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 FPittsburgh HistoryN & Landmarksews Foundation No. 166 March 2004 In this issue: Easements: 2 A Preservation Our Work: Recent Progress 8 Tool for the 2003 Awards: Historic Landmark Plaques & Present and Historic Religious Properties 10 Future From the First Sentence To explore the structure, process, Until Now and benefits of preservation easements for historic commercial buildings, 15 Landmarks, in association with A Spring Visit to Oakmont real estate development company CB Richard Ellis/Pittsburgh, sponsored Michael Ehrmann, principal of Jefferson & Lee Appraisers, and Landmarks trustee a breakfast meeting on January 15, Martha Jordan, during the January 15 easement meeting. 20 2004, for owners of historic properties, Special Events Preview realtors, developers, bankers, architects, city planners, and community leaders. Heinz Lofts Demonstrate the Speakers included Landmarks president Our experience in Value of Easements Arthur Ziegler; Jack Norris, CEO and historic preservation over the When five of the historic H. J. Heinz chairman of CB Richard Ellis/Pittsburgh; past 40 years has taught me Company buildings became available Michael Ehrmann, principal, Jefferson that there are only two sure ways for conversion into loft housing, devel- & Lee Appraisers; and Martha Jordan, to save a building: oper John Ferchill and Landmarks Duquesne University Law School undertook to explore how easements professor and a member of Landmarks’ you either have to own it could protect the buildings and benefit Easement Committee. or protect it through an the developer. A preservation “easement”—the easement. Prohibiting façade changes and fore- meaning of the word requires some ––Arthur P. Ziegler, Jr. stalling potential development rights of explanation—is a voluntary legal agree- a property is viewed as an economic ment between a building owner and hardship, but one that is compensated Landmarks that will protect architec- Commercial building owners may for by tax relief. A professional turally significant or historic property also wish to protect the building by appraisal determined that the property for a specified number of years or establishing a “development rights ease- value of the Heinz buildings diminished in perpetuity. ment” (that may include “air rights”), modestly if a façade easement was Preservation easements may be while owners of historic farmland may taken; moreover, the property value used to protect residential buildings, apply for an “open space easement.” declined substantially if the development commercial property, and farmland. For a fee to cover monitoring expenses, easement––which included air To be eligible, the property must be on Landmarks, in turn, will assume rights––was taken. By accepting these the National Register of Historic Places, responsibility to see that the terms of two easements, Landmarks gave the individually or as a contributing struc- the easement are met and enforced. developer a significant charitable con- 2004 ture within a National Register district. All easements must be approved by tribution that closed a major gap in A building owner may establish an Landmarks’ Easement Committee, financing the project. Without the Old House Fair easement in conjunction with Landmarks chaired by trustee George Yeckel. easement, Mr. Ferchill would not have to protect the façade of a building; this Easements have become an important been able to complete his adaptive-use in the new is known as a “façade easement.” and effective preservation tool because project and the Heinz buildings might they can provide financial gains through have been lost. David L. Lawrence the tax code, making preservation of a Since easements benefit different Convention Center historic structure economically beneficial properties in different ways and at to a building owner or developer. different values, it is important that It’s part of the Pittsburgh Home interested owners get the information appropriate to their situation. & Garden Show! For a copy of Landmarks’ Five of the historic H. J. Heinz Company buildings on Preservation Easement brochure or March 13 & 14 Pittsburgh’s North Side will now be protected through for additional information about Saturday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Landmarks’ easement program. the easement program, contact Jack Miller (412-471-5808, ext. 538; Sunday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. [email protected]). General admission: $9 per person Children 6–12: $4 each Children 5 and under: free See page 20 for a partial list of speakers, vendors, and events. For complete information visit: www.pghhome.com Page 2 PHLF News • March 2004 OUR WORK: Recent Progress Landmarks Launches New Dollars/New Partners Thanks to funding support from Land- Each church pays a $500 fee to participate. marks, parishioners from nine congrega- The following congregations are participat- tions are participating in a training ing in the training program: program designed