GOOD MORNING AND WELCOME TO WTAE WTAE LISTENS. I’M SHELDON INGRAM. TODAY WE ARE IN THE LOWER HILL DISTRICT AND WE’RE FOCUSING ON THE LOWER HILL DEVELOPMENT AND HOW IT IMPACTS THE MIDDLE AND UPPER HILL. BUT TO FOCUS ON THIS DEVELOPMENT, WE MUST FIRST TAKE A LOOK BACK AT THE PAST, AT THE PRESENT, AND HOW IT WILL IMPACT THE FUTURE. PITTSBURGH’S FAMED LOWER HILL PROJECT HIGHLY PUBLICIZED AND SCRUTINIZED A MASS OF 28 COVETED ACRES. IT HAS HISTORY DATING BACK TO THE 1800S. SALLY KIDD ODIN, BORN IN THE HILL DISTRICT IN 1943, THE FIRST AT LARGE MAGE SETTLEMENT OF AFRICAN AMERICANS, AN AND EUROPEAN IMMIGRANTS WAS IN THIS AREA WE NOW CALL THE HILL DISTRICT. THIS WAS THE. FIRST NEIGHBORHOOD THAT PEOPLE COULD FIND A HOME AND LIVE IN AND RAISE THEIR FAMILIES IN. AND AFTER THEY GOT OFF THE BOAT IN THE MID 1900S, THE LOWER HILL DISTRICT THRIVED WITH MULTICULTURAL FLAVOR. AT THE SAME TIME, BLACKS TURNED THE MIDDLE HILL INTO A VIBRANT CULTURAL HUB. AFRICAN AMERICANS WERE A LARGE PORTION OF THAT NEW COMMUNITY. BUT IN THE LATE 1950S, CITY PLANNERS AND THE URA MADE THE DECISION TO UPROOT RESIDENTS IN THE LOWER HILL TO MAKE ROOM FOR THE NEW CIVIC ARENA. THE BLACKS WHO WERE DISPLACED AND WERE NOT NECESSARILY THE LAND OWNERS, THEY WERE THE OCCUPANTS. THEY CREATED THE CULTURE, BUT THEY DIDN’T OWN THE LAND. DOWNTOWN WAS GETTING CROWDED AND THEY NEEDED MORE SPACE FOR THEIR CIVIC LIGHT. OPERA AND THE SYMPHONY AND ALL OF THOSE AMENITIES. AND THEY DIDN’T FEEL THAT THEY OWED THE CURRENT OCCUPANTS MUCH AT ALL. BUT HILL DISTRICT RESIDENTS ARE FIGHTING NOT TO REPEAT THAT HISTORY WITH THE LOWER HILL DEVELOPMENT. THAT IS WHY THEY HAVE FOUGHT TO ENSURE THAT BLACKS HAVE ACCESS TO JOBS, MINORITY CONTRACTS AND THE PROMISE OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS INVESTED BACK INTO THE HILL DISTRICT COMMUNITY. THAT INCLUDES RESURRECTING THE FAMED GRANADA THEATER AND TURNING IT INTO A CULTURAL MASTERPIECE AS LEASEHOLDERS OF THE LOWER HILL, THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS ORGANIZATION IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MEETING THOSE COMMITTED TENANTS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CITY AND DEVELOPER BUCCINI POLAND GROUP. THESE COMMITMENTS ARE GOVERNED BY THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT. THE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION. BUT BUT I WOULDN’T I WOULDN’T CALL IT JUSTICE. I WOULDN’T CALL IT CULTURAL BALANCE. IT’S A STEP TOWARD BALANCE AS CHANGES TAKE PLACE IN THE LOWER HILL, THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS ORGANIZATION SAYS IT IS WORKING TO DO IT THE RIGHT WAY. SO WE SIT DOWN WITH A KEY MEMBER OF THE FRONT OFFICE TO SEE HOW THE ORGANIZATION IS GOING TO REDEVELOP THE AREA AND BUILD BLACK WEALTH. AND THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR THIS INSTALLMENT OF WTAE WTAE LISTENS. I’M WITH KEVIN OAKLAND, WHO IS THE PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS OPERATIONS FOR THE PITTSBURGH