Perry Hilltop Gateway Beautification Project

Ayanna is a life-long resident of the Northside and currently calls the neighborhood of Perry Hilltop her home. Her neighborhood is one of the most blighted neighborhoods in the City of Pittsburgh with a 20% vacancy rate.

The lot that Ayanna is working on has been vacant for several years. The first step was to remove the invasive plant, knotweed, that filled the site and take preventative steps to keep it from coming back. The design for the site incorporates beautiful flower gardens, as well as open areas for neighborhood gatherings. Benches and planters on the lot are built from reclaimed and recycled materials such as tires.

With this project, Ayanna hopes to reinstate in her neighborhood what she loved about it when she was young – the connectedness of neighbors and the lively business districts – and begin filling the empty spaces.