Foundation grant to help restore Homestead firehouse
Wednesday, July 18, 2001
By Jim Hosek, Tri-State Sports & News Service
Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation has announced that Hillman Foundation Inc. has agreed to contribute $75,000 toward restoring Homestead’s firehouse and former municipal building.
But borough council President Dorothy Kelly refused comment beyond saying the History & Landmarks news release about the decaying building at the corner of Amity Street and East Ninth Avenue was premature.
Mayor Betty Esper, who said she is never invited to any firehouse committee meetings but should be, added, “I don’t know anything about the grant. If that’s true, that $75,000 is a start. But we’re looking at at least $600,000 in renovations for that building.”
She said renovations are badly needed. The building, infamous for its many electrical and plumbing problems, is occupied only by the volunteer fire company. The police department is in an Allegheny County-owned building across from the firehouse. Municipal offices are a number of blocks away at a building owned by the Steel Valley Council of Governments.
Once renovated, the municipal offices and firehouse would all be in the same building again.
The History & Landmarks news release said that besides the Hillman Foundation grant, other commitments for the renovation project have come from state Sen. Jay Costa, D-Forest Hills; the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission; Pennsylvania Heritage Parks Program; the RSMIS Foundation; Homestead Borough; and the Homestead Volunteer Fire Department.
The release said Continental Real Estate Companies, the developer of The Waterfront, has donated engineering services toward the project.
“The restoration of this building is a central part of our continuing program to assist in the restoration of the significant buildings in this historic town,” Landmarks President Arthur Ziegler said in the release. He could not be reached for additional comment.
This article appeared in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette. © Pittsburgh Post Gazette