Category Archive: Preservation News
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Residents hope historic ‘label’ will save school
Thursday, September 27, 2007
By Judy Laurinatis,
Pittsburgh Post-GazetteWhen the old Turtle Creek High School was placed on the National Register of Historic Places late last month, the people who love the building that now is East Junior High cheered.
Now they hope the historic designation will help convince the Woodland Hills School Board that the building should be protected and, if not used by the school district, at least sold to someone who will appreciate it.
Razing the building is one of several options before a board coping with declining population and deteriorating buildings. East Junior High has just 272 pupils in a building that has the capacity of 617. The building once held 2,000 pupils.
On Wednesday, the board will hear what an ad hoc committee appointed by the school board believes should be done with the building constructed in 1917 and occupied as Union High School in 1918. The board is expected to vote on the recommendation at its Oct. 10 meeting. Meetings begin at 7:30 p.m. and are held in the administration building on Greensburg Pike.
Among the options the committee will propose, panel members said, are selling the building to a college or university to be used as a satellite campus; turning it into a performing arts high school for the Eastern suburbs; or selling it to another entity sometime in the future.
A school reorganization plan involving closing East Junior High and moving those students to West Junior High was presented to the school board in August by HHSDR/Architects and Engineers of Pittsburgh.
The architects deemed East in poor condition overall with a number of specific problems cited. They included deterioration on the exterior terra cotta embellishments and concrete beams and a brick facade in need of repointing. The basement has water damage, swimming pool pumps are in bad shape and the stage needs to be upgraded.
Still, Turtle Creek Councilwoman Jill Henkel said, “It identifies the town.” She graduated from the school and lived through a big renovation of the building in 1977 when she was a student.
But in 2005, the school board looked at some options for the building, including tearing it down. That consideration rallied townspeople who came out by the hundreds in support of keeping it.
The loss of the building would be a blow to the town, Ms. Henkel said this week. Its history is tied to the history of the Turtle Creek and at least one of Turtle Creek’s “firsts.”
For instance, the high school was the site of the state’s first school district merger, she said.
The class of 1919 was the first graduating class from the school and had students from Wilmerding, East Pittsburgh and Turtle Creek attending. The mixed student body is why it was named Union not just Turtle Creek High School, she explained. The high school name reverted back to Turtle Creek when Wilmerding students began attending their own high school in 1940.
But that isn’t all, said Ms. Henkel and Bob Mock, another resident and save-the-school supporter.
Turtle Creek, a town of 6,000 people, doesn’t have an actual public park. The green space Turtle Creek does have is the campus of the old school, and it’s a most popular spot for residents on sunny weekend afternoons, Mr. Mock said.
The auditorium is also a centerpiece for the school and for the borough.
“Tony Bennett performed there in the 1940s,” Mr. Mock said.
Ron Yochum, Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation chief information officer, said the National Register designation is an honor but restricts owners only in certain ways. For instance, if federal funds are to be used to rehabilitate the building, certain guidelines issued by a board of review must be followed. Otherwise, the owner is still in control.
“They could do a tear down or sell it,” Mr. Yochum said. Mostly though, owners will find that “very valuable tax credits” for renovation work will accompany historic designation status, and a building’s value may actually increase.
First published on September 27, 2007 at 6:27 am
Judy Laurinatis can be reached at jlaurinatis@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1228. -
Downtown forum focuses on vacant, abandoned properties
By Justin Vellucci
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, September 25, 2007Where some curse the sight of vacant homes, boarded-up shops and weed-choked yards, Arthur P. Ziegler Jr. sings of opportunity.
On Monday, the president of Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation spoke with about 620 elected leaders and development officials who gathered Downtown to help share and expand that vision during a two-day national conference on vacant and abandoned properties.“Vacant properties are a big problem in older cities and we look upon them, often, as a major resource for revitalization,” Ziegler said as he prepared to enter a session at the Omni William Penn Hotel. “We’re here to learn about what other cities are doing and what other solutions they’ve found.”
