2__Greater_Hill_District_Master_Plan_Report_(1).pdf

Greater Hill District Master Plan

Final Report September 2011

The GReaTeR hill DiSTRicT MaSTeR Plan

Final report | september 2011

A vision for the future of the Greater Hill District was the goal of a process that has involved input from residents and community stakeholders in the Hill. Taking guidance from the urban design team of Sasaki Associates, Inc. and Stull + Lee, Inc., appropriating elements from existing plans, and gathering input from community meetings and neighborhood tours, it is with great enthusiasm that I present to you the Greater Hill District Master Plan. This document outlines a set of guidelines for developers and investors to follow. It is reflective of the needs and desires of a community seeking a healthy environment and improved quality of life.

The framework for development as defined within the Master Plan covers all of the Hill District, Uptown and small parts of West Oakland. In creating a set of principles and priorities, we are given a valuable tool to coordinate future development towards the revitalization and regeneration of our community. The interest of a whole is taken into account first and foremost, as opposed to a provincial, segmented and fragmented outlook that squanders overall potential for narrow efforts that fail to benefit the greater community.

There has been increased interest in the potential of the Hill District as of late, and with it comes a unique opportunity to direct this energy towards positive initiatives that promote growth in the community.

The Greater Hill District Master Plan is the compass that will help guide developers towards this desired objective.

We have successfully completed a first step in envisioning a brighter future for the Hill District. But a first step is not an end, and now begins the work to implement the plan, to realize it in the real world, to give it shape. What began as a community effort must continue to be so. I urge all who have been involved in the process up to this point to remain involved, and encourage community members who come across the plan for the first time to become actively engaged in its implementation.

Finally, I want to take this opportunity to thank all of the residents, business owners, community leaders, churches, foundations, as well as all stakeholders and representatives from the public, non-profit and private sectors for their time, energy and commitment to the development of the master plan. This has truly been a collaborative effort. Together, we have and will continue to plan for a vibrant future for the Hill District.

Sincerely, R. Daniel Lavelle Chair of the Management Committee contents

1 executive Summary 2 overview

3 Foundations of the Plan

6 the Master Plan

11 context & Process 12 History of the Hill

20 community Assets

22 Master Planning Process

24 Previous Plans

28 community Goals

30 community stakeholders

32 evaluation criteria

34 economic Feasibility

39 Master Plan Program initiatives 42 District Identity

43 the Hill History center

45 Historic Preservation

46 Quality education Initiative

48 Hill District Arts Plan

49 neighborhood safety

51 Hill District Homeowner/tenant support

53 Housing Innovation Zone

53 comprehensive Vacant Property strategy

55 Hill District Workforce Development

57 Hill District Business Incubator

59 centre Avenue Business District

60 Greenprint Implementation

62 Urban Agriculture

63 Play spaces

64 neighborhood transportation

64 Ride-to-Work

66 streetscape Improvements

66 “complete streets” Pilot

66 comprehensive Parking strategy

69 Master Plan Urban Design Proposals 74 Lower Hill

78 crawford corridor

82 Uptown opportunities

86 Bedford Avenue corridor

92 centre View

100 Kirkpatrick street Recreational corridor

108 Herron Avenue

112 Upper Hill

117 next Steps 119 Priorities

120 Greatest economic Feasibility

121 Leadership

126 Additional studies appendix v i eX ec U tI Ve s U

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A RY Overview the Hill District Master Plan has grown out of the sustained efforts of numerous residents, community groups and stakeholders. two community meetings each drew over 75 participants who provided valuable input to the goals and content of the Plan.

Furthermore, councilman Daniel Lavelle has generously provided the resources of his office and chaired the Master Plan Management committee. the Management committee includes representatives from organizations such as the Hill District consensus Group, the cBA steering committee, the Hill House Association, the Hill community Development corporation, Hill House economic Development corporation, crawford square Homeowners, Ujamaa collective, Find the Rivers, Keystone Innovation Zone, Uptown Partners, Wesley A.M.e. charities, Heinz endowments, the Pittsburgh Foundation, the state House

“The hill District... has contributed greatly to the city’s history and remains as a center of Pittsburgh’s african american culture. The intent of this master planning effort is to ensure that the resulting neighborhood plan reflects the vision hill

District residents and other neighborhood stakeholders have for the revitalization of this important historic neighborhood.”

—GReaTeR hill DiSTRicT MaSTeR Plan ReqUeST FoR PRoPoSalS of Representatives, Allegheny county, the Mayor’s office, the Pittsburgh city council, the Pittsburgh Department of city Planning, the Housing Authority of the city of Pittsburgh, and the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

With ongoing guidance and feedback from these many entities, the Hill District Master Plan is informed by the development principles, non-displacement strategies/ strategies for reclaiming the Lower Hill, and community goals on the following pages. the Plan itself has two components:

• Program initiatives Policies and programs that, alongside the Urban Design Proposals, will help attain community goals

• Urban Design Proposals Projects to improve the physical environment and to leverage development

