Market forces: Finally, a Hill District supermarket is on the way
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Typically, the ground-breaking for a new supermarket wouldn't make the news or merit the appearance of local dignitaries. But there was nothing typical about last week's ground-breaking for a Shop 'n Save at Centre Avenue and Heldman Street in the Hill District.
For a community that hasn't had a full-service supermarket since the 1980s, the turning of the first shovel of dirt for construction of a 29,500-square-foot store is a pretty big deal. The new Shop 'n Save will have fresh produce and meats, frozen and prepared foods, a bakery and a deli.
The lack of a market in the Hill has been a perennial issue for city council candidates running to represent the neighborhood. It also has been one of the biggest regrets for those leaving office with the promise unfulfilled.
The store, which should be finished by Thanksgiving, is the happy outcome of a partnership between the Hill House Economic Development Corp. and Jeff Ross, the owner and builder of the Shop 'n Save.
The Urban Redevelopment Authority is kicking in $1 million toward the market's $8.5 million construction. The Pittsburgh Penguins are giving $1 million as part of a community benefits agreement that was negotiated to smooth the construction of the Consol Energy Center in the lower Hill.
Now that those shiny, ceremonial shovels have hit the dirt, the Hill District's decades-long quest for a full-service food store has entered its final phase. Those involved deserve to be congratulated, and those living nearby should use their patronage to ensure its success.
First Published May 3, 2011 12:00 am
