Give life to history!

The Why of YPA

2011-05-05T04:02:00.000-07:00

The Why of YPA

by Dan Holland, founder, Young Preservationists Association of Pittsburgh

The recent killing of Osama bin Laden brought back many painful memories of 9/11, but it also brought back many memories of why I started the Young Preservationists Association of Pittsburgh (YPA) in the first place. On the day after 9/11, on September 12, 2001, I was out for a run and noticed that, despite the horrific events of the day before, people seemed unchanged, unfazed. I heard a driver honking his horn because the traffic he was stuck in wouldn’t move quicker. Then, I saw an old man drop a wadded up napkin down on the ground, as if that’s where litter was supposed to go.

It seemed to me that 9/11 was a wakeup call to make this world a better place. Yet, what I saw troubled me: dozens of communities all around me that looked like bombed out ghost towns—completely abandoned and neglected. The streets had holes, bridges were crumbling, litter and graffiti was everywhere, and old buildings were being torn down simply because they were vacant. Is this the America that we are supposed to be so proud of? Is this the legacy we want to leave the next generation?

More importantly, I asked, how, then, can we make this a better place—truly the best country in the world?

I started YPA in the spring of 2002, in part due to my reaction to 9/11. What better way to honor the lives lost than to do something productive. What better way to defeat the terrorists than to reinvest in one’s own community and show how great this country really is.

Since that time, YPA has grown into an respected organization with a regional presence. We have impacted more than 4,700 people through our programs and services; we have had more than 140 media articles; we have produced more than 22 unique publications; hosted more than 30 interns and volunteers; and spearheaded the creation of three new City of Pittsburgh historic landmarks. More than $80 million has been invested in sites listed on our Top Ten List, creating more than 1,200 jobs.

We have also garnered national attention. YPA inspired the creation of other young preservationist groups in places like Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Seattle, Washington; and Buffalo, New York.

But those are just numbers. YPA has impacted the lives of young people in a positive and meaningful way. An article appeared in the local paper about Noel Jenkins—who served as an intern with us in 2007 as a high school senior, and who now is a senior at California University of Pennsylvania—helping to document history for the California Area Historical Society.

Colleen Schmidt, who now works at a Washington, DC, law firm, started as an intern with YPA while a student at Cal U. Drew Levinson won YPA’s Preservation Video Contest as a young film student; he is now pursuing a film degree at Tulane University in New Orleans.

YPA developed the Youth Main Street Advisors Program in 2006 as a a service learning project that connects students with communities through the creation of a student-produced project about the community’s history, present, and future. One student, who was part of a video production, remarked in 2007: “It’s an interesting thing to do, because as new things develop, and time changes, it’s important to keep a sense of identity, where things came from, who you are, where your roots are. It’s exciting to find out everybody’s viewpoint.”

When we worked with students at Propel Andrew Street High School to write a book about their community, one of them remarked, “as new things develop, and time changes, it’s important to keep a sense of identity, where things came from, who you are, where your roots are. It’s exciting to find out everybody’s viewpoint.”

In 2008, YPA awarded the Promise Award to Norwin High School senior Tansy Michaud, who later went on to film school in Florida. Upon accepting the award, Tansy challenged the audience:

I guess, what I’m trying to say is that there are plenty of youth who would love to be engaged in the future of their communities. They just need someone or some people to help them along. So, to all the adults here tonight who wish the youth in their communities would get involved—I’m throwing the ball back at you. Get them involved. Teach them, ask to hear their opinions, listen, and support them. Your communities will reap the rewards in the end.

These numbers and stories tell only part of the picture. They explain what YPA has done, but not necessarily why. Recently I saw a YouTube video by Simon Sinek, a motivational speaker who said, “people don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” And that made me think about the “why” of YPA.

So, then, why did I start YPA?

Because I believe that an investment in young people is an investment in our future. We can invest in restoring an old building, but if we don’t invest in the future tenants and users of that building, all we have is an empty shell. That is why I believe that an investment in young people is an investment in human capital.

By taking the time to work with young people, to see the world from their point of view, to walk the streets that they walk, to sit down with them and look them in the eye and ask them, “what do you think?” Or, taking them with you to see and explore the world around them, even if it’s just down the street from their home or school. That’s the kind of investment I’m taking about.

Properly educated and cultivated, young people will be inspired to make a difference in the world, starting with their own communities. This, in turn, will affect investments in infrastructure, in historic buildings, and other community assets. They will vote for candidates who work to improve their communities; they will support businesses that have made commitments to the neighborhood; and they will live and pay taxes in the community where they have invested their time and energy.

YPA believes in challenging the status quo—that young people aren’t just sitting at home playing video games or hanging out on street corners. They are writing books. They are exploring and reshaping communities. They are nominating historic buildings, advocating for the wise use of scarce resources, and leading reinvestment in our core communities.

Young people are challenging us to think differently about young people.

Now, this whole time, you are probably wondering, what do young people have to do with historic preservation? Shouldn’t we be focused on saving old buildings? Well, in one word: everything.

Young people have everything to do with saving old buildings for three reasons.

First, as I mentioned above, if we don’t invest in our human capital by educating young people about the value of saving old buildings, then we will fail to cultivate a new generation of small business owners, home owners, investors, and donors that support the reuse of old buildings.

Nearly 80 percent of all small business owners are under the age of 40. The vast majority of first-time homeowners are between the ages of 25 and 44. And many lifelong decisions about how and where to spend money are made when people are in their teens, who are poised to have more spending power than any other generation.

Second, YPA is not only enhancing the educational experience of young people, we are shaping and transforming critical economic, financial, and political habits of young people that directly impact our communities. The question is, where will these young people establish a small business, buy a new home, or spend their money—in a Main Street district or historic neighborhood, or in sprawling cookie-cutter communities that drain resources from established core communities?

If we do nothing, the best we can hope for is that young people will somehow, magically discover the value of saving old buildings, but the impact will probably be small and inconsequential. At worst, by doing nothing we send the message that we have given up on young people—and we see the result of that today with crime stats, incarceration rates, school dropouts, drugs, and other problems. If, on the other hand, we make an attempt to engage young people and involve them in the preservation of historic buildings and communities, we stand the chance of profoundly impacting their lives so they make wise decisions about their future.

How will young people perceive an old community—as a broken down wasteland or a land of opportunity? YPA believes that historic preservation is an opportunity to transform neighborhoods—particularly low-income, minority inner-city communities—into walkable, safe, and attractive places to live, work, and play.

Finally, there’s no better way for the older generation to secure their legacy—and everything they have fought hard to achieve—than by educating and involving young people in the current work of historic preservation. I believe that historic preservation is the ultimate multi-disciplinary and inter-generational field because it involves so many different skill sets—from banking and construction to fundraising and organizing—and so many different types of people—old, young, black, white, foreign, and domestic.

So, to answer the “why”: young people are our future. We can choose to ignore them and watch our communities crumble, or we can educate, train, and involve them in preserving the past to forge a stronger future. This is what we mean by our slogan “Give Life to History.”

2011-03-20T10:47:00.000-07:00

South Oakland is a popular place for students of the University of Pittsburgh. The rent is relatively cheap, the location is close to campus and there is a mix of restaurants spread throughout the area. I myself, live in one of these South Oakland apartments. And walking to class on an unusual sunny Pittsburgh morning, I looked carefully at these mostly unnoticed buildings.

As intricate details cover the upper part of each house, the lower half has been modified to accommodate the tenant’s needs. The beauty of these structures has slowly been taken away by the quick repair needs of the students. What we don’t realize is that the architectural beauty of South Oakland is disappearing.

Sometimes as students, we take advantage of what the surrounding area has to offer us. We get so involved with school spirit that we forget that there was a culture and community that was there first. Of course, the change is creating a new, fresh atmosphere within the houses of South Oakland, but there must be a way save the older beauty.

—Francine Morales, University of Pittsburgh student and YPA Intern, March 15, 2011

The Role Universities Can Play in Fostering a Preservation Ethic

2011-03-04T13:35:00.000-08:00

Universities are known for their primarily indifferent approach to historic preservation, often favoring a pragmatic development approach based on efficiency and institutional survival.

One need only look to the University of Pittsburgh’s policies in Oakland as a case and point. Examples include: the demolition of Forbes Field, one of Pittsburgh’s greatest cultural resources, to build the domineering Wesley W. Posvar Hall in 1971, to the destruction of the Syria Mosque in 1991 to build a parking lot, and the more recent example of the expansion of Bouquet Gardens and the resulting demolition of one of Oakland’s oldest residences in 2010.

However, the discouraging policy decisions made by the universities need not inhibit students from participating in preservation.

To promote preservation in Pittsburgh students can apply to become an intern for course credit or a volunteer for local non-profits like the Young Preservationists Association. Additionally, local universities offer Certificates in Historic Preservation or Preservation Majors (see links at the bottom of the page). Perhaps most important is education of the public on the importance of preservation and the role it can play in fostering community identity, conservation, and redevelopment. Student organizations can help spread awareness of the preservation cause around campus.

YPA has the potential to fill this role at local colleges and universities through a chapter network with one group at each school. Student interns or volunteers could run each chapter from YPA. Individual chapters could hold events on campus and get together with other chapters for YPA’s big events like the Preservation Summit.

Often, when asked about my major the question I get is, “What is historic preservation?” I would love to see that question change to “How can I get involved?” As an Architectural Studies (Historic Preservation Track) and Urban Studies student at the University of Pittsburgh, I recognize that major improvements have been made to the Historic Preservation program in the past few years, including the addition of a Historic Preservation Major. But, the University of Pittsburgh currently has no extracurricular student group or club devoted specifically to historic preservation.

I would like to see a new club or group devoted to preservation that could help connect students to preservation opportunities and raise awareness of preservation on campus and the city as a whole (perhaps a group that works with YPA). Moreover, I would like to see more hands on involvement and first-hand experience in my program. Visiting sites, preparing nominations, and perhaps specific preservation labs could be ultimately beneficial for students and help prepare them for graduate school or professional work in the field.

Links:

Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation:

http://www.phlf.org/

University of Pittsburgh Architectural Studies Program:

http://www.arch.pitt.edu/

University of Pittsburgh Historic Preservation Certificate:

http://www.oafa.pitt.edu/pdf/infosheets/CERT_HISTORIC_PRESERVATION.pdf

Lee Riccetti, Pitt Student and YPA Intern, March 4, 2011

Hope Rises in Homewood

2010-09-23T18:39:00.000-07:00

Elwin Green walks us down his street, Race Street, in the middle of Homewood. It is mid-morning, the sun is shining brightly and the day is perfect for taking photos, meeting the neighbors, and assessing the potential of this street. Race Street is an five-block-long street of modest four-square brick Pittsburgh homes, like any street in the region.

However, Race Street, like much of Homewood, is plagued with an image problem. Sure there are some vacant properties--many of which could be fixed. But with people unable to obtain home improvement or home mortgage loans, public safety issues, and low self-esteem, Race Street, like Homewood, faces an uphill battle for legitimacy and its future.

Yet, the story does not end in a downward spiral of despair. Residents are fighting back. They are organizing, involving a diverse array of stakeholders, and, most importantly, getting the young people involved.

Race Street is a subset of efforts to revitalize Homewood that have galvanized around the Homewood Children's Village concept (Http://homewoodchildrensvillage.org), a direct descendant of the Harlem Children's Zone founded by Geoffrey Canada (http://www.hcz.org/). A public kick-off event for the Homewood Children's Village was held on September 14, 2010. Hundreds of people packed the gym at Faison school to watch a touching video, "One Square Mile," and to hear the elaborate plans and committees that have been organized. The room was filled with incredible optimism and hope.

Today (September 23rd), however, the U.S. Department of Education announced their latest round of grant awards, and the Homewood Children's Village was not chosen for federal funding. Yet, there is still reason for optimism, not just because Homewood's latest plan has the backing of elected officials and other community leaders.

Hope rises in Homewood because of the young people who are involved, who were well represented at the kick-off event.

The celebration ended with an original rap performance by four young people, who closed out their set with the catchy tune "Welcome to the Village." Yes, welcome to the Village. It was an amazing display of community cohesion and promise--which can only be sustained if the young people are involved.

We cannot, must not lose another generation to the streets, to the vacant buildings and empty lots, and to hopelessness. If we fail our children, we fail ourself.

Let's involve our children, get involved in their world, protect them, and make them feel welcome in all aspects of our lives. It is through them our legacy survives.

Advertising Signs and Historic Preservation

2010-09-07T03:41:00.000-07:00

An important historic preservation issue is not getting the attention it deserves: advertising signs and how they affect historic neighborhoods and business districts.

Decades ago, signs were painted on brick walls to promote a business in the building or located nearby. These signs can be found across the Pittsburgh region today, but most have faded away and are commonly referred to as “Ghost Signs”. They unlock a piece of history and add great character to an otherwise nondescript part of a building.

The advertising industry shifted long ago to a more “in your face” attitude in locating and designing current billboards. Most of these are brightly lit at night so that they are center of attention. In the city of Pittsburgh alone, there are over 900 billboards lining our streets and neighborhoods (with greater numbers found in low-income areas). These signs try to pull our eyes away from what Pittsburghers cherish so much: the city skyline, tree covered hills, river views and our neighborhoods.

It is often cited that billboards are a major distraction to drivers, but they also are a visual distraction to pedestrians. Unlike watching television or reading a newspaper or magazine, billboards are front and center where someone can’t turn to a different channel or flip to the next page. That is one of the reasons the billboard industry does so well and why businesses constantly advertise with this medium.

In recent years, the signage industry has been moving focus to new electronic technology that has moving, flashing and color-changing elements. Primarily using Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), the light from the billboards is often seen for miles, especially in the Pittsburgh region with our topography. New York’s Times Square and the Strip in Las Vegas are examples of places designed for these bright flashing signs. Our residential neighborhoods and historic main streets should not fall into the same category.

Currently, new legislation is being developed to bring the zoning code up-to-date with the new technology. The City of Pittsburgh Department of City Planning has been working with legal and lighting consultants to draft new regulations for electronic signage. The Planning Commission will have hearings on the issue in October. This would be the perfect opportunity for you to get involved and have your thoughts about these signs heard. Involvement from residents will be critical!

It is time to stop ignoring these signs and take action to reduce the visual blight on Pittsburgh’s landscape. Change must happen from both businesses and residents alike. Businesses need to understand that their historic main street is being plastered with clutter. Residents should demand the views from the streets be protected and not sold off for profit.

What happened to the simple painted signs on brick walls that showcased the Mom and Pop store? Instead we now have signs brightly shining into windows at night and billboards on rusting steel supports or tall poles that bring down property values. Most officially designated historic districts in municipalities have the most restrictions on advertising signs and generally don’t allow them at all. That leaves the majority of the city vulnerable and our historic urban character at risk.

To find relevant documents and more information on this issue, visit the Department of City Planning’s website (http://www.city.pittsburgh.pa.us/cp/), under the “Electronic Advertising and Message Signage” heading.

—Chuck Alcorn, YPA Board Secretary

YPA's Take on the Civic Arena

2010-08-12T08:07:00.001-07:00

Historic preservation is at a crossroads. The current generation of preservationists is now grappling with preservation of the recent past. How we as a movement deal with the built environment of the past 50 years, as well as how we relate to our own colleagues will define the future effectiveness of our movement.

The definition and methods of preservation have been appropriately expanded beyond bricks and mortar. In addition to architectural and cultural significance, we must consider the social, political, and economic implications of our engagement.

The aim of the Young Preservationists Association of Pittsburgh is to approach each instance with an appropriate objectivity. There are moments where casting a vision is necessary, and others when supporting the vision of others is of paramount concern. We do not seek to define what is right or what is wrong.

On the contrary, we hope to provide an atmosphere for dialogue and an exchange that leads to a heightened and inclusive discussion. YPA’s mission is to provide the tools to the next generation as they continue to craft their own definitions of preservation.

The effort to save a Modernist icon like the Civic Arena will not be the last time that preservationists will have to face this challenge. But we should encourage a strong, unified, and inclusive dialogue for such important preservation issues.

As published in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Aug. 16, 2010: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10228/1080309-110.stm

Preserve our Cities, Preserve our Culture

2010-07-16T13:06:00.000-07:00

I just started working part-time at the Andy Warhol Museum as a gallery attendant. My job is to look at the people who are looking at art. Although I’ve only been working a few short days, I’ve already noticed a trend in many of the guests. Many of the visitors don’t even really look at the artwork that is displayed. They seem to just enjoy breezing through the seven floors, soaking in the museum atmosphere of wide, open emptiness with a sprinkling of culture and color, while of course, holding hands with their date.

Visitors will stop and read descriptions of intriguing pieces of art to learn some background and many of them are shocked by “Oxidation Painting” (a painting Warhol made by urinating on a copper-coated canvas), but it seems that many people just come to the museum for the atmosphere, to be surrounded by culture.

I’m sharing this because I believe that the cities and towns that we live in are comparable to a museum. When you visit a historic town, you feel the atmosphere change. You are suddenly a part of the history that town has seen. Walking through old streets in the ancient city of Aachen, Germany, you are reminded of the Roman Empire that once ruled the world. These feelings can’t be mimicked in brand new developments and high-rises. They are the stories in the walls of houses that have seen wars, peace and change. The sensation of being in a place that remembers things is something that must be preserved.

Like a museum, we must tend to our property and take care of it, as not to disturb this ambiance. Otherwise we will stop and look around one day and nothing will catch our eye or intrigue us about our culture, because all we might see are Walmarts and condominiums.

—Meghan Leinbach, YPA Intern & student at the University of Pittsburgh

Preservation as a Tool

2010-07-02T11:55:00.001-07:00

In my observation/opinion, when most people think about the term preservation, they think about it in the context of preserving something physical in a theoretical sense. For example, we should save a certain historical building or structure, a famous or old house, etc… The act of preserving gets lost in the mix, not because people don’t want to protect said building or structure, but because most people do not know how to actually preserve them.

I guess I am a case in point in that my background is in archeology, a field that fundamentally destroys areas (we like to call this excavation) in order to preserve the historical and/or natural integrity of an area. My technical knowledge in archeology has allowed for expertise in excavation, however it lacks in the restoration aspect of preservation.

You are all probably wondering where I am going with this. Well in my short experience with archeology and preservation, what I see that is lacking is preservation techniques being taught and exposed to the masses. Even as someone who has specialized in a field that involves preservation throughout school, I still have no concrete knowledge of how to preserve a standing building or structure myself.

I think it would be useful for people, especially the younger generation, to learn the basics of how to preserve a building or structure so that they have the necessary tools to preserve in the future. As every home or building has a history, old or new, preservation of that structure will need to be addressed at some point in time… so why not address it early.

Posted by Ashley Noia, YPA Intern, July 2, 2010

Perspectives From An Outsider

2010-06-01T17:47:00.001-07:00

Meghan Leinbach and Ashley Noia are interns with YPA this summer. They were asked to write their impressions of historic preservation for YPA's blog. In the photo at left, Ashley prepares for YPA's Preservation Month Celebration held on May 21st at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater in East Liberty.

Ashley's blog entry is below.

As a Californian native, moving to Pennsylvania was not just a scenic change, but also a cultural discovery. Growing up in an environment where shopping centers, malls, and new residential and commercial developments sprouted up faster than their demand, more often than not one’s childhood park or restaurant became unrecognizable as change was an expected norm. Although change in moderation to fit the needs of the community is a good thing, the process in which one implements this change is another aspect entirely. As the recent decline in California’s economy has spawned blighting in businesses and neighborhoods throughout the state, one might infer that some of these issues are a result of over development and over consumption of resources.

This July will mark a year of my life that has been spent living in Pittsburgh, and the last few weeks with the Young Preservationists Association. From my short time here, I have learned the importance that preservation plays in order to protect Pennsylvania’s unique past, as well as act as a model for states like California, which tends to build and expand instead of restoring what exists and reusing standing structures. By no means are the efforts in Pennsylvania perfect, but the first step to preservation is that there is actual effort in existence.

The Pittsburgh region of which I have had the most intimate interaction with over the past year offers the state of Pennsylvania a rich cultural milieu. Not only does Pittsburgh maintain the decadence of four seasons, it also retains the architectural structure of the 1800’s and industrial spirit of which other cities and states depended, a historical picture for its citizens to enjoy and reflect on in the future. Most inspirational to me is the pride that the Pittsburgh citizen has in one’s community and state, a trait that is often lost in the transient cities in states like California.

Pennsylvania’s long history creates a playground of living history for its residents through the preservation of its most influential and unique buildings and landmarks. Preservation of one’s history through physical materials and structures allows for future generations to learn from the past so that they too may positively impact the future. From this outsider’s perspective, Pennsylvania is “Bringing History to Life,” and hopes the great western state might follow.

Ashley Noia is a graduate student at Carnegie Mellon University’s Heinz College

Old is not Scary

2010-06-01T17:29:00.000-07:00

Meghan Leinbach and Ashley Noia are interns with YPA this summer. They were asked to write their impressions of historic preservation for YPA's blog. In the photo at left, Ashley (far right) and Meghan meet with the Mayor of Braddock, John Fetterman.

Meghan's blog entry is below.

The first time I went to Homestead was by mistake. A freshman at Pitt, just trying to get to Target to buy some easy mac, I took the 61C and just never got off. I ended up somewhere on Eighth Avenue and was left to wander the streets in attempts to find a way back to the Waterfront. Too scared to ask for help, I followed the train tracks back. At the time, all I wanted to do was get away from the abandoned buildings and forgotten empty lots and back to the safe space of the Waterfront. My eighteen-year-old self just wanted to be near the familiar chain stores that I was raised on and escape the streets that I was warned to stay away from.

