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Dozens object to proposed development in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood during public hearing | TribLIVE.com
Oakland

Dozens object to proposed development in Pittsburgh's Oakland neighborhood during public hearing

Julia Felton
4308436_web1_ptr-OaklandCrossings1-092422
Courtesy of Walnut Capital
An architect’s rendering of the proposed Oakland Crossings development.
4308436_web1_ptr-OaklandCrossings2-092422
Courtesy of Walnut Capital
An architect’s rendering of the proposed Oakland Crossings development.

Several dozen Pittsburgh residents, most from the city’s Oakland neighborhood, spoke in opposition to a proposed development that would require a zoning amendment.

Dubbed Oakland Crossings, the proposed 17-acre development would include a neighborhood grocery store, a 25% increase in urban green space and a pedestrian bridge stretching over the Boulevard of the Allies. The developers are proposing about 1,000 housing units in total.

Walnut Capital, the Shadyside developer behind Bakery Square and many other properties, would need a zoning amendment for the project. Mayor Bill Peduto last month sent City Council a proposal that would change the zoning requirements, creating a fifth “open public realm” subdistrict in Oakland.

Walnut Capital said they’ve been relying on input from Oakland residents, compiled in the Oakland Plan, for their ideas for the development. Yet many residents said during a public hearing Tuesday that the developers were not working in conjunction with their goals, and noted that their community planning process is still in progress.

“They hand-picked goals,” Wanda Wilson, Executive Director of the Oakland Planning and Development Corporation, said, adding she also objected to the fact that the zoning amendment was introduced by the mayor.

Many residents called for the developers to allow the community to finish developing their Oakland Plan, while others claimed the developers weren’t going through a proper public process.

The Oakland Planning and Development Corporation also objected to the proposal, arguing against making changes to the neighborhood’s zoning.

Kathleen Gallagher, an Oakland resident who was involved in the creation of the Oakland Plan, said she felt the developer wasn’t allowing for enough community involvement and should wait for the community to complete their plan.

“I believe that a project of this magnitude, which will impact every single one of us, deserves community input,” she said.

Residents said they believed their interests should come before those of Walnut Capital — though the developer has repeatedly said they are relying on the goals set forth by the Oakland Plan and trying to fulfill needs the residents have identified.

“Honor the people and process as opposed to special interests,” Janice Markowitz said, adding the process “reeks of a lack of transparency.”

Walnut Capital has said the development would include affordable housing, with an emphasis on walk-to-work housing for those working in Oakland. Several residents, however, said they feared affordable housing would not be part of their final plan, and worried that the development would force out existing residents.

“It would be unaffordable to our current residents,” resident Randy Sargent said.

No Oakland residents spoke in favor of the proposal during the public hearing.

Peduto’s office, however, has supported the development, which also was endorsed by Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald.

“Mayor Peduto supports development in Oakland that includes bringing a grocery store, expanded green space and walk-to-work housing to the neighborhood and improves the safety of the Boulevard of the Allies while creating thousands of needed construction jobs,” spokeswoman Molly Onufer said.

City Councilwoman Deb Gross said she wanted to look further into the process after hearing the questions raised by residents. She said she knew that the zoning administrator and city council members had the authority to introduce zoning amendments, but she was unsure how the process worked when the mayor initiated it.

“We’ve never seen this before,” she said.

Councilman Bruce Kraus said that it appeared many of the residents seemed more opposed to the process than the project itself, and asked for time to follow up with concerned residents before putting the item on an agenda.

“Walnut Capital — what they did at Bakery Square was transforming,” Councilman Anthony Coghill said, noting that the developer is based in the city and used local labor. “This, I think, will be a legacy project for them.”

Consensus between residents and the developer should be the goal, said Council President Theresa Kail-Smith, who was born and raised in Oakland. She said she didn’t want to see the neighborhood end up with nothing because they fight against development, but wanted to ensure that development in the area would be beneficial for residents.

Julia Felton is a TribLive reporter covering Pittsburgh City Hall and other news in and around Pittsburgh. A La Roche University graduate, she joined the Trib in 2020. She can be reached at jfelton@triblive.com.

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Categories: Local | Oakland | Pittsburgh | Top Stories
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