Lower Hill

Updated April 9, 2024

Lower Hill – Block G1 and G4 Promises Check-in
What became of promises made by BPG, Clay Cove and Pens in their “Open Letter to the Historic Hill District”?

Do you remember when the Lower Hill Development Team issued their “Open Letter to the Historic Hill District” on the eve of their May 2021 Block G1 City Planning Commission Hearing? They issued the letter in an effort to secure political and community support for the approval of their plan for the FNB Tower site (Blocks G1 and G4).

In those early months of 2021, the Hill CDC, in addition to the Development Review Panel (DRP) and Executive Management Committee (EMC) for the Lower Hill, attempted to negotiate community benefits that specifically addressed the Hill District community’s needs. This was a result of the Lower Hill Development Team failing the first step of the DRP process with an initial score of 75% (C) against the Greater Hill District Master Plan, and a 68% (D) against the Community Collaboration and Implementation Plan. They scored even lower when they returned to the DRP due to their use of divisive community engagement tactics and their failure to implement recommendations for plan improvement. Their final score at the DRP Committee level was 56% (E) when scored against the GHDMP and a 47% (F) when scored against the CCIP. The Lower Hill Development Team subsequently abandoned the community’s unified DRP review process.

Instead of considering the constructive feedback from the DRP, Hill CDC and EMC to revise their plan, the Development Team issued their own “Open Letter to the Historic Hill Community” to outline what the Lower Hill Development Team (BPG, Clay Cove and the Pens) planned to do in the Hill District instead of what they had been asked for by representative bodies like the EMC, Hill CDC and DRP. It is critical to note that this letter was published right before City Planning and URA hearings to secure political, community and public support in May 2021. Not only was this letter used as a point of evidence to influence the City Planning Commission, but the Buccini Pollin Group, in particular, made several questionable comments during the City Planning hearing:

They stated that Hill District residents had not been displaced from the Lower Hill during urban renewal, that residents welcomed the demolition of the Lower Hill, and “moved up” into the rest of the Hill District. Watch the video below:

They attacked and attempted to tear down our community’s only unified voice on community development, the Development Review Panel. Watch below:

They questioned the Greater Hill District Master Plan’s stated goal of community ownership, challenging whether Hill District organizations and stakeholders should ever share ownership in projects happening in the neighborhood — including those receiving public tax dollars from our government. Watch below:

Following this meeting, BPG and the Lower Hill Development Team further disrupted the City’s intended purpose of the Registered Community Organization (RCO) Ordinance, which was to give each community appropriate levels of input in their future. The Lower Hill Development Team, instead, actively propped up their own RCO — the Hill District Collaborative — to sow division amongst Hill residents, and to have the appearance of community support for any plan they proposed in the future.

The Hill CDC is determined to keep the facts clear regarding the Lower Hill District. We have thoroughly reviewed their “Open Letter” and are providing you with a check-in on the progress of commitments on the image below:

The status of these Lower Hill development promises highlights the importance of keeping the community updated. Despite facing hurdles with the Lower Hill Development Team’s sidestepping of community input by failing to complete the DRP process; the Hill CDC will stay true to its mission of pushing for equitable development that puts the Hill District first. Moving forward, we will address the issues raised and unfulfilled promises made and set the record straight on any misinformation spread during public hearings. By keeping the conversation open and involving everyone, we aim to ensure the Lower Hill project reflects the stated goals of the Greater Hill District Master Plan and Community Collaboration and Implementation Plan.

This update is focused on commitments made in the “Open Letter to the Historic Hill District Community” and is primarily applicable to Block G1 and G4. However, the Development Team is currently working to move forward on Block E (entertainment venue and parking garage). Stay tuned for updates in the near future to see how commitments related to that site are progressing. In the meantime, please help the Hill CDC to ensure that all promises are fulfilled by advocating with the us to your City (Planning, Zoning, City Council and Mayor) and County (Council and County Executive) officials.

May 2021 Planning Meeting

Find information about the Lower Hill Development and how to register for the City of Pittsburgh Planning Commission meeting click below:

To provide public comment, you can:

• Email planningcommission@pittsburghpa.gov. Email testimony will be accepted until the business day before the meeting at 12 p.m.
• Send a letter to 100 Ross Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Mailed testimony must be received by two business days before the meeting.
• Join the virtual Planning Commissions meeting on 1/24/2023 at 2pm (link below) and use raise hand function to request to speak.
• Sign up for text updates (link below) to know when the Lower Hill Development Team presentations will begin
• Call into the meeting on your phone and use raise hand function by pressing *9.

On Tuesday, January 10th, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buccini Pollin Group issued a memo conceding on two critical points that the Hill CDC has advocated. They have committed to a $2 surcharge on every ticket sold at the new event venue, and they have announced that they are working with Bethel AME to ensure that they receive 1.5 acres in Parcel C of the site. These are clear wins because the Hill CDC and community residents and advocates have pushed for progress (Note: Bethel AME established a coalition to push for the return of their land last year and their coalition led those efforts). Thank you to the residents and stakeholders that called into the hearing to protect the interest of our neighborhood, but our work is not yet done. The Planning Commission opted not to vote on the proposed Preliminary Land Development Plan amendments due to being in receipt of a 100+ page document from the Development Team just minutes before the meeting.

