Mt Washington

[blueblackcat]

First, Chatham Village on Mt Washington was designated a National Historic Landmark last week, putting the site in the company of only around 2,500 such landmarks around the country. There's was a short mention of it in the Post Gazette.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05260/573342.stm

This is a better article from when it was first nominated for landmark status.

http://www.phlf.org/news/mediaclips/2005/2...MeadowChat.html

The designation regards Chatham Village, built in the early 1930s, as "one of the most celebrated and influential projects to result from Stein and Wright's highly creative, 10-year collaboration and the efforts of the Regional Planning Association of America to promote social reform and improvement in the housing of moderate-income Americans in metropolitan areas."

Its plan of low-rise buildings clustered around a village green helped shape the design of the first federally funded public housing projects of the 1930s.

Second, in the Mt Washington CDC newsletter there's an article about plans being drawn up to create a National Scenic Byway from Mt Washington's scenic roads, including Grandview and Mcardle. Grandview is already listed as a scenic byway, but this will greatly expand the area of designation and make it a national one. It will come with federal funding to rennovate the railings, lighting, overlooks, etc.

I don't have a direct link to it since the latest newsletter isn't online yet

http://www.mwcdc.org/

In the larger sense, these two designations are (will be) a windfall of recognition to both Pittsburgh and to New Urbanism. Both of these designations showcase that you don't have to "move out to the country" (aka suburbs) to live a quality life. It makes the rest of the country look like they're just trying to catch up.

[PghUSA]

blueblack, I have heard of this proposal, besides the recognition some federal grant money to spruce up the overlooks and Grandview. Long overdue if you ask me.

[TheGerbil]

I heard about that. It's very good news. I have long wished Grandview avenue and the vicinity would be fixed up, and now it appears that will happen.

This could be good for the city's image too, and maybe bring in tourists.

[tooluther]

The PG just reported that the byway statues was a no-go. I don't know what effect that will have on the new "next great park" project that will connect alot of the smaller parks just south of Mt. Washington and also with the "saddle"

[blueblackcat]

The PG just reported that the byway statues was a no-go. I don't know what effect that will have on the new "next great park" project that will connect alot of the smaller parks just south of Mt. Washington and also with the "saddle"

Well, those hopes were shut down pretty fast. Here's some more news about the byway and the new park from PG

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05265/575811.stm

[TheGerbil]

That's pretty lame. How is that NOT a scenic byway? Argh!