Development News

The LEED-certified facility was designed by Burt Hill, and P.J. Dick served as contractor. Total project costs were $140 million.

The seven-story Patient Pavilion, which has 88 private patient rooms, provides cancer, cardiac and spine care in new state-of-heart surgical and medical facilities. The Pavilion also houses an expanded emergency department that increases the hospital's capacity from 35,000 to 60,000 visits annually, and has concierge and valet services, patient and family resource centers and an outdoor healing garden.

Along with the new Pavilion construction, UPMC Passavant's entrance and exit routes have been redesigned and reconstructed to make arrivals and departures easier, and UPMC Passavant has created Cumberland Road, a new public thoroughfare that connects Babcock Boulevard with Peebles Road.

UPMC Passavant has evolved from a community hospital into a "world-class tertiary care clinic," says Teresa Petrick, president of UPMC Passavant. In the past six years, the hospital's inpatient volume has grown more than 30 percent, and the number of inpatient and outpatients who come to UPMC Passavant from outside of Allegheny County and Pennsylvania has doubled.

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Writer: Caralyn Green
Source: Teresa Petrick, president, UPMC Passavant

Image courtesy of UPMC

The master plan, which will take about six months to complete, is made possible by a $150,000 grant obtained by Senator Wayne Fontana with the help of the URA. The consultant team is lead by Massachusetts-based architecture and urban design firm Chan Krieger Sieniewicz (CKS), and includes Wilbur Smith Associates to focus on transportation, parking and pedestrian services; City Visions to focus on real estate development; and Klopfer Martin Design Group for landscape design.

Key investors and representatives will be presenting the master plan at 3:30 p.m. today at Artifacts, 110 S. Main St. in West End Village.

Dru Simeone with West Pittsburgh Partnership says the plan will look at riverfront property, creating trail access into Downtown and the North Side, determining the best use for key sites in the core Main Street area, possible construction of new housing, and tourism opportunities around the historic Old Stone Tavern.

Essentially, West End Village wants to be identified as something quite different than the West End and all the implications that has, and wants to be the kind of neighborhood to which artists, eaters and shoppers flock. Simeone says West End Village already is a destination neighborhood, but can become even more so with the right planning. Current destination spots include James Gallery, Sue's Cozy Corner Cafe, Moop handmade handbags and Zoe's Tea & Herb Café, as well as a slew of home goods store such as Artifacts, Ceramiche Tile & Stone, Frame Foundry, Jacob Evans Kitchen & Bath and Caldwell's Windoware.

"West End Village has been on a very consistent path to growth. We see the master plan as not only keeping up that pace but taking it to the next level," says Simeone.

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Writer: Caralyn Green
Source: Dru Simeone, executive director, West Pittsburgh Partnership

Photograph courtesy of West Pittsburgh Partnership

The building at 210 Sixth Ave., Downtown, was formerly called One Oliver Plaza, and is now known as K&L Gates Center.

K&L Gates fully renovated the ground-floor lobby and adjoining plaza, and created a double-height reception space and a two-story conference space. Its 28th floor main reception area includes original mural-work by Brazilian artist Beatrice Milhazes, whose work is included in the permanent collections of the Guggenheim and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh and the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sophia in Madrid. The renovation project employs daylight harvesting and energy-efficient lighting, and is expected to achieve LEED certification, a significant feat for a space within a 1968-vintage structure.

Washington, D.C.-based Lehman Smith McLeish was the architect, and Structure Tone was general contractor.

This is K&L Gates' first move within Downtown Pittsburgh. It had been located in the Henry W. Oliver Building for all of its 63 years. K&L Gates last renovated its office space in the late 1990s. Michael Zanic with K&L Gates says the firm was ready to move, as its previous space was "E"-shaped, which was "not the most efficient floor plan for a law firm." The rectangular floor plan at the new K&L Gates Center attracted the firm, Zanic says, as did the opportunity for naming rights. "We're proud to be here in Pittsburgh and incredibly thrilled to have our name on the skyline," says Zanic.