As a result of not voting on the proposed amendments, the Commission opted not to hear or vote on the Block E development at the hearing. The Commission stated that they are concerned that the community has not had an opportunity to review the last-minute materials, and that they had not had an opportunity, as Commissioners, to review the materials. There are other public commitments that remain outstanding, and we hope to secure written agreements in the next two weeks for new commitments.

Outstanding items are:

• The Penguins have still not agreed to “formally attach” our community benefits agreement to the preliminary land development plan, leaving enforcement almost purely on the community. Councilman Daniel Lavelle called in to specifically request the Commission to require them to “formally attach”;
• The Penguins, BPG and Live Nation have still not completed their contract with the Hill CDC regarding New Granada support;
• They have not completed their promised rehab of Ammon Recreation Center; they have not included Macedonia Church of Pittsburgh in discussions related to such;
• They have not agreed to ensure Inclusionary Zoning for the site which would ensure affordable housing and more affordable business space;
• They have not addressed how the privatization of public land that will be used as “public” greenspace will be safe for people of the Hill District to enjoy;
• They have not held meetings with the community on relocating a sustainability and public art project called the Curtain Call, and they have not fully funded the Curtain Call as promised;
• They have not evidenced any form of minority ownership for Block E, a requirement of the community benefits agreement.
• They have not completed our community’s tried and true community review process, the Development Review Panel (DRP).

Planning Commission Meeting for Lower Hill PLDP & Block E – January 10th 2023

Stay tuned and follow this issue at www.hilldistrict.org/lowerhill.

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ALERT!

City Planning Commission Meeting
THIS TUESDAY @ 1pm!
Lower Hill Development for Block E and the Lower Hill Preliminary Land Development Plan (PLDP)
Pens and BPG begin to close the door on fulfillment of promises to Hill District

Just as we were optimistic for a happy new year, the Hill CDC learned this past Tuesday that the City has indeed scheduled the Lower Hill Development Team (Pens and BPG) to present their proposed Lower Hill Preliminary Land Development Plan Amendments and Block E Final Land Development Plan to the City Planning Commission next week.

The meeting is scheduled for this coming Tuesday, January 10th at 1pm. Agenda Items 4 & 5 are focused on the Lower Hill District and we have outlined the outstanding issues and unfulfilled promises in the graphic notice below. Please plan to join the Zoom meeting or call in.

This meeting comes shortly after the previous briefing with the Planning Commission on December 13th, 2022. The Hill CDC, as the long-standing community development organization and as a neighborhood Registered Community Organization (RCO), is just as disturbed as you may be to receive such short notice of this meeting AND to have little direct communication of final changes being made to the PLDP by the Developer or the City.

You may recall, the Pens and BPG have both failed to complete the Development Review Panel (DRP) process for the PLDP and Block E. The Pens submitted to the DRP for the PLDP revisions, but failed to respond to an invitation to present. BPG was asked to resubmit by the DRP after 24 months elapsed and significant changes were made to their plan, they refused to submit. Additionally, both organizations have meddled in the City’s RCO process by propping up new community organization(s) specifically with the intent to overlap boundaries of the Lower Hill, to create a surrogate voice of support for their plans, and to cause community confusion. The Hill CDC takes this unethical behavior from private developers very seriously, and such behavior encourages the Hill CDC to be even more strident in holding them (and any developer) accountable to the Development Review Panel process and the Community Collaboration and Implementation Plan. We invite elected and appointed City officials to do the same by ensuring that the City’s RCO Ordinance, which is intended to increase equity, is not weaponized against the very populations it aims to protect.

Video Clips

See the Lower Hill Development Team commit to working with the DRP as they were trying to secure support for the Block G1 (tower) from the City Planning Commission in May 2021. You will note that the private developer also attacked our community process and also stated that community ownership is not important.

Watch a video summary of outstanding community issues with the PLDP and Block E and what we need the City, URA and SEA to ensure in upcoming meetings.

Want a refresh on the two step DRP process; our community’s unified voice on community development?

Here’s what to expect on Tuesday…

The City of Pittsburgh, by way of the City Planning Commission, is to take great care and ensure that preliminary land development plans do not have an adverse impact on Pittsburgh’s residents and citizens — especially those most directly impacted by proximity. The Commission is responsible for guiding land use and development, deliberating on items such as impact on the public good, socio-economic impact, environmental impacts, traffic and parking, noise allowances and more. The City Planning Commission requested in their last deliberations that the Lower Hill Development Team do a better job of outlining commitments and fulfillment of Hill District commitments. As residents and community organizations, our job is to fact check the developers and to keep the record straight so that Commissioners hear all sides. When a Developer is doing a good job, it is our job to say that too. Unfortunately, there are too many broken promises for the upcoming hearing.

We’ve summed up community concerns here. Please spread the word!
Information to join the meeting is below.

Find information about the Lower Hill Development and how to register for the City of Pittsburgh Planning Commission meeting click below:

To provide public comment, you can:

• Email planningcommission@pittsburghpa.gov. Email testimony will be accepted until the business day before the meeting at 12 p.m.
• Send a letter to 100 Ross Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15219. Mailed testimony must be received by two business days before the meeting.
• Join the virtual Planning Commission meeting on 1/10/2023 (link below) and use raise hand function to request to speak.
• Call into the meeting on your phone and use raise hand function by pressing *9.