Category Archive: Preservation News
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Teacher wants Point View’s history documented
Brad Pedersen
Staff Writer, South Hills Record
Trib-Total Media
Thursday, April 5, 2007The Point View Hotel is all but history, though Sarah Martin, a teacher from the city’s Knoxville neighborhood, hopes to help document what happened in the building before it is torn down.
“Saving the Point View is moot,” said Martin. “It’s going to be torn down and there’s not much chance of saving the physical facility. What I’d like to do is document it as carefully and well as possible before it is demolished.”
A three-story medical facility will be built at 3720 Brownsville Road, where the Point View stands, for now. The projected plan is to tear the Point View down to build the facility for Brentwood Medical Group.
The medical group was recently granted a zoning variance, allowing them to build a three-story facility in the area zoned for two-story structures. According to Ralph Costa, Brentwood building inspector, without the variance, Brentwood Medical Group would have had to build an expanded two-story building, which they feared would impact parking space around the facility.
Martin has been taking groups of students throughout the city on hikes of documented Underground Railroad routes for the past 15 years. She has been coming to Brentwood for the past eight years.
According to Martin, Brentwood, the Hill District, North Side and Mount Washington have the most credible evidence of Underground Railroad activity.
“Those four areas of the city I’ve done for a long time,” said Martin. “I’m very much interested in hiking and walking and children and history, so it all comes together for me.”
There are no specifics on when the Point View was built, although most estimate it was built during or before the 1820s along the Brownsville Road carriage route. When it was constructed, it was a part of Baldwin Township, which was broken into several villages, including Point View. Brentwood became a borough in 1915.
The hotel boasted eight modest rooms and the most famous was referred to as the President’s Room. Prior to their presidencies, Andrew Jackson, James Buchanan and Zachary Taylor stayed in the room. It is also one of few structures standing that served as an Underground Railroad “station” in Allegheny County, along with the Bingham House in Chatham Village and the Morning Glory Inn, Southside.
“I’m going to hold their feet to the fire,” said Martin.
Martin has contacted the Brentwood Medical Group and feels that they are willing to work with her efforts in documenting the site, whether it be allowing her to take photographs of the inside or displaying a plaque.
According to Martin, Brentwood Medical Group representatives told her that they are looking into allowing her access to the building. The group has not given Martin a definite answer, though she is optimistic about the project.
Along with photographs and a plaque, Martin is also hoping to bring an archaeologist to the Point View, either before or during its demolition. She hopes to verify the age of the columns in the basement.
“It is a part of our history that needs to be reconciled and shared,” said Martin. “History usually just talks about the institution and what happened. All the small people along the way did things, it gives us perspective and balance and helps us to understand that not everybody is on the same issue and page.
“It’s an opportunity to get to know and revisit that, to know that there were people there to help runaway slaves and they were not all in favor of institutional slavery. It helps us see both sides of people and help us understand how we got through that period, even prior to the civil war.”
Since the time of the presidential stays and Underground Railroad, the building has gone through several updates, including the addition of the kitchen and bar area, aluminum siding and many other changes. These changes have prevented the Point View from achieving a historical landmark designation. A high cost to restore the Point View to its original state has kept previous owners from earning the designation.
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Historic designation sought for Turtle Creek school
By Daveen Rae Kurutz
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Monday, April 2, 2007Peter Rubash has a vested interest in Turtle Creek High School.
His grandfather helped dig the foundation for the building, now known as East Junior High School, 90 years ago, and most of his family graduated from the school.“It’s a grand old building, very charming,” said Rubash, 47, of Churchill. “It clearly has historical significance.”
The Woodland Hills School District facility has been nominated to the National Register of Historic Places amid controversy over whether to keep the school open.
The district, which has undergone several evaluations on whether to consolidate schools, voted in March to begin the process of closing East Junior High School, citing the building’s age and declining enrollment.
“We’re very proud and happy for the Turtle Creek community to have a resource such as this,” Woodland Hills Superintendent Roslynne Wilson said. “We all feel extremely lucky to live in an area so rich in history.”For a structure to be added to the registry, it must meet three criteria:
* It must be at least 50 years old.
* It should be associated with events of local or state historical significance.
* It must embody a type or school of architecture.
East Junior High School meets all of these criteria easily, said Jill Henkel, who advocated its addition to the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission’s Bureau for Historic Preservation.
The building, which reflects the classical revival style of architecture, is visible from any point in the borough, she said.