Homestead did not make a good first impression on me. And why would it? As a non-native to Pittsburgh, I knew nothing about the decline of the steel industry and the destruction of communities that the mill closings caused. The formerly thriving neighborhood was now abandoned due in part to the opening of the stores that I visited in the Waterfront. I did not see the worth in historic Eight Avenue; all I saw were abandoned buildings.

Since my freshman experience in Homestead, I’ve visited all the neighborhoods I was warned to stay away from. I’ve realized since then, that exploring the gritty places, which we are warned to leave alone, is way more exciting and worthwhile than frequenting the industrialized mall-parks we have come to accept as a society.

It’s in Nancy B’s Bakery where you can eat the world’s best chocolate chip cookies, not in Costco. It’s in the antiques stores along Eighth Avenue, not Target, where you can find the unique lamp you’ve been dreaming of that pulls your living room décor together perfectly. In the Tin Front Café you can have an Americano made by hand, not by the push of a button like in Starbucks. Now I travel to Homestead intentionally. I’ve learned that there’s nothing generic about Homestead, there’s nothing sterile about Homestead and there is definitely nothing scary about Homestead.

Meghan Leinbach will be a senior at the University of Pittsburgh in the fall. She is a double major in History of Art and Architecture and German, minor in Philosophy.

YPA's Top Ten List Released!

2010-05-24T10:11:00.000-07:00

On Friday, May 21st, YPA released its annual list of the Top Ten Best Preservation Opportunities in the Pittsburgh Area.

The list is a great way to celebrate historic preservation accomplishments in the making.

Since the publication of our list in 2003,

> more than $80 million has been invested in historic preservation projects throughout southwestern Pennsylvania;

> more than 1,200 restoration jobs and 401 permanent jobs were created;

> more than 230 housing units were created;

> $750,000 in wage taxes were generated; and

> for every $1.00 of public investment, $1.30 of private investment was created.

These results were reported in YPA's new report, "The Economic Impact of Historic Preservation," released in May. The bottom line: preservation creates jobs!

You can find the report here: http://www.youngpreservationists.org/ypa-releases-new-report-historic-preservation-creates-jobs

Here are the Top Ten Best Preservation Opportunities in the Pittsburgh Area for 2010. The full report is available online at http://www.youngpreservationists.org/2010-top-ten-list

10. Ambridge Theater, Ambridge, Beaver County

9. Bantam Building, Butler, Butler County

8. Gladstone School, Hazelwood, City of Pittsburgh

7. Aaron's Building, Connellsville, Fayette County

6. Miles Bryan School, McKees Rocks, Allegheny County

5. 134 Grant Avenue, Vandergrift, Westmoreland County

4. Hulton Bridge, Oakmont-Harmarville, Allegheny County

3. Pittsburgh Brewing Company, Lawrenceville, City of Pittsburgh

2. Brizzi Building, Blairsville, Indiana County

1. Coraopolis Train Station, Coraopolis, Allegheny County

And the Number One Top Ten Site is...

2010-05-20T20:58:00.001-07:00

Find out the Number One Top Ten Site this evening at YPA's Preservation Month Celebration, "Old is the New Green." It will be held at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater in East Liberty, starting at 6:00 p.m.

Registration information is on our website: http://www.youngpreservationists.org/celebrate-historic-preservation-month-with-ypa-may-21

You can also register at the door.

At the event, YPA will release its new list of the Top Ten Best Preservation Opportunities, as well as a new report, "Homage to the Fallen: The Top Ten Buildings We Wish We Had Back." YPA will also have copies of its new report, the Economic Impact of Historic Preservation in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

In addition, the Kelly Strayhorn Theater presents Pittsburgh PACT (Public Action Communitarian Theatre) in the premiere of CASINO LIBERTY at 8 pm, following our YPA event. Company members conducted factual research and interviewed area residents about life in the East End for this fun, interactive and thought-provoking show.

There will be great food, drinks, and a silent auction. Don't miss out on a great opportunity to celebrate historic preservation in southwestern Pennsylvania!

YPA Counts Down the Top Ten: #2 Brizzi Building, Blairsville, Indiana County

2010-05-19T21:35:00.000-07:00

For the next several days, until May 21, YPA will count down its 2010 list of the Top Ten Best Preservation Opportunities on its blog. On Friday, May 21, YPA will host a Historic Preservation Month Celebration, "Old is the New Green," at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater in East Liberty, starting at 6:00 p.m.

Registration details are on YPA's website, http://www.youngpreservationists.org.

Since 2003, YPA has celebrated historic preservation with its annual list of the Top Ten Best Preservation Opportunities in the Pittsburgh Area. The list, compiled from nominations received from various individuals and organizations, is designed to encourage investment in historic sites throughout the nine-county southwestern Pennsylvania region. The list has been used by property owners to draw positive attention to their properties, raise investment funds, secure grants, and generate political goodwill for their historic sites.

The sites featured on YPA's list come from six different counties and include industrial structures, Main Street commercial buildings, schools, a train station, and a bridge. Main Street features prominently in the list, with four of the Top Ten sites being situated in an existing Main Street commercial district. The remaining six sites are within blocks of an existing Main Street community.

The criteria used to select the Top Ten List include the following:

1. 50-year Threshold (is it 50 years old or older);

2. Historic & Architectural Significance;

3. Threats to the Site;

4. Community Input; and

5. Feasibility of the Solution.

#2 Brizzi Building, Blairsville, Indiana County

This property, known as the Brizzi Building to area residents, is located in the heart of Blairsville’s Main Street District, in the section of Market (Main) Street that was improved by Home Town Streets Funds from Governor Rendell. The original brick dwelling on this property was built prior to 1847. In 1900, the impressive three-story Queen Anne section facing Market Street was added; this original façade remains intact.

Throughout the coming years, the building subsequently fell into disrepair. The building also sits in a precarious situation adjacent to an empty, crumbling structure where an out-of-town owner has not been accountable for repairs or restoration. However, new owners Jeffrey and Rebecca Marshall purchased the Brizzi Building and have made significant improvements to the property.

The owners intend to open an art gallery/studio on the second and third floors, something the Blairsville community is sorely lacking. On the first floor, the owners intend to open and operate a bakery, called “Market Street Pastries,” and plan to specialize in artisan baked goods, coffee, and gelato. The space is large enough for a great deal of seating, thus recreating a social gathering spot where folks can enjoy delicious treats – with an updated twist!

The owners will preserve the historic integrity of the architecture as it exists and encourage owners of surrounding buildings to follow through with repairs so as not to adversely affect the safety of the Brizzi Building. This venture shows promise to reignite the economic base in the community by providing jobs, ingredients will be purchased from local grocery stores, and fresh berries and fruits from local growers.

YPA Counts Down the Top Ten: #3 Pittsburgh Brewing Company, Lawrenceville

2010-05-18T20:58:00.000-07:00

Registration details are on YPA's website, http://www.youngpreservationists.org.

The criteria used to select the Top Ten List include the following:

1. 50-year Threshold (is it 50 years old or older);

2. Historic & Architectural Significance;

3. Threats to the Site;

4. Community Input; and

5. Feasibility of the Solution.

#3 Pittsburgh Brewing Company, Lawrenceville

The Pittsburgh Brewing Company is an icon of Pittsburgh itself: strong, industrious, and elegant.

Iron City Beer was started in 1861. Most of the original Lawrenceville plant was built in the 1860s. The signature building that sits on Liberty Avenue was constructed in 1886, designed by architect Nic Kessler. The brewery is a survivor. While most breweries across the country were shuttered due to Prohibition in the 1920s, Pittsburgh Brewing produced ice cream, soft drinks, and “near beer” until Prohibition was repealed in 1933. In 1962, Pittsburgh Brewing marketed the first pull-ring tab on its aluminum cans, an innovation that would survive for several decades. The brewery later became a proud symbol of the city’s winning sports teams of the 1970s, and again in the 1990s and 2000s.

Amazingly, none of the historic brewery complex had been placed on the National Register of Historic Places, or designated by the city. In 2009, when the brewers announced they were closing the Lawrenceville plant and moving operations to Latrobe, a community-wide effort to nominate the building for city landmark status was begun. Historic designation is but the first step to reprogram this site for use as a community asset for the revival that has steadily chugged along in Lawrenceville.

YPA Counts Down the Top Ten: #4 Hulton Bridge, Oakmont-Harmarville

2010-05-18T04:40:00.001-07:00

Registration details are on YPA's website, http://www.youngpreservationists.org.

The criteria used to select the Top Ten List include the following:

1. 50-year Threshold (is it 50 years old or older);

2. Historic & Architectural Significance;

3. Threats to the Site;

4. Community Input; and

5. Feasibility of the Solution.

#4 Hulton Bridge, Harmarville-Oakmont

Constructed in 1908-1909 over the Allegheny River, the simple truss bridge connects the boroughs of Oakmont and Harmarville. It was the first bridge to be built by Allegheny County over the Allegheny River. It was named for the Hulton family, who owned a third of present-day Oakmont and had operated a ferry company at the location since 1864.

In late 2009 PennDOT announced its plans to demolish the bridge by 2012 and build a new four-lane bridge upstream, explaining that the bridge is still structurally sound but is functionally obsolete. Pennsylvania’s historic bridges are disappearing at an alarming rate, with one estimate stating that they will all be gone by 2016.

Students from Carnegie Mellon University have come up with a plan to turn the bridge into a pedestrian and biking bridge that connects to the Allegheny Trail. The cost of demolishing the bridge would be $6-10 million, but the students estimated that the conversion costs would be around $300,000. A survey of Oakmont residents found that 70% of residents said they would use the converted bridge and 44% said they would help with its conversion.

The students’ plan appears to be the best alternative. But Penn DOT explains that funds are needed for lighting and snow removal as well as maintenance costs. Also, they would need to find an organization willing to be legally responsible for the structure.

YPA Counts Down the Top Ten: #5 134 Grant Avenue, Vandergrift

2010-05-17T03:24:00.001-07:00

Registration details are on YPA's website, http://www.youngpreservationists.org.

The criteria used to select the Top Ten List include the following:

1. 50-year Threshold (is it 50 years old or older);

2. Historic & Architectural Significance;

3. Threats to the Site;

4. Community Input; and

5. Feasibility of the Solution.

#5 134 Grant Avenue, Vandergrift

The building at 134 Grant Avenue in Vandergrift, Westmoreland County, was constructed in 1900, just five years after the founding of the city. From 1903 to 1940 it was occupied by Shepler Co., a mercantile shop. From 1940 to 1956 it was an A&P grocery store, from 1956 to about 1980 it was occupied by J.C. Penny’s, and from 1980 to the late 1990’s it was occupied by the Vandergrift News offices. The Vandergrift Improvement Program (VIP) purchased the building in 2008 and it has remained vacant as they create plans for the building’s use.

The VIP would like to restore 134 Grant Avenue and utilize it as a community arts center with small business incubator space. The project to restore this structure and turn it into a community arts center with retail incubators has been broken into two phases. Phase I would involve repairs to the roof and general building systems, a restoration of the façade, and construction on the first floor. The first floor space will include the business incubators as well as the main art center area. Phase II would involve build-out in the basement, second floor mezzanine, and third floor.

Working with seed capital from PHLF and the Allegheny Foundation, the VIP has been working to approach foundations for funding and has been considering financial support from different members of the community.

YPA Counts Down the Top Ten: #6 Miles Bryan School, McKees Rocks

2010-05-16T04:35:00.001-07:00

Registration details are on YPA's website, http://www.youngpreservationists.org.

The criteria used to select the Top Ten List include the following:

1. 50-year Threshold (is it 50 years old or older);

2. Historic & Architectural Significance;

3. Threats to the Site;

4. Community Input; and

5. Feasibility of the Solution.

#6 Miles Bryan School, McKees Rocks

Miles Bryan was one of the early leaders of Frank Bryan, Inc. He is credited for his role in building the McKees Rocks Bridge in addition to this building, which was constructed in 1928.

When the McKees Rocks and Stowe school districts merged to form Sto-Rox in 1966, Miles Bryan became Sto-Rox Middle School and served in that function until its closing in 1997. The breadth of young people and talented professionals to pass through its doors and enjoy the splendor of its grounds spans several generations. Grandparents and grandchildren alike share fond memories of this magnificent place.

Since its closing in 1997, Miles Bryan has sat vacant. Sto-Rox Schools sold the building in 2000 to a team of private investors; however the development plans quickly fizzled, and they began shopping the property around for sale.

The McKees Rocks Community Development Corporation currently has this property under agreement and is pursuing a development partner to convert the building into mid-range residential loft condominium. The building is ideally suited for this end-use, as the classroom layout translates directly into well-sized condo units. MRCDC is already exploring the economic feasibility of this use with a regional developer at this time. The McKees Rocks Historical Society has made Miles Bryan one of its priority sites, and is honored to be one of YPA’s Top Ten Best Preservation Opportunities.

YPA Counts Down the Top Ten: #7 Aaron's Building, Connellsville

2010-05-15T03:09:00.000-07:00

Registration details are on YPA's website, http://www.youngpreservationists.org.

The criteria used to select the Top Ten List include the following:

1. 50-year Threshold (is it 50 years old or older);

2. Historic & Architectural Significance;

3. Threats to the Site;

4. Community Input; and

5. Feasibility of the Solution.

#7 The Aaron’s Building, Connellsville

The Aaron’s Building is historically important for having once housed Connellsville’s greatest furniture retailer. The Aaron’s Furniture Store was founded in Connellsville by Myer Aaron, a Jewish immigrant merchant.

In a city where a considerable amount of historic building fabric has been lost or detrimentally altered, the Aaron Building is the last great remnant of a once thriving district of furniture retailers and, to a greater extent, a physical reminder of the once bustling commercial core of Connellsville. Among the tallest buildings in the city, the Aaron Building was one of several “skyscrapers” to be built at the opening of the 20^th century in Connellsville. It is among the last to remain.

The building has been abandoned since the 1970s and has suffered from neglect. Absentee ownership and unfinished construction work on the building in the mid-2000s has caused the building to deteriorate further. Its roof is in need of immediate repair and a wall facing a vacant lot on Pittsburgh Street needs to be stabilized.

