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 theF Pittsburgh HistoryN & Landmarksews Foundation No. 176 February 2010 In this issue: 3 Market at Fifth Wins National Award 6 Main Street News: 12 Communities in Three Counties 12 Wilkinsburg Revitalization Effort Gains Momentum 24 2010 Events Landmarks’ Housing Resource Center and office for LCCC East, now undergoing renovation, will open later this year in the former Packard Building at 744 Rebecca Avenue in Wilkinsburg. Photo by B. Glenn Lewis©2010/glennlewisimages.com PHLF News: Once a Year Housing Resource Center to Open Save this issue and absorb its contents because we are finding that PHLF News is becoming an annual publication. Over in Wilkinsburg the past few years, we have begun to rely on electronic communications to stay in touch with our members on a more Wilkinsburg’s Packard Building— frequent basis, to share breaking news housing a showroom from 1945 to 1958 and to announce forthcoming events. for the American luxury automobile—is being converted into a Housing Resource PHLF News has become a major 24-page Center by the Pittsburgh History & publication with more than 100 photos. Landmarks Foundation (Landmarks). Its purpose is to document accomplish- The one-story brick building at Rebecca ments and to present, in one cohesive Avenue and Jeanette Street will also format, the full range of programs offered house the “East” office of Landmarks by Landmarks and its subsidiaries, including Community Capital Corporation Landmarks Community Capital (LCCC), a nonprofit subsidiary of Corporation (LCCC) and Landmarks Landmarks. LCCC provides capital, Development Corporation (LDC). development expertise, and pre- and post-technical assistance to low- and We welcome your questions and comments moderate-income communities in urban throughout the year and encourage you to neighborhoods in Western Pennsylvania, call (412-471-5808) or e-mail any staff Eastern Ohio, and West Virginia. member (see the listing on page 24). Visit Landmarks acquired the Packard www.phlf.org for a listing of staff e-mails. Building in November 2006 from Jackie and Jay Johnson, as a result of At work on the Packard Building (from left to right): John Knaus and Dwight If you are not receiving our e-mail blasts a planned gift, and thanks to a $75,000 Quarles of Eagle Construction; Na Hye Kim, Art Institute of Pittsburgh intern; (we send 10 or so a year), then e-mail grant from the Hillman Foundation. Claudia P.Bermudez, architect and Landmarks trustee; and Harold L. Blye, your address to Mary Lu Denny: “This was an important acquisition for a consultant for LCCC working in Wilkinsburg. [email protected]. us,” said Landmarks President Arthur P. Ziegler, Jr. “The building is in the heart for the naming rights of one room, Center renovation. Landmarks Stay in touch and stay connected; your of the neighborhood where we have the Fifth Third Bank Housing Resource Trustee Claudia P. Bermudez and Art support as a member and participation restored four houses with the aid of the Technology Conference Room, which Institute of Pittsburgh intern Na Hye strengthens our organization and results in Sarah Scaife Foundation and Allegheny will be used to hold home buying, refi- Kim have provided interior design valuable programs and services benefiting County Economic Development. We nancing, repair, restoration, and finan- planning. The Center will open later the Pittsburgh region. also will be restoring the Crescent and cial literacy seminars for community this year—and will be a stop on our Wilson apartments there (see page 12).” residents,” said Dr. Howard B. Slaughter, Wilkinsburg Walking Tour in the To see all issues of PHLF News The work of renovating the Packard Jr., president and CEO of LCCC. fall (see page 24). (except No. 16 that is missing) Building, including the installation of a Funds from the H. M. Bitner If you would like to visit www.phlf.org. Click on new roof, is being funded primarily by Charitable Trust, through a grant from volunteer to help run the “HOME” and “PHLF News The Allegheny Foundation, chaired by Trustee Evelyn Bitner Pearson, and from Center or teach a class, Publication.” The first issue (left) and No. 82, Spring 1982 Richard M. Scaife, a trustee of Landmarks. various Named Funds at Landmarks contact Mary Lu Denny: (below) are shown here. “Mr. Scaife has been the pioneer funder are also supporting the project. 