Hill District reacts to Citizens Live

[Alex Serapiglia | staff photographer] Citizens Live at the Wylie opened for the first time on Sept. 29 with a concert by Donnie Iris and the Cruisers.

Lauren Rossetti | staff writer

Frank Terry has seen the community and music scene of the Hill District change and evolve throughout the years as the owner of Black Beauty Bar and Grill on Centre Avenue.

Now, he watched with optimism and excitement as the new Citizens Live at the Wylie concert venue opened for the first time last week.

“I think it’s good for the Hill District and the greater community,” Terry said. “[It’s] somewhere to go for entertainment, it used to always be on the Hill, so I think it’s a nice venue.”

The new venue opened for the first time Sept. 28 for the “Soundcheck on Wylie Avenue” event and featured performances by Donnie Iris and the Cruisers and R&B groups NASH.V.ILL and Titletown.

At first, the venue was supposed to be an outdoor amphitheater, but the original idea changed when Live Nation was brought in as a partner, said Julia McMahon, senior project manager at the Urban Redevelopment Authority.

The finished venue is all indoors and has a capacity of 4,500 people, according to its website.

This past weekend, Citizens Live featured concerts by Role Model, Wiz Khalifa, Styx and Foster the People. Upcoming performances include Freya Skye, Matt Mathews, Chelsea Handler, Modest Mouse and Chance the Rapper. and Skillet.

Jackie Wright, owner of Grandma Joan’s PGH, said she is looking forward to having new entertainment spaces in the area.

“I grew up in that theater, the New Grenada. I used to go to the movie theater, I feel amazing,” Wright said. “It’s going to be nice to be able to have concerts right close [to] home.”

While these business owners are looking forward to the prospect of a renewed arts scene, they are also hopeful that the venue will benefit the community economically.

Terry, who plans to host happy hours before and after major events at the venue, said he has already seen increased foot traffic to his business.

“Before I left to go down there [on Monday], while I was here I got about nine to 10 people that came down and that overflowed after the concert,” he said.

In addition to more visitors, Citizens Live at the Wylie will also generate more money for the Greater Hill District Reinvestment fund. For each ticket sold, $2 will be put into the fund.

The Greater Hill District Reinvestment Fund, whose funds are used to revitalize the Hill District, is run by an advisory board made up of community leaders and members, including Marimba Milliones, president and CEO of the Hill Community Development Corporation and Pittsburgh City Council President Daniel Lavelle.

“We think including the community as much as possible is very important,” McMahon said.

The fund was first seeded by $7.5 million dollars from a tax diversion from the development of the First National Bank Tower in 2021, according to McMahon. Projects that have been funded by the Greater Hill District Reinvestment Fund include youth education initiatives, homeowner repair grants and workforce development.

Sylvia Hatchin, the owner of Sylvia’s Market and Deli wants more programs for kids and employment paths.

[Josh Imhof | news editor] Sylvia’s Market and Deli offers barbecue meals for customers.

“I want [them] to put more jobs into the community,” Hatchin said. “Kids after school, I give them hotdogs and juice … so they stop in, and sometimes they’ll tell me what’s on their mind, or if they need help with homework if I’m not too busy. I would love to see them have some type of after school curriculum that leads them.”

Hatchin said she hopes to see the money get used for recreational programs for adults.

“I hope that it’ll go back to our community. We want the money to clean up the community, get the drugs off the street, do all that. But we’ll be okay,” Hatchin said.

“I’m glad that they’re investing in it, I never thought I would see it,” Wright said.