Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania:
A Brief History
Issues surrounding Brownfield Redevelopment
This page was created by Jillian Kinikin for GO-367: State and Local Economic Development Policy at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, NY. Feel free to contact me with any comments or questions.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania provides a wonderful example of a city that saw great prosperity at the start of the twentieth century but fell victim to the economic slowdown that took place just decades later. Many Brownfields exist throughout Pittsburgh and a few have already been redeveloped and now serve as prime examples of the possibilities that exist for these long neglected structures.
Pittsburgh flourished in the late 19th century as a city with a proud economy based in the coal and steel industries. Perhaps the greatest benefactor of Pittsburgh was Andrew Carnegie. During his lifetime Carnegie donated over $350 million to city organizations and helped create many institutions himself. In 1900 he gave $1 million for the creation of the Carnegie Technical Schools (the school later became known as Carnegie Mellon University.) The creation of this school allowed for new advancements in technological fields and provided a labor pool to nearby industry.
The availability of raw material and skilled labor, a fortunate location at the intersection of the Allegheny, Ohio, and Monongahela Rivers (allowing for efficient transportation of materials), along with a dozen resident millionaires lead to Pittsburgh's rise as one of the most productive American cities at the turn of the century.
By 1893 the J&L Corporation dominated Pittsburgh's steel industry, controlling most of the city's south side the owner soon expanded the business to include iron, a decision that proved quite profitable. This corporation developed many factories and other industrial complexes throughout the south side of Pittsburgh. J&L owned the steel, iron, lumber, and rolling mills which employed many Pittsburgh residents over the company's 40 year presence in the city.
The steel and iron industries continued to thrive throughout the beginning of the 20th century, supported largely by the federal government's involvement in World Wars I and II. Though a few industrial complexes were closed there was little concern about their impact on the urban landscape. As long as businesses were successful and citizens were employed there was no need for the city government to concern themselves with these abandoned sites. However, as technology advanced the need for steel and iron drastically decreased, leaving Pittsburgh a desolate skeleton of its former self.