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DRAFT MASTER PLAN

Foundations of the Plan

DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES

NON-DISPLACEMENT

STRATEGIES

STRATEGIES FOR RECLAIMING

THE LOWER HILL

The Management Committee has adopted Development Principles, Non-Displacement Strategies and Strategies for Reclaiming the Lower Hill, to serve as foundations for the Master Plan and to guide all land use, project approval and subsidy allocation decisions aff ecting the Greater Hill District:

The Greater Hill District Development Principles (set forth in Appendix A) provide a framework for the Master Plan and will serve as guidelines for development activities and the allocation of public resources in the Greater Hill District. They were developed by the Hill District Planning Forum, a coalition of community-based organizations in the Hill District and Uptown. The Management Committee adopted the Development Principles after vetting them with private developers to assess their likely impact on development. The Development Principles will be used along with the Evaluation Criteria set forth on pages 32 to 33 to prioritize development projects and review proposed development activities in the Greater Hill District.

The Greater Hill Non-Displacement Strategies (set forth in Appendix B) are intended to govern development activities and public funding decisions aff ecting the Greater Hill District, in order to ensure that existing residents of the Hill District and Uptown will enjoy the benefi ts of a revitalized neighborhood. The Hill District is characterized by lower household incomes and a high percentage of renters, and these conditions make residents vulnerable to displacement as the market improves and property values increase. The Non-Displacement Strategies are designed to prevent displacement by supporting the economic self-suffi ciency and housing stability of existing residents.

The Strategies for Reclaiming the Lower Hill (set forth in Appendix C) are intended to govern land use and development activities in the Lower Hill District. In the 1950s and early 1960s, much of the Lower Hill was demolished to make way for a planned cultural district for more affl uent Pittsburghers. 1300 buildings on 95 acres of land were demolished. 413 businesses and over 8,000 residents were forced to relocate, receiving little to no compensation. The Hill District lost its commercial core, much of its population, and its connection to downtown.

It was left isolated, disconnected from job opportunities, and starved for capital investment. The Strategies for Reclaiming the Lower Hill are designed to ensure that the Lower Hill is redeveloped in a way that reintegrates the area into the cultural fabric of the community, provides housing and employment opportunities for Hill District residents, and serves as a catalyst for market-driven investment throughout the neighborhood.

Hill District Master Plan community meeting ec U tI Ve s U

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the community Goals are drawn from over twenty-five existing plans for various parts of the Hill. the goals were vetted by the community at the november 2010 public meeting and then revised by the Master Plan Management committee.

Foundations of the Plan coMMUnItY GoALs

BuilD uPOn tHe aFrican aMerican cultural leGacy the Hill District has been a setting for Black history-making from the 18th century to the present. thus, the Hill will position itself as Pittsburgh’s oldest African American neighborhood and retain its cultural and historical personality, which should not be lost due to market pressures and gentrification.

• Honor the historic and cultural legacy of African Americans in the Hill District with emphasis on the Lower Hill

• Include ‘right of return’ preferences for displaced individuals, families, organizations and businesses

• Use existing neighborhood resources first in revitalization

• Advance existing and create new relationships to move the Hill District forward

• ensure that Hill District residents are empowered in planning for the community revitalization

FaMily FrienDly HOusinG DevelOPMent witHOut DisPlaceMent Housing developments must include an appropriate level of family housing including rental and for sale units affordable to various income levels in order to prevent displacement.

• establish a target housing mix for new projects including appropriate levels of family-friendly housing

• Provide quality rental and ownership housing opportunities for a broad range of family sizes and incomes

• Use housing development as a catalyst for economic and community development

• new housing developments will prevent displacement of existing residents and businesses

• Family housing developments will include play spaces in close proximity to housing developments

• Housing developments will consider the impact of new developments on children and population density for local schools

Hill District Master Plan community meeting the community Goals have guided development of the Master Plan’s Program Initiatives and Urban Design strategies. these urban design and policy recommendations address various areas of the Hill and range from re-establishing the historic continuity between the Lower Hill and the rest of the Greater Hill District, to strategies aimed at stabilizing the Uptown and Upper Hill neighborhoods. Particularly notable is the widely shared interest in re-imagining the public housing sites as mixed income sites closely integrated with the general fabric of the neighborhood. the community Goals can be used as criteria by which future investments and development projects can be evaluated and modified as necessary.

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ecOnOMic eMPOwerMent anD cOMMercial DevelOPMent community residents, organizations and businesses will gain social and economic benefit from neighborhood revitalization efforts.

• support economic activity that directly benefits Hill District residents and existing businesses.

• ensure jobs for community members, the retention of current businesses, new opportunities for entrepreneurship and equity stakes for Hill District organizations

• Restore commercial vibrancy and strength by concentrating market demand and resources to:

• Renew centre Avenue as a great “main street”

• Redevelop the Lower Hill as a mixed-use neighborhood

• Leverage Uptown’s proximity to oakland and Downtown

• encourage live-work and at-home innovation projects

Make tHe Hill District a Green anD well-DesiGneD cOMMunity the Hill District will have a comprehensive strategy for sustainability and quality design.