PENGUINS. AND KEVIN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE FOR A VERY BE VERY POPULAR SUBJECT. IT HAS BEEN CONTROVERSIAL, HISTORICAL IN NATURE, THE LOWER HILL DEVELOPMENT. YEAH. GREAT TO BE WITH YOU. LET’S TALK FOR JUST A MOMENT ABOUT WHY THIS PROPERTY, 28 ACRES, I BELIEVE IT IS, IS SO IMPORTANT. SO HALLOWED, IF YOU WILL, BECAUSE IN THE 1800S, EUROPEAN IMMIGRANT SETTLED IN THE LOWER HILL, BLACKS WHO ESCAPED SLAVERY SETTLED IN THE LOWER HILL ALL TOGETHER. AND THEN WE MOVE THROUGH TO THE EARLY MID 1900S WHEN ALL OF THOSE FOLKS WERE MOVED OUT FOR THE CIVIC ARENA. THAT’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’T ALLOWING FOR BLACK ENTERTAINERS TO COME THERE. SO THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN THE 1950S, BY THAT POINT DUE TO SOME OF THE STRATEGIES AROUND URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AT THE TIME AFTER WORLD WAR TWO BECAME CAPTURED BY EMINENT DOMAIN, YOU HAD A LOT OF PEOPLE MOVED OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD. SO THERE WERE THREE AREAS OF THE CITY AT THE TIME WHERE THAT TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT HAPPENED. ONE WAS IN THE LOWER HILL DISTRICT, ONE WAS IN EAST LIBERTY, AND THE OTHER ONE ON THE NORTH SIDE. AND SO IF YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED THERE ON THE LOWER HILL WAS MANY THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WERE MOVED OUT, GOVERNMENT CAME IN AND BUILT A CIVIC ARENA. NOW THAT WAS TEN YEARS BEFORE THE PENGUINS EXISTED. THE CIVIC ARENA FOLKS WILL REMEMBER WAS ACTUALLY FOR THE OPERA, THE CIVIC LIGHT OPERA AT THE TIME. BUT IT BECAME THE PENGUINS HOME AGAIN. WE HOISTED THREE STANLEY CUPS THERE AT THE OLD BARN AS WE CALL IT, FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, IT’S A SYMBOL OF GREATNESS IN TERMS OF OUR SPORTS HISTORY. BUT FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, THE ARENA CARRIED A DIFFERENT TYPE OF IMAGE, AN IMAGE OF, YOU KNOW, WHERE FOLKS WEREN’T WELCOME, WHERE THEY WHERE THEIR HOMES USED TO BE, AND SO WHEN PPG PAINTS ARENA WAS FIRST BUILT 12 YEARS AGO AT THE TIME THE PENGUINS WERE AWARDED THE DEVELOPMENT RIGHTS FOR THE 28 ACRE SITE AND IT BECAME FOR US NOT ONLY A WAY FOR US TO INVEST IN A KEY PART OF THE CITY, TO REBUILD THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND RECONNECT THE HILL DISTRICT OF DOWNTOWN AND CREATE A NEW CENTER OF ENERGY FOR OUR FANS TO COME PRE AND POST GAME. BUT ALSO BECAME ABOUT SOCIAL EQUITY. I MEAN, YOU HAVE 28 ACRES. WOULDN’T IT BE GREAT IF YOU DID SOMETHING TRANSFORMATIONAL? SO WE GOT TOGETHER WITH COUNCILMAN DAN LAVELLE WITH MAYOR PEDUTO AT THE TIME, AND MAYOR GAINEY HAS STEPPED INTO THAT THAT LEADERSHIP ROLE. AND WE HAVE THE HIGHEST COMMITMENTS TO MINORITY AND WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES EVER IN THE CITY’S HISTORY. WE’RE GENERATING MILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT ARE GOING INTO A FUND TO INVEST IN THE MIDDLE AND UPPER