K&L Gates operates offices in 36 cities worldwide, including its most recent site in Warsaw, Poland as of March of this year.

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Writer: Caralyn Green
Source: Michael Zanic, administrative partner, and Mike Rick, media relations and PR, K&L Gates

Image courtesy of K&L Gates

The brand will open its first stores outside of North America later this March in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait City, with plans to expand to additional international markets in the future. The launch into the Middle Eastern market is in cooperation with Kuwait-based retailer M.H. Alshaya Co.

Closer to home, American Eagle is transitioning its temporary "pop-up shop" 77kids into a permanent retail store at the Mall at Robinson. American Eagle introduced the children's brand online-only in October 2008, then followed what was initially a temporary brick-and-mortar store in October 2009. The concept was so successful it's stuck around, and will be sticking around for much longer.

The 5,581-square-foot Pittsburgh-area 77kids will open in July 2010. Four other 77kids stores will open in the northeast in the second half of the year, an American Eagle spokesperson says.

American Eagle recently announced it is closing its Martin+Osa brand, including all stores and online business. American Eagle expects to open 14 new AE stores and complete 20 AE store remodels in 2010, in addition to opening 20 new aerie stores and its first five 77kids stores.

American Eagle's corporate headquarters is located in Soffer Organization's SouthSide Works.

"We believe in the vision for that development and for Pittsburgh. It's a perfect fit with the AE brand--a dynamic urban environment that fosters both creativity and productivity among our employees," the spokesperson says. "AEO Inc. believes in Pittsburgh and the quality of life that the city has to offer our employees."

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Writer: Caralyn Green
Source: American Eagle Outfitters spokesperson

Photograph courtesy of American Eagle

And what concept is that? Creative types gather; creative types talk. Each person presents 20 slides of their work, and gets 20 seconds to talk about each slide. The dialogue is structured, but for all the confines, there's a lot of fun to be had, and a lot of different things to be seen and said.

Pittsburgh has already hosted several Pecha Kucha Nights, including its first-ever at the annual Design Pittsburgh awards in October 2008. The next Pecha Kucha Night is 7 to 11 p.m., Fri., March 19 at SPACE, 812 Liberty Ave., Downtown. Presentations begin at 8 p.m.

Friday's presenters include architect Terry Oden of Rothschild Doyno Collaborative; author and educator Carrie Zuberbuhler Kennedy; interaction designer Roderick McMullen of MAYA Design; interior designers Rachel Furmanski and Lindsey Masarik; Michael Hellein, co-founder of Bearded Studio; and Adam Murray with Adam Designworks and NXUS|5 Architecture and Design.

Hosted by local AIA and AIGA chapters, the evening aspires to entertain, and also to get Pittsburgh architects, designers, artists, crafters and visual storytellers talking--not only to the audience, but with one another.

"I think that whenever you give the design community the opportunity to get together and do something together, it demonstrates how in the creative process it is wonderful to include other people," says Anne Swager with AIA . "The benefit in the long term is making new connections, and going forward, using those connections to create."

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Writer: Caralyn Green
Source: Anne Swager, executive director, AIA Pittsburgh

Photograph courtesy of AIA Pittsburgh

The full-service facility will occupy 44,000 square feet at the site of the former G.C. Murphy store as part of Millcraft Industries' Market Square Place development. The facility will be a major tenant on Market Square, which is currently undergoing a $5.1 million renovation, and is expected to emerge in late summer 2010 as a pedestrian-friendly, European-style piazza.

The Market Square Y, officially named the PNC YMCA, was designed by DRS Architects, and Massaro Corporation is the builder.

The Market Square location will replace the Y's current 100,000-square-foot Boulevard of the Allies spot, where it has been for some 20 years. Though the Market Square facility will be smaller, its layout will actually increase efficiency and include more exercise equipment, says Kevin Bolding, YMCA district president.

The new Y will include a 25-meter pool, men's and women's locker rooms, all-new exercise equipment and studios for yoga, Pilates, spinning, Zumba and more. The new Y, however, will not have a gymnasium or basketball courts, as Bolding says that those amenities have proved unpopular with the Downtown Y members. The Y will also offer many of the same services as it does at its current location, including nutrition, smoking cessation and weight management classes.

"YMCA is not just what we are doing Downtown. YMCA is here to be an asset to the Pittsburgh community," says Bolding. "It's more than spin classes or weights or the pool. We do a lot of health and wellness programming, and raise funds to make sure everyone can afford to be a member."

The Downtown Y currently has about 1,500 members, and another 1,000 members belong to the U.S. Steel Tower YMCA that opened in 2008. The Y is looking to attract new members with its new location--Bolding says YMCA hopes to increase membership between to the two sites to 4,000.

The Downtown Y currently employees about 150, and will be hiring additional fitness staff members over the next six months, Bolding says.

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Writer: Caralyn Green
Source: Kevin Bolding, district vice president, YMCA

Image courtesy YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh

The umbrella group, which receives funding from the Pittsburgh Partnership for Neighborhood Development, held several community dialogue events in the fall (attended by well over 100 residents), and is now moving on to addressing the concerns that came out of those conversations.

Major issues include addressing redevelopment of vacant properties, and establishing a one-stop shop where residents can access all available services. Another concern, says Sara Bennett with Hilltop Alliance, is the preservation of housing.

"In 2008, I believe, we had 99 foreclosures up here. Foreclosure is a big problem on the Hilltop," says Bennett. "We also have declining home ownership--it's now at about 64 percent--and have a 25 percent poverty rate. We're hoping people can utilize the services we're presenting to help them manage their money and buy homes or keep their homes."

The Hilltop Alliance--along with Action-Housing, Inc., NeighborWorks and the Brashear Association--is coordinating services to help Hilltop residents preserve housing assets and lower home energy costs.

Through its Coordinated Weatherization Campaign, Action-Housing will be helping families in the Hilltop apply for free energy audits/retrofits. NeighborWorks will be offering free budget, credit and foreclosure preventing counseling. And Brashear Association will be providing case management services, including helping families to apply for Dollar Energy, a program to help families afford their utility bills.

Hilltop Alliance will be introducing the community to these services at an event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Thurs., March 11 at ElderAdo senior center, 320 Brownsville Rd in Knoxville.

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Writer: Caralyn Green
Source: Sara Bennett, community organizer, Hilltop Alliance

Photograph courtesy of Hilltop Alliance

The gourmet hot dog shop already gives 2 percent of all profits to charity; serves the ever-popular grass-finished, organic, all-beef Locavore dog; offers auto-free bike delivery in the Downtown area; and has plenty of vegetarian options, including the tofu frank, salads and soups.

Now, the lunch spot in the basement of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, at 325 Oliver Ave., is taking steps to leave an even smaller carbon footprint. With the help of two CORO Fellows, who worked with Franktuary from January until recently, the eatery has starting planning a composting program that will get under way once the warm weather's here to stay; will be temporarily taking chicken products off the menu until a more sustainable poultry source is established; is transitioning from disposable to permanent flatware; and has vowed to move away from Styrofoam cups and containers once the current supply is exhausted. Also, Franktuary has eliminated all high-fructose corn syrups from the beverage case and--at the recommendation of a Fellow with cerebral palsy--Franktuary has lowered the waste/recycling area so that it's more accessible for customers in wheelchairs.

Frankuatry's mission, co-owner Megan Lindsey says, is to "redeem fast food, one frankfurter at a time."

"We are really concerned about stewardship," Lindsey says. "Franktuary is in a new phase of existence. We've really redefined our vision. We want to be an educating force in the food industry, which sounds pretty insane, given how small we are. I really think, though, that people latch onto good practices when they see them done well, done truthfully, done without guilt hanging over their heads."

