{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://doyle.house.gov/press-release/infrastructure-reconnect-lower-hill-and-downtown-reaches-important-milestone", "Infrastructure to Reconnect Lower Hill and Downtown Reaches Important Milestone", "2016-10-07", "2016", "2016-10", "Democrat", "House", "PA", "Mike Doyle", "D000482", "doyle.house.gov", null, null, "legacy", "Pittsburgh, PA \u2013 U.S. Representative Mike Doyle (D-PA-14) joined Governor Wolf, local officials, and community members to celebrate the completion of the construction of new streets in the Lower Hill Infrastructure Project. Following brief statements, officials participated in a ceremonial ribbon \u201cconnecting\u201d before the streets opened to the public.\n\u00a0\n\u201cWe\u2019ve worked hard to get to this point, so it\u2019s a real pleasure to have this phase of the redevelopment effort completed and see these streets open,\u201d Congressman Doyle noted. \u201cThis infrastructure makes everything else possible. I\u2019m looking forward to the next stage in the process and the construction of buildings that will soon line these streets. I can\u2019t wait to see this site become a vibrant community again, with thousands of Pittsburghers living and working here.\u201d\n\u00a0\n\u201cThrough our work with the public and private sector on this project, we are working to correct a mistake made almost 70 years ago,\u201d said Governor Tom Wolf. \u201cThis project begins to right that wrong, and will help to redevelop the lower hill area in a way that will not only bring value and enrich the land, but will like the Hill District to downtown and provide real benefits to this community.\u201d\n\u00a0\nThis portion of the project, deemed \u201cElement I,\u201d included the construction of a new Fullerton Street that connects Bedford Avenue to Centre Avenue, and a new portion of Wylie Avenue which joins Fullerton Street to Crawford Street. During the urban renewal of the 1950s, all of the streets in the 28-acre site were removed. The reconstruction of the streets includes modern, walkable sidewalks that reconnect the Hill District to downtown.\n\u00a0\nFunding for the work was provided through an $11.5 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) award and $1 million of Transportation Alternatives Program (TAP) funding.\n\u00a0\nThe infrastructure project has been designed, and is being constructed, as part of a planned Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Neighborhood Development certification. It includes energy efficient street lighting, stormwater planters and street trees. Additionally, the design include pedestrian and traffic safety improvements, upgrades to storm and sanitary lines, and improved bicycle connections.\n\u00a0\nOther roadway work is currently underway which will provide a new Logan Street, connecting Bedford to Centre Avenue, Wylie Avenue continuing to the new Logan Street, and a new intersection at Logan Street and Centre Avenue. Construction on \u201cElement II\u201d is expected to be complete in Summer 2017.\u00a0\n\u00a0\n\u201cThis project is evidence of what we can accomplish when we all work together. I thank Congressman Doyle, Governor Wolf and the members of the General Assembly for their continued support of these efforts, and for the funding for which they have advocated,\u201d said Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald. \u201cThere are few places in this country that have the opportunity to redevelop a 28-acre site in their downtown corridor, but that is what we have \u2013 and it is a great opportunity. I\u2019m excited to celebrate the completion of the first streets here on the site and can already envision what it will look like teeming with people and industry once again.\u201d\n\u00a0\nThe new street grid creates parcels that will support a mixed-use development which will include 606,000 square feet of Class A office space, over 254,000 square feet of commercial space, a 150-room hotel, 2.8 acres of public green open space and 1,191 residential units. Private partners are expected to invest over $379 million in the project.\n\u00a0\n\u201cThis project is about reconnecting the Hill District with Downtown Pittsburgh, and providing ladders of opportunity toward a more equitable city economy,\u201d said Mayor William Peduto. \u201cResidents of the Hill District deserve better access to employment, education and prosperity, and we are pleased to take initial steps toward those goals.\u201d\n\u00a0\nIn the mid-1950s, the Lower Hill District was declared blighted resulting in 1,300 buildings on 95 acres being cleared, displacing over 8,000 people and 413 businesses. The ambitious plans for urban renewal never fully materialized and what was once a thriving community became mostly surface parking.\u00a0\n\u00a0\nThe Lower Hill Infrastructure Project will help to repair the mistakes of the 1950s and extend the economic strengths of Downtown to the Hill District. When complete, the development is projected to create 2,948 permanent jobs.\n\u00a0\nIn future phases, more new streets will be built, and a cap with streets and greenspace will be built over Route I-579 to reestablish the connection between the Lower Hill District and downtown Pittsburgh that was destroyed decades ago when I-579 and the Civic Arena were built. By providing improved access between these neighborhoods, and to the transit system Downtown, the I-579 Cap Urban Connector will promote public and private development in the Hill District and help create new jobs for Hill District residents.\n\u00a0\nCongressman Doyle worked with local community leaders to secure $20.5 million in federal funding to assist in the redevelopment of the city\u2019s Lower Hill District through the construction of the I-579 Cap Urban Connector.\n\u00a0\n\u00a0\n# # #", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://doyle.house.gov/press-release/infrastructure-reconnect-lower-hill-and-downtown-reaches-important-milestone"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 0.6635533645749092, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}