HILL DISTRICT AGAIN, TO OFFSET THE SOMETIMES WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU HAVE DEVELOPMENT, YOU HAVE GENTRIFICATION THAT HAPPENS AND PEOPLE GET PUSHED OUT OF THEIR HOMES IN THE MIDDLE AND UPPER HILL DISTRICT. SO WE’VE BEEN WORKING NOW FOR ALMOST TEN YEARS TO TRY TO BUILD THE TYPE OF DEVELOPMENT THAT EVERYONE CAN BE. CAN BE PROUD OF. AND LET’S TALK ABOUT THAT DEVELOPMENT. THE CONCEPT OF IT IS NOT JUST A CONCEPT NOW BECAUSE IT’S ACTUALLY REALITY. WE HAVE THE FNB BANK TOWER THAT’S ALMOST COMPLETED, CORRECT? WE JUST PUT OUR LAST PIECE OF STEEL THERE LAST TUESDAY. THIS IS THE LARGEST STRUCTURE THAT WILL GO ON THAT PROPERTY. IS THAT CORRECT? IT IS. SO IT’S 27 STORIES. IT’S THE LARGEST MULTI-TENANT TOWER THAT’S BEEN BUILT IN THE CITY FOR 30 YEARS. SO THAT’S A BIG LIFT. THIS IS A PROJECT THAT STARTED RIGHT BEFORE THE PANDEMIC HIT. THAT TOWER WILL BE COMPLETED BY MIDDLE OF NEXT YEAR. IT’S A GORGEOUS BUILDING BEING AGAIN BUILT WITH ABOUT 30% PARTICIPATION WITH MINORITY BLACK OWNED BUSINESSES, WOMEN OWNED BUSINESSES. BUT IT’S ALSO GENERATING ABOUT $8 MILLION IN CASH. THAT’S GOING INTO A FUND TO TO BUILD AFFORDABLE HOUSING AND TO BUILD INFRASTRUCTURE. IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS. FAST FORWARD TO WHERE WE ARE NOW. YOU JUST APPROVED THE CONCERT VENUE OR THE URA APPROVED THE CONCERT VENUE, THE PLANS THERE. WHAT IS THAT GOING TO LOOK LIKE AND HOW WILL THAT FACILITATE THAT? THE VISION FOR THIS LOWER HILL DEVELOPMENT MUSIC AND CULTURE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THE GROUND, THE CENTER CORNERSTONE OF THIS DEVELOPMENT, HARKENING BACK TO THE HISTORY OF OF THE LOWER HILL WITH JAZZ AND THE NEW GRANADA THEATER IS A SMALLER PROJECT UP THE HILL THAT WE’RE WORKING NOW CLOSELY WITH THE HILL, CDC. WE MADE AN INVESTMENT AS PART OF OUR DEVELOPMENT INTO WHAT THEY’RE DOING THERE THROUGH OUR FOUNDATION. AND SO BRINGING MUSIC BACK TO THE LOWER HILL HAS ALWAYS BEEN THE GOAL. AND SO WE’RE VERY EXCITED. WE HAVE A PARTNERSHIP WITH LIVE NATION, ONE OF THE COUNTRY’S LARGEST PROMOTERS, WHERE WE’RE BRINGING 5000 SEAT CAPACITY INDOOR FACILITY, A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT YOU HAVE ON THE NORTH SIDE WITH STAGE II. THIS IS A LITTLE A LITTLE MORE FIXED SEATING, A LITTLE BIT MORE COMFORTABLE SEATING. A LOT OF ARTISTS TODAY ARE GOING FOR THE STADIUM TOURS AND THE BIG ARENA TOURS, BUT THEY ALSO LIKE THE MORE INTIMATE SHOWS. AND SO WE THINK THIS IS GOING TO CREATE A LOT MORE CONCERTS AND ACTIVITIES TO COME TO PITTSBURGH, NOT ONLY TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE AND TO HAVE SHOWS AND EVENTS, BUT TO GENERATE TAX REVENUE, TO PUT PEOPLE BACK INTO THE BARS AND RESTAURANTS DOWNTOWN THAT ARE STILL RECOVERING FROM THE PANDEMIC. WHAT IS THE VISION OF THIS HOUSING, THE HOUSING PLAN, IF YOU WILL? ARE WE TALKING ABOUT MARKET HOUSING AS WELL AS AFFORDABLE HOUSING MIXED TOGETHER? IT’S A MIX. HOW WILL YOU DO THAT? WELL, IT’S A