The Aaron Building would be a tremendous opportunity for the beginnings of a revitalized Connellsville. The building would be an ideal location for a boutique hotel, a restaurant, apartments, offices, or any number of other ventures that can complement the Great Allegheny Passage Hike and Bike Trail.

YPA Counts Down the Top Ten: #8 Gladstone School, Hazelwood

2010-05-14T01:00:00.000-07:00

Registration details are on YPA's website, http://www.youngpreservationists.org.

The criteria used to select the Top Ten List include the following:

1. 50-year Threshold (is it 50 years old or older);

2. Historic & Architectural Significance;

3. Threats to the Site;

4. Community Input; and

5. Feasibility of the Solution.

#8 Gladstone School, Hazelwood

Featured in YPA’s Preserve Pittsburgh Summit on April 10, 2010, Gladstone School sits in Pittsburgh’s neighborhood of Hazelwood, the cradle of the city’s founding. Gladstone was opened in 1914 and closed 87 years later, in 2001. When the school was closed, the site had long been the center of community activities and meetings.

With strong support from the Hazelwood Initiative, a local organization intent on revitalizing the suffering neighborhood as well as particular attention from the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, the Gladstone school is capable of being preserved and put to good use by its community.

A proposal put together by students from Carnegie Mellon University’s Remaking Cities Institute in 2008 presents a plan to use the lower building as a community center until the School District is willing to reinvest in the school which was renovated in the late 1990s and already possesses a pool, theater space, and gymnasium, probably within the next twenty years. The adjacent building, they suggest, could become space for artists to contribute to the community center’s programs for children, older youth and families.

On a larger scale, RCI’s project proposes an accessible green walkway called the Hazelwood Community Connector that blazes a welcoming path from Gladstone to Second Avenue, the commercial district of Hazelwood. The restored school buildings and Connector will feasibly attract residents who will in turn patronize the business district.

YPA Counts Down the Top Ten: #9 Bantam Building, Butler County

2010-05-13T03:33:00.000-07:00

Registration details are on YPA's website, http://www.youngpreservationists.org.

The criteria used to select the Top Ten List include the following:

1. 50-year Threshold (is it 50 years old or older);

2. Historic & Architectural Significance;

3. Threats to the Site;

4. Community Input; and

5. Feasibility of the Solution.

#9 Bantam Building, Butler County

The Bantam building was built circa 1899-1900 by the Davis Lead Company, which later became the American Bantam Car Company circa 1929. The building’s historical significance came in 1940 when freelance design engineer Karl Probst and the American Bantam Car Company designed the winning U.S. Army prototype for a new Second World War military vehicle. The American Bantam Car Factory was the birthplace of the first jeep, and was commissioned to produce nearly 3,000 jeeps to help with the war efforts.

The Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau and City of Butler are presently working with AK Steel (current building and property owner) to protect this 10,000-square-foot vacant building from further deterioration.

Several community groups including the Butler County Tourism & Convention Bureau, the Butler County Historical Society, Butler Downtown, and the City of Butler would like to see this building preserved as a reminder of the great importance the jeep played in helping end the Second World War and becoming a brand that is still being used today. In 2010-11 the Butler County Tourism Bureau will be remembering and celebrating this invention with the first Jeep Heritage Festival to mark the 70th year of the invention of the jeep.

Old is the New Green

2010-05-12T03:22:00.001-07:00

Today, the Young Preservationists Association of Pittsburgh releases the first of its Top Ten Best Preservation Opportunities in the Pittsburgh Area.

The criteria used to select the Top Ten List include the following:

1. 50-year Threshold (is it 50 years old or older);

2. Historic & Architectural Significance;

3. Threats to the Site;

4. Community Input; and

5. Feasibility of the Solution.

YPA’s companion report, “The Economic Impact of Historic Preservation in Southwestern Pennsylvania,” which will be released on May 20, 2010, demonstrates the immense economic impact that historic preservation has had on various communities.

The data show that over the last seven years, more than $80 million has been invested into properties placed on YPA’s Top 10 List. Consequently, this created the following results:

> $1.30 of private financing for every $1 of public investment was generated,

> 1,245 construction and trade-related jobs created,

> production of 230 housing units resulted,

> $750,000 in additional annual wage tax revenue is yielded to state and local municipalities, and

> a total of 401 permanent employment positions were created.

Since YPA’s first Top Ten List was first published, only three sites have been lost.

As YPA’s Top Ten List continues to show, an investment in historic properties is not only good for the economy, it is good for the environment. What better way to save the earth than to reuse what we have already built.

This is important for a new generation concerned with the environment and in search of jobs that cannot be outsourced. That’s the power of preservation!

Over the next nine days, YPA will release its Top Ten List, counting down from number ten, listed below. All Top Ten sites will be published in a special report. In addition, YPA will also release a new report, "Homage to the Fallen," which honors ten buildings we wish we had back.

YPA will release the reports at its Historic Preservation Month Celebration, "Old is the New Green," on Friday, May 21, at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater, starting at 6:00 p.m.

Registration details are on YPA's website at http://www.youngpreservationists.org/

#10 Ambridge Theater

Built in 1915 as a sewing machine store, it was converted into a theater in 1967. It currently seats 167 people. The seats were purchased from the former Pittsburgh Playhouse during one of its renovations, and some of the equipment came from the former “Blue Sky” drive-in theater. It is the last remaining family-owned theater in Beaver County.

Ambridge has suffered lately, with the closure of its major National Historic Landmark, Old Economy Village, which only recently re-opened. But the town has lost many of its residents and young people. Still, there is a lot of vitality and great potential.

The building is in disarray and is in need of much repair. The original marquee has been lost, except for several remaining pieces due to fear of collapse a few years ago. The facility is in need of a new roof and renovation to the upstairs apartments. The fears of water damage affecting the main hall of the theatre are looming. The sound system is rather bare and is still running in mono. A major issue is the restrooms in the facility are not ADA compliant.

The community is proud to have this facility to call their own; unfortunately, crowds to the location are far from overwhelming, mainly due to appearance issues. The community has expressed great interest in seeing this theatre restored to its glory days and the need for a local historical entertainment venue is tremendous.

Student Preservation Voices

2010-04-21T08:15:00.000-07:00

This is a periodic posting by YPA interns and other students who have worked (or are working) with us. The blog postings, below, are from Michael Bennett, John Yehambaram, and Justin Greenawalt (pictured at left, left to right), who were interns with YPA in the summer of 2009.

Last summer, YPA was fortunate to host three interns from a variety of backgrounds and grade levels: John Yehambaram, a native of Malaysia, will receive his masters degree in History from St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minnesota; Justin Greenawalt, a native of Connellsville, is a masters candidate in Historic Preservation at Columbia University in New York City; and Michael Bennett, a Pittsburgh native, is a Sophomore at Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pa.

Here are their essays, commentaries on historic preservation in southwestern Pennsylvania, and good advice for us all.

"Look Up"

By Michael Bennett

“Look up!” was perhaps the best advice I was given from a teacher in grade school. We were on a stroll around our school to admire the neighborhood’s buildings, and to get our distracted eyes away from the street windows, he gave us that simple command. I can remember doing as he said, and instantly seeing the intricate and beautiful designs that are hidden in the skylines of the Shadyside buildings. I’m neither architect nor artist, and I can’t recognize patterns or styles, but catching my eye is an accomplishment in itself. Since this quite sudden realization, I’ve used the “look up” tool as a rule of thumb to judge buildings-and furthermore, neighborhoods.