Participants’ name tags read like a who’s who of America’s post-industrial Rust Belt, with representatives attending from Cleveland, Buffalo, Detroit and Youngstown, Ohio, among others. But, each city’s take on dealing with blighted homes, population loss and neighborhood disinvestment seemed to unite them.
“This is really the place where the ‘do-ers’ in different communities can come together,” said Don Chen, executive director of Smart Growth America.
“If there’s one message, the one message is: ‘No one can solve this problem on their own,’ ” said Joseph Schilling, a Virginia Tech professor who served on the conference’s executive committee.But what, specifically, could Pittsburgh officials glean from the National Vacant Properties Campaign’s first national conference?
Chen and Schilling said they could learn to preserve neighborhoods and aging infrastructure by following the successful steps Philadelphia took in its Neighborhood Transformation Initiative.
Pittsburghers also could benefit, they said, from studying Youngstown, which aggressively tackled abandoned properties through its Youngstown 2010 plan. Or the city could look closely at Richmond, Va., which helped rebuild six targeted communities through its Neighborhoods In Bloom program.
Greater Pittsburgh has plenty to teach leaders from other communities, participants said. Several talked about development of former industrial and waterfront sites, while Chen praised Mayor Luke Ravenstahl’s buyback of more than 11,000 tax liens as “very exciting.” Ravenstahl helped kick off the event with a welcome speech.
The excitement in Pittsburgh and its recent designation as “America’s Most Livable City” were actually part of the reason the conference came to town, said Jennifer Leonard, director of the National Vacant Properties Campaign.
“It’s a good showplace for cities similar to it,” Leonard said. “It’s a city with problems. But it’s also a city looking for solutions.”
Justin Vellucci can be reached at jvellucci@tribweb.com or 412-320-7847.
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Landmarks Architecture Design Challenge project in downtown Vandergrift
September 24, 2007
Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation (Landmarks) has selected Vandergrift as the host community for its 12th annual Architectural Design Challenge for over 150 Westmoreland County middle school and high school students.
On September 26 and 27, members of the community will lead students on a tour to learn about the town’s history, unique architecture, and downtown revitalization plans. They will also study their project site which is the vacant building located at 134 Grant Avenue, this building will be the focus of the students’ design challenge. Once back at school, students will work in teams, over a five-month period, to create potential design solutions for rehabilitating 134 Grant Ave. into a “Galleria” Arts Center.
In February 2008, the students will return to Vandergrift to present their proposed designs and models to the community and to a selected panel of critics which will include architects. Student presentations will include drawings and models illustrating their designs for the building addressing the program for the proposed Arts Center.
The Vandergrift Improvement Program, Inc. (V.I.P) is excited about having the students work on the Design Challenge project in Vandergrift. “We look forward to seeing what the students will design for the former JC Penny’s building. This is a great opportunity for students to create design solutions that could actually get incorporated in the revitalization efforts,” says Shaun Yurcaba, Main Street Manager.
Through this project the students will learn about the architectural design process by having a real building to work with, a hypothetical proposed Arts Center, and a set of design guidelines to follow. The Architecture Design Challenge will teach younger generations about the value of small towns, historic architecture, and preservation.
Landmarks has numerous educational programs for students and teachers featuring local history and architecture. Using the environment as a classroom, students learn about local history, historic architecture, preservation, and revitalization. Landmarks’ also offers educational resources including in-school programs and field trips. Visit www.phlf.org for more information.
The V.I.P. on site Main Street Manager is Mrs. Shaun Yurcaba, of Landmarks. The V.I.P. has selected PHLF to manage the main street revitalization efforts, working closely with the Landmarks staff, specifically with Arthur Ziegler, President, and Eugene Matta, Director of Real Estate and Special Development Projects.
The V.I.P. is a non-profit organization composed of local residents, businesses, and local and state government officials. The V.I.P. is a designated Main Street community funded in part by the Department of Community and Economic Development.
