposed in 1700 block of Fifth Avenue (Pittsburgh Business Times, June 1, 2020)

$99.95 million awarded for BRT (Next Pittsburgh, June 2, 2020)

Funding awarded for proposed mixed-use with affordable housing project (Pittsburgh Business Times, August 18, 2020)

BRT service may start in 2023 (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, September 21, 2020)

Solidarity murals coming to the city (Next Pittsburgh, September 27, 2020)

Gentrification concerns raised for proposed tech development (Pittsburgh Business Times, September 30, 2020)

Interview with developer of proposed Uptown mixed-use project (Pittsburgh Business Times, October 5, 2020)

Partner pulls out of Fifth and Dinwiddie project (Pittsburgh Business Times, October 26, 2020)

Planning Commission approves Uptown tech development (Public Source – Develop PGH Bulletins, October 27, 2020)

Commercial portion presented for Fifth and Dinwiddie project (Pittsburgh Business Times, November 10, 2020)

Previous posts in series:

Keeping an Eye on Uptown: May 2020

Keeping an Eye on Uptown: Nov. 2019

Keeping an Eye on Uptown: Introduction

Keeping an Eye on Hazelwood (across the tracks): Sept. 2020

Posted on September 15, 2020 by Carolyn Ristau

Hazelwood is a neighborhood divided in two by railroad tracks. On one side of the tracks are Hazelwood Green, a residential enclave, and some industrial and commercial uses. This is what is across the tracks:

Second Ave

Hazelwood Ave

Other Sites

Hazelwood in the News:

New Businesses Revitalizing Second Ave (Next Pittsburgh, November 21, 2019)

URA Picks Community Builders for Affordable Housing Development on Second Ave (Pittsburgh Business Times, January 15, 2020)

Study Pushes Multi-modal Transit Improvements to Hazelwood’s 2nd Avenue (Post-Gazette, February 10, 2020)

Report Says Traditional Buses Better for Hazelwood than Autonomous Shuttles (City Paper, April 21, 2020)

Restaurants Reopen – Diners Return (Post-Gazette, June 28, 2020)

66 New Homes Proposed (Pittsburgh Business Times, September 10, 2020)

Previous posts in series:

Keeping an Eye on Hazelwood (across the tracks): Apr. 2020

Keeping an Eye on Hazelwood: Introduction

Keeping an Eye on Penn Plaza – Aug. 2020

Posted on August 15, 2020 by Carolyn Ristau

I regret not starting this series on the former Penn Plaza site sooner. I missed opportunities to photograph the former apartments in their neglected, partially occupied state and the demolition of the buildings. Starting with the project several months into construction is a case of better late than never and provides an opportunity to watch how the promise to rebuild the neighborhood park becomes fulfilled.

Penn Plaza in the News

Evictions 2015-2019:

Evictions Highlight Lack of Affordable Housing (City Paper, July 22, 2015)

Residents Meet About Eviction Notices (New Pittsburgh Courier, July 23, 2015)

Evictions Set Standard for Future (WESA, February 29, 2016)

Owners and Displaced Tenants Work out Deal (WTAE, February 29, 2016)

Final Residents Move Out (WESA, March 31, 2017)

Mass Evictions (Downstream, February 15, 2018)

Protesters Call for Action Years After Evictions (KDKA, July 28, 2018)

Dark Stain on the City (Pittsburgh Current, July 30, 2018)

Defining Community (Public Source, September 27, 2019)

Negotiations 2017-2019:

Penn Plaza Support and Action Blog

City, Community, Developer Reach Agreement (WESA, October 27, 2017)

Final Go-Ahead Approved (Post-Gazette, February 12, 2019)

City Seeks Land Swap (WESA, October 4, 2019)

Controversy Continues with Land Swap Proposal (Tribune Review, October 15, 2019)

City Fails to Keep Promises (WESA, October 23, 2019)

City Falling Short on Guarantees (Post-Gazette, October 28, 2019)

Residents Concerned About Park Reconfiguration (Tribune Review, October 28, 2019)

Construction 2019-current:

City Council Clears the Way (WESA, October 29, 2019)

Construction Starts (Pittsburgh Business Times, October 30, 2019)

Groundbreaking Announced for December 2019 (Next Pittsburgh, October 30, 2019)

Keeping an Eye on the Lower Hill: Jun. 2020

Posted on June 15, 2020 by Carolyn Ristau

Lower Hill in the News:

Mayor’s Press Release (May 5, 2020)

Penguins Stop Development (Public Source, May 14, 2020)

Penguins Pull Out (Trib, May 14, 2020)

Penguins Back Out (WPXI, May 15, 2020)

Penguins Cease Redevelopment (Patch, May 15, 2020)

Penguins Halt Lower Hill Development (WESA, May 18, 2020)

Mayor’s Press Release (May 20, 2020)

Mayor Urges URA to Approve Development (Trib, May 20, 2020)

URA Explanation of Community Benefits

URA Board Votes to Move Lower Hill Development Forward (May 21, 2020)

URA Board Approves Development Project (WPXI, May 21, 2020)

Never Mind, Penguins Back In (WTAE, May 21, 2020)

President Trump Tweets about BRT Grant Award (May 29, 2020)

Previous posts in series:

Keeping an Eye on the Lower Hill: Jan. 2020

Keeping an Eye on Uptown: Introduction

Keeping an Eye on Uptown: May 2020

Posted on May 15, 2020 by Carolyn Ristau

Uptown in the News:

UPMC Vision Plans (December 16, 2019)

Duquesne University Plans Expansion (December 18, 2019)

Uptown Art: The “Tiger King” Comes to Uptown (March 29, 2020)

Ecoinnovation District Plan wins Award (May 5, 2020)

Previous posts in series:

Keeping an Eye on Uptown: Nov. 2019

Keeping an Eye on Uptown: Introduction

Keeping an Eye on Hazelwood: May 2020

Posted on May 1, 2020 by Carolyn Ristau

Hazelwood is a neighborhood divided in two by railroad tracks. On one side of the tracks are Hazelwood Green, a residential enclave, and some industrial and commercial uses. Here is a snapshot of the residential enclave and surrounding uses: