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As development in West Liberty
Borough, which included Brookline and Beechview, began in earnest at
the turn of the century, one of the first housing developments in
Brookline was called the Fleming Place Plan. The subplot was built in 1902 on land
once owned by the Fleming family, and was located near the Brookline
Junction at West Liberty Avenue. It's borders were Brookline Boulevard
(Bodkin Street), Pioneer Avenue and West Liberty Avenue. Fleming Place included streets
like Kenilworth, Jillson, Shawhan, Waddington, Aidyl and part of Plainview
Avenues. Aidyl Avenue was named after the Fleming's daughter Lydia and
bordered the remaining Fleming property, which was still in use by that
pioneer family. An attractive feature in
Fleming Estates, which is not really visible in the photo, is the trolley
line, which loops from bottom left, counter-clockwise through the clusters
of homes, to a spot above center left and on to the junction of Pioneer
Avenue and Brookline Boulevard. This provided convenient public
transportation to the residents. The transit stop on the loop is, to this
day, called Fleming Place. The street layout of Fleming Place
was drastically altered in 1935. The trolley right-of-way was enlarged to
four lanes, paved in block and incorporated into reconfiguration of
Brookline Boulevard. The realignment cut through the heart of the plan
and did not allow for cross-traffic, thus dividing Fleming Place into
separate sections. The remaining three and a half acres
of the Fleming property situated between Aidyl, Kenilworth, Waddington and
Pioneer Avenues, was eventually sold to the Diocese of Pittsburgh. St. Pius X church and school was constructed there in 1955. |