• create a comprehensive strategy for vacant land including urban gardening

• Leverage the Hill District’s natural features as an economic asset for neighborhood development

• Use Hill District trails as green connections with a larger city network

• establish high-quality recreation and open spaces

MOBility, transPOrtatiOn, anD ParkinG ensure viable and affordable transportation access to all members of the community.

• Improve transportation networks and services to the city and within the Hill District

• new infrastructure should promote walkability, street accessibility for the disabled, and access to work, retail and social amenities

• create a well-planned parking strategy that supports new development while minimizing negative impacts on residents

Work towards meeting community goals has already begun in many parts of the Hill, such as these “Green Up Pittsburgh” community gardens in vacant lots along Dinwid-die Street.

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Master Plan PRoGRAM InItIAtIVes the Greater Hill District Master Plan is comprised of two components—Program Initiatives and Urban Design Proposals. Program Initiatives are specific projects to help the community meet its goals of improving quality of life in the Hill and taking a role in Pittsburgh’s regeneration.

As such, the initiatives are organized by the community Goals described on the prior pages. In most cases, the Program Initiatives are organizational rather than physical recommendations. the initiatives serve as a strategic component to the plan that emphasizes the strengthening of existing programs or the creation of new organizations to support existing residents and businesses and attract new, complementary ones. Many of the initiatives focus on creating opportunities for Hill District youth, developing the workforce, supporting historic preservation, and pursuing the improvement of vacant lots and open space in the neighborhood.

See page 39 for detailed descriptions of the program initiatives.

Existing housing in the Hill District should be preserved with homeowner sup-port initiatives.

Program initiatives are specific projects to help the community meet its goals of improving quality of life in the hill and taking an active role in Pittsburgh’s regeneration.

Centre Avenue, the heart of the Hill District, is an ideal site for the Hill District Business Incubator, one of many program initiatives intended to support economic develop-ment in the Hill.

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Master Plan PRoGRAM InItIAtIVes

BuilD uPOn tHe aFrican aMerican cultural leGacy

• District Identity Signage and Wayfinding Weekly Publication

• the Hill History center “Past, Present & Future” Trail

• Historic Preservation Hill District Preservation Plan

• Quality education Initiative Lifelong Education Urban Fellows Youth Safe Haven Youth Arts Education

• Hill District Arts Plan

• neighborhood safety Neighborhood Watch

FaMily FrienDly HOusinG DevelOPMent witHOut DisPlaceMent

• Hill District Homeowner/tenant support Homeowner Cooperative Homeowner Education Articles Tenant Resource Center

• Housing Innovation Zone

• comprehensive Vacant Property strategy Hill District Land Bank Demolition Moratorium Vacant Property Maintenance Standards Temporary Uses Adopt-a-Lot Side-lot Transfer Neighborhood Clean-ups ecOnOMic eMPOwerMent anD cOMMercial DevelOPMent

• Hill District Workforce Development Green Building, Clean Manufacturing and “Green-Collar” Jobs Construction/Renovation/Historic Preservation Nursing/Health Related Professions Restaurant/Food Service Youth Opportunities Job Placement Resources

• Hill District Business Incubator Non-Profit Incubator Space Arts Incubator Space Small Business Incubator Space Cooperative Marketplace Small Business Support Innovation Competition

• centre Avenue Business District

Make tHe Hill District a Green anD well-DesiGneD cOMMunity

• Greenprint Implementation

• Urban Agriculture

• Play spaces Play Streets

MOBility, transPOrtatiOn, anD ParkinG

• neighborhood transportation Transportation Advocacy Group Intra-Hill Neighborhood Transit Hill District Transportation Plan

• Ride-to-Work Shuttle to Major Employers Ride-Sharing System Jitney Stand

• streetscape Improvements

• “complete streets” Pilot

• comprehensive Parking strategy ec U tI Ve s U

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Master Plan URBAn DesIGn PRoPosALs the Greater Hill District Master Plan’s Urban Design Proposals address opportunities to improve the physical environment and to leverage recent and near term development activity in the Hill.

each Urban Design Proposal is comprised of discrete projects that address community goals both individually lower hill Reconnect the Lower Hill to the rest of the Hill District and rebuild it as an active neighborhood with connections to Downtown.

crawford corridor Improve pedestrian connections between the Lower Hill/crawford-Roberts and Uptown.

Uptown opportunities Identify strategic sites for residential infill and mixed-use, catalytic development. explore toD opportunities and improve multimodal transit along corridors to oakland and centre Avenue.

Bedford avenue corridor transform Bedford Avenue into a fully developed residential avenue that takes advantage of the spectacular views to the north and its recreational amenities.

centre view Reinforce centre Avenue as the Hill’s primary retail, institutional, and cultural node as well as a strong residential neighborhood.

Kirkpatrick Street Recreational corridor Use existing green spaces and streets to establish recreation opportunities and improve pedestrian connections such as those recommended in Greenprint.

herron avenue transform Herron Avenue into a commercially viable and attractive avenue and a gateway into the neighborhood.

