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Pittsburgh Courier NEW
www.newpittsburghcourier.com Vol. 117 No. 12 Two Sections
MARCH 25-31, 2026
thenewpittsburghcourier Published Weekly $1.00
New Granada Theater in the Hill District to open soon
THE NEW GRANADA THEATER IS A HISTORIC VENUE ON CENTRE AVENUE, BUT IT’S BEEN CLOSED FOR DECADES. (PHOTO BY CHIEF IKHANA-HAL-MAKINA)
Ribbon-cutting is only ‘weeks away,’ Courier has learned by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer
You can't miss the bright yellow sign towering over Centre Avenue in the Hill District. The sign reads "New Granada," and in a matter of weeks, the building that was once
famous for its Black-led movies, live musical performances, community events, and overall, a pillar in Pittsburgh's African American community and history, will reopen. One by one, the calls to the New Pittsburgh Courier were coming in. Afri-
can Americans wanted to know what was going on over there at 2007 Centre Avenue, at the corner of Centre and Devilliers. In recent months, residents were seeing the bright yellow New Granada sign go up, and construction workers feverishly work-
ing on the site. The historic New Granada Theater, which has been closed for decades and in some ways became an eyesore in the Hill, is just a few weeks from its Phase 1 ribbon-cutting, the Courier has learned. The exact date of the rib-
bon-cutting has yet to be determined, but Marimba Milliones, President and CEO of the Hill Community Development Corporation, which owns the site, told residents during a Hill District community meeting, March 19, that the opening is coming.
The building's first tenant will be the University of Pittsburgh, placing its Hill District Community Engagement Center on the third floor of the New Granada Theater building. Inside the CEC will SEE NEW GRANADA A4
Students at six PPS schools helping to stop possible conflicts Collective between city, PPS and Operation Better Block by Rob Taylor Jr. Courier Staff Writer
Right now, more than 60 high school students in six Pittsburgh Public Schools are helping to stop potential violence in the schools before it starts, and they're getting paid for it. The New Pittsburgh Courier has learned exclusively about a program via the initiative “Safe Passage” that is lessening potential conflicts while giving students an opportunity to learn more about themselves. "It has brought a lot of students out of their shell," said Darlene King, one of the "Safe Passage Coordinators." Safe Passage is operated via Operation Better
Block in Homewood. Taili Thompson is director of the OBB violence prevention program. Dr. Danielle King, Darlene King's sister, is Director of the Safe Passage program. "It's giving a lot of students purpose to want to do something to want to help and be involved," Darlene King said. Darlene King is one of two "Safe Passage Coordinators," who are adults, inside Westinghouse High School. "A lot of students that are introverted, that have not been finding their own identity... They've been finding their own purpose." The program began in the 2021-22 school year, SEE SAFE PASSAGE A7
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DR. DANIELLE KING AND HER SISTER, DARLENE KING, PLAY INTEGRAL ROLES IN THE “SAFE PASSAGE” PROGRAM. (PHOTO BY ROB TAYLOR JR.)