The Hill District
Site Analysis
Demographics
The below density map shows that the northern and southeastern neighborhoods have the highest populations. Upon closer inspection, these areas house a large percentage of both low income housing and college student apartments.
Neighborhood demographic information from 2010 census information.
Topography and Slope Analysis
The steepest slopes within the Hill District are found on the Northern portion of the site, especially where Lincoln Highway cuts through the Hill. This is restricting in terms of construction and building connections, but can give beneficial views.
Greenspace and Vegetation Cover
A large majority of the vegetation on site exists on steep grades, particularly in the northern half of the site. The slopes limit construction, allowing trees to grow and invasive species to take over. Vacant lots and street trees make up the rest of the vegetation seen. Lack of vegetation areas on the western portion of the site points out opportunities for improvement through green development. Plants help to manage storm water and reduce the heat island effect.
Percent Tree Cover
The above map shows the percent of tree cover for each neighborhood. The portion with the least suitable slopes has the most tree cover, due to limited development.
Environmental Concerns
Concerns with landslides exist on the steep areas of the Hill District, particularly in the northern portion. (Shown in brown)
A large portion of the site has also been undermined. Precautions need to be taken when making development plans to prevent disasters from occurring.
Vacant Lots
A large portion of the Hill District contains vacant lots. These areas could serve certain infill strategies when looking to revitalize and further develop the area.
Hydrology
Two major watershed exist, the Allegheny and Monongahela River Basins. Historically streams have been build over top of as the Hill District was developed, shown above in blue lines. Their location is interesting to note, and will provide guidance during decision making of the master plan.
Circulation
The majority of traffic flows around the Hill District, as shown by the red lines in the rush hour traffic map above. Yellow dots represent recorded incidents from 2012 - 2018. Accidents have a tendency to occur on intersections leading out from the Hill District, suggesting a need to improve these areas. If it is unsafe for cars, pedestrians are less safe. To improve the Hill District disconnect, all transportation must be made safe.