to give them the skills • Allegheny Unitarian Universalist Church and resources they need to determine the (North Side) “public value” of their historic religious property, assess the condition of their • Bethel Presbyterian Church building, interpret congregational history, (Bethel Park) develop new partnerships, establish a • Calvary United Methodist Church case for capital support, and identify (North Side) prospective partners and funders in the • Calvert Memorial Church (Etna) larger community. • Emmanuel Evangelical Lutheran Church This program, New Dollars/New (Castle Shannon) Partners, has been created by Partners Parishioners from nine congregations are working with Landmarks and Partners for • First Baptist Church of Pittsburgh for Sacred Places, a Philadelphia-based Sacred Places to learn how to build a case for support for their historic religious property. (Oakland) national non-profit and non-sectarian center devoted to the stewardship of • Mulberry Presbyterian Church (Wilkinsburg) We will stay in touch with these churches further information, contact Cathy historic religious properties. Staff members and feature their progress through the McCollom, chief programs officer: • St. Andrew Lutheran Church (Shadyside) from Partners came to Pittsburgh on New Dollars/New Partners program in 412-471-5808, ext. 516; [email protected]. February 2 to present the first session • Zion Christian Church (Carrick) subsequent issues of PHLF News. For at First Baptist Church in Oakland. Transportation Committee Builds Support for Innovative Concepts Route 28 Legislation Committee of the Senate, these bills were Red: Back and forth on Grant the corners of the Benedum, Heinz, and held over to 2004. We are hopeful that Orange: Back and forth on Smithfield Byham Theaters. At the request of Dr. George R. White, they will pass into law due to strong Yellow: Up 5th, down Forbes White presented his ideas to the Port chair of Landmarks’ Transportation co-sponsorship. Green: Up and down Liberty/7th Authority Board of Directors on November Committee, Landmarks’ attorneys drafted Norfolk Southern is aware of this poten- Blue: Back and forth on Ross/6th/7th 26, 2003. PAT General Manager Paul legislation authorizing eminent-domain tial Pennsylvania Statute, and expressed its Tan: In 9th, down Penn, over Stanwix, up Skoutelas told his Board that he felt the taking by Allegheny County of 26 feet opposition to this law during a meeting Allies & reverse proposal was “unworkable.” In subsequent (half) of the Norfolk Southern Railroad with Landmarks’ Transportation The reason for calling these bus routes discussions, he informed White that the right-of-way adjacent to Route 28. Added Committee on December 17, 2003. to the 42-foot-wide “death stretch” from “subway style” is that, by running buses plan was “too big… . Wasn’t a more Millvale to Chestnut Street, this taking often (one-minute wait during rush hour; modest start to through-routing possible?” would allow PennDOT to rebuild a full Color-Corridor Through two minute waits during mid-day) and Accordingly, White has prepared a first- speed Route 28 without disturbing either Bus Routes always along a designated track, riders phase proposal calling for the Yellow, can easily transfer to reach any Triangle Green, and Tan corridors. St. Nicholas Church and Grotto or the Ever since streetcar days PAT bus service destination, while the buses run “straight- By law PAT management is responsible Troy Hill hillside. All access for properties has provided a marginal replica of those through” just as New York subways do. only to the PAT Board. However, City alongside Route 28 is banned by Federal routes, with short loops barely penetrating There are three principal advantages to government has the authority to approve/ Regulation of the funding, so all roadside the Triangle and long loops congesting color-corridor through routes: disapprove all bus stops in Pittsburgh. property will be condemned and taken by traffic within it. Many potential riders County government provides $22 million PennDOT, except for St. Nicholas Church choose to walk, because they have no way • PAT will attract as many as 20,000 com- of annual funding to PAT, and this triggers and Grotto, where auto access and parking of knowing where the Triangle buses are muters out of cars and into buses, with a three times more in State funding; approval would be provided from the rear by a street going on their 3,000 daily miles and when $15 million increase in revenue as a result from the Governor/legislature is required from Troy Hill Road. they are coming. of better access to downtown work sites; to release State funding. White is meeting Representative Don Walko and 16 co- Landmarks’ recommendation, conceived • The density of buses clogging the with representatives from all these groups sponsors introduced Landmarks’ draft by Transportation Committee Chair Dr. Forbes/5th area will be cut to below to promote support for his concept and legislation as House Bill 2151, and Senator George R.