Before the summer, Homestead always had a shaky label in my mind. First, it was the street along the way to Kennywood. Then, it became the neighborhood between the Waterfront and Kennywood. Soon after, it was Charlie Batch’s project between the Waterfront and Kennywood. This summer, Homestead took on a much different label, because I finally took the time to look up. My neck hurts after two months of blinkless admiration.

You don’t have to look for long to find the history that resides in Homestead’s Eighth Avenue. Say you catch the dated brick or the trim patterns, or maybe find delight in the decadent Bank or flourish of old local shop windows. You could find a former steel worker that will reminisce about the bustle of the street, and curse the demolition that has become a pattern along the avenue. Even taking pictures of a building has become a forced assumption that the structure will be torn down in the following weeks.

Could it be that these rotting buildings and vacant lots were once bustling with people and storefronts? That this town was a vibrant center of a thriving steel industry? It’s much easier to believe if you look up-but that’s because it makes it easier to ignore the empty windows and garbage filled lots. Still, the history leaves a yearning to restore, recapture, and preserve what’s left-to make it much easier to believe the local stories.

And things are changing; the people, the buildings, the culture of Homestead will not let their history be ignored or forgotten. It may still be behind the scenes, but buildings are being renovated and store windows are being decorated. A coffee shop is brewing and homes are being restored. Homestead’s Eighth Avenue is slowly moving from the droopy shadow of the waterfront, to the restored neighborhood, rich with the history those waterfront plazas so blatantly lack. If people will only stop and look up, as I did at the start of summer, their appreciation of Homestead’s historic remnants will force them to search for more. Looking up is only the beginning, the catch phrase, the hook of the neighborhood.

But with such a great sight above, the neighborhood’s future, with the help of its people, is looking up too.

The Importance of Saving Our History

By John Yehambaram

I moved to Pittsburgh from St. Cloud Minnesota. I’m originally from Seremban, Malaysia. I lived in Malaysia, for 19 years before embarking on a journey to the United States to pursue my higher education. In Malaysia the word preservation never existed in my mind. I was however always amazed in the mixture of architecture in many cities in Malaysia. There are the structures that were inherited from British colonial times, the intricacies of wood carved village houses that predate British colonialism and the modern and post modern architectures like the Petronas Twin Towers in Kuala Lumpur.

When I first arrived in the United States it was on New Year’s eve on a typical Minnesota winter night, - 35F. When I woke up the next morning and opened my window curtain’s all I could see was the color white that glared painfully into my eyes. As the week’s past on and the snow subsided a little, this little town began to reveal its architectural self to me. It like many small towns in the United States had a main street. Most of the buildings had a story to tell of the town’s history, its immigrations, and the transformation of its main street into the center of the town. Winona, Minnesota unlike most cities and towns in Minnesota which were founded by Scandinavian immigrants was established by Polish immigrants. Growth in Winona was built on a railway and steamboat transportation system, wheat milling, and lumber.

In 1856 over 1,300 steamboats stopped at Winona. The railway system grew and the Winona Railway Bridge, built of steel and iron with a steam-powered swingspan over the river, was the second railway bridge to span the Mississippi. The earliest evidence of human habitation in Winona County is based on the discovery of a Woodland period site (circa 800 B.C.-900 A.D.). The present-day city of Winona was founded on the village of Keoxa. As the seat of the Wapasha dynasty, it was home to a Mdewakanton band of the eastern Sioux. Like Malaysia it has its mixture of histories that gives identity to the place. Also similar to Malaysia Winona has its modern identity that it affects it a positive and negative way as well. A Target, Wal-Mart and few other retail outlets that lay on the outskirts of town have affected the growth businesses on the town’s main street and its economic growth. This economic demise in downtown started to take place as I was finishing my undergrad at Winona State University in 2005. What could be done? What has been done? I didn’t know at the time.

After receiving my B.A in journalism, moving to New York to work as a copy editor, going back to school to pursue another B.A in history and a master’s in history back in St. Cloud State University, Minnesota, this was a time where I realized the importance of history and the message it conveys to the societies and societies that precedes it. It’s not only in writing that history is preserved. It’s in everything, music, art, sculptures and building structures.

When I moved to Pittsburgh on December 31^st 2008 and got an internship position with the Young Preservationist Association of Pittsburgh. I further realized the potential and importance of history to people. Through its programs of encouraging the younger generation of South Western Pennsylvania to preserve its historic building and monuments and researching on potential structures that could be nominated as a historical landmark it’s helping communities in Pittsburgh have a sense of history. The YPA is trying to help build a newer sense of community in South Western Pennsylvania. Pittsburgh is trying to grow into a greener more environment friendly city.

Historic preservationist groups like the YPA have a role to play reaching this goal. The amount of waste generated through the demolition of buildings is more costly economically and environmentally. YPA is trying to promote the preservation of historical buildings in order to prevent these kinds of waste. We are moving into times where resources for material are becoming scarce but preservation can help in the logistics of limiting the waste of these resources. The life of any city is in its past. YPA is trying to give life back to the history of Pittsburgh for the preservation of its identity and its communities.

There may be a lot of work that need to be done in the preservation of buildings in Pittsburgh. However with organizations like the YPA in Pittsburgh its path to historic preservation is heading towards the right direction. It’s a good example that can be followed in areas in the world where historic preservation of architecture is most needed. Winona, Minnesota needs to revive its main street. Pittsburgh has had some success in reviving main streets in some of its neighborhoods and surrounding areas. Malaysia has had to deal with the call for modernity and to industrialize to catch up with developed nations. But at what cost? Does it have to result in the demolition of buildings of the past to accommodate post modern architecture that creates the illusion of a modern state. Pittsburgh was a city at the heart of industrialization. The steel industry thrived in this city. It also left the city in economic tatters in the late 1980s with the closure of steel mills.

There is still a lot of preservation to be done everywhere. It’s a matter of realizing that in a globalized world everyone can learn from each other especially in the field of preserving historic buildings. Different region, cities and countries may have its own intricacies and politics in preserving potential historic buildings but in the end of the day the whole world is dealing with preserving its natural resources and its environment.

Building preservation has its role to play in this worldly endeavor. I’m glad I’m starting it in Pittsburgh and with the YPA. Pittsburgh has a rich history with the native American tribes of the Allegawis, Adena, Hopewell, Delaware, Jacobi, Seneca, Shawnee, and several settled groups of Iroquois, the creation of Fort Pitt by the British, its involvement in the Independence War and the war of 1812 and the rise of steel mills during the height of the industrial revolution. With this history it has also left monuments, buildings that tell a story of the past. It’s great to be part of a city that has a worldly history and a great starting point to learn about the business of preserving buildings of the past.

For the Love of Old Buildings

By Justing Greenawalt

Truly thought provoking statements are often few and far between. Even less frequent are the comments that really prompt you to look deep into the reasoning behind the choice of a career path or life decision, but it was a comment made at Homestead’s Community Day that managed to make me do exactly that. A local resident, curious about the current projects of the Young Preservationists Association, candidly asked, “How did you get involved with this? You’re not even supposed to know about this stuff.” It was an iteration of a question I had been asked before, but the statement that I should not know about the past, that my affinity for anachronism was somehow odd, was a new addition. My response—typical and reeking of unoriginality--was, “Because I love old buildings.” But this resident’s comment lingered long after she had moved on. What is it to be a young preservationist? To attempt an answer to this question, I provide the reader with my thoughts on the matter through the vehicle of two topics familiar to residents of southwestern Pennsylvania: the Rust Belt and Main Street.