The V.I.P. is dedicated to the protection, preservation and restoration of Vandergrift by using a four-point approach that focuses on organization, economic restructuring, promotion, and design of the central business corridor as well as the residential areas of Vandergrift.
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Vandergrift Main Street Community Receives Award for Retail Promotion
September 24, 2007
The Vandergrift Improvement Program, Inc. (V.I.P.) received a “Townie Award” for the “Vandergrift Pet Photo Contest and Calendar” from Pennsylvania Downtown Center (PDC) at the PDC’s statewide annual conference in Bethlehem, PA, which was June 3-5, 2007.
The “Townie Awards” is an annual awards ceremony facilitated by PDC, which works with over 300 member communities from across the state, 77 of which are currently in the Main Street program. The “Townie Awards” is an opportunity for Main Street programs to submit their most successful revitalization projects implemented in their community.
The Vandergrift Pet Photo Contest and Calendar won “Best Retail Promotion” for that category competing against 77 other communities from across the Commonwealth. This is the 17th year that the “Townie Awards” have been implemented.
“The Townie Awards are very competitive”, says Suzanne Gagliardo, Western Coordinator for PDC, “I’m surprised and impressed that such a young Main Street community like Vandergrift and the V.I.P. won best out of the retail promotion category. They were up against many terrific retail promotions from other more established PA communities.”
The Vandergrift Pet Contest and Calendar was selected for the “Townie Award” as “Best Retail Promotion” for its creativity and successful implementation that brought over 4000 people into the commercial district over the course of two months to submit their pet photos and then to cast their vote for their favorite pet photo. This effort brought people into participating downtown businesses and helped to build awareness about the historic downtown. Sherry Jenks, who serves on the VIP Board and on the Promotions Committee, conceived the idea for this contest.
Shaun Yurcaba, the Vandergrift Main Street Manager from Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation (PHLF) realized that this retail promotion would be successful when “…people were coming into downtown that hadn’t been to Vandergrift in months or even years. We were pleased about the participation from the community and the amount of increased foot traffic into the downtown businesses.”
The V.I.P. will be facilitating the second annual Vandergrift Pet Contest and Calendar 2008 starting on Sept. 24. Submit your favorite pet photo to the V.I.P. office between Sept. 24-Oct. 5. Place your vote at participating businesses between Oct. 15-31. Winners and calendars will be announced at Light Up Night on November 23, 2007.
The V.I.P. organizes several events and retail promotions a year in an effort to bring people into the downtown and to help the area become more aware of what is offered by the local businesses. The V.I.P. President, David Truffa, is also a downtown Vandergrift business owner and one of many business owners who’s involved with the V.I.P., “We are an organization committed to revitalizing Vandergrift, and it’s events like this that do encourage people to visit downtown Vandergrift.”
Founded in 1987, the mission of Pennsylvania Downtown Center is to advance the sense of place, quality of life and economic vitality of Pennsylvania’s downtowns, traditional neighborhood business districts and nearby residential areas.
The Vandergrift Improvement Program, Inc. is a non-profit organization composed of local residents, businesses, local and state government officials. The V.I.P. is a designated Main Street community funded in part by the Department of Economic Development (DCED).
The V.I.P. on site Main Street Manager is Mrs. Shaun Yurcaba, of Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation (PHLF). The V.I.P. has selected PHLF to manage the main street revitalization efforts, working closely with the PHLF staff, specifically with Arthur Ziegler, President, and Eugene Matta.
The V.I.P. is dedicated to the protection, preservation and restoration of Vandergrift by using a four-point approach that focuses on organization, economic restructuring, promotion, and design of the central business corridor as well as the residential areas of Vandergrift.