“East Junior High School has really become the central point of the town,” said Henkel, 46, of Turtle Creek. “Sometimes, you have to save something just because it’s worth saving, for a pure, unselfish reason.”
Two representatives from the school district, Wilson and school board president Cynthia Lowery, attended a March meeting with the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission’s Bureau for Historic Preservation. While Wilson did not address the committee, Lowery spoke against including the school on the registry. She said she spoke as a resident, not as president of the board.
“We went there to find out what was going on,” Lowery said. “I decided to speak. I spoke for myself.”
Wilson said that putting the school on the registry would not restrict what the district could do with the building.
Adding the school to any list of historic buildings is only a first step, Rubash said.
“It doesn’t really mean anything unless we have added funding because of it. Just because it’s named to the registry doesn’t mean it will be saved,” Rubash said. “That building needs a lot of love, and a lot of help.”
Daveen Rae Kurutz can be reached at dkurutz@tribweb.com or 412-380-5627.
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Dormont’s Hollywood Theatre reopens with a twist
By Laura Pace,
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Thursday, March 29, 2007Boris Karloff would be rather at home in the dark, dank basement beneath the remodeled Hollywood Theatre in Dormont.
So mused the film buffs who have taken over the old-style movie theater, which opens tomorrow after a total restoration.
“This is the only theater I’ve worked in that isn’t haunted,” said manager Dan Bahur, who is reprising a role of his own. He managed the theater 20 years ago and will oversee its re-opening tomorrow.
But the rebirth of the Potomac Avenue theater has a twist. It is being operated by The Bradley Center, a residential program for children from traumatic backgrounds of abuse and abandonment, said the center’s chief financial officer, Garry McGrath.
The Mt. Lebanon campus houses about 70 youths in its McNeilly Road facility, which is within walking distance of the theater.
The theater has hired about 14 of the kids, ages 16 to 19, as staffers, to sell tickets and snacks and be ushers and cleaners. For many of them, it will be their first job interacting with the public.
They will start out making minimum wage but will have the chance to move up to higher pay as they become mentors for other children who want to work there.
The three-pronged goal is to provide a “sheltered vocational opportunity” for the kids, who also will be part of a revitalization of a community by bringing the theater, which closed in 1998, back to life, Mr. McGrath said. Also, if the theater brings in more than its projected $380,000 annual operating budget, the funds could help raise money for needed programs and items such as clothes for the kids.
A staff counselor will be available to help them through the challenges of the job and the theater will be part of their education.
Upstairs from that musty basement is a totally refurbished theater, replete with high definition DVD projectors and digital cable TV projectors alongside the classic 35mm film projectors. Dolby Digital sound surrounds the room. The red, comfortably cushioned seats rock and armrests, which fold up, have cup holders.
According to cinematreasures. org, the theater was built by Warner Bros. Theaters in the late 1940s.
The seats are 23 inches wide, some of the widest in the industry, Mr. McGrath said, and they are set back 50 inches from the row in front — so far that patrons won’t have to get up if someone in the row has to leave, nor will they get kicked in the seat back by a toddler.
Red runway lights line the aisles and new curtains cover the walls. A bank of coffeehouse-style seating sits off to the side in the back of the theater and the original balcony has been preserved. Plans include a party room or cry room for infants on the side of the balcony.
The renovation to seating and A/V equipment cost $260,000 and was paid for by grants. Since The Bradley Center leases the building, the landlord kicked in some improvements as well.
The theater will be showing second-run movies and the hopes are that the center can get permission from the NFL and the Steelers to run Steelers games. Scaffolding over the stage could allow for musical events.
Concessions are half of what they are in conventional theaters, with a candy case stocked with the ubiquitous Sno Caps and Raisinettes for around $2.
A handicapped accessible bathroom is in the refurbished lobby but the general Art Deco-style rest rooms are downstairs, along with a lounge that will host an art show of pieces the youths have produced at the center.
Mr. McGrath grew up in Mt. Lebanon and spent some of his youth at the Hollywood Theatre, which also was known for midnight showings of “The Rocky Horror Picture Show.”
Nothing that salty will be shown these days. Films will be rated PG-13, PG and G only.
Admission is $3 and opening movies include “Dreamgirls” and “Night at the Museum.” Friday’s show times are 5:15 p.m. for Night and 7:45 for Dreamgirls. Saturday and Sunday show times are 2:30 and 7:45 p.m. for Dreamgirls and noon and 5:15 for Night.