MIX. AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT’S VERY IMPORTANT TO MAYOR GAINEY, WHO RAN ON INVESTING IN MORE AFFORDABILITY IN THE CITY. IF YOU LOOK AT WHAT’S HAPPENED IN THE STRIP DISTRICT TEN YEARS AGO, NO ONE LIVED IN THE STRIP DISTRICT. NOW YOU HAVE TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE MOVING THERE. WE’RE LOOKING TO CAPTURE SOME OF THAT ENERGY FOR THE LOWER HILL. IT’S A GREAT LOCATION IN BETWEEN DOWNTOWN AND OAKLAND, BUT WE WANT TO PUT HOUSING THERE. THAT HAS A MIX OF AFFORDABILITY. SO WE HAVE A 20% COMMITMENT TO AFFORDABLE THE T AND WE’RE ALSO GENERATING REVENUE FROM THE SITE THAT’S GOING INTO DEEPER AFFORDABILITY, INTO A FUND IN THE MIDDLE AND UPPER HILL DISTRICT. SO THE IDEA IS, IS THAT AS THE LOWER HILL GROWS, THERE ARE RESOURCES GOING BACK TO THE URA THAT ARE BEING INVESTED INTO THE MIDDLE AND UPPER HILL DISTRICT. YOU KNOW, UP UNTIL THIS POINT, THERE’S BEEN A LOT OF I WANT SAY, A LOT OF CONTROVERSY, BUT THERE HAS BEEN SOME CONTROVERSY THERE. THERE’S BEEN ACCOUNTABILITY. ABSOLUTELY. THE THOUGHT AND THE SPEAK OF ACCOUNTABILITY BY THE PENGUINS AND THE DEVELOPERS TO MAKE SURE THAT SOME OF THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD ARE NOT RUN OUT OR THAT THEIR CARERS ARE ADDRESSED. HOW HAS THAT PLAYED OUT UP TO THIS POINT? ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THE CONVERSATIONS YOU’VE HAD WITH THE COMMUNITY, WITH THE HILL? CDC WELL, ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE DID, SHELDON, IS WE BUILT A DEVELOPMENT TEAM MADE UP OF RESIDENTS OF THE HILL DISTRICT. SO WE HIRED BEAUMONT HOUSE, WHO GREW UP IN THE HILL DISTRICT. HIS FATHER HAD BEEN ON COUNCIL BACK IN THE DAY. SALAHUDDIN YOU REMEMBER SALAH BOMANI IS SOMEBODY WHO HAS BEEN AT THE TABLE FIGHTING FOR THE COMMUNITY AND FIGHTIG FOR OPPORTUNITIES FOR YEARS BEFORE I EVEN CAME TO THE TEAM AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT IS HARD IF YOU DO IT THE RIGHT WAY. IT’S HARD IF YOU’RE MEETING PEOPLE IN THE STREETS AND GIVING EVERYBODY A VOICE AND SITTING AROUND A ROUND TABLE AND EXPOSING YOURSELF TO BEING TOMATOES THROWN AT YOU. IT’S NOT ALWAYS ABOUT THE PEOPLE AT THE TABLE. IT’S ABOUT WHAT YOU REPRESENT, WHICH IS POWER. FROM YEARS PAST. AND SO I GIVE A LOT OF CREDIT TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE HILL DISTRICT WHO OVER MANY DECADES, DECADES AND GENERATIONS WERE PROMISED THINGS BY POLITICIANS WHO WOULD COME IN AND TRY TO DIVIDE AND CONQUER. WE’RE TRYING TO BUILD CONSENSUS. AND ANY TIME, AS I LIKE TO SAY, WHEN YOU HEAR THINGS COMING OUT OF THE NEWS ABOUT THE LOWER HILL, THAT MEANS WE’RE MAKING PROGRESS. IT MEANS WE’RE HAVING THOSE HARD CONVERSATIONS. ONE OF WHICH WE JUST HAD WAS IN IN THE 1950S. THERE WAS A CHURCH, MAGE BETHEL AME, WHICH WAS THE FIRST BLACK CHURCH WEST OF THE ALLEGHENIES, CAME FROM THE MOTHER BETHEL IN PHILADELPHIA TO LAND HERE, AND A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, A NEW PASTOR CAME TO TOWN. PASTOR SNYDER, WHO GAVE ME A CALL AND