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Historic Review Commission of Pittsburgh Agenda for October 3, 2007
HISTORIC REVIEW COMMISSION OF PITTSBURGH
200 Ross Street, First Floor Hearing Room
October 3, 2007
AGENDA12:30 CALL TO ORDER
INTERNAL BUSINESS
Old Business
• Enforcement Issues Report
• Nominations ReportNew Business
• Approval of the Minutes from the August 1 & September 5, 2007 HRC Meeting
• Certificates of Appropriateness Report
• Historic Reviews Report
• Economic Hardship Demolition Applications Report1:00 PUBLIC HEARINGS
Public Comment
The Garden Theater
12 W. North Avenue
Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, Owner
Mexican War Streets Society, Nominator
Nominated to be City Historic Structure1:20 Manchester
1212 N. Franklin
City of Pittsburgh, Owner
Bureau of Building Inspection, Applicant
Russell Blaich, Applicant Representative
Proposed demolition to gradeManchester Historic District con’t.
1214 N. Franklin
Goodlow & Mary Brown, Owners
Bureau of Building Inspection, Applicant
Russell Blaich, Applicant Representative
Proposed demolition to grade1:35 East Carson Street Historic District
2026 East Carson
xxx, Owner
Morgan Associates, Applicant
David Morgan, Applicant’s Representative
Proposed addition of a handicap accessible ramp; proposed addition of windows
into east elevation1:50 East Carson Street Historic District
629 East Carson
Samuel Manfredo, Owner
Stephen Todorovich, Applicant
Proposed addition of a sign to a car wash2:05 Oakland Civic Center
123 University Place (University Club)
University of Pittsburgh, Owner
Landmarks Design Associates, Applicant
Bill Hashinger, Applicant’s Representative
Proposed modification of south-elevation stair tower, including addition of 1st floor
entrance; demolition of non-original fabric and reconstruction of rear entrance on
west-elevation; other slight modifications2:30 Penn-Liberty Historic District
212 9th Street (aka 821 Liberty)
Catholic Charities, Owner
Advance Sign, Applicant
Jason Hampsan, Applicant’s Representative
Proposed installation of an awning over the entrance door2:45 Penn-Liberty Historic District
960 Penn Avenue
FedEx Kinkos, Owner
Accel Sign Group, Applicant
George/Mark, Applicant’s Representative
Proposed installation of two FedEx Kinkos signs3:00 Historic Schools – Arsenal Middle School
3900 Butler Street
Pittsburgh Public Schools, Owner
Apostolou (?) -Associates, Applicant
Dennis Buirge, Applicant’s Representative
Proposed installation of a temporary parking lot and permanent exterior elevators3:20 Historic Schools – Concord Elementary School
2350 Brownsville Road
Pittsburgh Public Schools, Owner
L. Robert Kimball & Associates, Applicant
John Anthony, Applicant’s Representative
Proposed substantial rear addition to building3:45 ADJOURNMENT
The John P. Robin Civic Building, located at 200 Ross Street downtown, is wheelchair accessible.
This meeting is open to all members of the public.(HRCAGENDA/OCTOBER352007AGENDA.DOC)
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Woodville Plantation Ownership Transferred
September 9, 2007
PHLF NewsAfter thirty-one years of ownership, Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation officially transferred the Neville House, a two-story Southern colonial style house constructed in 1785 by John Neville, to the Neville House Associates.
Neville House, located in Collier Township, has been managed by the Neville House Associates for more than thirty years, and the organization hopes to expand their operation of the historic house museum.
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Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation Announces New Non-profit Corporation
Mark Bibro, Chair, announced today the formation by Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation (PHLF) of a new non-profit corporation to expand PHLF’s activities in neighborhood and urban revitalization. The Chief Executive Officer will be Howard B. Slaughter, Jr., and Arthur Ziegler will serve as president.
The new non-profit, Landmarks Community Capital Corporation (LCCC), will build a financial base by obtaining loans, grants, and investment capital and in turn will finance and develop projects that assist in the revitalization of urban centers, towns, and neighborhoods. The corporation may undertake the actual developments, and co-develop or lend funds to community development corporations and others that undertake such work. It will also work to support expansion of the regional employment base and energy conservation, green and sustainable goals, and assist rural and farm economic developments. LCCC will also contract with government and private agencies to define such projects and conduct feasibility studies for them.