Franktuary's biggest green push is yet to come, though. This April, Franktuary will open a second location--on wheels. Unlike the store, which has mixture of "organic and regular products," says Lindsey, Franktuary's roaming food truck will serve only grass-feed beef and locally made vegetarian patties and hot dogs, as well a locally made pirogues and homemade soda. The truck will keep customers informed about its whereabouts via social media, and has plants to team up with nomadic local bakeshop, The Goodie Truck.

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Writer: Caralyn Green
Source: Megan Lindsey, Franktuary

Image courtesy of Franktuary

The 89-unit apartment building is part of a multi-phase $69 million expansion project at Longwood at Oakmont Retirement Community, an affiliate of Presbyterian SeniorCare. Previously, the facility completed a major renovation of its 59-bed Hanna HealthCare Center, and after completing The Grandview, renovations will start on the clubhouse, and the community will introduce additional wellness programming.

The Grandview will feature an 89-spot underground parking garage, and units in the five-story building will range from 1,300 to 1,800 square feet.

Seventy percent of the units have already been sold, says Jim Pieffer with Presbyterian SeniorCare.

"We really believe in the cost savings of being energy efficient, and in being good stewards of our resources. We also think our potential residents are committed to the idea of going green," says Pieffer. "The choice to go green is really just keeping up with the Pittsburgh market. A lot of people don't realize it, but Pittsburgh is one of the greenest cities in America. This effort is in keeping with that spirit."

Lancaster-based architecture firm Reese Lower Patrick & Scott designed The Grandview, and the general contractor is Mistick Construction.

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Writer: Caralyn Green
Sources: Jim Pieffer, senior vice president, and Patricia Kornick, director of communications, Presbyterian SeniorCare

Image courtesy of Presbyterian SeniorCare

Eating locally not only tastes better and is better for your body, but also has a positive impact on local economies (imagine what we could do with all those dollars kept in our communities rather than siphoned off to multinational corporations). Agriculture is a top industry in Pennsylvania, with many farmers and food producers located right here in western Pennsylvania. With the goal of connecting the region's food growers and makers with the region's food buyers and eaters, Penn State Cooperative Extension, Allegheny County and co-sponsor Chatham University, in collaboration with PASA, have launched the first-ever Local Food Showcase.

The Local Food Showcase runs 1 to 4 p.m., Thurs., March 11 at Chatham University's Anderson Dining Hall. The entrance fee is $5, and parking will be available in the University's Library/Theatre Lot accessible via Murray Hill Avenue.

"If you grow food, cook food or eat food, this event is for you. We invite anyone with an interest in where their food comes from, anyone looking to make connections for the upcoming growing season," says Heather Mikulas with Penn State Cooperative Extension.

The event will present resources for finding local sources of fresh and processed foods for retail, restaurant, wholesale, CSA (community supported agriculture), farm markets and home use. There will be demonstrations, tastings and educational information on local farms, biofuels, composting and gardening.

The 40-plus participating vendors include the expected--East End Food Co-Op and tons of farms, including Kretschmann, Cherry Valley Organics and Frankferd--as well as local eateries Six Penn/Parkhurst and Enrico Biscotti, Purple Spoon Jams and Lebanese food from Najat's Cuisine.

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Writer: Caralyn Green
Source: Heather Mikulas, Penn State Cooperative Extension

Image courtesy Penn State Extension

Residents in the communities along the proposed 32-mile trail may learn more about the trail study conducted in 2009 at three public meetings: one last night in Millvale; one Wed., March 3, 6-8 p.m. at the Alle-Kiski Museum, 224 E. 7th Ave. in Tarentum; and one Sat., March 6, 1-3 p.m., at the Boyd Community Center, 1220 Powers Run Rd in O'Hara Township.

