[HOME]

  1. Introduction
  2. Open Letter to the Board of Trustees
  3. University's Response to Open Letter
  4. Response to University
  5. YouTube Documentary
  6. Preuniversity Settlers
  7. Oakland Bill of Rights
  8. Declaration of Freedom
  9. Problems
  10. Solutions
  11. Actions
  12. UPMC
  13. PITT
    SempleFest
  14. Jul. '09
  15. Aug. '09
  16. Sept. '09
  17. Oct. '09
  18. Origin of SOUL
  19. WPXI - Group talks trash
  20. National Disgrace
  21. Gratitude
  22. Support Letters
  23. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
  24. Pittsburgh City Paper
  25. Media - Broken Trust?
  26. Feb. '10
  27. Jun. '10
  28. Done Deal?
  29. Mayor's Reply
  30. Pitt Fireworks
  31. Pitt Fireworks
  32. Pitt Fireworks
  33. Aug. '10
  34. Sep. '10
  35. Letter to Legislators
  36. Letter to Chancellor
  37. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
  38. A Call for Compassion
  39. WPXI Coverage
  40. Human Dignity
  41. Letter to the Editor
  42. SempleFest
  43. Request for Apology
  44. The Shame of a University
  45. Firebombs Must End
  46. Call To Action
  47. Fireworks Press Release
  48. Shadow on the Lawn
  49. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Article
  50. Right-to-Know Law Testimony
  51. University Impact Aid Law
  52. Proposal University Impact Aid Law
  53. Nordenberg Must Resign
  54. Allegheny County Council Testimony
  55. Time for New Leadership Message
  56. Time for New Leadership Testimony
  57. Class-Action Lawsuit?
  58. Nordenberg Must Resign Paid Message
  59. Time for A New Beginning
  60. Letter to the Editor
  61. Letter to the Editor
  62. Pittsburgh City Council Testimony
  63. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article
  64. A New Paradigm
  65. In Memoriam: Robert "Bob" Casciato
  66. Symbol of Domination
  67. Revised University Impact Aid Proposal
  68. Letter to Chancellor Gallagher
  69. Letter to Chancellor Gallagher
  70. Community Objectives
  71. Letter to Chancellor Gallagher
  72. City Planning Commission Testimonies
  73. Letter to Chancellor Patrick Gallagher
  74. Pittsburgh City Council Testimony
  75. Pittsburgh City Council Testimony
  76. Pittsburgh City Council Testimony
  77. End The Shame
  78. Pittsburgh City Council Testimony
  79. Letter to Chancellor Gallagher
  80. Letter to Chancellor Gallagher
  81. March from P.H. to The Run
  82. Decimation of an Urban Community
  83. Public Comments
  84. 18 Questions
  85. Dishonest Public Position
  86. Belief Precedes Experience
  87. City Council Public Comments
  88. A Sacred Place
  89. Investigations Needed by Oakland Residential Community
  90. Letter to Council President
  91. March from P.H. to The Run
  92. Lack of Integrity
  93. SOUL Program Implementation
  94. Brookings Institution Study
  95. Robots In Oakland
  96. Fiduciary Duty
  97. Fiduciary Duty
    Follow-Up
  98. Moratorium
  99. Letter to Council President
  100. Criminal Investigation
  101. Request to D.A.
  102. Request to Supporters
  103. Goodnight, Malnight
    Time to Resign
  104. Responses for
    Request to Resign
  105. Pitt Quarantine Policy
  106. Patrick Gallagher
    TIME TO RESIGN
  107. Thoughts of an
    Oakland Resident
  108. Unconscionable Pitt Policy
  109. Letter to Dean of Students
  110. Follow-Up Letter to Dean of Students
  111. Criminal & Civil Liability
  112. Path of Dignity or Path of Tragedy
  113. Follow-Up Letter to Mayor William Peduto
  114. Letter to the Editor
  115. A Tragic Practice
  116. The Legal Rape of Oakland
  117. Legal Rape Continues
  118. Pitt Refuses To Respond
  119. Requests for Lawsuits Against Pitt
  120. Letter To District Attorney
  121. Pittsburgh City Council Dishonesty
  122. Betrayals, Dishonesty
    & Moral Corruption
  123. It Is a Student Community
  124. Letter of Gratitude
  125. A Bold New Vision for Oakland
  126. Shameful Planning Commission Meeting Oakland Crossings
 
Enough Is Enough! Trashed street photo.

[HOME]