Upper hill Reinforce the cohesive residential character through residential stabilization and infill development.

and collectively. the Urban Design Proposals are designed to be site specific and capable of independent implementation, while complementing previous planning initiatives. the Proposals vary in scale and complexity from the redevelopment of existing public housing projects to the creation of new gateways at important intersections.

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Polish hill

Strip District

Bedford Avenue

Webster Avenue

Wylie Avenue centre Avenue craw ford street

D in w id di e st re et

Ki rk pa tr ic k st re et

Herron Avenue

Golden Triangle oakland

University of Pittsburgh carlow University

Duquesne University

Bedford avenue corridor transform into a fully developed residential avenue that takes advantage of the spectacular views to the north and its recreational amenities crawford corridor Improve pedestrian connections between the Lower Hill/crawford-

Roberts and Uptown.

lower hill Reconnect the Lower Hill to the rest of the Hill District and rebuild it as an active connection to Downtown.

centre view Reinforce centre Avenue as the Hill’s primary retail/commercial node as well as a strong residential neighborhood.

Kirkpatrick Street Recreational corridor

Use existing green spaces and streets to establish recreation opportunities and improve pedestrian connections.

herron avenue transform into a commercially viable and attractive avenue.

Upper hill

Reinforce the cohesive residential character through residential stabi-lization and infill development.

Uptown opportunities Identify strategic sites for residential infill and mixed-use, catalytic development. explore toD opportunities and improve multimodal transit along corridors to oakland and centre Avenue.

MASTER PLAN FRAMEWORK

commercial

Mixed-Use / High Density Residential

Residential educational Institution

Religious Institutions open space

Priority street street Greening

Kirkpatrick Recreational trail

Dramatic Views community Resource

Gateway

Hospital

Bus Rapid transit

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History of the Hill District community Assets

Master Planning Process Previous Plans community Goals evaluation criteria economic Feasibility n te

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P Ro ce ss History of the Hill the Hill District’s rich history includes powerful stories of African-American life from the revolutionary war forward. some of the Hill District’s first inhabitants were black soldiers in the Army of General John Forbes. other African-Americans lived in an enclave in the lower portion of the Hill known as “Little Hayti.” A large influx of African- Americans continued to come to the Hill District after the civil War and through World War II as part of the Great Migration. these migrants sought respite from repression in the south and jobs in the booming northern mills.

While the Hill is best known for its vibrant African-American history, the area was also settled by a wide variety of european immigrants, including people of scotch-Irish descent and later people of German, German-Jewish, Italian, syrian, Greek, Lebanese and Polish descent.

After the civil War, the lower Hill was inhabited by the Irish moving up from the Point, some scotch-Irish, a few Germans and a scattering of German-Jewish families. With mass emigration of the 1880s from eastern and southern

Wylie Avenue Street Scene. April 15, 1912. View looking east of Wylie Avenue near Fifth Avenue. Source: Pittsburgh City Photographer Collection, 1901-2002, AIS.1971.05, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh n te

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P Ro ce ss europe, the Hill quickly became populated with Italians, Jews from Russia, Poland and Romania, Russians and slovaks, Armenians, syrians and Lebanese, as well as a small number of chinese.

the Irish and scotch-Irish mostly resided between tunnel and congress streets, Webster and Fifth Avenues; the Italians mostly on Webster and Bedford Avenues, Wylie Avenue, elm and congress streets; the Jews mostly south on Wylie Avenue extending to and including Fifth Avenue.

the syrians, Armenians and Lebanese concentrated on Webster and Bedford Avenues close to Grant Boulevard, and a small number of Greek immigrants settled on lower Webster and Bedford Avenues. During this period, the African-American population was centered on Fulton, congress, clark and colwell streets.

By 1929 there were sections of the Hill called “Little Italy,” “Little syria,” “Black Belt” and “Athens.” the area throbbed with life: street markets with transactions carried on in a dozen languages, churches and clubs of many nationalities.

the Hill’s flourishing commercial development was concentrated along centre Avenue through the Middle Hill. the boom caused by the Great Migration brought additional black residents to the Hill, with African- Americans settling in parts of the Middle Hill known as “Minersville”, the Upper Hill known as “sugartop” and the Lower Hill was known as “Arthursville”.

through the early 1800s to the late 1930s, the Lower Hill was a center for abolition, black nationalism and black political advocacy. the area served as a hub of the Underground Railroad. According to Laurence Glasco, history professor at the University of Pittsburgh, the crux of Arthursville laid between centre and Bedford Avenues. By the accounts of John Ford, (former historian for the Heinz

The East Wing of Mercy Hospital (now UPMC Mercy) in 1907, at Pride and Locust Streets in Uptown.

Houses on Lawson Street, looking northwest from the summit of Webster Avenue.

August 18, 1922. Source: Pittsburgh City Photographer Collection, 1901-2002, AIS.1971.05, Archives Service Center, University of Pittsburgh n te

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History center), Arthursville was a place where the black population was growing united and politically savvy. By 1837, there were 110 black families—36 of whom owned property—living in what was the single largest African- American neighborhood in antebellum Pittsburgh.