SAID, HEY, LET’S TALK ABOUT DOING SOMETHING GREAT. AND SO WE WORK WITH THE CHURCH HAND IN HAND. WE FOUND OUT THE ORIGINAL LOCATION. PART OF IT WAS UNDER A ROAD. AND SO INSTEAD WHAT WE DID IS WE IDENTIFIED ANOTHER PIECE OF LAND AND WE CONTRIBUTED TOWARD A PROJECT WITH THE CHURCH THAT WE HOPEFULLY CAN WILL BUILD SOMETHING GREAT THERE. WE’RE LOOKING AT SOME ADDITIONAL HOUSING, MAYBE EVEN RECREATING THE CHURCH THAT’S JUST ONE EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE CAN ACCOMPLISH AS PITTSBURGHERS LOOKING BACK 70 YEARS AGO, TWO MISTAKES THAT WERE MADE. WE DON’T JUST HAVE TO POINT TO THE TIME AND SAY WE WEREN’T RESPONSIBLE THEN, WE WEREN’T HERE THEN. WE’RE HERE NOW AND AND WE’RE BRINGING PEOPLE TOGETHER. WE’RE TRYING TO FASHION A BETTER CITY. WE’RE TRYING TO WIN, WIN A STANLEY CUP FIRST AND FOREMOST. BUT A LOT OF WHAT WE’RE WE’RE DOING AS AN ORGANIZATION IS TO TO REINVEST IN THE CITY AND REBUILD THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. STILL AHEAD, THE GOAL, OF COURSE, IS ALWAYS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE IN AGREEMENT AND WE CAN MOVE FORWARD. COLLABORATIVE MIKE LEE, BECAUSE DEVELOPMENT IS TOUGH. IT REALLY IS ACCOUNTABILITY. HOW COMMUNITY ADVOCATES ARE WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT NEIGHBORHOOD EVOLUTION COMES WITH EQUITY. AND WELCOME BACK TO WTAE WTAE LISTENS MAKING SURE THAT THE RESIDENTS OF THE HILL DISTRICT HAVE A VOICE IN THE LOWER HILL. DEVELOPMENT IS THE GOAL OF THE HILL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION. ITS PRESIDENT AND CEO SAYS THAT IT IS CRUCIAL THAT THEY HAVE A SEAT AT THE TABLE. THANK YOU FOR STAYING WITH US FOR WTAE WTAE LISTENS AS WE CONTINUE OUR DISCUSSION ON THE LOWER HILL WITH THE HILL DISTRICT COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, THE PRESIDENT AND CEO MARIMBA MULLINS JOINS US. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING ON THE SHOW FOR THIS IMPORTANT DISCUSSION. SO FIRST OF ALL, WHAT IS THE HILL CDC, HOW DID YOU GUYS COME ABOUT AND WHY? SO THE HILL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS A, YOU KNOW, AN ORGANIZATION THAT IS FOCUSED ON THE REVITALIZATION, THE COMPREHENSIVE REVITALIZATION OF THE HILL DISTRICT, NEIGHBORHOOD. AND IT WAS INITIALLY FOUNDED IN 1987, AND THERE WERE ITERATIONS OF A COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION PRIOR TO THAT. BUT IN 1987, THE HILL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION WAS INCORPORATED AND IS REALLY CHARGED WITH ENSURING THAT COMMUNITY BENEFITS RELATIVE TO AND DEVELOPMENT ARE BROUGHT ONLINE FOR THE HILL DISTRICT NEIGHBORHOOD THAT CAN BE AFFORDABLE HOUSING, THAT COULD BE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, IT COULD BE AN ARRAY OF THINGS, IT COULD BE ADVOCACY FOR CRITICAL ISSUES THAT ARE PREVENTING THE FROM THE NEIGHBORHOOD, FROM FROM GROWING AND FLOURISHING. NOW, I THINK MORE BROADLY, THE IMPORTANT THING IS TO REMEMBER THAT, YOU KNOW, ONE OF THE KEY PARTS OF THE CCIP, THE