Protecting the Places that Make Pittsburgh Home Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation Nonprofit Org. 100 West Station Square Drive, Suite 450 U. S. Postage Pittsburgh, PA 15219-1134 PAID www.phlf.org Pittsburgh, PA Address Service Requested Permit No. 598 PPublishedH for the membersL of the PittsburghF HistoryN & Landmarksews Foundation No. 170 April 2006 The Bedford Springs Hotel will include a In this issue: restored 19th-century grand ballroom; 3 a restored conference Get Involved in “Making room that was used Preservation Work!” in the summers by National Preservation President James Buchanan; an indoor Conference 2006 swimming pool—one of the first in the U.S. 10 dating from c. 1903; Practical Preservation a new Springwater Spa and Architectural History complex; and a restored Donald Ross 16 golf course (c. 1923). Preserving School Buildings Many guest rooms in Pittsburgh and Beyond will have access to breeze-filled porches 20 with views of the hotel gardens and Membership Events: 2006 mountains beyond. Landmarks Acquires Perpetual Easement for Bedford Springs Hotel With the deepest gratitude to Bedford Bedford Springs Hotel Historic District, Little Short of a Miracle Resort Partners, Ltd., Landmarks is designated a National Historic The restoration of the building is little A Personal Note pleased to announce its acceptance of Landmark in 1991. The designation short of a miracle. The deterioration an easement to the elaborate Classical describes the hotel as “an exceptional I have a long association with the of these structures over three decades, and Victorian exterior of the Bedford example of American resort architecture.” Bedford Springs Hotel. Jamie Van combined with the decay of the Springs Hotel, located on Highway 220, Trump and I liked to visit the hotel elaborate Victorian detailing, created just outside Bedford, Pennsylvania, three a restoration effort that seemed beyond for weekends during the 1960s. miles north of Pennsylvania Turnpike New Plans Announced economic practicality. However, by We not only enjoyed the life of the Exit 146. On September 1, 2005, Bedford combining public and private financing hotel and the historic town of Bedford, The hotel, which had been a summer Resort Partners, Ltd. announced a with the use of tax credits and equity but utilized the quiet and serenity of resort for many Pittsburghers, regrettably $90 million renovation and expansion from the easement contribution—and closed in 1987. For years, developers of the Bedford Springs Hotel. Partners those ancient mountains that surround by combining the historic preservation came and went; the Commonwealth of include The Ferchill Group of Cleveland, the hotel to write. Jamie worked on his experience of The Ferchill Group with Pennsylvania offered funds; and the Ohio (well-known to Pittsburghers and notebooks and on a number of articles strong local community support—what town of Bedford considered floating to Landmarks through its development while staying at Bedford Springs. seemed impossible has become possible. bonds: but the ingredients never came of the Heinz Lofts on the North Shore); At one point, I was trying to write Chevron TCI, Inc., a leading investor in Work is already underway, and 400 together to enable a restoration effort Historic Preservation in Inner City Areas to go forward. tax-credit rehabilitation projects in the U.S.; and The Bedford Springs Company, and could never find uninterrupted LLC. Benchmark Hospitality International time in Pittsburgh to complete it, A National Historic will manage the 218-room, four-star so I rented a room in the Barclay, the Landmark destination resort and conference facility most remote building of the Bedford that is to reopen in May 2007. Established in 1804 by Dr. John Anderson Springs campus and stayed in it until The State of Pennsylvania is commit- who prescribed the therapeutic waters I had finished my draft. Thus the ting $24.9 million in Redevelopment of the mineral springs on the site, the first book dealing with inner-city Capital Assistance Program grant Bedford Springs Hotel was located monies to help restore and reopen the preservation, frequently involving beneath the highest range of the hotel, and $8.85 million in federal funds minorities and intensively-developed Allegheny Mountains, midway between has been obtained for highway and areas, was written in the serenity that Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, and 138 county infrastructure improvements the Bedford Springs Hotel provided. miles from Washington, D.C. The The elaborate Victorian porch detailing. around the hotel. Historic preservation earliest building was completed in 1806, — Arthur Ziegler tax credits and the philanthropic contri- workers are involved. Landmarks is and additions continued throughout the bution of an easement in perpetuity to both relieved and proud that work is Editor’s Note: James D. Van Trump century. The resort became the summer Landmarks produces another $19.5 going forward and that our involvement (1908–1995) and Arthur Ziegler, White House for U.S. President James million in financial assistance. through the years has been rewarded. president of Landmarks, co-founded the Buchanan, who served from 1857–61. Landmarks’ easement protects the This is the third easement that Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation Other notable guests included Aaron elaborate wooden gingerbread porches Landmarks has obtained recently that in 1964. Historic Preservation in Inner City Burr and Daniel Webster and Presidents on the guest wings and the Greek is making it possible to save and reuse Areas was published in 1971. William Henry Harrison, James Polk, Revival central building dating from significant historic properties. For details Zachary Taylor, James Garfield, and 1829–42, as well as the indoor on easements associated with the Heinz Dwight Eisenhower. swimming pool wing and the historic Lofts on Pittsburgh’s North Shore and The hotel was placed on the National golf course. the Armstrong Cork Buildings in Register of Historic Places in 1984 and Pittsburgh’s Strip District, see the March is the centerpiece of the 300-acre 2004 and September 2005 issues of PHLF News, respectively. Page 2 PHLF News • April 2006 OUR WORK: Recent Progress the concept of using $1,000,000 for historic preservation strategies to revitalize Wilkinsburg Neighborhood the community,” said Cathy McCollom, Revitalization chief programs officer Landmarks is making a sizeable commitment to renovate ten at Landmarks, vacant historic houses in the 2.1-square-mile Borough of “we were thrilled to Wilkinsburg, adjoining the City of Pittsburgh, in order to receive in December jumpstart a major neighborhood revitalization effort. 2005 a $500,000 Before After The Sarah Scaife Foundation––the initial supporter of every grant from the Sarah one of Landmarks’ pioneering neighborhood projects––is Scaife Foundation contributing $500,000 to establish a revolving fund that will for Phase One of Making a Difference! result, initially, in the renovation of four historic properties: the Wilkinsburg 516, 522, and 524 Jeanette Street and 811 Holland Avenue. Revolving Fund Lawrence Hall Restored: Allegheny County is also contrib- project. The These before (9-7-04) and after (12-14-05) photos show uting $500,000 to Phase One. Wilkinsburg how historic buildings, when restored, add beauty and Some funds will be reclaimed Neighborhood value to a place. Point Park University restored the through the sale of the renovated Transformation Initiative that exterior and several interior public spaces of Lawrence properties, and Landmarks will 524 Jeanette Street, Wilkinsburg Landmarks helped Hall (originally the Keystone Athletic Club, Janssen & continue to raise funds to support further work. fund and publish in Cocken, 1929) and located its bookstore in the building “After several years of 2004 mapped a course of action that we are now beginning corner at Wood Street and Third Avenue. Landmarks grassroots planning efforts to implement.” Keith Herriot joined Landmarks’ staff in was instrumental in the restoration process, under- that brought Wilkinsburg January to help with the Wilkinsburg project. writing $16,000 of the $24,000 restoration study by residents together around Landmarks Design Associates Architects and helping the University secure a lead grant of $100,000 from the Allegheny Foundation. saved 1,300 acres of historic farms and 10 structures. Phase Two Funding The total value of the property saved was estimated at $5,869,000. for Historic Farm At least 20 other architecturally significant Allegheny County and Western Pennsylvania farms were identified Preservation Program during Phase One as worth saving, but more funding was needed to develop solutions for each. “Now, with contribu- Received tions from the Laurel Foundation and Mr. Scaife,” said Jack December 2005 brought welcome news: after much effort to Miller, director of gift planning at Landmarks, “we will be secure funding to launch Phase Two of our Historic Farm able to work with more farm owners while we continue to Preservation Program, Landmarks received a $50,000 grant raise funds to reach our Phase Two goal of $500,000.” from the Laurel Foundation and a $100,000 gift from To open the dialogue, Landmarks trustee Martha Jordan Richard M. Scaife. and Jack participated in a panel discussion, “Preserving Landmarks had launched Phase One of its Historic Farm Western Pennsylvania’s Farms,” co-sponsored by The Heinz Preservation program with a $500,000 grant from the Architectural Center on March 4, in conjunction with Richard King Mellon Foundation (PHLF News, March its exhibit, “Barns of Western Pennsylvania: Vernacular Cork Factory Lofts to Open this Fall: 2002), with the purpose of slowing sprawl and saving to Spectacular,” organized by architectural historian A preservation easement from Landmarks helped save historic farms in Allegheny and neighboring counties. In the Lu Donnelly. the Armstrong Cork buildings at 2349 Railroad Street September 2004 PHLF News, Landmarks reported having in the Strip. The multi-building brick complex was constructed beginning in 1901 to designs by Frederick J. Osterling (see PHLF News, September 2005).