Prominent residents included minister and barber Benjamin tucker tanner, father of artist Henry o. tanner, whose home is said to have been a refuge for blacks fleeing enslavement. other residents included John B. Vashon, Rev. Lewis Woodson (purported grandson of thomas Jefferson and sally Hemmings), Abraham Lewis and John Peck (original owner of the famed oyster House), each of whom worked to create and charter the Pittsburgh African education society in 1832. their work led to the extension of the right to a free public school education to black Pennsylvanian children and youth. these men also went onto establish a school, “the African school”, which was predecessor to the present day Miller African-centered Academy in the Middle Hill. the African school was initially housed in the basement of Bethel A.M.e. church located on Wylie Avenue and Miltenburger Alley (now Montour Way, downtown). noted abolitionist and black nationalist Martin R. Delany was one of the original students of the African school.

the Lower Hill went on to have a bustling business district along Wylie Avenue and along Logan street. this intersection was the nexus for commercial and cultural activity in the Hill District, which Harlem Renaissance poet claude McKay called “the crossroads of the world”. In the 1920s and 30s negro League Baseball flourished here with the first black-owned baseball field in the country built on Bedford Avenue between chancey and Duff streets.

the Hill District was also home to the famed Pittsburgh crawfords including satchel Page and Josh Gibson. A phenomenal jazz scene flourished here in the 1940s and 1950s. With jazz greats like Miles Davis, charlie Mingus, Lena Horne, and later George Benson and Ahmad Jamal along with a host of other great names playing in the Hill’s clubs on a regular basis. the neighborhood then became a “Little Harlem.” clubs like the crawford Grill and the Hurricane Lounge were always packed with jazz lovers of many ethnic backgrounds. though some Downtown clubs were segregated, the clubs of the Hill District welcomed patrons of all races.

Also around this time, many of the neighborhood’s buildings had become worn out due to overcrowding and age. Unfortunately, this problem could not be remedied through home improvements, because like many African-

Crawford Recreation Center Baseball Club, 1926. Source: Dorsey-Turfley Family Photographs, 1880-1987 (Bulk 1900-1950), MSP 455, Library & Archives, Senator John Heinz History Center n te

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Source: One Shot Harris—The Photographs of Charles “Teenie” Harris. By Stanley Crouch. Carnegie Museum of Art, 2002.

American communities, the Hill District was excluded from the post-war housing boom through the practice of mortgage redlining. As white residents were able to obtain low cost mortgages to buy new houses in newly built communities, the Hill District became more segregated and disinvested. From 1940 on the majority of residents in the Hill District have been African-American.

the principal government responses to the deteriorated housing stock in the Hill District were large-scale demolition of housing, construction of public housing projects and urban renewal. Between 1940 and 1955, over 3,600 public housing apartments were constructed in the Hill District, beginning with Bedford Dwellings (and later, Bedford Additions) in the northern part of the Hill, and n te

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Beginning of demolition of the Lower Hill, ca. 1955. Source: Allegheny Conference on Community Development Photographs, 1892-1981, MSP 285, Library and Archives Division, Senator John Heinz History Center

Lower Hill District Demolition. May 9, 1957. Source: Allegheny Conference on Community Development Photographs, 1892-1981, MSP 285, Library and Archives Division, Senator John Heinz History Center

Construction of the Bedford Dwellings, ca. 1940-1955. Source: Allegheny Conference on Community Development Photographs, 1892-1981, MSP 285, Library and Archives Division, Senator John Heinz History Center n te

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Lower Hill District Demolition. May 9, 1957. Source: Allegheny Conference on Community Development Photographs, 1892-1981, MSP 285, Library and Archives Division, Senator John Heinz History Center continuing with Addison terrace and Allequippa terrace in the southwestern end. these barracks-style housing projects provided decent housing at first, but ultimately led to high concentrations of extremely low-income families in unhealthy living environments.

In the 1950s and early 1960s, despite vehement protest from community residents, the city and Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) implemented plans to level the Lower Hill and replace existing homes and businesses with a grand cultural venue for more affluent Pittsburghers. the URA’s transformation centered upon a new “civic Auditorium” to be anchored by the Pittsburgh civic Light opera. thousands of buildings were demolished and over 8,000 people (mostly African-American) were forced to relocate. Many received little to no compensation for their homes, and were dispersed to other parts of the city, especially the north side and east end, or to public housing in the Hill. the remnants of Arthursville, once a prosperous, lush mecca for the city’s black American population, were razed in the early ‘60s to make room for what is currently the civic Arena.

the grand plans for the Lower Hill cultural center were not realized, as several other theater and arts complexes that were to be built near the civic Arena were abandoned in favor of large surface parking lots for commuters and event attendees. the urban renewal of the 1950s was intended to proceed eastward toward the rest of the Hill, but residents had seen too much of their neighborhood meet the wrecking ball. they stood firmly at crawford street and would not allow redevelopment beyond that point.

today, this area is marked by a monument called “Freedom corner.”

