(from a URA press release)
City, county and community partners today begin the master planning effort for the five Hill District neighborhoods and the Uptown neighborhood of the City of Pittsburgh.
The Hill District Consensus Group, Urban Redevelopment Authority, City of Pittsburgh Department of City Planning, and Allegheny County Economic Development kicked off work on a nine month $350,000 comprehensive master planning effort.
Based on extensive community feedback, three objectives for the master plan include the integration of the Hill District’s historical and cultural legacy; the re-integration of the Hill District with the Central Business District; and new investment and balanced development without displacing existing residents and businesses. “The master planning process is a community organizing process that will guarantee that the people who live and work in the Hill District will benefit from new development “, Carl Redwood, Hill District Consensus Group said.
A series of public forums will be held to gather input and provide updates on progress. Specific information on dates and times of these opportunities will be publicized throughout the community and will be made available on the Hill District Consensus Group’s website www.hdcg.org.
A planning team, lead by CH Planning Ltd., comprised of experts in urban and transportation planning, place-making, eco- technology, real estate market analysis, art history and social sciences will study the area generally bounded by Crosstown Blvd (I-579), Bigelow Blvd, Centre Av, Allequippa St, Robinson St, Fifth Av, Birmingham Bridge, and the Monongahela River. Team members include Sasaki Associates, Basil Bauman Prost & Cole, Kimball Corporation, John J. Clark Associates, Carlos Peterson, Dr. Mindy Fullilove, Dr. Herman Jones, and Dr. Kimberly Ellis.
A final plan will be presented by the end of September 2010. For more information contact Carl Redwood, of the Hill District Consensus Group, at 412-377-6054, or Charnelle Hicks, of CH Planning Ltd, at 267-872-3377.
I don’t want to bring race and class issues into this but it’s sort of funny that the neighboring areas like South Oakland, Central Oakland and perhaps most importantly the Central Business District (Dahntahn- I think you call it) are not part of this process.
Could it be that ?
A) People wouldn’t dare trying to order and plan their lives the way these areas have let city officials.
B) They see no value in these areas and have no intention of building real connections with them. UPMC for example seems to see Uptown as a parking zone and the Penguins see the same.