The phone number is 412-343-1756.
(Laura Pace can be reached at lpace@post-gazette.com or 412-851-1867. )
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Mexican War Streets May Grow
Pittsburgh Post Gazette
Thursday, March 29, 2007The Mexican War Streets Society next month will present its proposal to expand the historic boundaries of the Central North Side district.
The society submitted its nomination to the National Register of Historic Places late last year and awaits a decision by the Pennsylvania Bureau of Historic Preservation. The upcoming public meetings are part of the nomination process, said Greg Mucha, a board member of the society.
The state bureau manages the National Register of Historic Places for Pennsylvania, which has recognized the Mexican War Streets since 1975. It has been a city historic district since 1972.
Expanded federal recognition would not effect the boundaries the city recognizes.
The Mexican War streets, whose original developer fought in the Mexican War and names streets after battles and genderals, now extend one block north from North Avenue o North Taylor Avenue, and four blocks west to east from Buena Vista Street to the west side of Sherman Avenue. The proposed expansion would go north to Armandale Street and include part of Carrington Street, Charlick Way and Reddour Street.
Mike Eversmeyer, a preservation expert who until recently chaired the city’s Historic Review Commission, has done the application paperwork for the society. He will present the proposal April 9 at the Central North Side Neighborhood Council’s general membership meeting at 7 p.m. at 1310 Arch St..l and April 17 at the Mexican War Streets Society’s general membership meeting at 7 p.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church on North Avenue.
Mr. Mucha said the proposed boundaries are rough because demolition has left parts of some streets without enough historic fabric to be included.
“But we erred on the side of inclusion and decided to leave it up tot he state” to do the pruning” he said.
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Nonprofit developer suing Munhall council
By Jan Ackerman,
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Thursday, March 29, 2007A nonprofit organization that wants to build seven homes for low- and moderate-income families behind a historic Munhall library has stirred up bad feelings by suing Munhall council for rescinding project approvals.
Relations are so strained between Munhall and the Mon Valley Initiative that state Reps. Marc Gergely, D-White Oak, and Bill Kortz, D-Dravosburg, issued a joint statement urging the parties to resolve their differences out of court.
The representatives are concerned that a government-funded nonprofit is suing one of the governments it is supposed to be helping.
“This lawsuit sends out a harmful message to Munhall and surrounding communities … .” said Mr. Gergely.
MVI filed suit against Munhall on Feb. 26, asking a judge to order the borough to approve the plan and allow construction to begin. The nonprofit organization contends that Munhall council violated the law by trying to add the property to a historic district after the subdivision plan had been approved.
Munhall Councilman Michael Terrick said council isn’t trying to stop the project.
“We are just asking them to meet historic district standards,” he said.
Stephani Greenleaf, spokeswoman for MVI, said the organization will not comment because of the litigation.
Last fall, Mon Valley Initiative, which builds “affordable housing” in Rankin, Braddock and Homestead, was seeking approvals to build seven homes on two-plus acres between 11th and 12th avenues, Louise and Andrew streets.
MVI planned four-bedroom, 21/2-bath, vinyl-sided homes with 1,860 square feet, front porches and garages. The homes would be priced at $130,000, but some would sell for less, depending on the buyers’ income.
Some neighbors of the property are unhappy with the proposal; they say it will destroy the area’s historic character.
By a 5-2 vote, council approved the subdivision plan Jan. 17. The meeting minutes said the planning commission OK’d it with the understanding that “the historic district status that is now in the process will apply to this development when it actually occurs.”
On Jan. 24, MVI applied for seven building permits.
At a special meeting Jan. 26, council voted to expand the boundaries of the historic district to include the MVI property. It also voted to rescind the approval of the subdivision.
According to MVI’s lawsuit, the borough received a legal opinion saying that it would violate the law if it tried to include the MVI property in the historic district after the subdivision had been approved.
The lawsuit is pending in Allegheny County Common Pleas Court.
(Jan Ackerman can be reached at jackerman@post-gazette.com or 412-851-1512. )
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Restoration Plans for the Crescent Apartment Building Take Shape
Abandoned years ago, the Crescent Apartments, and the smaller Wilson apartment building nearby, are “key to the revitalization of the area,” as determined by the Wilkinsburg Neighborhood Transformation Initiative Plan and community groups. Allegheny County recently acquired the apartment buildings and is working with Landmarks to create a development plan for both.
The handsome, three-story, 31,000-square-foot Crescent building from the early 1900s is architecturally significant with its unique crescent-shaped exterior and elegant classical detailing. The building acts as a gateway to the Hamnett Place area, shielding the streets behind it and helping to create a quiet enclave.
Eugene Matta, director of real estate and special development programs at Landmarks, said that “There is an enormous cost to this redevelopment project because of long-term disuse.
In order to restore the apartment buildings, a variety of financial tools will be needed, including low-income housing tax credits administered by the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency. The total project cost may reach $10 million.” It is estimated that the project will have about 27 units with a mix of one-bedroom, two-bedroom, and three-bedroom units. All units will have a cap on rental rates so they are affordable.
An important aspect of tax-credit projects is the social services component. In order to give individuals and families a better chance at achieving greater economic independence and advancement, a detailed social services plan will be developed as part of the project tax-credit application. The plan will coordinate the work of many local organizations to provide services such as education, job training, and other enrichment activities.
To ensure the success of the project, Landmarks has put together an experienced development team. Mullin & Lonergan Associates are the tax-credit consultants; Landmarks Design Associates is the architect; and Sota Construction is the general contractor for the project.
The tax-credit application for the Crescent project is being submitted to the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, the state organization that administers this program, on April 13th. “We are in the most competitive region of the five regions in Pennsylvania for the tax-credit allocation, but we are confident about our plan, knowing the tremendous community impact it could have,” said Eugene. Landmarks will hear if its tax-credit application is approved in the fall.
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Ready for Sale: Four PHLF-Restored Houses in Wilkinsburg
Historic preservation efforts initiated by the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation in cooperation with the Wilkinsburg community are serving as a catalyst for renewal in the historic Hamnett Place neighborhood. With the restoration of four homes on Jeanette Street and Holland Avenue underway, the purchase of a former Packard showroom (see page 7) on Rebecca Avenue, and the developing plans for the dramatic Crescent Apartment building, Landmarks is making a significant commitment to the Wilkinsburg community.
Thanks to two grants of $500,000 each from the Allegheny County Department of Economic Development and the Sarah Scaife Foundation, and gifts from others, Landmarks was able to acquire four properties in Wilkinsburg: 516, 522, 524 Jeanette Street, and 811 Holland Avenue. “Our investment represents the first phase of redevelopment efforts in the Hamnett Place neighborhood,” said Landmarks president Arthur Ziegler, “and continues our record of taking the lead and helping turn the tide in historic inner-city neighborhoods.” Restoration work will be completed this summer—and the four houses are on the market now.
Under the supervision of Tom Keffer, property and construction manager, Eagle Construction & Remediation LLC is working meticulously to restore the architecturally-significant trims and fixtures of the buildings, while also incorporating all the comforts and amenities of a modern new home. “These well-built homes will be returned to their original splendor and updated with modern amenities, including energy-efficient HVAC systems, new thermo-pane windows designed in the original style, and insulated exterior walls and roofs,” said Dwight Quarles, president of Eagle Construction and Remediation LLC.
516 and 522 Jeanette Street are single-family homes with distinctive Colonial Revival features. Each will have up to three spacious bedrooms and 1.5 baths. Some of the stand out features of these solid brick homes are fully restored front porches with colonial columns, handsome original pocket doors and trim on the interior, and large kitchens with a “pass thru” into the dining area. These homes will also have clean and airy basements ready to build out if desired.
524 Jeanette Street is a late-Victorian, Queen Anne, two-family home with a striking rounded turret and mansard roof. The all-brick home has a one-bedroom, one-bath unit on the first floor, and a three-bedroom, 1.5-bath unit on the second floor. Whoever purchases the two-family home will receive the income from the rental unit.
811 Holland Avenue, just a block away from the Jeanette Street properties, is an ornate Stick-Style house with an abundance of character. This home has up to five spacious bedrooms and 1.5 baths. There are original wooden entry doors that complement the geometric woodwork of the fully restored front porch. The attractive clapboard siding wraps around the home, giving it a durable and clean look. Some of the other exceptional features of this home are a slate roof, a side porch that connects to an open and flowing kitchen, and off-street parking in the rear.
“One of the best features of these homes is that if we receive signed sales agreements before the end of April, buyers will have the ability to customize certain features such as paint colors, carpet colors, fixtures, and appliances,” said Michael Sriprasert, Landmarks’ assistant for real estate programs. Buyers can also opt for an allowance in lieu of the above items, giving them free reign in what they want to do in their new home. “Sales prices for these homes start at $70,000 with special financing available. This is an exceptional deal considering that over $200,000 was spent restoring each of these homes,” said Michael. Landmarks’ goal is to sell owner-occupied renovated residences in the historic Hamnett Place neighborhood, through an affirmative marketing effort to a range of potential buyers, consistent with local, state, and federal fair housing laws.
For further details contact
Michael Sriprasert
412-471-5808, ext. 511;
michael@phlf.org. -
PHLF Begins Work on Three Downtown Properties
After eight years of controversy and misguided policies, redevelopment of the Fifth/Forbes corridor downtown is moving ahead, and several key projects are incorporating preservation and “green”-building principles.
“Green” buildings are purposely designed to preserve the natural environment as much as possible and to provide healthy, productive places for people. Because of the quality building materials used in historic structures and large windows and well-proportioned spaces, the “greenest” developments are often those that reuse historic structures.
After co-sponsoring the “Greening of Historic Properties National Summit” on October 30, 2006, the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation is putting many of the recommendations discussed that day into practice as it transforms three endangered historic buildings at Market Street and Fifth Avenue, downtown, into residential and commercial space.
“This is a major restoration project that Landmarks is undertaking to help spark the revitalization of architecturally significant historic buildings in the Fifth/Forbes corridor,” said Landmarks president Arthur Ziegler. “We are raising money to help fund the ‘green’ aspects of the restoration and to subsidize the apartments so they can be more affordable.”
On January 9, Landmarks purchased 439 and 441 Market Street and 130 Fifth Avenue from the Urban Redevelopment Authority for $257,000. “Unfortunately, these buildings were permitted to deteriorate severely under the former Mayor Tom Murphy’s administration,” said Arthur. One, the former home of Alexander Graham Bell Café, suffered a fire; then the administration did not repair the roof and it eventually fell into the basement, taking three floors with it.
Market at Fifth is seeking a “Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design” (LEED) rating based on more than 26 green features. Sterling Contracting LLC is serving as general contractor; Landmarks Design Associates is project architect; and evolve is the green-building consultant. The space within the three historic buildings is being reconfigured to function together and will contain seven upper-floor apartments and a commercial first-floor tenant, most likely a restaurant. The residential units have spacious layouts and exceptional designs. “Our two top units will feature a dual-floor layout with private decks overlooking a ‘green’ rooftop garden,” said Michael Sriprasert, Landmarks’ assistant for real estate programs.
The purpose of the green roof is to absorb moisture and reduce water run-off. Rents will range from about $1,100 for a one-bedroom/one-bath unit to about $1,900 for a two-bedroom/two-bath unit. “Having a development project in the center of an emerging housing market is very exciting,” said Michael, “and it’s our goal to have these units leased soon after they’re completed this fall, if not before.”
Plans are still in the works for the commercial space, but the concept is for a restaurant that will provide a comfortable space for both the business executive and the casual diner. Market at Fifth is located within the Market Square Historic District and will face a new park being developed by PNC across the street on Fifth Avenue.
The Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh was instrumental in facilitating Landmarks’ acquisition of these buildings. According to Eugene Matta, director of real estate and special development programs at Landmarks, “The URA was exceptional in working with us to acquire these buildings, and their hard work has helped us get the project moving quickly.”
In contrast to the Murphy administration’s approach of trying to attract one master developer from out-of-town to revitalize the Fifth/Forbes corridor, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl is following the approach set by the late Mayor Bob O’Connor in allowing local private developers to tackle the redevelopment of many City-owned buildings. According to Michael, who led a team of Heinz School students to study the housing market in downtown Pittsburgh in 2005, “This approach leads to more creative and sustainable solutions because those developers who are locally based have a better grasp of the local market, are used to dealing with the intricacies of the local political system, and are invested in the Pittsburgh region.” Millcraft Industries, Inc. of Washington County and PNC Financial Services Group––both headquartered in the Pittsburgh region––are making significant investments in the Fifth/Forbes corridor, thus proving the logic of a local development strategy.
—Market at Fifth, LP, is a downtown revitalization project of the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation using “green”-building principles. Seven rental apartments and one commercial unit in three historic buildings at Market Street and Fifth Avenue are expected to be ready for occupancy this fall.
Interested?
Call: 412-471-5808, ext. 511; michael@phlf.org