Construction of the Bedford Dwellings, ca. 1940-1955. Source: Allegheny Conference on Community Development Photographs, 1892-1981, MSP 285, Library and Archives Division, Senator John Heinz History Center n te

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P Ro ce ss the Hill District is only beginning to recover from the devastation wrought by mortgage redlining, out-migration, disinvestment and urban renewal. the remaining parts of the Hill District are now physically, culturally, and economically separated from Downtown by large expanses of parking lots and a 1960s-era depressed highway. the Hill District remains challenged by having some of the lowest median incomes and some of the most physically deteriorated housing in the city. Yet all is not bleak, Hill District also has a committed cadre of residents and organizations that are key assets for neighborhood revitalization. the master planning process is designed to remedy the challenges of the Hill District, but should also to build on neighborhood assets. Additional assets include the positive market conditions in Downtown and oakland, which can be brought into the Hill District and fully integrated into the neighborhood fabric in a way that sustains and benefits the existing and future residents and stakeholders.

Community engagement in the arts is evidenced in this Wylie Avenue mural

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Artistic rendering of the new Centre Avenue YMCA The new Hill District Branch of the Carnegie Library

New, mixed-income housing along Bedford Avenue responds to the area’s urban fabric

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P Ro ce ss community assets the Hill has a long tradition of community-building and neighborhood involvement, from early programming at the Irene Kaufmann settlement to the work of thelma Lovette, the first woman to sit on the board of the centre Avenue and Pittsburgh YMcAs and the namesake of the thelma Lovette Family YMcA on centre Avenue and elmore street.

Existing community assets include the Hill Dance Academy Theater and One Hope Square (right) the community asset map on the following page shows the range of social services, religious organizations, historical places, libraries and schools, and public safety providers in the Hill. these existing community assets are the foundation of the neighborhood and the basis of the Master Plan.

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Library

Fire / Police / Hospital

COMMUNITY ASSETS

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Planning Process stabilize stabilize new identity reimagine reimagine connect continuity invest new infill residential patterns the master planning process began in earnest in september 2010, with the reconvening of the Hill District Master Plan Management committee, chaired by Pittsburgh city councilman Daniel Lavelle. the Management committee was charged with overseeing the plan’s progress as well as providing direction, guidance and input as needed.

Given the significant amount of time and energy already spent on previous planning efforts in the Hill District, the first step of the master planning process was to review, summarize, and synthesize previous plans. Goals identified in previous plans informed the community goals for the master planning process, while the recommendations made in previous plans have served as a beginning point for the master plan.

An opportunity diagram was created based upon the content of existing plans and additional observations, and was then discussed at a november 16, 2010 public meeting.

At this meeting, residents also identified their priorities for the future of the Hill. evaluation criteria, based on community goals, market viability and urban design best practices were also established. these priorities—along

The opportunity diagram illustrates important connections and general approaches to addressing the future of the many unique areas within the Hill

Community feedback has been vital to the planning process

Hill District Master Plan Management Committee meeting (October 2010)

Project Market viability early in the process, meeting attendees ranked potential programs and urban design proposals in the following order of importance:

• Workforce training/economic development to ensure jobs

• stabilize/renovate existing housing

• Reintegrate public housing (Addison and Bedford Dwellings redevelopments)

• Focus commercial and residential development on centre Ave/Lower Hill/Uptown nodes

• Identify strategies for underused open spaces and vacant lots

• strengthen both physical and economic connections to the rest of Pittsburgh

• Address future development of Herron Avenue

• Incorporate open space strategy throughout

• Leverage development for neighborhood benefits n te

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P Ro ce ss in previous plans informed the community goals for the master planning process, while the recommendations made in previous plans have served as a beginning point for the master plan.

An opportunity diagram was created based upon the content of existing plans and additional observations, and was then discussed at a november 16, 2010 public meeting.

At this meeting, residents also identified their priorities for the future of the Hill. evaluation criteria, based on community goals, market viability and urban design best practices were also established. these priorities—along

Community feedback has been vital to the planning process

Hill District Master Plan Management Committee meeting (October 2010)

Hill District Master Plan website Community meeting (March 2011) with Management committee input—drove the development of a more refined plan comprised of program/policy recommendations (“Program Initiatives”) and ideas for improvements to the physical environment (“Urban Design Proposals”).

Residents learned about the Program Initiatives and Urban Design Proposals at the March 9, 2011 community meeting, and provided comments both during the meeting and over the weeks to follow. the plan was available for review on the Hill District Master Plan website, which also had a feedback section that allowed for additional ideas and revisions to be directly communicated to the master plan team.

At the end of the feedback period, the plan was revised and again reviewed by the Management committee before being presented at the final public meeting of the master planning process on April 26, 2011.

With the plan now in the hands of the community, the challenge will be to guide it through implementation. some of the plan’s recommendations can be implemented in as little as a few months; others will take years. each recommendation is an opportunity for the Hill to move forward, building capacity and leadership while becoming an even better place to live.

