Glen Hazel Highrise turns 50 with city proclamation and festive ceremony | The Homepage

Glen Hazel Highrise residents and friends gather on Sept. 26 to celebrate the building’s 50th anniversary. Photo by Darlene Terry

By Darlene Terry

As I stood and watched the completion of the Glen Hazel Highrise in 1975, I thought how wonderful it was for the community to finally have an affordable building completed for seniors and those with disabilities.

Glen Hazel Bernice Crawley Highrise residents celebrated 50 years of their building’s existence on Sept. 26.

Mayor Ed Gainey, District 5 City Councilor Barb Warwick, Louise Garner from the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh, Eric Graham from Trek Development Group, and tenant council board members attended the ceremony. Sister Susan opened the ceremony with a prayer.

Bernice Crawley was the founder of the metropolitan tenants’ organization, where she represented tenants in the city, but also tenants of the Allegheny County Housing Authority. She was a spokesperson for all. In 1992, for all her hard work, the building was renamed the Bernice Crawley Highrise.

Ms. Warwick presented a proclamation declaring Friday, Sept. 26 as Glen Hazel Bernice Crawley Highrise Day.

Ms. Crawley’s son Richard Washington attended the ceremony. He told with lots of humor about how his mother was a go-getter raising three sons and a daughter, and how she killed most of the trees on Broadview Drive from having the children pluck the switches off the hedges.

In 1941, Glen Hazel was a temporary site for housing industrial workers during World War II. I remember my grandfather telling me that Glen Hazel used to be dirt roads with horses.

The land was purchased by the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh in 1952 and replaced with new housing in the 1970s.

This eight-story building with 97 units became the home for many residents who are still living there today. We remember Ms. Crawley as a dedicated and outstanding spokesperson who fought and fought, without giving up, for the rights of tenants. We think of her as the Harriet Tubman of her time.

Darlene Terry lives in Glen Hazel.