Easements

Preservation Easements Donated to PHLF: Protecting Historic Properties in Perpetuity

The Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation (PHLF) is one of the only “qualified organizations,” as defined by Section 170 of the Internal Revenue Code, in southwestern Pennsylvania to accept ­donations of preservation easements to ensure that a historic property is protected in perpetuity. PHLF has accepted 61 easements since 1979.

What is a Preservation Easement?

A preservation easement is a legal agreement between a property owner and the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation (PHLF) that places permanent, mutually agreed restrictions on a historic property to protect it from inappropriate alteration, development, and destruction. Preservation easements protect the conservation values defined in the legal agreement and baseline documentation and may extend to a building’s façade, a building’s entire exterior, air space above a building, interior spaces, and/or open space and landscaping. Generally, the legal agreement states that no change will be made to the historic property that is contrary to the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation, without the prior written consent of PHLF.

The legal agreement is recorded in the local Recorder of Deeds’ office and binds both the current owners and all future owners. PHLF inspects its preservation easements on at least an annual basis by visiting each of the properties. It also has a responsibility to defend and enforce the preservation easement as may be necessary. Contributions are solicited to endow these perpetual costs and expenses.

Who Can Donate an Easement?

Any historic property owner may donate a preservation easement to PHLF. In the past, donors have included individuals, limited partnerships, for-profit corporations, and even non-profit organizations. PHLF has also received preservation easements as a condition to loan transactions, from the sale or acquisition of properties, and, in 2002, received a major grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation to purchase preservation easements on historic farms.

PHLF’s Procedure for Accepting Easements

The first step to donating a preservation easement is to complete and return PHLF’s Preservation Easement Application Form. PHLF then reviews the application, meets with the applicant, and visits the site if necessary. The terms of the legal agreement are then negotiated, and PHLF drafts the preservation easement. The applicant reviews the legal agreement with his/her own attorney and/or tax advisors. PHLF staff present the preservation easement to the PHLF Easement Committee and/or Board of Trustees to review.

If approved, prior to closing the applicant obtains a survey, an appraisal, title insurance for PHLF, and other documentation as may be requested from PHLF in accordance with its Preservation Easement Policy, and PHLF puts together baseline documentation on the current condition of the property. When all prerequisites are obtained, PHLF and the applicant sign the legal agreement, which is subsequently recorded in the local recorder’s office. PHLF then monitors the preservation easement at least annually in perpetuity.

Benefits

The primary benefit of donating a preservation easement on a historic property is that the historic character of a property is permanently protected. Another benefit is that a federal charitable contribution deduction may also be available for the donation of a qualified preservation easement to a qualified organization, such as PHLF if the donation complies with all of the requirements of Section 170(h) of the Internal Revenue Code and its regulations. These requirements include that (1) the property be listed on the National Register or be a contributing structure to a National Register-listed or certified local historic district; (2) public access be provided (visual access is sometimes sufficient), and (3) the easement be in perpetuity, among other things.

The amount of the charitable contribution deduction is equal to the value of the preservation easement as determined by a “qualified appraisal” completed by a “qualified appraiser.” PHLF recommends that all potential applicants seek advice from their own attorneys and/or tax advisors since PHLF does not provide tax or legal advice. This information is being provided as general guidance only.

Deed Restrictions Offer Protection

PHLF also holds deed restrictions on approximately 35 historic properties, including on the five former P&LERR buildings at Station Square; on houses in the Mexican War Streets, South Side, Manchester, and Natrona; and on a commercial building in Sewickley. Deed restrictions differ from preservation easements in that they last for a specific term of years (typically 99 years) rather than in perpetuity. Many of the deed restrictions also give PHLF a right of first refusal to purchase the property, prior to its sale.

For more information, contact the Easement Office at 412-471-5808.

The following information identifies the current building name (and original building name); dates of design/construction; the architect, if known; the donor of the preservation easement and date; and historic designations awarded. The donors listed are those included in the easement documents recorded in the local recorder of deeds offices.