COMMUNITY COLLABORATION AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN IS AND WAS THAT THE HILL DISTRICT, THE MIDDLE HILL DISTRICT AND THE UPPER HILL DISTRICT IS NOT LEFT BEHIND AS THE LOWER HILL DISTRICT IS REDEVELOPED. RIGHT. AND SO IF WE ARE NOT CONSISTENTLY FOCUSED ON COORDINATED COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS WHAT IT IS EXPLICITLY CALLED IN THE COMMUNITY COLLABORATION AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN, THE MIDDLE HILL DISTRICT IN THE UPPER HILL DISTRICT WILL ABSOLUTELY BE LEFT BEHIND AND WE’LL BE LEFT WITH THE NEGATIVE IMPACTS OF GENTRIFYING STATION AND NONE OF THE BENEFITS OF THE ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION THAT’S COMING THERE. SO HOW DID THE HILL CDC GAIN A SEAT AT THE TABLE WITH THE LOWER HILL DEVELOPMENT, WITH THE URA AND THE PENGUINS? GREAT QUESTION. SO THE HILL CDC WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN NEGOTIATING THE COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT, SPECIFICALLY THE COMMUNITY COLLABORATION AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN. THERE ARE TWO COMMUNITY BENEFITS AGREEMENT THAT WERE NEGOTIATED RELATIVE TO THE LOWER HILL DISTRICT. ONE WAS SPECIFIC TO THE ARENA AND THE SECOND WAS IS SPECIFIC TO THE 28 ACRE REDEVELOPMENT SITE. AND SO THE COMMUNITY COLLABORATION IMPLEMENTATION PLAN WAS NEGOTIATED BY A GROUP OF STAKEHOLDERS, HILL CDC REALLY CO-LED THAT EFFORT WITH COUNCILMAN LAVELLE, AND WE NEGOTIATED A DEAL THAT WE THINK REALLY WILL AFFORD THE HILL DISTRICT TO BE DEVELOPED IN LINE WITH WHAT’S HAPPENING ON THE LOWER HILL DISTRICT SO THAT IT IS NOT LEFT BEHIND AS THE LOWER HILL DISTRICT DEVELOPS. THE WAY THAT I AND THE HILL CDC VIEW THE REDEVELOPMENT EFFORT IS REALLY ON A BLOCK BY BLOCK BASIS, RIGHT? SO CURRENTLY, WHAT’S UNDER DEVELOPMENT, MOST PEOPLE HAVE NOTICED THAT THERE’S A VERY LARGE TOWER GOING UP ON BLOCK G1 AND BLOCK G FOUR. THAT IS ONE DEVELOPMENT THAT SHOULD HAVE ITS OWN SET OF COMMUNITY BENEFITS. THAT SHOULD BE REALLY DETERMINED BASED ON WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN ON THAT SITE. SUCH AS? SUCH AS YOU KNOW, WHETHER OR NOT ENTREPRENEURS FROM THE HILL DISTRICT WILL BE ABLE TO HAVE OFFICE SPACE THERE, WHETHER OR NOT THERE WILL BE ANY OWNERSHIP, MINORITY OWNERSHIP AS A PART OF THE DEAL ON THE LOWER HILL, WHETHER OR NOT THERE WILL BE CONTRACTS AND PROCUREMENT CONTRACTS NOT JUST FOR CONSTRUCTION, BUT OVER THE LONG HAUL, THERE ARE GOING TO BE A LOT OF PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITIES THAT COME OUT OF A DEAL OF THAT SIZE. AND SO, SO SO WHEN WE TALK ABOUT COMMUNITY BENEFITS, WE BELIEVE THEY SHOULD BE NEGOTIATED ON A BLOCK BY BLOCK BASIS RIGHT NOW, WE JUST FINISHED THE NEGOTIATIONS AROUND BLOCK E, AND THAT IS THE LIVE NATION VENUE AND THE PARKING GARAGE. AND SO THOSE SOME OF THOSE TERMS WERE NEGOTIATED AT THE URA AND AT THE CITY LEVEL. AND THE HILL CITY C MORE RECENTLY REALLY TOOK THE LEADERSHIP IN MAKING SURE