Project Market viability early in the process, meeting attendees ranked potential programs and urban design proposals in the following order of importance:

• Workforce training/economic development to ensure jobs

• stabilize/renovate existing housing

• Reintegrate public housing (Addison and Bedford Dwellings redevelopments)

• Focus commercial and residential development on centre Ave/Lower Hill/Uptown nodes

• Identify strategies for underused open spaces and vacant lots

• strengthen both physical and economic connections to the rest of Pittsburgh

• Address future development of Herron Avenue

• Incorporate open space strategy throughout

• Leverage development for neighborhood benefits

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Plans the Greater Hill District has a rich history of recent and current master planning ideas ranging from large scale mixed use development initiatives to small-scale, parcel-specific residential infill projects. these plans represent the hard work of countless Hill District residents and advocates and have significantly informed the Master Plan.

each previous plan listed to the right was reviewed and then summarized—in writing and graphically—during the initial stage of the master planning process. these complete summaries are in the appendix and available online at www.greaterhilldistrictmasterplan.org/interactive.

Given the sheer number of previous plans, they have been organized by scope into three categories: area plans, open space plans, and tools/principles/data.

once summarized, various elements of the previous plans were incorporated into the recommendations made in this master plan. In particular, the recent Greenprint Plan (The Hill: A Village in the Woods, June 2010) has been frequently referenced and many of its recommendations are woven into the master plan proposals.

* Plans received after this phase of work was completed. They have been reviewed and ideas have been incorporated into the Master Plan, though they are not summa-rized in the appendix or on the website.

Written and graphic summaries of previous plans for the Hill District as well as links to the originals are in the appendix and also available at:

www.greaterhilldistrictmasterplan.org/interactive/

Area Plans Area plans focus on specific neighborhoods within the Greater Hill District and their recommendations include physical changes to the area.

• Bedford and Hill District Pattern Book (1999)

• Middle Hill Revitalization Plan (2004)

• centre Avenue Mixed-Use Feasibility study (2005)

• the Herron Avenue studio (2006)

• Uptown community Vision (2009)

• Pittsburgh Arena District Master Development Plan (2010)

• “Pushpin” Plan/Greater Hill District Development nodes overview (2010)

• Herron Avenue Revitalization Planning strategy (2011)*

• Hill District Research, Analysis and Urban Design Proposals (date unknown)* n te

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Whether a specific tool, a set of principles, or a collection of data, the various items in this category relate closely to the Greater Hill District and thus need to be taken into consideration.

• Pittsburgh central Keystone Innovation Zone (2007)

• Hill District consensus Group Action Plans (2007, 2002)

• Development and the Hill District (2008)

• Hill District community Benefits Agreement (2008)

• Hill District Assets (2009)

• Greater Hill District Development Principles (2010)

• PGH snAP (2010)

• Uptown: A Pittsburgh neighborhood for the Future— Developer Handbook (2010)

• Hill Uptown oakland Multimodal connectivity Assessment (2010)

• tRF Market Value Analysis (2010) open space Plans Open space plans cover a range of areas—a street, a river corridor, or a neighborhood—and focus on open space systems. This can include parks, playgrounds walking paths, riverbanks, stream corridors, hillsides and more.

• River opportunity Report (2005)

• Kirkpatrick Park Project (2005)

• Herron Avenue corridor coalition Design Group (2008)

• Arcena connections Planning concepts (2008)

• Greenprint I: the Hill—A Village in the Woods (2009)

• Greenprint II: the Hill—A Village in the Woods (2010) n te

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Previous Plans Synthesized

In order to understand the full implications of previous plans for the many areas within the Greater Hill District, each plan was “translated” into the common language of colors and icons shown in the key below. next, multiple plans were layered upon one another for an additional level of analysis. this layered translation is not meant to be a plan upon itself, but instead, illustrates areas of focus for the master planning effort. For instance, the large diagram on the next page shows multiple layers of recommendations for centre Avenue.

Area Plans (layered)

Open Space Plans (layered)

Tools/Principles/Data (layered)

INTERPRETINg PREvIOUS PLANS commercial

Mixed-Use / High Density Residential

Residential educational Institution

Religious Institutions open space

Pedestrian trail transportation calming

Priority street street Greening

Focal Point transit Hub

Demolition

Proposed Green Project completed Project

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All previous plans (layered) n te

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Goals

Zipcars are one of many potential tools for ensuring that all residents have viable, affordable access to transportation community goals for the master plan were created based upon all previous planning efforts and revised to include additional community input. With these goals as a guide, a great variety of decisions can be made over time to create a vibrant neighborhood, while still ensuring a shared vision of the overall outcome.

BuilD uPOn tHe aFrican aMerican cultural leGacy the Hill District has been a setting for Black history-making from the 18th century to the present. thus, the Hill will position itself as Pittsburgh’s oldest African American neighborhood and retain its cultural and historical personality, which should not be lost due to market pressures and gentrification.

• Honor the historic and cultural legacy of African Americans in the Hill District with emphasis on the Lower Hill

• Include ‘right of return’ preferences for displaced individuals, families, organizations and businesses

• Use existing neighborhood resources first in revitalization

• Advance existing and create new relationships to move the Hill District forward

• ensure that Hill District residents are empowered in planning for the community revitalization

FaMily FrienDly HOusinG DevelOPMent witHOut DisPlaceMent Housing developments must include an appropriate level of family housing including rental and for sale units affordable to various income levels in order to prevent displacement.

