Contemporary Urban Renewal

Case Examples:

Development in Boston at what Cost?

The Dorchester Bay City project has engaged in a large-scale redevelopment and relocation of use through the Opportunity Zone regulation of this highly prized waterfront site. As the name initially suggests the Dorchester Bay City development scheme is attempting to reprogram the public waterfront space of Dorchester Bay as a mixed use public and private destination conglomeration; a new kind of city in its own right. The implementation of housing, shops, retail, restaurants, commercial and public pedestrian throughways and parks has been a pursuit fueled by over a year of community engagement and queries.

Redevelopment:

The intent in this project is to build upon the sought after space of Columbia Point through a 99 year lease deal between Accordia Partners and UMass Boston. It will be the redevelopment of the former Bayside Expo Center. With existing cultural, educational and civic nodes such as the John F. Kennedy International Library, UMass Boston, the Boston Teachers Union and the Joe Moakley Park this new development known as Dorchester Bay City will infuse cultural revitalization, economic development and further the cultural identity of an already 72% diverse area. Not only will this project attempt to develop a beautiful and lively site, it will also work alongside the strong claims that already exist in the area. Similarly to some urban planners of the past, the Accordia partners proposal seeks to engage further with public and private investment partners to directly engage the communities of South Boston, Dorchester and Columbia Point with a huge scheme. This proposal seeks to inject these communities with jobs, equity and more diverse, modern and inclusive urban nodes.

The redevelopment of this area speaks to the strong desire to establish this sector of Greater Boston as a beacon for travelers, students, locals and commuters.

Gentrification of Pittsburgh’s Hill District

The city of Pittsburgh has experienced a few tragedies both physical and economic. Despite the toll of these events, they ultimately stimulated many kinds of renovation, adaptation and reuse of spaces both public and private. Pittsburgh was founded in 1758. The city engaged in massive progress and eventually grew to a population of over 700,00 between 1840 and 1940. Within this period alone there were a series of events that set the city on its own trajectory. The Great Fire of Pittsburgh occurred in 1845 after the city had already been stimulated by 30 years of industrial and manufacturing innovation. This disaster decimated one third of the city and cost nearly $12 million dollars in damages. Of course events such as the Great Depression and World War II held gravity over the direction of Pittsburgh as a steel city but in a more general way.

Pittsburgh not only recovered from its sequential obstacles, it has even maintained its resilience. The city produced and transported many of the United States steel demands in the 19th and 20th century. A majority of the residents have historically had access to prestigious cultural establishments, civic institutions and technological innovations alongside rigorous educational opportunities. The people and physical characteristics of Pittsburgh have diversified its chances amidst many kinds of fallbacks and advancements. Carnegie Mellon University, Carnegie History and Art Museums, University of Pittsburgh Healthcare, BNY Mellon, UPMC, Google, Amazon, Uber; are a few heavily impactful and stimulating nodes of the city at present. It is clear Pittsburgh has overcome the triviality of a fire. Additionally, even events such as the decline of the steel industry in 1960 offered serious pressure and led to the collapse of the driving economic force of Pittsburgh in 1970. Despite this, the city has used its many strong and deeply rooted institutions to adapt and reform the interests and direction of the Steel City. The powerful convergence of the Monongahela, Ohio and Allegheny Rivers has represented a never ceasing clashing of cultural identity, new ideas and ways of thinking.

Pittsburgh Pennsylvania is one of the most vigorously gentrified cities in America. Pitt News reports: “20% of census tracts in the lower 40% of family incomes and home values undergoing gentrification between 2000 and 2013.” Ever since the urban renaissance that occurred in Pittsburgh in the early 60’s, the inner city of Pittsburgh and its many geographically dispersed boroughs and neighborhoods have both enjoyed and suffered from the effects of gentrification and urban development. Beginning with the creation of the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, entire neighborhoods in Pittsburgh’s Hill District neighborhood, home of the famous musician August Wislon, have been and are still up for redevelopment and demolition.

Simply by the image alone, it is easy to see how gentrification and top down ideals of planning have decimated entire residential neighborhoods and cultural institutions that had been long standing. With regard to more current happenings within the Pittsburgh real estate market and legislative domain, many massive technology and healthcare conglomerates like Google, Uber and UPMC have been introduced across Pittsburgh neighborhoods thanks to cheap real estate and the widespread blight that troubles the city. One way that community groups have tried to maintain agency in their neighborhoods has been the establishment of organizations such as the Hill Community Development Corporation (HCDC). This group has overcome many obstacles in attempting to maintain legal and economic control of the Hill District. The Hill CDC has many legal clauses in place that allow them to keep equity in the decisions that are made by foreign developers. Additionally, they have a strong desire to develop the Hill as a historically African American area. Although, these regulations has sometimes deterred other developers from spending money in the area. Additionally, the Hill CDC has positioned themselves in the heart of the neighborhood to engage directly with the rich and diverse history that accompanies this community. The Hill District finds itself directly adjacent to the skyscrapers and financial institutions of Pittsburgh Downtown. Not only is the Hill district a very convenient location for people to live and commute downtown, but it also exists at a much higher elevation geographically. As a result, the Hill District becomes a wildly favorable place to develop property and buy land. These facts have made the Hill district an exciting place that has been riddled with deceit and corruption in the displacement of millions of people over the years. Despite the trouble that the Hill has suffered, due to outside interference and a lack of financial, legislative and physical aid, the Hill CDC is just one of the many groups that is continuing the work toward more equitable and inclusive land use rights and planning. Regarding the master plan, taken directly from the HCDC:

The Greater Hill District Master Plan articulates the importance of continuing to "Build Upon the African-American Cultural Legacy." The Greenprint (2009) created a bold vision for a natural and healthy community, the 2011 Greater Hill District Master Plan established fundamental values and development principles that have been central to development activities and the neighborhood ecosystem. The Centre Avenue Redevelopment and Design Plan (2015) created a detailed vision for how new development and amenities on Centre Avenue could serve a variety of community needs, while also using a market study as its basis.

V. Conclusion

In the succeeding memo, I will further discuss the impacts and resolution that have been addressed regarding the gentrification of Pittsburgh. Additionally, memo 3 will continue to expound upon the ways that land use planning and policy have either been successful or unsuccessful in their attempts to mediate between the many wicked problems that plague the blighted and underserved communities of Pittsburgh proper. I will also provoke a series of planning options that may assist in maintaining agency within these neighborhoods and how these issues can be more equitably addressed.

MEMO 2

I. The legal issues addressed within this memorandum are those of land use equity, ownership and development in the Hill District of Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.

II. Pittsburgh Pennsylvania has witnessed many births and deaths in its lifetime. Following the fall of the steel industry, Pittsburgh had to reorient itself to maintain its place as a premier city of the northeast. Pittsburgh experienced a renaissance in the mid 1950’s in an attempt to reinvigorate its urban and suburban communities with jobs, monumental architecture and legislative inclusivity. Following World War 2, many prominent businessmen and legislative leaders embarked on a city wide master planning scheme to overcome many of the problems of flooding, blight, traffic and infamous pollution through the redevelopment of places like Point State Park; such as this unbuilt proposal by Frank Lloyd Wright.

III. Amidst this widespread development and rezoning of parts of Pittsburgh, the Hill District is of note because of its involvement in such prominent dynamic change over its 50 year history. Despite this long and rich history, there are many issues of blight, development, ownership and agency that the neighborhood continues to struggle with today. The issue of ownership is of most importance because of the fact that cheap real estate has incentivized many developers to regard this area as a profitable and sought after location for large residential and commercial projects.

The Hill CDC is one of the leading groups that has found a way to position itself within the legal and economic landscape of the Hill District masterplan to bolster more humane urbanism. The Hill CDC has sought to not only develop the area, but to also do something very specific in the way they handle the ownership and future development of the properties that are either blighted or simply up for sale.

IV. The Hill CDC has created something known as the Hill District 100 Initiative that essentially creates an application process and waiting list for home ownership and property development. This initiative has many positives to its implementation. Among these include maintaining ideas such as placekeeping rather than placemaking. The Hill CDC takes the form of an agency that seeks to give the current residents of this place greater stake in their communities. It’s true the Hill CDC does bolster a certain kind of developer and home owner to this place, however it might be argued that this kind of restriction does not allow for a struggling place to truly prosper economically to its greatest potential. However, it is clear this place holds history and its people in higher regard than profit and financial return. The Hill CDC maintains a degree of equity in all its properties and this means that not only do developers have to contend with local zoning and building code regulations, but now the Hill CDC also elicits its own voice in all decisions regarding development that would impact the greater communities of the Hill District. Thanks to the close ties this corporation has with local governments and community planners, the Hill CDC has a lot of power in deciding the outcome of the neighborhood proper. The Hill CDC embodies the idea of the owner as planner.

V. In addition to the idea of ownership that the Hill CDC has maintained in recent years, there are other issues surrounding development that the Hill District continues to engage with. Among these issues, there are two very important ideas that are considered in the Master Plan framework; Market Feasibility and Urban Design best Practices. Set within these two overall ideas are issues of historic preservation, neighborhood safety and something the developers call a greenprint implementation. Clearly there are initiatives set up for future development to maintain the quality and rich history of this neighborhood. As developers have followed this master plan there have already been many affordable housing projects completed in the past 5 years. Despite these attempts to build a utopian black neighborhood, there are many issues that still face the Hill District. The city and new developers are constantly trying to buy up property to extend the downtown areas into new fresh, gentrified housing projects. The biggest reason why these developments have been subdued is thanks to the Hill CDC and its devoted activist and community members.

“The only reason the Hill District hasn’t been redeveloped multiple times over many generations now into an extension of Downtown or purely an extension of Oakland is because the spirit and activism has been passed on between generations,” Milliones, who often represents the community, said.

VI. In conclusion, the initiatives set in motion by the communities of the Hill District have done much for its own agency in the trajectory of the neighborhood. Organizations such as the Hill CDC in partnership with the Pittsburgh Housing Authority as well as other private developers have often been in contention. However, the resolve of the Hill CDC and the willingness of the residents to hold on to their rich history and pass it down through generations has allowed this neighborhood to overcome some of the legal and economic plights it has been subject to in the face of wealthy developers and the city of Pittsburgh trying to profit off the history and valuable location of a place such as the Hill District.