Eyes turn to Morningside's ballfields

Three neighborhoods were designated “Design Fund Neighborhoods” in 2011 with support from the Community Design Center of Pittsburgh.

I posted some details about Fineview’s project on this site on May 9.

Today, we move east to Morningside, a neighborhood whose shape is my favorite in the city — like an impressionist’s “T,” the crossed part draped like arms around the shoulders of Highland Park and Stanton Heights and holding hands with Upper Lawrenceville.

The Morningside Area Community Council’s project is landscape design as a vehicle for the neighborhood to consider, or reconsider, the use of Natoli and Heth’s athletic fields (shown above, courtesy of the CDCP), correcting design and functional obstacles and maintenance and safety issues.

Grant Ervin of the MACC said the previous CDCP grant for the business district helped define the current plan, to improve access and awareness and develop a facilities improvement plan. Leading up to this, the MACC has added street lights, garbage cans, made facade improvements and brought seven new occupants to the business district since 2008.

The Design Fund is footing the total cost of $7,000.