West End Revitalization

A few days ago, the Tribune Review had a really promising article on the plan to revitalize the West End Valley. Much of the article talks about local real estate mogul Rick Hvizdak. Mr. Hvizdak has done some wonderful things for the West End area, but I'm just wondering if this is all just dreams and hope that we have seen before, but without any real substance.

Here is another article from 2006, detailing some of Mr. Hvizdak's ideas. He really does provide a lot of promise to the residents of the area.

Just about a year ago, an article came out explaining that West End was picked for "Mainstreets Funding" by the Urban Redevelopment Authority. Did anything actually get completed with this money?

We've heard all of this many times before. Remember when the Chapel of Blues opened, and around the same time, another bar/restaurant was supposed to open across from the West End ParkHouse/Grill 424/Temperanceville Tavern. I believe that building is torn down now.

Here's an article from about 3 years ago getting everyone pumped up for a new revitalization plan. How many of the businesses featured here are still in business? I remember being down in the West End a few years ago, eating lunch at an outside table at the ParkHouse. Mainstreet was closed, and there was a big party launching the plan to develop the entire building across the street. There were huge posters featuring artists renderings of what it would look like. I wonder what happened to those plans? Believe me, I was excited for while, but not anymore.

Here's another article from about 3 years ago.

Read this article from the City Paper, about how and why some of the plans may have failed. Granted, it's 4 years old, but has some pretty good stuff in it.

Being a life long West End resident, I am really hoping all these ideas come to fruition. There are already some really good business that I wish more residents utilized. I try to do my part. I order from Nikki's Pizza(I think they have the best Gyros's around), I get my taxes done at the Black Agency, I do Happy Hour at Tramp's every once in a while, I take my daughter to the Carnegie library. Carol's Restaurant is very good, I highly recommend it.

Mudslide

The West End enjoyed a big day in the local news yesterday due to a Mudslide that came down onto Steuben Street, from Elliott Street. Here is a video from the Post-Gazette. Here is the corresponding article.

The Pittsburghchannel.com has a good story on the mud slide, with a nice helicopter video. And another from WPXI.