‘Kind of heartbreaking’

After decades as a neighborhood anchor, historic Hill House’s future pivots on funding

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

People who live and work in the Hill District say it was an open secret that Hill House Association — once an anchor for social services, arts and culture — was on shaky financial ground.

In recent years, its services have shriveled, funding sources have declined and, for more than a year, the nonprofit has operated without a permanent top executive.

Yet most of the predominantly black community didn’t know the severity of Hill House’s problems until a warm August evening when its leaders invited them to a hastily called meeting at the Blakey Program Center on Wylie Avenue.

That night, a standing-roomonly crowd learned the organization’s board had decided to sell four buildings by the end of September — a deal Hill House officials said would raise $4 million to $6 million to keep the storied organization alive.

Many in attendance expressed outrage and fear that services like medical clinics and child care might be replaced by upscale redevelopment — even as Joshua Pollard, chief executive of Omicelo LLC, the prospective buyer, tried to assure the crowd that he doesn’t aim to displace tenants.

Now the community is waiting to learn if elected officials can persuade funders to come up with options. City Councilman R. Daniel Lavelle and state Rep. Jake Wheatley are leading the efforts but have declined comment on what, if any, progress has been made.

Following the meeting in August, Hill House’s board agreed to entertain other proposals.

Tony Tye/Post-Gazette Gordon Williams, an assistant teacher in the Hill House’s daycare center, in Nov. 1989.

Andrew Stein/Post-Gazette Norma Cusin sits outside of the House Hill, charging her phone on Sept. 27, 2018 in Crawford-Roberts. Last month, the Hill House Association announced plans to sell the building with three other properties.