In the heart of Pittsburgh, Homewood stands as a testament to both the enduring spirit of its community and the challenges of sustaining a neighborhood in the face of long-term disinvestment. This vibrant area is a tapestry of contrasts, where the echoes of a rich cultural past intertwine with the present-day quest for economic vitality.
The story of Homewood is not just about the businesses that line its streets, but also about the memories and cultural legacies that define its identity. As the neighborhood grapples with the absence of certain amenities, it also celebrates the institutions that have stood the test of time, preserving the essence of what makes Homewood unique.
The pursuit of economic vitality
The business corridor of Homewood presents a vivid picture of the neighborhood’s economic landscape. On a typical Saturday morning, the Everyday Cafe might host a handful of patrons enjoying their sandwiches and pastries, while across the street, the shuttered North Homewood Pizza stands as a reminder of the challenges faced by local enterprises.
Homewood is no stranger to small eateries, with longstanding fixtures like Dana’s Bakery and Shuman’s serving the community. However, the absence of a full-service, sit-down family restaurant since the closure of the Southern Platter nearly 30 years ago highlights the deeper economic hurdles the neighborhood faces.
The Main and Main initiative, launched by the mayor’s office, aims to revitalize local business districts through loans, facade renovations, and permitting improvements. This initiative has already attracted new businesses, such as Dirty Birds Chicken to North Homewood Avenue. Yet, the challenge remains not just in attracting new businesses, but in building a customer base that can sustain them.
Vernard Alexander known as the “Connecting King,” emphasizes that there is no single solution to Homewood’s economic challenges. Factors such as location, funding, and population size all play a role. With a population of between 5,000 and 6,000, Homewood would need significant growth to support more businesses. Additionally, the need for disposable income among residents is crucial for sustaining local enterprises.
Opening a restaurant in Homewood also comes with its own set of complications, from permit delays and rising construction costs to the poor condition of existing buildings. These challenges underscore the need for a comprehensive approach to economic revitalization.
Preserving the past, embracing the future
Sustaining a neighborhood is not just about the present; it’s also about preserving the past and embracing the future. In Homewood, history is not always neatly archived. Sometimes, it’s tucked away in a basement, waiting to be rediscovered.
Operation Better Block (OBB) a nonprofit organization operating out of the former Second Federal Savings and Loan Association, stumbled upon a treasure trove of historical photographs around 2015. These images, dating back to the 1970s and beyond, offer a glimpse into a Homewood where residents actively participated in neighborhood revitalization efforts.
The photographs challenge dominant narratives and raise questions about the deliberate breakdown of Black neighborhoods. They serve as a reminder of a time when the community thrived, despite the lack of support from the City of Pittsburgh. Today, OBB is working to preserve these images, exploring partnerships with universities, museums, and even the idea of a Homewood-based archive.
The discovery of these photographs has sparked ambitions to showcase them in churches, stores, and community spaces, serving as “little black and white memories” of what was, in order to inspire what can be. However, the first step is to preserve them, ensuring that this piece of Homewood’s history is not lost to time.
The rhythm of cultural resilience
Near the intersection of Hamilton and North Homewood avenues, the Afro American Music Institute (AAMI) stands as a beacon of cultural resilience. Founded in 1982 by James T. Johnson Jr. and his wife Pamela, AAMI has been a hub for music education and cultural pride for generations.
The institute’s walls are lined with decades of photos, programs, and newspaper clippings, evidence of a mission that stretches from the spirituals of slavery to the anthems of the civil rights Movement. AAMI’s role in Homewood is not just about performance; it’s about education and the passing on of cultural heritage.
Alumni like Andrew Coleman, who began taking music and voice classes at AAMI at age 7, now use the skills they learned to pass cultural lessons forward. This cycle of learning, creating, and returning is central to AAMI’s role in Homewood, using music as a vehicle for connecting the whole story of the Black experience.
As Homewood continues to battle back from years of disinvestment, institutions like AAMI serve as a reminder of the neighborhood’s proud past and its potential for a vibrant future. The story of Homewood is one of resilience, a testament to the enduring spirit of its community.