412-471-5808, ext. 527; of our program to restore vacant and “The Center will be a valuable [email protected]. abandoned housing in Wilkinsburg,” resource for anyone interested in fixing “We see this as a resource said Arthur, “and we are grateful to him up their home and making it more center for the neighborhood for awarding two grants to Landmarks energy efficient and sustainable,” and region, where people can totaling $225,000 to fund the creation said Tom Keffer, Landmarks’ property come together to share restora- of the Housing Resource Center.” and construction manager. tion experiences, expertise, and In addition, LCCC is pleased to LDA Architects and Eagle techniques—and learn from each announce a $10,000 contribution from Construction & Remediation are other in the process,” said Arthur. Fifth Third Bank. “The contribution is carrying out the Housing Resource 2 PHLF News February 2010 ADVOCACY COMMUNITY REVITALIZATION EASEMENTS EDUCATION & RESEARCH FARM & LANDSCAPE PRESERVATION The Red Lion Restaurant, Second Avenue, in the Elizabeth Borough Historic District Parkway Steps, Chalfant Second Presbyterian Church of Braddock 20 Historic Landmark Plaques Awarded The Historic Plaque Designation 8. St. Mary’s Episcopal Church (now 16. Turtle Creek High School, Committee of the Pittsburgh History Triumph The Church and Kingdom now Woodland Hills Academy & Landmarks Foundation, chaired by of God in Christ), 618 Lillie Avenue, (see page 21), 126 Monroeville Trustee Richard M. Scaife, awarded Braddock (Charles M. Bartberger, Avenue, Turtle Creek (George H. 20 plaques during its meeting on architect, 1901); Schwan, architect, 1917–1919); October 22, 2009, recognizing some 9. Munhall Volunteer Fire Company #1, 17. Allegheny County Fairgrounds, 55 structures, including the Allegheny 1300 Martha Street, Munhall (1902); South Park (1927–1934); County Fairgrounds, two historic districts, 10. Superintendent Henry J. Davis 18. Parkway Steps, between Parkway two bridges, and a handsome set of House, U.S. Steel Clairton Works, Avenue and North Avenue, Chalfant city steps. The 20 “Historic Landmark” 556 Mitchell Street, Clairton (Works Progress Administration, sites are (in chronological order): (c. 1903–1910); 1936); 1. Miller-Zorn-Bush House, 503 Hill 11. The Crescent Apartment Building, 19. Hulda and Louise Notz House, Hot Metal Bridge and Monongahela Street, Sewickley (c. 1840–1850); Connecting Bridge, South Side 738 Rebecca Avenue, Wilkinsburg 120 Lutz Lane, West Mifflin 2. Elizabeth Borough Historic District, (c. 1904), see page 12; (Cornelia Brierly, architect, 1940); Second Avenue, Elizabeth 12. Willis F. McCook House (1907) 20. Woman’s Club of Mt. Lebanon, (c. 1850–1930); and Mrs. Edgar McCook Reed 750 Hollycrest Drive, Mt. Lebanon 3. Tarentum Historic District, Fifth House (1905), now Mansions (Ingham & Boyd, architects, 1940). Avenue, Tarentum (1886–1920); on Fifth, 5105 Fifth Avenue and Beginning this year, the committee 4. Second Presbyterian Church of 925 Amberson Avenue, Shadyside will consider plaque applications from Braddock (now Calvary A.M.E. (Carpenter & Crocker, architects); counties surrounding Allegheny, espe- Church of Braddock), 441 Sixth 13. Watson Memorial Presbyterian cially if the applicant site has some Street, Braddock (1892); Church (now Riverview United connection to the Greater Pittsburgh 5. Kopp Glass, Inc., 2108 Palmer Street, Presbyterian Church), 3505 region, e.g., property owned by a Swissvale (1899); Perrysville Avenue, Perry North leading Pittsburgher or the work of a 6. Sweeney Hotel and Saloon (later (Allison & Allison, architects, 1907); distinguished Pittsburgh architect. Natrona Bank), 46–48 Chestnut 14. Regal Shoe Company (Alden & Since Landmarks has extended its area McCook House, Shadyside Street, Natrona (1900); Harlow, architects, 1908–1909), of operation to within a 250-mile radius of Pittsburgh, it is logical to extend the 7. Hot Metal Bridge (1900) & and 489–491 Market Street, reach of the plaque program also. Monongahela Connecting Bridge Downtown (1870s), now Market The Pittsburgh History & Landmarks (1904; now Hot Metal Street Bridge), at Fifth (see page 3); Foundation created the Historic Oakland/South Side; 15. Masonic Building, 322 Center Landmark Plaque program in 1968 to Avenue, Verona (Charles F. Reed & identify architecturally significant struc- Bros. Lumber Co., builder, 1909); tures and designed landscapes through- out Allegheny County. An Historic Landmark Plaque does not protect a building from alteration or demolition. To date, 546 plaques have been awarded to significant buildings, districts, landscapes, and structures Woodland Hills Academy, Turtle Creek throughout Allegheny County that are 50 years old or more. For further information, visit Notz House, West Mifflin www.phlf.org or contact Frank Stroker, program administrator: [email protected]; 412-471-5808, ext. 525. The Stables,