When Hipster Meets History: Businesses and Gentrification in the Lawrenceville Neighborhood of Pittsburgh

Gentrification, the movement of middle-class or affluent people into working-class and lower-income urban neighborhoods, has been shown to improve some aspects of neighborhood life, but can often have negative consequences for longtime residents. This research examines gentrification through a case study of Lawrenceville, a neighborhood in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that recently has been undergoing revitalization. In previous literature, the role of businesses as active agents in creating a sense of community has been overlooked and understudied. Through conducting semi-structured interviews with long-term residents, newer arrivals, and business owners, this study shows that businesses do indeed create and accomplish a sense of community through events that seek to incorporate all resident groups.