"The discussions hope to engage each individual community to understand what the trail can offer them, where it will be, and how we plan to move forward," says Tom Baxter with Friends of the Riverfront. "As with any development project, we need ideas on which projects are ready to go and ideas on funding, and once trail segments are built, we need volunteers to help maintain them."

Once completed, the Allegheny Valley Trail will tie into the Erie-to-Pittsburgh Greenway and the Pittsburgh-to-Harrisburg Mainline Canal Greenway, which follows the 320-mile path of the historic Pennsylvania Mainline Canal.

Some communities, such as O'Hara, Sharpsburg and Millvale, have already started work on their trail sections, says Baxter.

McTish, Kunkel & Associates has been selected to assist with the planning of this multi-municipal trail and greenway. The project is funded by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation & Natural Resources, Allegheny County, Allegheny Rivertown Enterprize Zone, Pennsylvania Environmental Council, Friends of the Riverfront, and the 17 riverfront municipalities. O'Hara Township and the Fox Chapel District Association are also assisting with community outreach and fiscal responsibilities.

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Writer: Caralyn Green
Source: Tom Baxter, executive director, Friends of the Riverfront

Image courtesy of Friends of the Riverfront

PBT acquired the building in November 2009 for under $300,000. Renovations are anticipated to cost more than $600,000. Jendoco is the general contractor, and the project is designed by Fukui Architects, where one of the architects is also a parent to a PBT School student.

The project will integrate, for the first time, a sustainable housing component into the PBT School. Currently, out-of-town PBT students stay with host families throughout the city. Of the 21 current fulltime high school students, 16 are from out-of-state, says Aaron Rinsema with the PBT School.

"The students and their family recognize that the PBT School is a destination institution where they can advance their ballet training," says Rinsema. "The student housing continues to advance the concept that Pittsburgh, as a city, is a destination place for so many great artists and athletes."

The three-story, 7,000-square-foot property is located at 3501 Liberty Avenue, less than one mile from the PBT studios in the Strip District. The building was the former rectory for St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, which is now the Church Brew Works restaurant. The property has been used for many years as housing for social services organizations, including Familylinks, says Rinsema

PBT hopes to complete renovations in time to house students for its 2010 Intensive Summer Program, which begins in June.

The dormitory is part of a $1.5 million capital project, which incorporates other organizational enhancements and is funded by a $750,000 allocation from the Pennsylvania Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program, and matched by contributions from Allegheny Regional Asset District, The Byham Charitable Foundation, The Adams Foundation, The Wagner Family Charitable Trust, and anonymous funders.

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Writer: Caralyn Green
Source: Aaron Rinsema, PBT School operations director

Photograph courtesy of PBT

The exhibit highlights species native to grasslands around the world, such as Gouldian finches, paradise whydah, Sudan golden sparrows, shaft-tail finches, melba finches and blue ground doves. A boardwalk trail and simple rope railings will minimize the barrier between visitors and free-flying birds. The exhibit's plantscape includes sea oats, bayberry, birch and dogwood, as well as other greenery.

The opening of the Grasslands exhibit is part of the National Aviary's $23 million multi-phase expansion and renovation project, designed by Springboard architectural firm, located at the River Walk Corporate Centre on the South Side. The project is shooting for LEED Silver certification.

The first phase of the project (the 2,3000-square-foot Penguins Point exhibit and renovated Main Hall) opened Memorial Day 2009. Construction on the Grasslands exhibit started in December 2009.

Elements scheduled to be complete in fall 2010 include: the 125-seat Helen M. Schmidt FliteZone Theater, which will be the nation's first indoor educational theater built to incorporate free-flight bird demonstration; the rooftop Sky Deck theater for open-air raptor demonstrations and special events; a cafe with indoor and outdoor seating (the Aviary currently has no dining option); and classroom space with state-of-the-art multimedia features. The facelift will also add a new Arch Street entrance, which will feature an innovative, bird-friendly fritted glass window that will block reflections and reduce bird strikes, says Erin Estell with the Aviary.

