Category Archive: Main & Elm Street Programs
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The Sweeney Hotel and Saloon To Be Preserved
March 4th, 2009
PHLF NewsAt the request of Senator Jim Ferlo and the Natrona Comes Together Association in the Natrona Flats, Landmarks helped the organization secure the vacant Sweeney Hotel and Saloon built in 1900 at 36 Chestnut Street. Over the years the hotel had become a bank, an antique store, and finally The Vault Theatre, before it closed again.
Utilizing a grant from Senator Ferlo and a planned giving solution we developed, we were able to obtain the ownership of the building for the Natrona Comes Together Association.
A further grant from the Senator is enabling us to install a new roof and repair the elegant cornice work on the building. The future use for the building is still being discussed within the larger context of the Natrona’s ongoing revitalization efforts.
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Landmarks opposes the demolitions of 1403 and 1414 Nixon Street and 1109 Bingham Street
PREPARED TESTIMONY OF
ANNE E. NELSON, ESQ., GENERAL COUNSEL
PITTSBURGH HISTORY & LANDMARKS FOUNDATIONBEFORE HISTORIC REVIEW COMMISSION,
CITY OF PITTSBURGH PUBLIC HEARING ON CITY DEMOLITIONSJANUARY 7, 2008
Landmarks opposes the demolitions of 1403 and 1414 Nixon Street and 1109 Bingham Street because the City was instructed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to cease all demolition activities for any buildings located in National Register eligible or listed or local designated historic districts until the City complies with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act and revises its procedures and relevant documentation.
HUD reiterated its instructions and concerns with the City’s Section 106 compliance in a letter dated December 29, 2008. In this letter, the City was further instructed to respond to HUD by January 16, 2009 with: (1) an update on the City’s progress in revising its procedures and relevant documentation to comply with Section 106, (2) assurance that the City has ceased demolition activities, and (3) addressing Landmarks’ concerns.
It is distressing that the City has failed to comply with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act over the past six months. We have yet to receive any responses from the City to our letters commenting on its compliance with Section 106 that were sent in August and September 2008, nor have we received a response to our letter dated July 29, 2008 requesting to be a consulting party.
Landmarks will oppose all City demolitions in historic districts until it complies with Section 106, and we are notified of our consulting party status.
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- 1109 Bingham Street
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- 1414 Nixon Street
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- 1403 Nixon Street
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Vandergrift Main Street Gets Lift
by Shaun Yurcaba
Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation
September 8, 2008Sen. Jim Ferlo announced today a $35,000 grant to assist the Vandergrift Main Street program. This grant will be added to the Restoration Revolving Fund, which was created in 2006 to bring new life to downtown Vandergrift and to restore its distinctive buildings. The Revolving Fund was initially capitalized with a $300,000 grant from the Allegheny Foundation, a charitable entity of Richard M. Scaife.
In addition, the Vandergrift Improvement Program (VIP), Inc., a non-profit organization, announced the acquisition of two new buildings in the heart of downtown Vandergrift, and the restoration of a third building, all utilizing the original Scaife grant to establish the Revolving Fund.
“The VIP is using the Restoration Revolving Fund so effectively that I am very pleased to add additional state resources to it for further leverage,” said Sen. Ferlo.
143 Grant Ave: The VIP purchased 143 Grant Ave. in 2007 and has completed a complete masonry and storefront restoration of the facade. The roof has been replaced. The VIP is in negotiations with a tenant who plans to open a bakery and yoga studio on the first floor and live above in the second floor residential unit.
139/141 Grant Ave: The VIP has just secured 139-141 Grant Avenue. The roof, which had been severely compromised, has already been replaced. The VIP is also upgrading the electrical system and plans to fully restore the facade. Long term plans include renovating the 5 second floor apartments, which are uninhabitable.
134 Grant Ave: The VIP also just secured 134 Grant Avenue (the former JC Penny’s Building). The VIP has cleared the building of debris and is working on a long term plan to locate a Community Art Center and a small business incubator in this space.
According to Meade Jack, President of the VIP, downtown Vandergrift has reached a tipping point. “We have invested a lot of time and hard work in this effort. But it’s been well worth it. The seeds we’ve planted the last several years are now starting to bear fruit. We have a long way to go but we are on the right track,” Jack said. “We are demonstrating that there is still plenty of life in Pennsylvania’s small towns.”
The VIP began in 2003 with a grant from Sen. Ferlo and received DCED Main Street designation in 2006. The main street program is in year three and is being managed in partnership with the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation (PHLF).
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- Arthur P. Ziegler, Jr.
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- Shaun Yurcaba and Senator Jim Ferlo
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- Vandergrift Flower Shop Rendering
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- Vandergrift Art Center Rendering
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Start of revitalization effort generates enthusiasm in Elizabeth Borough
By Margaret SmyklaThursday, July 03, 2008Pittsburgh Post GazetteAllegheny County’s new small-business revitalization program, Allegheny Together, is in the initial stages in Elizabeth Borough, but it already has made a difference.
“Some people are so excited they have started making changes,” said Carol Hill, president of the nonprofit, all-volunteer Elizabeth Area Community Development Corp.
“It has motivated business owners to take another look at their buildings and realize the value of maintaining and restoring them,” said project manager Jessica Mooney.
The other pilot communities are Swissvale, Stowe and Tarentum.
In September 2007, the county launched Allegheny Together, a small-business revitalization program designed to encourage well-planned, well-designed and geographically focused investment in established commercial districts.
The target is the central business district in Elizabeth Borough, which extends 2 1/2 blocks, from Market Street to Strawberry Street. Businesses within that area include Rockwell’s Red Lion Restaurant, Mitchell Plumbing & Heating, PNC Bank, Variety Video, Barton’s Flowers and Gifts, Rite Aid and The Grand Theatre, a renovated movie theater for community events.
The district also houses the borough building, Elizabeth Elementary School, an office of state Rep. David Levdansky, D-Elizabeth, and other office space.
For the first year of the three-year program, the county hired Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation and Town Center Associates to provide technical assistance to the communities. Among the offerings were complimentary architectural design services for facade renovations and information on applying for facade improvement grants and small business loans.
The program kicked off publicly in January for business owners, and four workshops followed, focusing on design, organization, promotion and business development.
Ms. Mooney said the selection of the borough for the program “was a natural progression from the recent commercial revitalization study by the Department of Economic Development.”
That $40,000 study to improve the borough’s downtown district contained recommendations that council President Monica Douglas called “a blueprint for the future.”
They ranged from the costly building of a boardwalk along the Elizabeth Bridge and the Monongahela River, to less expensive bridge lighting, new signs and planters.
Ms. Mooney said the objectives of the program’s second year are to execute initiatives identified in the annual action plan and develop an action plan for the third year. The final year also involves developing a strategy for long-term sustainability.
Mrs. Hill is confident in the program’s goal of making the once-thriving district successful again.
For more information, visit www.alleghenytogether.com.
Margaret Smykla is a freelance writer.First published on July 3, 2008 at 6:22 am -
PHLF Main Street Program Expands
By Ethan Raup
Manager, Community Revitalization ProgramsThe PHLF Main Street revitalization program expanded this spring into Armstrong County with a partnership with the Freeport, Leechburg and Apollo Group (FLAG) and with funding obtained by Sen. Jim Ferlo. PHLF is working with FLAG to submit their state main street application in August. If accepted, FLAG would be the first regional main street program in western Pennsylvania.
Freeport, Leechburg and Apollo are small towns with traditional main street business districts that are within 10 miles of each other along the Kiskimenitas and Allegheny Rivers. Alone, each town is too small to qualify as a state main street. So leaders in these towns decided to join together to pursue the state’s regional main street designation.
PHLF’s work includes staffing FLAG’s Board and its four committees – Promotions, Design, Organization and Economic Restructuring. We are developing an aggressive five year work plan that builds on local assets and addresses challenges head-on. We are also taking early implementation steps wherever possible. That includes a study to explore restoring and returning the former Leechburg Hotel building to its original use.
With direct access to the Kiski River, a picturesque surrounding countryside, abundant trail connections and traditional towns that are still largely intact, the FLAG communities have a real opportunity to develop into a regional destination. The Leechburg Hotel could be key to this effort. And it dovetails nicely with PHLF’s work on the historic main street in Vandergrift, which is just across the Kiski river in Westmoreland County.
The FLAG effort began two years ago with the help of Sen. Ferlo, who has been a strong advocate for FLAG and this revitalization effort. We are optimistic that FLAG will receive its Main Street designation later this year. PHLF anticipates working hand in hand with FLAG in 2009 and beyond to help breathe new life into each town.
With the FLAG communities, PHLF is now active in 8 main street revitalization efforts across southwestern Pennsylvania, including Stowe, Swissvale, Tarentum, Elizabeth and Vandergrift. In each of these towns, PHLF is drawing upon our depth of experience and expertise to find a path forward that we believe will lead to a sustained revitalization.
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In Vandergrift, Transforming the Vision Into Reality
PHLF has been working in partnership with the Vandergrift Improvement Program (VIP) for over three years now to realize an ambitious vision for bringing new life and vitality back to Vandergrift’s historic downtown. We have worked with the VIP to really focus on taking steps to start to change the underlying economics of the main street. This has included a focus on bringing buildings back into productive service and working to retain and recruit businesses that will give customers more reason to come back.
After a lot of hard work, that vision is now starting to take shape. Work is currently underway to restore 143 Grant Avenue. Most of the brick facade has been removed, cleaned and reconstructed. The plywood that had covered much of the original storefront has been stripped off to reveal the original transom windows, which will be restored.
“It’s really nice to see that some of the seeds we’ve planted are now starting to bear fruit,” said Meade Jack, President of the VIP Board of Directors. “This is an exciting time for us. We appreciate our partnership with PHLF. It’s been a lot of hard work, but we’re making real progress. And this is just the beginning.”
Jack expressed confidence that the VIP will continue to make progress restoring other key properties in the heart of downtown. “We care about this place. It’s not just downtown, it’s at the core of who we are. We know it won’t come back exactly as it was. And will take patience and a lot more hard work. But we believe we’re on track an heading in the right direction. Downtown is coming back.”
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Vandergrift Main Street moves ahead
By Rossilynne Skena
VALLEY NEWS DISPATCH
Monday, May 19, 2008Part of the now-vacant building at 143 Grant Ave. is “a time capsule,” said Shaun Yurcaba, Vandergrift Improvement Program Main Street manager.
Inside are two single-bedroom apartments, complete with details and woodwork left unchanged since the turn of the 20th century.
By fall, renters will be able to live there and look out over Vandergrift, the area the VIP has spent the last four years trying to improve.
The VIP is a nonprofit organization that’s facilitating the Main Street program, a community revitalization initiative, Yurcaba said.
This summer, contractors will restore the apartments — one two-bedroom and two one-bedroom. The VIP is getting bids for painting along with electrical and plumbing work.
Yurcaba said the building facade has been partially restored with the help of a $300,000 grant from the Allegheny Foundation, a Pittsburgh-based Scaife Foundation that gives grants to historic preservation projects, made possible through the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation.
A new roof has been installed and asbestos abatement has occurred, Yurcaba said. The storefront needs to be restored, she said.
“We’re hoping that this building will be an example to others on what they can do to restore and rehabilitate others,” Yurcaba said.
A business will move into the first floor by late summer or fall, Yurcaba said. Plans for the business are being finalized, she said.
Yurcaba said the VIP has seen a couple of businesses relocate to the area and another reopen, although she said the VIP can’t take complete credit.
Carino’s Ristorante, 133 Grant Ave., will reopen next month, and owner Mark Carino said he’s anxious to get back into the business.
The restaurant, which had been in Vandergrift for 20 years, has been closed for about two-and-a-half years. Carino of Vandergrift said the restaurant will be “kind of different this time.”
“It’s going to be more neighborhood-friendly, more price-friendly,” Carino said, describing the previous restaurant as the “white tablecloth” kind.
Carino’s will offer pasta dishes, sauces, sandwiches, salads and appetizers and will be “kind of sports-oriented” with TVs.
Carino said VIP’s revitalization efforts were one of the deciding factors to open again.
“I like what they’re doing. They’re very pro-active. Before they came along, I thought it was stagnant. Now, they’re trying to do things. I can see other people trying to do things also,” he said.
Allan Walzak is president of StrongLand Chamber of Commerce, which represents Vandergrift among other municipalities, backs the VIP.
“It’s very important to us that every community within the chamber has an opportunity to move forward, to grow and develop,” he said. “We are here to help them.”
Walzak also serves as president of the Casino Theater, a partially-restored building in Vandergrift. He said there has been community interest and support of the theater.
Last week, the VIP received an $850 grant from the Laurel Highlands Visitors Bureau for the program’s farmers market, which will be held Thursdays this summer, beginning July 10, Yurcaba said.
The VIP this month received a $75,000 grant from the Department of Community and Economic Development to pay for the program’s operations, including running programs, keeping the office running and keeping the staff working on projects, Yurcaba said.
The VIP will also receive a DCED grant for $35,000 by fall or winter to help pay for building renovations, she said.
Another DCED grant, the Facade Grant Program, offers money to downtown businesses owners and property owners to rehabilitate their storefronts. The VIP receives this $30,000 grant each year for four years, Yurcaba said. The VIP has this $30,000 to grant to property owners to do renovations, and applications for funds are available at the program’s 132 Grant Ave. office or at its Web site, officialvandergrift.com. As much as $5,000 is available for each facade, depending on the project.
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New housing units set on Penn Avenue
By Ron DaParma
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, April 17, 2008Three loft-style townhomes to be built in Bloomfield are another example of an “exciting” transformation of housing on Penn Avenue in four city neighborhoods, community leaders said Wednesday.Small projects like this one “can really stabilize a corner in a community,” Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said at an event marking the start of construction of an $800,000 residential complex at Penn and Gross Street.“There are amazing things happening along the Penn Avenue corridor, and this is just a little gem of a project, but it’s a missing tooth,” said Jeffrey Dorsey, executive director of Friendship Development Associates.
Dorsey’s organization, developer of the project, acquired the property nine years ago with housing development in mind.
A $462,000 equity investment by Landmarks Community Capital Corp., a nonprofit created last year by the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation, moved it forward, he said.When the townhomes are completed in about 12 months, they will join dozens of single-family homes, townhomes and condominiums built or planned in Bloomfield, Garfield, Friendship and Lawrenceville, said Richard Swartz, executive director of the Bloomfield-Garfield Corp.
These projects replace vacant lots and less desirable row housing, Swartz said.
About eight blocks away, Friendship Development is ready to start building the Glass Lofts, a “green” condominium project at Penn and Fairmont Street with 18 loft units, a restaurant, art studios and office space.
“We have commitments for eight sales already,” said Dorsey.
The units will range in size from 845 to 1,873 square feet and be priced from $180,000 to $330,000, according to the neighborhood group’s Internet site. But a number are reserved as “affordable” housing that can be purchased for about $80,000, he said.
As many as 80 single-family homes or townhomes have been built in the four neighborhoods in the past five years, Swartz estimated.
At the same time, about 35 businesses — mainly artists, studios and arts organizations — have moved into spaces in some of the vacant commercial buildings in the area.
Reducing neighborhood crime and developing Children’s Hospital in Lawrenceville were key to the transformation, officials said.
Ron DaParma can be reached atrdaparma@tribweb.com or 412-320-7907.
