This morning’s tour of the Hill District with Terri Baltimore gave us a window into the deep history of the neighborhood, with examples of both painful and hopeful moments. Based on our discussion of community development with Terri, what do you think distinguishes the success stories from the failures? What are the most important assets that a neighborhood needs to thrive, and how can business leaders best support the communities in which they operate?
This morning, we met with Teri Baltimore, a resident of the Hill District who’s been serving the community since 1987. During our tour today, we were presented with copious amounts of information about the area. What stood out to me was her discussions of the district’s experiences with the Pittsburgh Penguins and how community development was staggered due to the team’s inability to make good on their promises. They were originally supposed to create a housing development and commercial district on a 28-acre site in the Lower Hill District, yet expired due to the tenure and their inability to actually do anything. Needless to say, that made me feel disgusted about the team’s HR.
Terri also spoke a lot about the successes and failures of the area; I believe what distinguishes success stories from failures is how united a community is in fighting a particular problem. I think the reason that they were unable to get the Pittsburgh Penguins to create the real estate in the Lower Hills area is that not enough people stood up for the place. Only the community in the Hills District actually acted on their promise, and no others. The most important assets that a neighborhood needs to thrive are alliances and “go-getters” who actually get things done. Teri fulfilled a lot of both items, as she literally flew out to different states to petition for the district.
Teri also spoke on the attraction of the Hills District to developers. Due to its position on the map right next to Oakland, Downtown, and other major districts, many developers want to create and own more real estate in the Hills, causing a hike in housing prices. The “attractive” nature of it is both a good thing and a bad thing, depending on perspective. Business leaders such as Teri who can support the community and advocate for them are exactly what the district needs.
(Originally a Carnegie Library, turned into a Mosque where muslims gather every Friday at 1 pm for prayer)
(An after-hours school)