City of Pittsburgh

Beechview

• Lowen House

  311 Lowenhill Street, Beechview
  C. 1860
  Donor: Thomas G. and Christine M. Simmons; 1999
  City-Designated Historic Structure
  

  

Downtown Pittsburgh

• 900 Penn Avenue (Wm. G. Johnston & Company)

  900 Penn Avenue, Downtown Pittsburgh
  Deeds & Brothers, builder, 1885; remodeling, 1915
  Donor: 900 Penn Avenue, L.P.; 2014
  Penn-Liberty National Register Historic District; City-Designated Penn-Liberty Historic District

  
• 413–415 and 417 Wood Street, Downtown Pittsburgh

  1883, refaced c. 1905; 1875
  Donor: J. R. Weldin Co.; 2011
  National Register of Historic Places District

  
• Burke's Building

  209–211 Fourth Avenue, Downtown Pittsburgh
  John Chislett; 1836
  Donor: Western Pennsylvania Conservancy; 2010
  National Register of Historic Places; Historic Landmark Plaque; City-Designated Historic District

  
• The Carlyle (Union National Bank Building)

  300–306 Fourth Avenue, Downtown Pittsburgh
  MacClure & Spahr; 1906
  Donor: Spruce Street Properties, Ltd.; 2009
  National Register of Historic Places District; Historic Landmark District Plaque

  
• Hartley-Rose Building (Hartley-Rose Belting Company Building)

  425–427 First Avenue, Downtown Pittsburgh
  Edward Stotz; 1907
  Donor: First Avenue Partners; 1983
  National Register of Historic Places; Historic Landmark Plaque

  
• The Waterfront Building (center)

  200 First Avenue & 217 Fort Pitt Boulevard, Downtown Pittsburgh (photograph of Fort Pitt Boulevard façades)
  C. 1870
  Donor: Colonial Partners; 1986
  National Register of Historic Places District; Historic Landmark District Plaque

  
• 417 Wood Street

  417 Wood St.
  c. 1875

  

Fineview

• Heathside Cottage

  418 Catoma Street, Fineview
  1855
  Donor: Judith K. Harvey; 2000
  National Register of Historic Places; Historic Landmark Plaque

  

Hill District

• Energy Innovation Center (Connelley Trade School)

  1501 Bedford Avenue, Hill District
  Edward B. Lee, architect; 1928-30
  Donor: Energy Innovation Center, L.P.; 2012
  National Register of Historic Places; Historic Landmark Plaque

  

Lawrenceville

• Stable Building and Bath House

  3441 & 3445 Butler Street, Lawrenceville (30-year term)
  1888 (Stable); 1904 (Bath House)
  Donor: Lawrenceville Development Corporation; 1998
  National Register Eligible Historic District

  

North Shore

• Heinz Lofts (five H. J. Heinz Company buildings)

  500 Heinz Street; 1020, 1026, & 1001 Progress Street; and 1026 River Avenue, Troy Hill
  H. J. Heinz Company, R. M. Trimble, and Albert Kahn; 1913–27
  Donor: Progress Street Partners, Ltd.; 2003
  National Register of Historic Places; Historic Landmark Plaque

  
• 1403-1405 Pennsylvania Avenue

  1403-1405 Pennsylvania Avenue
  City Historic District
  Donor: Landmarks Development Corporation, 2019

  
• 1515 Bidwell Street

  1515 Bidwell Street
  City Historic District
  Donor: The Landmarks Development Corporation, 2021

  
• St. Peter's Residences

  500 Lockhart Street
  Built: 1887
  City Historic District and Contributing Structure to National Register District
  Donor: St. Peter's Residences, LLC, 2021

  

Shadyside

• Mansions on Fifth Hotel (McCook House and McCook-Reed House)

  5105 Fifth Avenue, Shadyside
  Carpenter & Crocker; 1906, c. 1905
  Donor: Fifth & Amberson Holdings, LP; 2010
  National Register of Historic Places

  
• Montgomery House

  424 Shady Avenue, Shadyside
  1877
  Donor: Arthur and Melinda Lubetz; 1979

  
• Moreland-Hoffstot House

  5057 Fifth Avenue, Shadyside
  Paul Irwin; 1914
  Donor: Henry P. Hoffstot, Jr.; 2011
  National Register of Historic Places; City-Designated Historic Structure; Historic Landmark Plaque

  
• McCook-Reed House

  925 Amberson Ave., Shadyside
  Carpenter & Crocker, 1907
  Donor: Fifth & Amberson Holdings, LP; 2010
  National Register-listed.

