Happy anniversary

Chris Briem notes that this month marks the 50th anniversary of the start of one the most shameful chapters in Pittsburgh history, the destruction of the Lower Hill District in the name of urban renewal. (If you go to Chris' blog you'll see that I'm editorializing a bit.)

Yes, scores of homes, businesses, churches, synagogues, etc., were destroyed because a bunch of elitist politicians and planners decided they knew better how to make use of people's private property. The Hill District has never recovered and the Civic Arena (now Mellon Arena) never lived up to its promises.

I'd like to say Pittsburgh has learned its lesson. Unfortunately, too many people making decisions in this town still subscribe to the philosophy that helped to destroy one of this nation's most storied neighborhoods.