THAT THOSE BENEFITS ACTUALLY GOT DELIVERED AS OPPOSED TO THEM JUST BEING COMMITTED IN 2019. BUT THE WAY WE REALLY WANT TO HANDLE IT IS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE BENEFITS ARE NEGOTIATED BEFORE THE DEVELOPMENT STARTS. RIGHT. AND THIS ALLOWS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT TO MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT ANY ANY ISSUES, AND IT ALLOWS FOR THE COMMUNITY TO REST, ASSURE THAT THERE ARE THEY’RE NOT GOING TO BE GET THE SHORT END OF THE STICK RELATIVE TO INVESTMENT. AND SO THEY NEGOTIATED SOME TERMS THAT THEY THOUGHT WERE APPROPRIATE AND AND HILL, CDC AND SOME OTHER COMMUNITY MEMBERS SAID, WELL, WAIT A MINUTE, THERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE NEED TO SEE BEFORE YOU ALL CLOSE THAT DEAL, SUCH AS? SUCH AS SUPPORTING THE NEW GRANADA THEATER, SUCH AS MAKING SURE THAT THE COMMITMENTS AT AMMAN RECREATION CENTER, A FINANCIAL INVESTMENT AT AMMAN RECREATION CENTER, HAPPENS, SUCH AS FINALIZING THE FUNDING FOR THE CURTAIN CALL PROJECT, WHICH IS A SUSTAINABILITY AND PUBLIC ART PROJECT THAT WAS DEVELOPED BY A VERY WELL RENOWNED LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT, AFRICAN AMERICAN LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT. WHY IS SUPPORT FOR THE GRANADA THEATER SO IMPORTANT? AND IT’S A LEGACY LANDMARK, BUT EXPLAIN WHY COOPERATION OR FUNDING FOR THAT IS SO CRITICAL. ABSOLUTELY. I MEAN, THE NEW GRANADA SQUARE BLOCK IS A $70 MILLION REINVESTMENT PROJECT IN THE HEART OF A NEIGHBORHOOD THAT’S STILL LOW TO MODERATE INCOME. RIGHT. AND SO WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT CAPITAL INVESTMENT AND WHAT CAN BE UTILIZE TO SPUR ECONOMIC REVITALIZE ATION, YOU CAN’T DO IT WITHOUT JOBS. YOU CAN’T DO IT WITHOUT HAVING SOME TYPE OF AMENITIES FOR THE COMMUNITY. YOU CAN’T DO IT WITHOUT HAVING ATTRACTIONS FOR THE BROADER REGION TO COME AND BRING THEIR CAPITAL AND INVEST IN THE REGION SO THAT JOBS CAN BE SUSTAINED. AND SO THE THE HISTORIC NEW GRANADA IN PARTICULAR AND THE SURROUNDING DEVELOPMENT THAT IS HAPPENING HAS A BROUGHT 40 NEW AFFORDABLE APARTMENT UNITS TO THE MAIN STREET, INCLUDING ADDING 2 IN 1 BEDROOM APARTMENTS. IT HAS BROUGHT FIVE AFFORDABLE AND ATTAINABLE, I’LL SAY, RETAIL SPACES. THE HISTORIC BUILDING WILL BE REVITALIZED AND AN ADDITIONAL OFFICE BUILDING WILL BRING EVEN MORE AMENITIES TO THE CORE. LASTLY, THE NEXT BIG THING ON THIS LOWER HILL DEVELOPMENT IS THE HOUSING PLAN. AND SO IT STARTS WITH ANYWHERE FROM 350 UNITS TO POSSIBLY TO 1000. YOU HAVE ANY IDEA AS TO WHAT THE COMMUNITY WANTS AND WHAT YOU WILL BRING TO THE TABLE WITH AS AS THAT DEVELOPMENT PROCEEDS, WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS REALLY GOING TO WANT TO SEE IS, YOU KNOW, MEETING THE GREATER HILL DISTRICT MASTER PLAN, WHICH IS 30% OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING, SOME OF WHICH SHOULD BE AVAILABLE TO LOW INCOME FAMILIES, BECAUSE WE TALK ABOUT AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN THIS KIND OF BROAD LANGUAGE, A LOT OF TIMES PEOPLE ARE CONFUSED. SO OFTENTIMES DEVELOPERS WILL USE THE LANGUAGE OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING. BUT WHEN THE COMMUNITY REALIZES IS HOW IT BREAKS DOWN, THEY REALIZE IT’S NOT VERY, VERY AFFORDABLE AT ALL. SO OUR GOAL IS TO MAKE SURE THAT A VERY CONSIDERABLE PORTION OF THE DEVELOPMENT IS AFFORDABLE TO PEOPLE OF THE HILL DISTRICT. STILL AHEAD, MY GOAL IS TO USE THIS DEVELOPMENT TO HELP RE-ENERGIZE, REINVEST IN THE BLACK COMMUNITY, SIGNING OFF ON PROJECTS THAT PROMOTE PROGRESS. THE AGENCY DECIDING THE FATE OF EACH PHASE OF THE LOWER HILL DEVELOPMENT. WELCOME BACK TO WTAE WTAE LISTENS. THE LOWER HILL DEVELOPMENT IN EVERY MAJOR PROJECT IN PITTSBURGH NEEDS THE GREEN LIGHT FROM THE URBAN REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND ITS VICE CHAIR, DANIEL LAVELLE SAYS THAT IT IS A MULTIFACETED JOB. SO THE URA IS STEWARD OF PUBLICLY OWNED LAND AND SO WITH THAT WE HAVE TO ENSURE THAT WE’RE DOING RIGOROUS REVIEW OF ANY PROPOSAL COMING FORWARD, ENSURING THAT IT’S FEASIBLE, ENSURING THAT IT’S IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE MASTER PLAN THAT’S BEEN CREATED WITH ALL THE CITY REGULATIONS THAT ARE IN PLACE REGARDING THE LOWER HILLS SITE. AND SO THERE’S A LOT OF TECHNICAL REVIEW IN THAT PROCESS. AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALSO SORT OF PLAY A COMPLEMENTARY ROLE OF BEING BOTH SORT OF WHAT I’LL CALL A FACILITATOR AND A REFEREE AT TIMES BETWEEN BOTH THE COMMUNITY’S INTERESTS AND THE DEVELOPER’S INTERESTS. LAVELLE WAS BORN AND RAISED IN THE HILL DISTRICT AND NOW REPRESENTS THE NEIGHBORHOOD ON CITY COUNCIL. HE SAYS AS THE URA LOOKS OVER EVERY PROPOSED PROJECT HE HAS, THE AREA’S BEST INTEREST AT HEART. I WANT TO SEE WORLD CLASS DEVELOPMENT ON THE LOWER HILL, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY FOR ME IS I WANT TO ENSURE THAT THE LOWER HILL REDEVELOPMENT, IT HELPS TO REBUILD THE MIDDLE AND UPPER HILL DISTRICT AND SPECIFICALLY HELPS REBUILD THE ECONOMICS OF THAT COMMUNITY. BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER GOVERNMENT, THE CITY OF PITTSBURGH AND THE URA BEING THE FIRST REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY IN THE COUNTRY, WERE LITERALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE DETERIORATION OF THE HILL DISTRICT WHEN THEY TOURED US UNDER MANY YEARS AGO AND THE LACK OF INVESTMENT EVER SINCE THEN. AND SO MY GOAL IS TO USE EVERY LEVERAGE, EVERY TOOL THAT I CAN, EVERY GOVERNMENTAL DOLLAR POSSIBLE TO REINVEST IN THE MIDDLE AND UPPER HILL DISTRICT. YOU’RE WATCHING WTAE WTAE LISTENS. WE’LL BE RIGHT BACK. WELCOME BACK TO WTAE WTAE LISTENS. WHETHER YOU LIVE IN ONE OF PITTSBURGH’S NEIGHBORHOODS OR ANY OF THE SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES, TELL US WHAT’S WRONG AND WHAT’S RIGHT IN YOUR AREA. SO WE CAN LISTEN. YOU CAN SEND AN EMAIL TO WTAE WTAE LISTENS AT HEARST.COM. THANKS FOR JOINING US AND HAVE A GREAT WEEK.