Hill House Association Announces Topping-Off Ceremony on Grocery Store and Retail Complex at Centre Heldman Plaza

PITTSBURGH, May 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- 

The Hill House Association, www.hillhouse.org and its Hill House Economic Development Corporation (HHEDC), a 501 (c) 3 community development organization, announce a "topping-off" ceremony and press conference to extend gratitude and celebrate with the community and its broad base of stakeholders the final phase of construction of the long-awaited Centre Heldman Plaza and its anchor Shop 'n Save grocery store. The topping-off ceremony will give witness to the installation of the final steel beam in the complex.  

Speakers at the ceremony include Cheryl Hall-Russell, President and CEO of the Hill House Association and Hill House Economic Development Corporation, along with Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and Carl Redwood, Community Organizer with Hill District Consensus Group.

James N. Williams III, Chair of the Hill House Economic Development Corporation remarks, "Accessibility to fresh meat, fish and produce in low-income neighborhoods is a national issue and with this new market, one that our community no longer faces.  I am pleased to see organizations within and around the Hill District community working together to create a full-service grocery store and supportive retailers offering additional products and services for the over 35,000 people living in the area."

The plaza totals 37,203 square feet, and is located on the corner of Centre Avenue and Heldman Street in the Hill District neighborhood of Pittsburgh.  The site's combination of supermarket and local/regional retailers will attract foot traffic and vehicle traffic into the corridor, spurring economic revitalization of the area. 

Cheryl Hall-Russell says, "The topping off of the steel on this project is symbolic of the heights the combined stakeholders had to climb to ensure this neighborhood had a retail center.  It also signals that the continuing efforts to create economic engines are paying off and the Hill House could not be more proud to be a significant part of this effort."

The Hill District has recently enjoyed ongoing residential revitalization, but lacked a focus on commercialization to provide convenient retail services, such as a supermarket, pharmacy, and restaurants. Key neighborhood stakeholders, The Pittsburgh Penguins, foundations, the county and the city, nonprofits and private enterprises collaborated on the project for the most positive outcome. 

Mayor Luke Ravenstahl states, "This topping-off celebration marks a great moment for everyone involved in the project and the citizens of the Hill District and surrounding neighborhoods.  The vision and cooperation it took to move this development forward is nothing short of remarkable.  We can all celebrate today and look to a future of expanded growth for the Hill District."

The opening of the new Shop 'n Save marks the first full-service grocery store in the Hill District in over 30 years.  Operated by Ross Markets, and owner Jeff Ross, the supermarket represents the only full-service grocery store within 2.7 miles of the Hill District. The lack of access to fresh foods has long marked the Hill District as a "food desert" and has been a hindrance to growth and economic development, as well as a community health issue. 

Michael Jasper, the Chair of the Hill House Association Board of Directors remarks, "This project was indeed a dream deferred.  To see us celebrating the final piece of steel in place makes me incredibly proud as both a Hill District resident and as the president of the board of the Hill House Association.  It has been an enormous undertaking that could only take place with community and city-wide support for which we are grateful. "

"The number one concern of residents of the Hill has been to have a grocery store in the neighborhood," states Carl Redwood Junior of the Hill District Consensus.  "Hill neighbors fought and negotiated to get the initial investments for the store. The One Hill Coalition chose Hill House to own the development. The Centre Heldman Plaza is an example of development with community benefits. We look forward to the process for hiring Hill District residents to work at Centre Heldman Plaza. We must also stay involved with the process to make sure that the jobs provided are good paying jobs in order to avoid our community store becoming a training store for other grocers."

The Hill House Association and the Hill House Economic Development Corporation thank the stakeholders and the community-at-large for their willingness to partner and move the project forward. The topping-off celebration represents a pinnacle of achievement for the partners involved, the Hill District and the city.  It is estimated that the new development will provide over 100 post-construction jobs, offering stability for neighborhood families.

Mission
Hill House Association is a comprehensive community service provider and facilitator that meets the needs of the Hill District residents and diverse constituents in the Greater Pittsburgh region.

Company Overview
The Hill House Association is an independent nonprofit organization offering a wide range of programs and services to Pittsburgh's Hill District community and surrounding areas.  Through its unique multi-generational service model, dedicated staff and redevelopment efforts, the Hill House continues to positively impact the futures of the residents and communities it serves.

SOURCE Hill House Association