• establish a target housing mix for new projects including appropriate levels of family-friendly housing

• Provide quality rental and ownership housing opportunities for a broad range of family sizes and incomes

• Use housing development as a catalyst for economic and community development

• new housing developments will prevent displacement of existing residents and businesses

• Family housing developments will include play spaces in close proximity to housing developments

• Housing developments will consider the impact of new devel-opments on children and population density for local schools ecOnOMic eMPOwerMent anD cOMMercial DevelOPMent community residents, organizations, and businesses will gain social and economic benefit from neighborhood revitalization efforts.

• support economic activity that directly benefits Hill District residents and existing businesses.

• ensure jobs for community members, the retention of current businesses, new opportunities for entrepreneurship and equity stakes for Hill District organizations

• Restore commercial vibrancy and strength by concentrating market demand and resources to:

• Renew centre Avenue as a great “main street”

• Redevelop the Lower Hill as a mixed-use neighborhood

• Leverage Uptown’s proximity to oakland and Downtown

• encourage live-work and at-home innovation projects

Make tHe Hill District a Green anD well-DesiGneD cOMMunity the Hill District will have a comprehensive strategy for sustainability and quality design.

• create a comprehensive strategy for vacant land including urban gardening

• Leverage the Hill District’s natural features as an economic asset for neighborhood development

• Use Hill District trails as green connections with a larger city network

• establish high-quality recreation and open spaces

MOBility, transPOrtatiOn, anD ParkinG ensure viable and affordable transportation access to all members of the community.

• Improve transportation networks and services to the city and within the Hill District

• new infrastructure should promote walkability, street accessibility for the disabled, and access to work, retail, and social amenities

• create a well-planned parking strategy that supports new development while minimizing negative impacts on residents n te

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The revitalization of the Granada Theatre builds upon the legacy of the Hill District.

The New Granada will be repurposed as a mixed-use space including business activity, retail and cultural components.

Restore Centre Avenue’s vibrancy by concentrating new commercial investment with priority on utilizing existing resources first.

Vacant lots in the Hill district necessitate a comprehensive repurposement strategy

Zipcars are one of many potential tools for ensuring that all residents have viable, affordable access to transportation

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Community Stakeholders

The Community Benefi ts Agreement, signed in August 2008, created a Steering Committee to guide the development of the Hill District Master Plan. In an eff ort to allow for a wider array of community representatives to participate in guiding the plan, the master plan Management Committee was created. The Management Committee included individuals representing the Hill District community, foundations, non-profi ts, city departments and government offi cials.

The list below is a subset of the community organizations that were a part of the Management Committee. These organizations provided their expertise in the development of the master plan.

Hill House Association The Hill House Association is an independent nonprofi t organization off ering a wide range of programs and services to Pittsburgh’s Hill District community and surrounding areas. Through its unique multi-generational service model, dedicated staff , and redevelopment eff orts, the Hill House continues to positively impact the futures of the residents and communities it serves.

Pennsylvania Central Keystone Innovation Zone The Pittsburgh Central Keystone Innovation Zone (PCKIZ) is a consortium of higher education institutions, businesses, government agencies and community organizations, collaborating to enable the neighborhoods in central Pittsburgh to realize their potential within the knowledge-based economy of the 21st century.

PCKIZ orchestrates a combination of tax incentives, entrepreneurial resources, educational and internship programs, networking events, and technology showcases.

Its goal is to multiply technology and economic development activities, creating economic sustainability and transforming central Pittsburgh into a vibrant community.

Ujamaa Collective To create spaces, opportunities, networks, education and support for women of African descent to grow as entrepreneurs, artisans and servant leaders so that “we may lift as we climb.”

One Hill The One Hill CBA Coalition was formed in April 2007 when city and county offi cially agreed to subsidize a new arena for the team in the city’s Hill District. The Coalition consists of various community groups and organizations. Their goal was to ensure future development was benefi cial to Hill residents.

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Hill House Economic Development Corporation The Hill House Economic Development Corporation (HHEDC) is an independent non-profi t development organization affi liated with the Hill House Association. The HHEDC promotes sustainable business growth, aff ordable housing, and other strategic investments that improve quality of life in the greater Hill District community.

Uptown Partners Uptown Partners of Pittsburgh is a community-based organization of residents, institutions, and business owners working together to build a vibrant community in the Uptown neighborhood of the City of Pittsburgh.Our vision is to: develop a neighborhood that is clean, safe, and green;

encourage the development of retail and commercial businesses; reclaim and develop residential property;

and create an environment where the arts are visible and encouraged.

Hill District CDC The Hill CDC works in partnership with residents and stakeholders to create, promote, and implement strategies and programs that connect plans, policies and people to drive compelling community development opportunities in the Greater Hill District.

Hill District Consensus Group The mission of the Hill District Consensus Group is to work together through the diff erences and with the commonalities, to establish and enforce standards and processes in all aspects of community life: economic, political, spiritual, and social, for the ongoing health and prosperity of the community.

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P Ro ce ss evaluation criteria evaluation criteria were established to use as a filter to assess both existing plans and future plans for the Greater Hill District.