  

Southside

• Maul Building

  1700 East Carson Street, South Side
  1910
  Donor: 1700 East Carson Street Associates; 1985
  National Register of Historic Places District; City-Designated Historic District

  

Strip District

• Cork Factory Lofts (Armstrong Cork Factory)

  Railroad Street between 23rd and 24th Streets, Strip District
  Frederick J. Osterling; 1901, 1902; addition 1913
  Donor: Big River Development, L.P.; 2005
  National Register of Historic Places; Historic Landmark Plaque

  
• Buhl Building

  205 Fifth Avenue, Pittsburgh, Downtown.
  Jannsen & Abbott, 1913.
  Donor: N&P Properties: 2019.

  
• Pittsburgh Athletic Association Building

  4215 Fifth Ave, Pittsburgh, Oakland.
  Benno Janssen, 1911.
  Donor: Pittsburgh Athletic Association Land Company: 2017.

  
• Davidson Farmhouse

  9701 Saltsburg Road, Plum.
  Farmhouse built in 1802, wings added 1820, and 1964.
  Donor: Theodora & Ladislau Tompa: 2017.

  
• 239 Fort Pitt Boulevard

  Built in 1887
  Donor: Keith B. Key Enterprises, LLC; 2022
  Firstside National Historic District

  
• 235 Fort Pitt Boulevard

  c.1885
  Donor: That's It Fort Pitt!, LLC; 2022
  Firstside National Historic District

  
• Church of Good Shepherd

  c.1891
  Architect: William Halsey Wood
  Donor: POORLAW & Praise Temple Deliverance Church; 2022

  

Allegheny County

Bridgeville

• Neville House (Woodville Plantation)

  1375 Washington Pike, Bridgeville
  C. 1785; additions and alterations
  Neville House Associates, Inc.; 2007
  National Historic Landmark; Historic Landmark Plaque

  

Elizabeth

• Van Kirk House and Farm

  337 Round Hill Road, Elizabeth
  C. 1840
  Donor: James A. and Dorothy A. Wycoff; 2003
  National Register of Historic Places

  
• Jonathan Wycoff Farm

  201 Park Avenue, Elizabeth
  Early nineteenth-century farmhouse with some details from c. 1758; additions c. 1823 and 1825
  Donor: Sara L. Wyckoff, as Executrix of Helen R. Wycoff; 2003
  National Register Eligible

  

Gibsonia

• Ross-Tooke House and Farm

  2073 Old State Road, Gibsonia
  C. 1835
  Donor: William Versaw; 2001
  Historic Landmark Plaque

  

Sewickley Heights

• Wilpen Hall

  889-895 Blackburn Road, Sewickley Heights
  George S. Orth, architect; 1899-1900; addition in 1925
  Donor: William Penn Snyder III; 2014
  National Register of Historic Places

  

Wilkinsburg

• 811 Holland Avenue, Wilkinsburg

  C. 1890s
  Donor: Erin M. Cunningham; 2007

  
• 516 Jeanette Street, Wilkinsburg

  C. 1890s
  Donor: John Cindric; 2008
  National Register of Historic Places District

  
• 522 Jeanette Street, Wilkinsburg

  C. 1890s
  Donor: Dorothy Sielatycki; 2008
  National Register of Historic Places District

  
• 524 Jeanette Street, Wilkinsburg

  C. 1890s
  Donor: Walter and Rachel Lamory; 2008
  National Register of Historic Places District

  
• Chalfant Log House & Pond

  Built in 1832
  Donor: The Estate of Charles Dana Chalfant; 2020

  
• The Sperling Building

  c.1902
  Donor: RT Wilkinsburg LLC; 2022
  National Register of Historic Places

  
• 517 Jeanette St

  1920; Contributing to NR district

  
• 845 Holland Ave

  845 Holland Ave

  
• 833 Holland Ave

  833 Holland Ave

  

