During our tour of the Hill District today, tour guide Terri Baltimore pointed out multiple examples of businesses brought to the area that either succeeded and became a community staple or failed within the first few years. Examples of success include Tom’s Barber Shop, Granada Theater, Senior Center, and the August Wilson House. To point out similarities between these businesses, I realized that they all shared an emphasis on community partnership and multi-layered support. For example, the August Wilson House was born of a collaboration between the Hill District and the Hollywood celebrity ecosystem thanks to Wilsonian actor Denzel Washington. That specific experience demonstrated the importance of resident passion and community leadership commitment to improvement. I also think that Terri’s role in the Hill District has brought about immense change; she is an intense advocate for providing residents with amenities and a safe/beautiful environment. She has spearheaded pushback efforts against the Pittsburgh Penguins for their use of district property without compensation. To that end, business owners need to make sure they actively involve themselves in the communities. The relationship between commercial and residential sectors is incredibly important in creating a thriving area.
With all of these efforts by the community, it is vitally important to distinguish the reputation of the Hill District from the reality. Though many may believe the Hill to be cyclically underserved like in the pictures below,
the Hill has undergone several development/beautification investments that leave it more vibrant than ever:
