Category Archive: PHLF News
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Manchester: First in a Series of PHLF’s Greatest Saves in 50 Years
PHLF turned 50 on September 30, 2014. Intern Lauren Van Zandt, a Public History graduate student at Duquesne University, is sharing the stories of some of PHLF’s “Greatest Saves.” Help us celebrate 50 years of Pittsburgh renewal with a donation to our 50th Anniversary Fund. Click here.
“The origin of PHLF has long taken on a legendary character. In early 1964, James D. Van Trump and Arthur P. Ziegler, Jr. were walking along the 1300 block of Liverpool Street in Manchester, looking at a remarkable row of mansard-roofed double houses and deploring a condition that foretold their replacement by new housing. The idea came to them of a preservation group that would find means of continuing such houses in use, externally restored, fully habitable, and with the same kinds of people, if not exactly the same people, in each house. … Such preservation would have to prove itself to officials and money sources, and to neighborhoods themselves. The Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation was incorporated on September 30, 1964 … as an organization with practical and considerate alternatives to conventional urban renewal.” —A Past Still Alive: The Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation Celebrates Twenty-Five Years, Walter C. Kidney (1989)
I wanted to start this series with Manchester not only because it was one of PHLF’s first projects and greatest saves, but also because it is a neighborhood that is near and dear to my heart.
As a recent Pittsburgh resident hailing from Baton Rouge, where most of the buildings were erected after 1950, Pittsburgh’s historic architecture and neighborhoods are endlessly fascinating. I had actually never set foot in Pittsburgh before moving here, and I ended up in Manchester purely by a lucky chance. I was attracted initially by the low cost of housing and proximity to Downtown, but the longer I’ve lived in Manchester the more I’ve come to appreciate the unique beauty of its buildings and the care with which they are maintained.
In the mid-1960s PHLF partnered with the Urban Redevelopment Authority and helped establish the Manchester Citizens Corporation with the goal of revitalizing the neighborhood through historic preservation without displacing the people who lived there. In 1967 PHLF started its first Manchester restoration at 1329 Liverpool Street. The task of preservation became easier in 1975 as the coalition’s efforts were validated when most of Manchester was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This neighborhood preservation program was the first of its kind in the United States, and set a precedent that PHLF has followed for decades.
Living in Manchester, I walk down streets lined with beautiful Italianate and Second Empire houses, interact with a diverse group of neighbors, and daydream about buying the last vacant historic house on the block and lovingly restoring its ornate turn-of-the-century woodwork façade. PHLF has restored many of the houses I stroll past on Sheffield and Bidwell Streets and see out my window.
Without grants and economic incentives, this building would have remained an abandoned, burned-out hulk and would eventually have collapsed at the hands of Mother Nature or the wrecking ball. Without the measures taken to prevent the displacement of low-income residents, I would not have been able to afford to live in Manchester with a graduate student’s meager means. Luckily, my story is far from unique; individuals and families all over Pittsburgh are living in houses restored or inspired by PHLF’s preservation efforts.As PHLF reaches its 50th year, it is vital to remember the importance of community support in order to ensure another half-century of preservation, renewal, and growth. Please consider making a donation to the 50th Anniversary Fund to build a base for PHLF’s preservation services and educational programs for the next 50 years.
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Architecture Apprentices Propose Plans for Homestead Lot
“The Apprenticeship Program is very rich in knowledge, learning, and experience. It really gives you a good look into the field and how it integrates in society.”
––High School Participant, Fall 2014Eighteen high school students completed PHLF’s Architectural Apprenticeship on December 11, 2014, and presented their plans for the vacant lot at 307-09 East Eighth Avenue, Homestead. The five-session course, sponsored by the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, is designed to help high school students decide if they want to study architecture in college/university.
Below is a gallery of photographs of some of the student designs for the vacant lot. They envisioned restaurants, art galleries, a video-game house, coffee shop and yoga studio with a rooftop garden, music hall, apartments, multi-purpose workspace, counseling center and therapy office, frozen yogurt shop and Kabob House, Juice Bar and outdoor garden, pottery studio and cafe, and a music and comic book store, among other concepts.
“After spending hours developing their design ideas based on feedback from CMU architecture students and professional architects, the high school students spoke convincingly about their design ideas. They came up with sustainable, mixed-use concepts that would benefit the community,” said Executive Director Louise Sturgess. “We were all impressed with their ability to convey their design ideas through plans, sections, elevations, and perspective drawings.”
Patrick Shattuck of the Mon Valley Initiative and Preservationist Kelley Stroup critiqued the final designs, along with James Washabaugh of Michael Baker, Inc., who co-taught the class with Louise.
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A Look at Our Work in 2014
Dear friends,
As we enter the final month of 2014, I want to reflect on some of the specific results of our work during our 50th year in historic preservation.
In education, we interacted this year with more than 10,000 people through neighborhood and downtown walking tours and creative programming for students and adults. We published eight Poetry and Art books written by students and teachers, awarded four scholarships to college-bound students as part of the Landmarks Scholarship Program, and created a video narrated by Pittsburgh Public School students for their peers in Dunfermline, Scotland. Our staff was supported in this work by 60 volunteers and eight college interns who volunteered a total of 3,800 hours.
At the Landmarks Preservation Resource Center in Wilkinsburg, we ventured further in our educational programming where we offer workshops, lectures, and screen films on physical house restoration skills, architectural history, and urban planning. We had 65 sessions this year and saw more than 800 event attendees.
With the help of James Shipman, an artist and sculptor, we cleaned and restored eight medallions and shields from the former Manchester Bridge (1915-1970). They are mounted as an artistic display on the exterior walls of the Landmarks Preservation Resource Center.
Through the Historic Religious Properties program, we have awarded $95,710 to 12 religious institutions, thanks to support from PHLF and contributions from our members and several foundations.
We completed the acquisition of a preservation easement on Wilpen Hall in Sewickley Heights, thus protecting the facade of the National-Register-listed home, designed in 1899-1900 by George S. Orth, and over 30 acres of surrounding gardens and grounds.
A grant from the Colcom Foundation is enabling us to refurbish 50 of the earliest vintage Historic Landmark plaques. We awarded 17 new plaques to various buildings this year. We also successfully completed the nomination of the Strip District to the National Register of Historic Places and are working on a similar designation for the central business district along Wilkinsburg’s Penn Avenue.
In preservation real estate development, we are in the process of completing the restoration of the last of 10 historic facades in Downtown Pittsburgh that we restored under a $4 million state grant in partnership with the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh.
Also in Downtown, we are moving along with the restoration of the Thompson’s Building in Market Square where a gourmet grocery store will open in 2015. At 420-422 Wood Street, we completed the restoration of the historic cast-iron facades and Katie’s Kandy, a sweets store, has opened a shop on the ground floor. We are now re-designing the upper floors of the building for office space. Across the street at 413-415 Wood Street, we have started design work for the restoration of the former Weldin’s Building.
Our work outside the city includes the completion of the restoration of the workers’ board-and-batten house in Natrona. In the Main Street National Register District of Butler, we continued and completed placement of new welcome signs, replaced sidewalks, planted trees and installed appropriate new street lights to enhance this historic area. Armstrong and Huntington Bank support this work under the state’s Neighborhood Partnership Program.
On the preservation lending front, we made four loans totaling $764,000 so far, and our loan fund was significantly augmented with a $700,000 grant from the U.S. Treasury, to our non-profit lending subsidiary Landmarks Community Capital Corporation, a designated Community Development Financial Institution.
In Manchester on Pittsburgh’s North Side, where we started 50 years ago, we are continuing our partnership with the Manchester Citizens Corporation and have made available $800,000 of loan capital through PNC Bank. In addition, TriState Capital provided a grant that will help fund restoration of historic houses in Manchester, a commitment of $100,000 a year for six years under the state’s Neighborhood Partnership Program.
Under the same program, TriState is also a valued partner in Wilkinsburg where it provides $300,000 a year, shared equally between our organization and the Wilkinsburg Community Development Corporation, for historic house restoration in neighborhoods and business development along Penn Avenue.
Our staff has provided technical assistance of various forms for more than 1,500 inquiries and requests. Through a partnership with Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College and the PNC Foundation, we had six students as part of the Landmarks Fellowship Program working with us on various forms of data analysis to help us assess the impact of our work in the community.
Of course, this is but a snapshot of our organization in time. As we look back over 50 years, we know that PHLF has improved the quality of life for people in this region and succeeded in showing that historic preservation can be the key to achieving economic, social, and cultural renewal. There is so much more work to be done since our region continues to grow and change. We thank all those who continue to provide financial support, partnerships, and counsel.
Arthur Ziegler
President
Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation -
Thank You Volunteer Interns
For the past three months, PHLF has been fortunate to have the volunteer help of Juliana Carlino (University of Oklahoma, on-line, Art History), Mark Hirschman (LaRoche College, History), Lauren Rowland (University of Pittsburgh, History & Urban Studies), and Zachary Webster (Duquesne University, History).
Together they have helped PHLF staff and docents with many school and membership tours, reviewed and commented on a manuscript, assisted in surveying 13 non-contributing structures located on the Friendship Hill site (the home of Albert Gallatin in Fayette County), and completed various archival projects. “We enjoyed getting to know each student,” said Executive Director Louise Sturgess, “and appreciated having everyone’s help. We wish them success in the future and look forward to keeping in touch.”
The following comments from each intern describe the value of their experience with PHLF.
“PHLF was truly a wonderful volunteering experience and internship. Being involved in the Friendship Hill research enabled me to immerse myself in a professional project using my educational skills and graduate resources. Assisting with several school tours, membership tours, archival organization projects, and lectures also allowed me to learn valuable concepts pertaining to outreach and education, historic structures and architecture, and the importance of preservation within Pittsburgh communities.”
––Juliana Carlino, University of Oklahoma (on-line)“I have greatly enjoyed my time here at PHLF and have benefited from it tremendously. I really enjoyed the opportunity to make use of my writing skills and the opportunity to take photographs on the Downtown Dragons tour, and the chance to help plan other tours.”
––Mark Hirschman, LaRoche College“PHLF has provided me the opportunity to see and learn things about the history and architecture of Pittsburgh that I would not have had otherwise. The knowledge, creativity, and skill of the staff at PHLF and the quality of the programs it provides have impressed and inspired me. This experience has been a pleasure and has helped prepare me for a future in teaching and sharing history with others.”
––Lauren Rowland, University of Pittsburgh“My time at PHLF has allowed me to explore and learn about places in Downtown Pittsburgh that I walk by every day, but never knew any history about. By helping with a wide variety of the tours, I was able to learn about the architects and experience the culture and history of the previous Pittsburghers who walked the ground before us.”
––Zachary Webster, Duquesne University -
Going Places: Building Skills and Exploring Architecture
“Thank you for taking us to the Bradford School and to dinner at the Grand Concourse. I felt fancy. I like going places!”
––ShianneOn December 18, PHLF will “graduate” another group of Pittsburgh Langley middle school students from its after-school enrichment program, “Going Places: Building Skills and Exploring Architecture.”
During the 11-session program in the fall, students toured the Sheridan-Elliott-West End neighborhoods, visited the Pittsburgh Children’s Hospital, Pittsburgh Children’s Museum, Carnegie Museum of Natural History, Board of Education, Downtown Pittsburgh, and Bradford School, and dined at the Grand Concourse Restaurant.
“We travel from place to place aboard Molly’s Trolley,” said Education Coordinator Karen Cahall. “At each place, we meet with people who talk with the students about their jobs. The students have a much better understanding as to what happens within many of Pittsburgh’s buildings and they are realizing that the skills and interests they have can lead to some interesting careers.”
BNY Mellon Foundation of Southwestern Pennsylvania, the McSwigan Family Foundation, and the Alfred M. Oppenheimer Memorial Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation contribute to PHLF’s educational programs that give students the chance to safely explore their community and city, discuss how to strengthen and improve a place, and consider careers associated with community-building.
For more information about PHLF’s educational programs, please contact Karen Cahall (412-471-5808, ext. 537).
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160 More Explorers, Poets, and Artists
All fourth-grade students and all teachers (K-5) at Franklin Regional Heritage Elementary School in Murrysville participated in Poetry and Art workshops with PHLF on November 5 and 10, thanks to an invitation from Reading Specialist Valerie Piccini and funding support from the Parent-Teacher Organization.
After exploring the history of their school through discussions and recollections, each teacher sketched a detail of their school and contributed a sentence of poetry. Click here to see group one’s and group two’s poems about their school.
After exploring Pittsburgh through a series of images, from 1816 to 2006, each student selected a photo detail of a Pittsburgh place, composed a poem about it, and used charcoal to draw it. The fourth-grade poetry and artwork was displayed in the hallway for parent’s night.
“This experience helped everyone feel more connected to our school and to Pittsburgh,” said Valerie. “Our teachers and our fourth-grade students of all abilities were able to imagine being the building, and our students had a great time using the charcoal to draw. Everyone was so impressed with the quality of the poetry and art. Pittsburgh came to life through these workshops.”
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School Tours, Design Challenges, Apprenticeships, and After-School Enrichment
“Our study of communities and specifically Mt. Lebanon fits perfectly with this field trip. The history and architecture is great!”
––Mt. Lebanon Second-grade Teacher, October 2014With school in session again, PHLF staff and docents have been leading walking tours for students in grades 2 through college, in Downtown Pittsburgh, Mt. Lebanon, Castle Shannon, Oakland, the Strip District, and elsewhere. “Our tours reveal the story of the place and involve students and the adult chaperones in discovering the significance of the built environment,” said Education Coordinator Karen Cahall.
PHLF also hosted Orientation Sessions on October 13 and 16 for more than 200 students from Westmoreland County who are participating in its 19th Annual Architectural Design Challenge (set in Lawrenceville), and is involving about 20 high school students from throughout Allegheny County in an Architecture Apprenticeship program and 15 students from Pittsburgh Langley in a weekly after-school enrichment program titled “Going Places: Building Skills and Exploring Architecture.”
Below is a gallery showing all these programs.
“We are grateful to BNY Mellon Foundation of Southwestern Pennsylvania, the McSwigan Family Foundation, and the Alfred M. Oppenheimer Memorial Fund of The Pittsburgh Foundation for contributing to our educational programs that give students the chance to safely explore their community and city, discuss how to strengthen and improve a place, and consider careers associated with community-building,” said Executive Director Louise Sturgess.
For more information about PHLF’s educational programs, please contact Karen Cahall (412-471-5808, ext. 537).
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If You Hand Out Eat’n Park Smiley Cookies . . .
. . . then your sidewalk activities will be a success! That’s what PHLF staff and volunteers discovered when they handed out 960 mini smiley cookies, compliments of Eat’n Park, on September 8, 9, and 10 to people who were waiting at the downtown bus stop on Liberty Avenue at Tenth Street, from about 3:30 to 6:00 P.M.
PHLF staff and docents involved people in trivia games, cup stacking, and identifying Pittsburgh photos and architectural details. All the activities were provided in conjunction with the Project for Public Spaces’s 18th Annual Pro Walk/Pro Bike/Pro Place Conference. The goal was to enliven a downtown public space, and thanks to Eat’n Park’s cookies, in large, part, we were able to do so,” said Executive Director Louise Sturgess.
Click here to skim an alphabetical list of people’s Favorite Pittsburgh Places (from “All of it” to “Wherever the free cookies are”) and to read some Bus Stop Stories.
Below is a gallery of 20 photos of the sidewalk activities.