  1. Introduction
  2. Open Letter to the Board of Trustees
  3. University's Response to Open Letter
  4. Response to University
  5. YouTube Documentary
  6. Preuniversity Settlers
  7. Oakland Bill of Rights
  8. Declaration of Freedom
  9. Problems
  10. Solutions
  11. Actions
  12. UPMC
  13. PITT
    SempleFest
  14. Jul. '09
  15. Aug. '09
  16. Sept. '09
  17. Oct. '09
  18. Origin of SOUL
  19. WPXI - Group talks trash
  20. National Disgrace
  21. Gratitude
  22. Support Letters
  23. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
  24. Pittsburgh City Paper
  25. Media - Broken Trust?
  26. Feb. '10
  27. Jun. '10
  28. Done Deal?
  29. Mayor's Reply
  30. Pitt Fireworks
  31. Pitt Fireworks
  32. Pitt Fireworks
  33. Aug. '10
  34. Sep. '10
  35. Letter to Legislators
  36. Letter to Chancellor
  37. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review
  38. A Call for Compassion
  39. WPXI Coverage
  40. Human Dignity
  41. Letter to the Editor
  42. SempleFest
  43. Request for Apology
  44. The Shame of a University
  45. Firebombs Must End
  46. Call To Action
  47. Fireworks Press Release
  48. Shadow on the Lawn
  49. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Article
  50. Right-to-Know Law Testimony
  51. University Impact Aid Law
  52. Proposal University Impact Aid Law
  53. Nordenberg Must Resign
  54. Allegheny County Council Testimony
  55. Time for New Leadership Message
  56. Time for New Leadership Testimony
  57. Class-Action Lawsuit?
  58. Nordenberg Must Resign Paid Message
  59. Time for A New Beginning
  60. Letter to the Editor
  61. Letter to the Editor
  62. Pittsburgh City Council Testimony
  63. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette article
  64. A New Paradigm
  65. In Memoriam: Robert "Bob" Casciato
  66. Symbol of Domination
  67. Revised University Impact Aid Proposal
  68. Letter to Chancellor Gallagher
  69. Letter to Chancellor Gallagher
  70. Community Objectives
  71. Letter to Chancellor Gallagher
  72. City Planning Commission Testimonies
  73. Letter to Chancellor Patrick Gallagher
  74. Pittsburgh City Council Testimony
  75. Pittsburgh City Council Testimony
  76. Pittsburgh City Council Testimony
  77. End The Shame
  78. Pittsburgh City Council Testimony
  79. Letter to Chancellor Gallagher
  80. Letter to Chancellor Gallagher
  81. March from P.H. to The Run
  82. Decimation of an Urban Community
  83. Public Comments
  84. 18 Questions
  85. Dishonest Public Position
  86. Belief Precedes Experience
  87. City Council Public Comments
  88. A Sacred Place
  89. Investigations Needed by Oakland Residential Community
  90. Letter to Council President
  91. March from P.H. to The Run
  92. Lack of Integrity
  93. SOUL Program Implementation
  94. Brookings Institution Study
  95. Robots In Oakland
  96. Fiduciary Duty
  97. Fiduciary Duty
    Follow-Up
  98. Moratorium
  99. Letter to Council President
  100. Criminal Investigation
  101. Request to D.A.
  102. Request to Supporters
  103. Goodnight, Malnight
    Time to Resign
  104. Responses for
    Request to Resign
  105. Pitt Quarantine Policy
  106. Patrick Gallagher
    TIME TO RESIGN
  107. Thoughts of an
    Oakland Resident
  108. Unconscionable Pitt Policy
  109. Letter to Dean of Students
  110. Follow-Up Letter to Dean of Students
  111. Criminal & Civil Liability
  112. Path of Dignity or Path of Tragedy
  113. Follow-Up Letter to Mayor William Peduto
  114. Letter to the Editor
  115. A Tragic Practice
  116. The Legal Rape of Oakland
  117. Legal Rape Continues
  118. Pitt Refuses To Respond
  119. Requests for Lawsuits Against Pitt
  120. Letter To District Attorney
  121. Pittsburgh City Council Dishonesty
  122. Betrayals, Dishonesty
    & Moral Corruption
  123. It Is a Student Community
  124. Letter of Gratitude
  125. A Bold New Vision for Oakland
  126. Shameful Planning Commission Meeting Oakland Crossings

Class-Action Lawsuit?

City Council Testimony
March 12, 2013

The Pittsburgh Planning Commission held a hearing on the Oakland Portal project last Tuesday. Is it a done deal? Important concerns of Oakland residents were blatantly ignored, but this project will impact every resident of the city of Pittsburgh, especially those who enter or exit Oakland. Next Tuesday’s hearing will allow testimony only from the developer; no testimony is allowed by any Pittsburgh community representatives or residents. This is unjust.

I requested an honest and comprehensive in-depth Impact Statement at last Tuesday’s hearing. This request was ignored. Following the hearing I approached the Chairwoman and two members of the Commission to ask if they have the authority to request an Impact Statement. Incredibly, they said that they did not know. I also received the impression that they did not care to know.

One aspect of the developer’s proposal will add parking for 274 vehicles that will further strain an already horrible traffic gridlock problem. However, 274 vehicles may be more than the law allows for the first phase of this project, but there was no discussion by the Commission of this potential illegality. The developer has subsequent phases planned that would increase the number of vehicles to nearly 800.

To the best of my knowledge council members have given no testimony in support of the residents of Pittsburgh in spite of the fact that the project will be of far greater benefit to UPMC and Pitt than to those residents. If this project is approved, it could very well trigger a class-action lawsuit against the Pittsburgh City Council, the mayor, the Pittsburgh Planning Commission and the developer, among others.

One part of last week’s hearing stands out as particularly troubling. Oakland residents requested that there be a set number of minority-owned and women-owned businesses for the retail and hotel space. The Chairwoman of the commission read written testimony from the developer which said: “Due to the high quality of this development, the use of this development by professional, medical and educational users would not permit anything but high end retail tenants who would be desirous to serve these particular users. As the saying goes ‘one bad apple spoils the barrel.’ It would not be worth our while to take one bad tenant to jeopardize the success of the development.” The Chairwoman wasn’t certain if this was a response to the community’s request, but there was no discussion by commission members as to how many, if any, minority-owned or women-owned businesses there would be.

The Oakland Portal project is similar to when our community was betrayed three years ago by this council, the mayor, and the Planning Commission when Chancellor Mark Nordenberg received approval for Pitt’s never-ending expansion plans in Oakland. Further details of that shameful process are on Link 23 of the website www.oaklanddignity.com.

A class-action lawsuit by the residents of Pittsburgh may be necessary to break the alliance between Pittsburgh’s city government, Pitt, UPMC, and developers with the resultant stranglehold that they have over the communities in Pittsburgh, especially the Oakland community.

Carlino Giampolo

 

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