Squirrel Hill, like any neighborhood, is changing.
The business corridor along Forbes and Murray Avenues is seeing some longstanding shops go out, and new shops going in; and plans are shaping up for revitalization along the lower portion of Murray Avenue, closer to Forward Avenue and the Parkway exit.
It was announced last week the Barnes & Noble bookseller, which occupies two floors at 1723 Murray Ave., will be closing this winter. The large store was an anchor of sorts for the business district, and had shared that block with Panera Bread, which closed last month and is currently vacant. Some new businesses for the area include: independent denim retailer Zipper Blues in the former spot of Cheryl W boutique (now in Point Breeze), a frozen yogurt shop near the flagship Dozen location, and an art gallery on Forbes Avenue.
Further down Murray Avenue, change is under way in the form of a "Gateway" study commissioned by the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition (SHUC). The $12,000 study completed last year--by Strip District-based architecture/urban design firm Rothschild Doyno Collaborative and landscape architecture firm Pashek Associates--highlights the important role this area plays in welcoming people into the Squirrel Hill neighborhood, and makes recommendations on improving pedestrian safety and wayfinding, incorporating public art, and adding new lighting and greenery. The study was made possible through a grant from the Community Design Center of Pittsburgh.
"Squirrel Hill is one of the most stable neighborhoods in the city. It's a great example of how neighborhoods should be," says Steven G. Hawkins with SHUC. "The business district is within walking distance of a great number of homes, and there is a variety of housing types, which creates a diverse population. After all these years, it's time to do something to make the entrance better represent the neighborhood."
Currently, a mural is being completed on the side of Alan's Pet Shop at 2229 Murray Ave., and SHUC is looking at adding bike racks and trash cans, and has made a request to Councilman Doug Shields to include new street lights in the 2010 budget. SHUC is also working to plant between 40 and 50 trees along Murray Avenue in the spring as part of the TreeVitalize program.
The "Gateway" study's most significant component is a proposed median with trees and lighting on Forward Avenue between the Parkway and the major Murray Avenue intersection. Plans for that construction project are still in design and funding, and years from completion.
Writer: Caralyn Green
Source: Steven G. Hawkins, Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition
Image courtesy of Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition