Category Archive: PHLF News
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Market at Fifth Continues
PHLF News
March 7, 2008Construction is proceeding with our three buildings at the gateway to Market Square at Market and Fifth Avenues downtown.
We acquired these buildings from URA, severely deteriorated, and have dismantled much of the wall structures brick-by-brick, cleaning the bricks to return them to rebuild the walls.
Our timetable calls for completion early next winter. Seven apartments will be on the second and third floors consisting of 6 one bedrooms and 1 two bedroom, two with roof gardens.
Substantial contributions are needed to complete this work, resulting in a Platinum level Green certified historic complex.
Costs will exceed $3,500,000, but we feel the expense is worth it to preserve and restore these anchor corner properties across from the forthcoming new PNC Park, and within view of Heinz Hall, and helping to frame the entranceway to Market Square.
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St. Nicholas North Side
PHLF News
March 7, 2008St Nicholas Church on East Ohio Street was closed several years ago by the Roman Catholic Diocese and merged with St. Nicholas Millvale.
A group envisioned saving the church and using it as a Croatian Heritage Museum, a goal that we were glad to see set forth. Unfortunately no agreement could be reached and the Follier group from Italy, indicated that it wanted to buy the church property.
However, that group is not going forward with its plan, and PHLF contacted the Diocese at the request of the Croatian Heritage Group to see if it could be for sale again for that purpose.
The Diocese encouraged a proposal to purchase the building for a Museum, but not for church purposes, particularly if the space is also rented for special events where alcohol might be sold.
We hope that the group can consider the Museum and events purposes only so that the buildings and its marvelous interiors can be saved and continue in a public use.
PHLF, the Croatian organization leaders, Preservation Pittsburgh and others participated in the efforts to redesign the proposed Rt. 28 Expressway so that the church could be saved and would have a private entrance road to it.
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Allegheny County Courthouse 120th Symposium & Exhibition
PHLF News
March 7, 2008Friday, April 18th, 2008
To commemorate the 120th anniversary of the dedication of the Allegheny County Courthouse, Professor Drew Armstrong, director of the Architectural Studies program at the University of Pittsburgh, has organized a public symposium on ‘The Allegheny County Courthouse in Context’ that will take place on Friday, April 18th, 2008. Speakers from across the continent will address the history of the courthouse, its place in H. H. Richardson’s career, and its impact on public architecture throughout North America.Arthur Ziegler will open the conference with a brief outline of PHLF’s Allegheny County Historic Properties Committee work for several decades in guiding the restoration of the Courthouse.
September 2nd through October 16th.
A major exhibition on ‘Pittsburgh and the Architectural Sublime: H. H. Richardson’s Allegheny County Courthouse’ in the Frick Fine Arts Building will feature archival material documenting the courthouse competition and Richardson’s design process.Click here for details on the symposium.
A Bench for the Courthouse
Several years ago, we embarked on a program to replace the unattractive and randomly selected used chairs that lined the corridors of the Courthouse with sturdy wooden benches designed by County architect Sam Taylor, in the style of Richardson. Each bench costs $3,500 for Wilson and McCracken to create. They may be given to honor or memory of family and friends. To date, 21 benches have been donated out of the total of 35 that we need.
For the symposium, we are asking PHLF members and friends if they would like to either sponsor a bench in it’s entirety, or to contribute a small amount between $10 and $50 that will go toward the $3,500 fee to commission another handsome wood bench for the halls of the Courthouse to be dedicated to H. H. Richardson.. We will report on progress as we move along.
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Worrisome in Manchester
PHLF News
March 7, 2008City of Pittsburgh’s Department of Building Inspection continues to list deteriorated, but architecturally valuable houses in Manchester for demolition.
If these houses are lost, the magic of historic Manchester will be forfeited and can never be recovered. It is the architectural continuity of Manchester that makes it such an attractive place to live.
We are working with the City and the Manchester Citizens Corporation to try to develop ways to keep these buildings, and we seek new owners for them.
Cost of acquisitions are low; call Tom Hardy at Manchester Citizens Corporation: 412/323-1743.
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PHLF Introduces Grocer to Hill District
PHLF News
March 7, 2008For nearly a quarter a century, the residents of the Hill District have sought to attract a quality full service grocer to the Hill.
When Dr. Howard B. Slaughter, Jr. became Chief Executive Officer of Landmarks Community Capital Corporation (LCCC) a subsidiary of Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation (PHLF) in October 2007, he made it a top priority to locate a suitable grocer interested in locating in the Hill District.
PHLF worked with Save-A-Lot in locating a new store in Wilkinsburg and experienced excellent cooperation with their design and graphics.
After a series of meetings to engage Save-A-Lot’s interest in the Hill District, LCCC hosted a breakfast meeting to introduce Save-A-Lot to the community and City officials.
The next step is to have a meeting in the Hill District to discuss the possibility and viability of this grocer locating in the Hill District, which is scheduled for April 12th. Stay tuned…
Save-A-Lot has provided the community two videos for viewing by clicking here.
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School Tours Booked through June
PHLF News
March 7, 2008Now through mid-June, our calendar is filled with tours for school groups and private groups–so if you would like to explore Pittsburgh with our staff or docents, book your FALL TOUR now.
Contact Mary Ann Eubanks at 412-471-5808
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Membership Tours
Register now to attend our Ethnic Heritage Tour in West Homestead and Munhall on April 26, from 12:15 to 4:00 p.m.
Visit https://phlf.org/phlf-tours-events/ for details.
Our tours to Kopp Glass, Clairton Coke Works, and Edgar Thomas Works in January, February, March, and April sold out quickly.
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Book on Stained Glass Artist Charles J. Connick To Be Released this Fall
PHLF News
March 7, 2008This November Landmarks will publish “Charles J. Connick: His Education and His Windows in and near Pittsburgh,” by Albert M. Tannler.
The full-color, perfect-bound book will be the first to fully document Connick’s formative years in Pittsburgh and Boston and his extraordinary windows in ten architecturally-significant landmarks in the Pittsburgh region.
To learn more about the publication or to contribute, click the button below.
