Urban farm going in at former St. Clair Village site

square with the federal government’s requirements that at least part of the land return to residential. The land is owned by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The Allegheny Land Trust is poised to buy the portion for farmland if it transfers from federal control to the city. Chris Beichner, president and CEO of the land trust, said the organization would then lease the land to an experienced farming interest.

The predevelopment preparations have cost about $500,000, and the entire cost, including underground infrastructure, will cost about $9.9 million, Ms. Baxendell said. The Henry L. Hillman Foundation is the largest supporter.

Suzy Kircher, a member of the Mount Oliver City-St. Clair Community Group, said she “wanted to cry to finally see this happen after all the talking. To see the fields plowed, the topsoil, I thought, ‘This is really going to happen!’”

Rev. Maurice Trent, pastor of the Lighthouse Cathedral on nearby Fisher Street, said he “became excited about this because of the youth component. We do youth programming and have a lot of kids who need” opportunities.

The public housing neighborhood once was home to 1,089 families. Ms. Mangham said sometimes, when she plows, her head fills with memories “of tons of family from here, of playing up here on the loop.”

She said she expects to find “some sort of identifications” of former residents. “I’m sure I will with all the tilling we will be doing.”

Diana Nelson Jones: djones@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1626.