"We're doing this entire renovation because we feel that by getting visitors to get close to the animals, they start to really care about them and want to do something to protect them in the wild," says Estell. "We're doing this because we want to protect wild birds."

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Writer: Caralyn Green
Source: Erin Estell, assistant director, manager of the Helen M. Schmidt FliteZone Theater, National Aviary

Image courtesy of National Aviary

The marketing campaign's goal is to thank regular customers of Market Square establishments, and encourage new ones, says Hollie Geitner with the PDP. There are two ways customers can win the $25 gift cards: (1) Make a purchase at any participating Market Square merchant and be entered in a weekly raffle, or (2) take a photo of themselves with a purchase and a Market Square bumper sticker (available at participating merchants), and email it to the PDP to be posted on Facebook and voted on by other PDP Facebook fans.

The campaign runs March 1 through 31.

Local business districts have suffered this winter due to record amounts of snow, and Market Square has been hit especially hard, says Geitner, as it is already in the midst of a major construction project that limits access. Market Square is receiving a $5.1 million makeover to turn it into a pedestrian-friendly European-style piazza. The project, designed by Klavon Design Associates, broke ground in August 2009 and is expected to wrap up by July 2010.

The square's iconic 1902 Landmark Tavern closed in February, but the area has also seen some new businesses open recently (restaurants Las Velas and Bella Sera, and retailers Nettleton Shoe Shop and Larrimor's).

"We want a vibrant Downtown, and to have that we have to support the businesses that are here," says Geitner. "We want people to become engaged through this marketing campaign, to get creative. It definitely draws attention to the businesses. A lot of people don't realize what all is here. Market Square is more than just Starbucks and Primanti Brothers. There's Serendipity for handbags and accessories, and a dry cleaners and a floral shop and more."

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Writer: Caralyn Green
Source: Hollie Geitner, Pittsburgh Downtown Parntership

Photograph courtesy of Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership

The twenty-something grew up South Hills, chowing down at the Caruso family's pizzeria on Washington Road in Mt. Lebanon.

Badamo had been planning on opening his own pizza and sandwich shop for some time, but always imagined it in the city--in Lawrenceville, or the Mexican War Streets. But when Caruso's shut down, Badamo knew he couldn't pass up the opportunity to be in the heart of Mt. Lebanon's walkable Uptown business district. Badamo opened A'Pizza Badamo last month in that spot at 656 Washington Rd., not far from his father's salon, Bill Badamo's Hair Styling Studio.

Before opening A'Pizza Badamo, Badamo worked in sales for seven years for Cricket Wireless, and spent many years as a lead singer of staple Pittsburgh band Black Tie Revue. But after deciding he wanted to get back into the "pizza game" (a part-time occupation of his youth), Badamo started also working at That's Amore pizzeria right by Remedy Restaurant and Lounge in Lawrenceville. He was pulling 65-hour weeks, but it paid off. In addition to starting his own small business, Badamo also recently became a homeowner--in September he took advantage of the $8,000 tax credit for first-time homebuyers and bought a fixer-upper in Lawrenceville.

Badamo says the key to A'Pizza Badamo is freshness, and family. As for freshness, the dough is made daily, and baked off the peel, which gives the chewy crust a nice crispness. Cheeses come from Penn Mac and meats from Parma Sausage in the Strip. Nothing is fried (the chicken and eggplant are baked, and the tomato, basil and mozzarella Caprese sandwich is a big seller); and salads come with mixed greens rather than dull iceberg. And family? Badamo's mother Lynn helps out at the shop and serves as chief soup-maker, and come spring, tomatoes will come straight from Badamo's grandfather's garden on the North Side.

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Writer: Caralyn Green
Source: Anthony Badamo, A'Pizza Badamo

Photograph copyright Caralyn Green