Finding Allegheny Allegheny has been a part of Pittsburgh for a century now and its identity has to some degree ceased to exist except in a few neighborhood names, an unappreciated center and as a neighborhood in the “Northside” of Pittsburgh.

Allegheny took longer to settle than Pittsburgh, but in the mid Nineteenth century historical accounts noted that prominent Pittsburghers preferred to live in “suburbs” like Allegheny.

Today we think of Allegheny more in terms of a central city than a suburb. The part of Allegheny closest to the river has become little more than an extension of downtown Pittsburgh.

This past year has seen much discussion over what’s to become of Allegheny’s Center, now known as Allegheny Center. Talks of new parks and “re-connecting the grid” abound. Yet in an area where countless people had businesses, worked, shopped and lived, only a handful of institutions have ownership stake in Allegheny Center today. “re-connecting the grid” will not be able to change that and only bring 21st century auto traffic into an area originally defined in the Nineteenth century.

Its true, there’s no sign of the Allegheny of 1850 there today, and even little of the Allegheny of 1900. But why not bring a little of the history back?

I’d like to throw a twist out there on an earlier suggestion, that of reconstructing the market house. Not the market house that many old timers remember, but a market house in a structure that would reach back to the original town. Rebuilding a building to replicate the original town hall would both take Allegheny back to her roots a market to bring life back into Allegheny.

The reconstructed building need not be on its original spot—the old Buhl Planetarium is there, it could be anywhere in Allegheny Center and there are plenty of spots where this building might fit. If it were constructed close to the place where the farmer’s market is held in the East Commons, that institution could simply be moved inside for fresh produce year-round.

Commemorating the anniversary of Allegheny’s annexation and approaching Pittsburgh’s 250th birthday, looking back before our own memories, before the age of steel to the age of canals and glass, grazing land and ship building will provide the best foresight into the future. Rebuilding the City Hall as a market would help provide this window for Allegheny.

Photo:Retail businesses in residential buildings help New Hope, PA thrive with sidewalk traffic making the area attractive to residents and visitors alike.

Neighbors Chime In On Zoning

Respondents to a recent City Home News survey like the idea of having small shops and other businesses being opened in residential buildings. From Greenwich Village to Savannah, small shops and offices in residential buildings help to keep a city healthy and vibrant. Good examples here are Ellsworth Avenue in Shadyside as well as Craig Street and Atwood Street in Oakland.

Eighty-eight percent of readers responded "yes" to the question of "Many cities have small shops mixed into urban neighborhoods, sometimes with boutiques in old houses. Should this be encouraged/allowed in Pittsburgh?" Just eleven percent responded "no."

Opposition to commercial uses in Pittsburgh partially comes from the idea that an existing commercial business would buy up houses and tear them down for parking if the houses were zoned for commercial uses. There are many examples of this happening. The solution may be to create a new zoning category for small retail businesses that don't occupy more than the typical ground floor square footage of a typical house, say 1,000 SF. They should not allowed to accomodate for parking, with the business relying primarily on foot traffic.

Another possibility could be an ordinance allowing artists who work in their home to hang a shingle and sell their products from their living room. This could apply to the entire city or just specific districts.

Also creating additional historic districts and protecting buildings from demolition could allow for commercial uses, encourage lively neighborhoods and prevent a suburbanization effect when properties are demolished for parking.

I agree with the majority of respondents when they say shops should be able to open in residential buildings, because single-use neighborhoods--places where there is primarily or exclusively housing-- is a suburbanizing affect of another sort. Photo: Imagine how Chestnut Street could benefit from small shops and galleries in the homes...

One of the great experiences in life can be bringing an old house back from the edge of oblivion. Its increasingly difficult these days to find a house with enough character to invest a lot of time and energy in. Dunn Real Estate currently has a home listed that in my opinion, has what it takes (if you do) to be a great home. Its a Victorian with a central hall, only four rooms and an attic, but the rooms are of a decent size. It needs everything from the interior to the exterior, but all of the details and charm are intact (if you can see through the mess). Not only that, but there's a view of downtown Pittsburgh. Check it out at Dunnrealtor.com or drive by 840 Vista Street in East Allegheny/Spring Hill.

An engaging conversation can be found in the archives on the East Allegheny Yahoo group about zoning (and libertarianism). I'd like add at this point that that in some cities (San Francisco comes to mind) zoning is used (intently or indirectly) to make landowners rich by controlling and restricting development. This keeps prices high and favors those who got in early. It seriously restricts the market and hinders its functioning. The larger issue I have with zoning however is that it encourages a car-oriented society just as the construction of highways does.

James Howard Kunstler is a good resource on this and I'll summarize his points here (all quoted from article linked below):

• For the previous 300-odd years of American history we didn't have zoning laws.


• If you want to make your community better, begin at once by throwing out your zoning laws. Don't revise them -- get rid of them.


• Replace these things with a traditional town-planning ordinance that prescribes a more desirable everyday environment.


• After the Second World War zoning began to overshadow all the historic elements of civic art and civic life.


• Shopping was declared an obnoxious industrial activity around which people shouldn't be allowed to live. This tended to destroy age-old physical relationships between shopping and living, as embodied, say, in Main Street.


• What zoning produces is suburban sprawl.


• The model of the human habitat dictated by zoning is a formless, soul-less, centerless, demoralizing mess.
  
  Here's Kunstler's article