Ok, there are a lot of things our communtity could do to better itself. However, the foremost important thing is to bring back our tax base by creating new business fronts in these closed sites. How long has Taco Bell been closed? It has been rumored to reopen how many times? Then you have the sites that are by Burger King and Hoss Steak house. The old Foodland - which I miss so much! I have to go all the way to Verona to pick up small items. If we want more money for our school district we need more business fronts in our community. This is why places like Fox Chapel, Upper St. Clair, Monroeville etc... do so well - high tax base, more money for school district.

Now, while I'm on this rant I may as well continue... To have more business brought in we need to make store owners and customers feel safe in these locations - more police presence! Our police force is too low for the amount of spread out community we have. I don't think we can blame our police force for not doing their job (not that anyone her is doing that - I have nothing but respect for our police) if they are physically unable to patrol our whole community with the little force they have. Come on Mr. Mayor and beef up the protection to these store fronts and maybe we could get more potential business owners.

Just some thoughts...anyone else out there thinking about this?

Michele
You are right on with the need for businesses in this community. That is why I was a bit disappointed at the strategic planning meeting on Wednesday. They asked folks to vote on the most important things for the community and most folks said code enforcement of grass cutting and garbage clean up. Many of these folks were in their 60's-70's, and were think in of the moment, not the future. That's why we need people to go to these meetings and tell the township that businesses are important. The planning committee is supposed to take the most important issues and implement them. Though the code enforcement is important and this issue should be rectified ...it is business that will help revitalize the community.

David

Michele Very good point. I think when you say "Community" a lot of residents think of the street they live on. I spent a hour tonight talking to a neighbor tonight about Penn Hills Community, and I asked her what would she like to see changed, her reply was the same, more police, code enforcement, grass cutting and garbage clean up. I would really love to see more things for the youth/ Families to do. We have to attract people with families to Penn Hills. I personally STILL miss the bowling alley, and the Fabric store. I wish we had something like Michael's in Penn Hills. I wish we had something like Chucky Cheese (Still shocked kids like that Giant Rat). I wish we had some place to Walk/Jog. But if I had to pick the #1 thing I would want for our community, that would be for people to feel safe in Penn Hills, without that we are doomed. We need the police out there in full force!

Does anybody know what the muncipality is doing about the old east hill shopping center?
Rumors about walmart and that project being the first phase of improvements for the area?
I remember coming to East HIlls shopping center as a child with my parents. I remember the spiked ball that you could see from frankstown road coming from east liberty. Those where the days, shopping for school clothes and seeing all the people and all the different shop. I remember going thru homewood and see these 2 apartment buildings that I thought were so beautiful and wanted to live there when I grew up. Now I drive thru the same part of town and those apartments are still there, just a little run down and neglected but my memories are always great. I chose to live in Penn Hills and wish that we could bring back all those wonderful places for my children to shop and have their own memories.
I stopped by the now empty lot-made me sad . We need to bring back those days, so our children can have wonderful dreams and a place where memories are made and shared for generations to come.
Sorry, I get sentimental sometimes.
What can we do and who do we need to contact to make this reality instead of a rumor or hopeless dream.
Cecilia