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Editorial: Glorious battle Competition to develop a Hill District site Thursday, December 02, 1999
A recently resolved battle between two competing development groups over a site in the Hill District is another sign that things may be looking up for that historic neighborhood.
At issue was the future development of a vacant parcel of land on Centre Avenue just east of the Hill House Association headquarters and across from the AUBA Triangle shopping center.
Hill District developer Irvin Williams wanted to build a three-story structure on the land with nine retail shops at street level and offices on the upper two floors. But the Hill House Association, a neighborhood group, wanted to build a facility to hold after-school programs for youths ages 14-19 to complement the agency's other social services programs.
Regardless of the merits of either proposal, the fact that a disagreement has broken out at all - and that two developers have ideas for the land - is a healthy sign.
As matters turned out, a workable solution was reached. Mr. Williams has been given permission by the city to buy the land, and the three-story brick and glass structure is expected to be finished by September.
Meanwhile, Urban Redevelopment Authority officials will work with Hill House and the Allegheny Union Baptist Association, which owns a vacant lot across from Hill House that might work out as a site for their new programs.
City officials have made the right moves. They know well that strong cases could be made for both development proposals.
It is beyond dispute that the Hill still has serious social issues that need to be addressed, and that certainly includes problems that young people may have with finding constructive things to do with their time.
But it is also true that the coming wave of middle-class residents as well as those who are now there in Crawford Square and elsewhere also need services nearby. Now, instead of having to drive miles, they will have access soon to a coffee and sandwich shop, a dentist, an insurance company, an accountant, a lawyer, a dress shop and an Afro-centric arts and artifacts store.
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