Dr. Howard B. Slaughter, Jr., who resigned last week after eight years as the Director of the Pittsburgh Fannie Mae Community Business Center, will become one of Pittsburgh’s newest Chief Executive Officers. Dr. Slaughter will now serve as the CEO of the newly established company, Landmarks Community Capital Corporation. The company’s focus will be on providing equity, debt, short and intermediate term financing for housing and economic development activities in Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio, and West Virginia markets.
Slaughter will utilize his vast experience, which includes serving as the former Vice President of Dollar Bank’s Community Development group and past Director of Preservation Services of the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation. Brian Hudson, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, said,
“Howard’s new role as CEO of Landmarks Community Capital Corporation will benefit the State by ensuring that more capital is deployed in this market, which will have a significant impact in Pennsylvania. We are fortunate to have someone with Howard’s skills serving at the State level and as the CEO of LCCC.”
Arthur Ziegler said of Howard, “He has been deeply involved in community development financing from every perspective and we are certain he will lead our new non-profit to excellent results. He has been deeply involved in preservation nationally as the former PA Advisor to the National Trust for Historic Preservation.”
Slaughter said, “There is an opportunity in the market to provide appropriate financing for existing and new developments independently and in collaboration with other financial intermediaries and developers. Landmarks Community Capital Corporation will be a private-sector catalyst and a participator in financing housing, mixed-use, and commercial developments. It will also focus on public sector policy initiatives and work with legislators as well as utilize tools like the New Market Tax Credits to bring additional needed capital to the region.”
Brief background of Dr. Howard B. Slaughter, Jr.: He holds five earned degrees, including a Master’s Degree from Carnegie Mellon University in Public Management and his Doctorate in Information Systems and Communications from Robert Morris University. He also attended Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, completing the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government. He completed course work on Fundamentals of Real Estate Finance at Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Center for Real Estate. Slaughter is also a Fannie Mae Foundation Fellow and serves on the Board of the Urban League of Pittsburgh, and on the Board of the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, receiving a gubernatorial appointment from Governor Ed Rendell. He is also the Founder of the Financial Literacy Program of Pittsburgh at Robert Morris University. He will start his new job on October 15, 2007.
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Spinoff targets urban revitalization
By Ron DaParma
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Tuesday, September 18, 2007The Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation is forming a new nonprofit corporation to expand its activities in neighborhood and urban revitalization.
Mark Bibro, chairman of the South Side-based preservationist organization, announced Monday the foundation had hired Howard B. Slaughter Jr., who recently left his job as director of Fannie Mae’s Pittsburgh Community Business Center, as the unit’s CEO.The new nonprofit — Landmarks Community Capital Inc. — will provide equity and debt financing for housing and economic development in Western Pennsylvania, eastern Ohio and West Virginia, said Arthur P. Ziegler Jr., the foundation’s president.
“This broadens the tools with which we can work,” said Ziegler, who also will serve as the new corporation’s president. “It enables us to tap the capital markets on a broader basis, and we can do more things within the very broad interpretation under which we operate for historic preservation.”
Cities and towns throughout Western Pennsylvania are historic, but restoring historic buildings isn’t the only way they can be revitalized, Ziegler said.
“You need new construction, you need new businesses on Main Street, or you may need new housing or new forms of green energy,” he said.
The idea of the new corporation is to raise funds through grants, loans and investments that the foundation can use for grants, loans and investments in such projects. Roles it can play include developer, co-developer or lender to community-development corporations and others that undertake such work.
It also hopes to contract with government and private agencies to define such projects and conduct feasibility studies for them, according to a news release. Goals include expanding regional employment, promoting energy conservation and assisting in rural and farm economic development.
“There is an opportunity in the market to provide appropriate financing for existing and new developments independently and in collaboration with other financial intermediaries and developers,” said Slaughter, 49. His appointment is effective Oct. 15.
Ron DaParma can be reached at rdaparma@tribweb.com or 412-320-7907.