Beyond Allegheny County

Bedford County

• Omni Bedford Springs Resort

  2138 Business 220, Bedford
  Resort: 1802–1806; 1829–1842, Solomon Filler; 1903, with additions
  Golf course (shown below): Spencer Oldham, 1895; A. W. Tillinghast, 1912;
  Donald Ross; 1923
  Donor: Bedford Resort Partners, Ltd.; 2005
  National Historic Landmark District

  

Bulter

• Harmony Museum

  218 Mercer Street, Harmony
  C. 1809, addition c. 1816
  Donor: Historic Harmony, Inc.; 2009
  National Historic Landmark District

  
• Wagner House Museum Annex

  222 Mercer Street, Harmony
  Prior to 1812
  Donor: Historic Harmony, Inc.; 2009
  National Historic Landmark District

  
• Log House

  245 Mercer Street, Harmony
  C. 1805–1807
  Donor: Historic Harmony, Inc.; 2009

  
• Vinegar Hill

  1 Evergreen Mill Road, Harmony
  Donor: Historic Harmony, Inc.; 2009

  
• Ziegler-Wise Barn

  303 Mercer Road
  Harmony/Jackson Township
  1805
  Donor: Historic Harmony, Inc.; 2009
  National Register Eligible

  
• Harmony Society Cemetery

  831 Edmond Street, Jackson Township
  1805–1815
  Donor: Historic Harmony, Inc.; 2009
  National Historic Landmark District

  
• Mennonite Meetinghouse & Cemetery

  114 Wise Road, Jackson Township
  1825; 1815 cemetery
  Donor: Historic Harmony, Inc.; 2009

  
• Bishop John Boyer House

  295 Perry Highway, Jackson Township
  1816
  Donor: Historic Harmony, Inc.; 2009

  
• Drover's Inn & Barn

  State Route 19 & Unionville Road, Cranberry Township
  1850; Barn 1898
  Donor: Charter Homes, 2020

  
• Wygal Farm

  100+ acres, farmhouse & barn
  200 Hutchman Road, Adams Township
  Donor: The Estate of John and Jane Wygal, 2021

  
• Drover’s Inn

  State Route 19 & Unionville Rd., Cranberry, PA
  built 1850
  Donor: Charter Homes, 2020

  

Greene County

• Horner Farm

  Riggs Road, Greene County
  Farm dates to 1837; farmhouse c. 1875
  Donor: Duncan and Clare Horner; 2006

  
• Hunnell Farm

  2248 Oak Forest Road, Waynesburg
  Donor: Charles Evans Hunnell; 2009

  

Washington County

• John Roberts House

  225 N. Central Avenue, Canonsburg
  1798, 1804, 1809, c. 1840
  Donor: Washington County Cultural Trust; 2010
  National Register of Historic Places

  
• Shepherd's Inn Bed & Breakfast

  405 E Maiden St, Washington, PA 15301, Washington County. Queen Ann Style. Completed in 1889. Architect unknown.
  Donor: Amy Manko: 2019.

  

Westmoreland County

• Roaring Run Farm

  550 Sleepy Hollow Road, Donegal
  Donor: Jeremiah T. O’Shea and C. William Hausen; 2002

  
• John C. Plumer House

  131 Water Street, West Newton Borough
  1814, addition c. 1846
  Donor: Mon Valley Initiative; 2011
  National Register of Historic Places

  
• The Penn Theater

  147-151 N. Main Street, Butler, PA
  Built: 1937
  Donor: Bryan Frenchak; 2022
  Butler Main Street National Register Historic District