National Experts Engage Hazelwood Community

This year, 4 cities, including Pittsburgh, were selected by the Rose Center to participate in the Urban Land Institute Daniel Rose Leadership program. The year-long fellowship’s primary use is to offer aid, management training and other development opportunities to participating cities that face local land use challenges.    With emphasis on the budding neighborhood of Hazelwood, this fellowship intends to provide technical assistance and advice on how to advance the Almono development and revitalization of the area.  Several panel discussions, including Hazelwood residents, organizational directors, local churches & businesses, gathered to discuss the community’s point of view pertaining to ALMONO’s proposed development.  Voiced concerns & suggestions were predominately geared towards Hazelwood’s plea to harvest current residents,  the need to increase connectivity to and through the area, as well as rehabilitate the cultural presence that once permeated the community.  With the support of Mayor Peduto, the Urban Redevelopment Authority and the Department of City planning, the Urban Land Institute produced a report which included highlights of the fears, trepidations and advantages associated with the ALMONO.  The report also included recommendations and suggestions of ULI experts who, from research and discussion, can deduce what best fits the area and its residents.With years of disinvestment and abandonment, Hazelwood citizens are looking for opportunities that’ll subsidize the area they ALREADY know and love; not for opportunities that’ll force them and their environment to replicate any place else.  Passion flows from this neighborhood and nothing’s more important than Hazelwood remaining rooted in Pittsburgh’s past; and as interest and development roll into town, stakeholders ensure that the needs of the residents are met before we incite progress and that is what makes Hazelwood great.For more information, contact Alyssa Lyon, PCRG's Community Coordinator, at alyon@pcrg.org.