Rust Belt America: a title with unfortunate connotations and one that many residents of southwestern Pennsylvania have either grown-up with or reluctantly settled into. For those unfamiliar with the term, the “Rust Belt” is an area stretching across much of Pennsylvania and into Ohio and even up into Michigan where once prosperous industries have vanished, leaving behind rusting mechanical heaps and expansive brownfields. As a person who grew-up with this title, I did not live at the peak of Pittsburgh’s industrial prowess. Instead, I have grown-up indoctrinated by the stories of the glory days of Pittsburgh and the Monongahela Valley. I have been told of the thick haze that hung over my beloved Pittsburgh and the dreaded experience of atmospheric inversions. I have found myself oddly attracted to the distinct olfactory experience produced by the burning of bituminous coal and reveled in the brute aesthetic force of smokestacks piercing the sky at Braddock and Clairton. But I can never claim this as my own. The legendary Homestead Works closed the year that I was born. As I grew up, the City of Pittsburgh and its once prosperous region, industry fleeing, spiraled downward into what seemed to be a bottomless economic abyss.

As a child, I watched—with little understanding—as my hometown of Connellsville faltered and eventually collapsed; further digging itself into a vicious cycle of disinvestment and self-mutilation. The businesses left Crawford Avenue (our Main Street) for the shopping plaza, the buildings, dilapidated and forgotten, were demolished, and slowly, Connellsville began to lose its essence; the thing that made Connellsville unique from every other small industrial town along the tributaries of the Monongahela. The buildings that remained were reduced to mere curiosities; monuments to a by-gone era surrounded by a sea of vacant lots. This is the stark reality of every young preservationist today. But in being a young preservationist, one generally lacks the one thing that our older colleagues possess: authentic nostalgia.

What do I mean by “authentic nostalgia”? Nostalgia being a feeling of fondness for the irretrievable past, authentic nostalgia, in my definition, is a fondness for places and events that one actually experienced. Most preservationists today wish to see Main Street restored, the businesses brought back, and the title of “Rust Belt” revoked—as do I and the majority of my young colleagues—but whereas older preservationists have their memories to drive their ambitious projects of restoration and preservation, I have only photos, stories, and a sense of the way things “should be”. Granted, we have had people like this forever; we call them “historians”, but historians study the past in an academic and scholarly way; preservationists, although we too are also academic and scholarly, work primarily not in academia, but in the communities with real and tangible buildings.

As a young person, I walk the streets of my city and mourn the loss of a reality I never lived. Those entering the field today, myself included, grew-up in an automotive culture; one in which Main Street and Main Street culture was not dying, but already deceased, one in which the streets and buildings and community were not our classroom, but rather, our living rooms and television sets and computers did the teaching. This, perhaps, is the greatest challenge to young preservationists today, not fighting the good battle to save Main Street, but attempting to convince a generation of people the worth of a concept and a place that both we and they have never known.

The gamut of responses to the mere concept of preservation from members of a community is stunning. My experience alone attests to the apathy on the part of my generation and the great work that we as preservationists have ahead of us. Photographing in Brownsville and Connellsville, PA—both located in Fayette County—the fact that someone, anyone, is interested in these places arouses curiosity and interest in the people who live there. Countless people have approached me on the street to tell me stories of the hey-days of their cities. I was heralded with tales of the movie houses and the soda fountains and the ice cream parlors and the apothecaries and the millineries and the churches, but not one of those stories were told to me by a young person. These were the stories that could only have been spawned by authentic nostalgia. The only response I have ever received from a young person—not directly to me, of course, but to a friend as he passed—was, “They need to tear that down. Who cares, anyway?” I do not claim that this comment is representative of every member of my generation, but it is dangerous thinking nonetheless.

We, as preservationists, are looking at a new breed of historic preservation; one in which the rules are changing and the people involved are characteristically different. In a few, short years, those who proclaim themselves to be preservationists will be attempting to recreate something they have never known. With this, I, as a young preservationist, announce a call to action. The time is now to tell our young people about the past. The time is now to get our young people involved in their communities and in their Main Streets. This is not a job for the History Channel. This is not a job for text books. This is a job for everyone possessing authentic nostalgia. Take a young person aside and tell him or her the stories of yesterday. Bring the old photo albums out of the attic and tell him or her about how things used to be. Take a young person into the community and just look, for there is no greater document to learn from than the living, breathing fabric of our towns and cities. Cultivating an appreciation for the past is something that can never be started too early. I thank those who did these things for me, just as a future young preservationist will thank you.

Justin Greenawalt

Intern, Young Preservationists Association

Historic Preservation Master’s Candidate 2010, Columbia University

Postscript to "What Does Green Mean"

2010-04-18T16:56:00.000-07:00

The demolition of several houses in Squirrel Hill prompted me to write a lament on April 15th about the continued destruction of Pittsburgh's built fabric, its authenticity, its identity.

Well, the good news is that most of the construction waste from the demolition site is being recycled by a local nonprofit, Construction Junction, as reported in the Post-Gazette on April 17th (http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10107/1051075-30.stm).

If only more demolished properties could be salvaged in such a way. Thousands of properties all across the Pittsburgh region have been torn down and sent to the landfill. Some of these properties had identifiable historical or architectural significance. Many did not. But all of them added up to create a unique identity that is Pittsburgh.

As Pittsburgh tries to forge a new future for itself, as many cities do, it should consider demolishing less; for those buildings which must come down, recycling more.

Much of the demolition has occurred in low-income communities. But nearly all communities, rich and poor, have lost historical treasures and a part of their identity. These before-and-after photos of the Samson Funeral Home is from Shadyside, a high-income Pittsburgh neighborhood. The unique Queen Ann building was representative of Shadyside's early years as a streetcar suburb. The box that replaced it is more reminiscent of, well, anywhere.

Other properties throughout the region were simply demolished. Mann's Hotel, an 1803 wooden structure in McKees Rocks, had sat vacant for years and had been condemned by the city. Instead of selling the property or having it salvaged, the owner simply demolished it in the fall of 2009. Gone is one of the oldest structures along the Ohio Valley.

Demolition, demolition everywhere. In nearly every town, nearly every neighborhood, southwestern Pennsylvania is losing its soul. From steel mills to historic inns and theaters, to plain old houses, are being ripped down and sent to the landfill. Only a tiny percentage are being salvaged and recycled. This isn't green; it's destruction at its worst.

And yet, the region continues to lose people--especially young people--and along with it, its identity, as more and more buildings get torn down.

I'm not against demolition--for the right reasons: to build something great and needed or as an absolute last resort when all options are exhausted. But when it becomes endemic and widespread, like a disease, one must ask the question, when will it end?

One might make the conclusion that demolition is necessary to deal with the contracting population. Some would argue that the population does not exist to support these obsolete structures. I would argue that we as a region are perpetuating the population loss with all the constant demolition. It presents a very unwelcoming sight--vacant buildings uncared for, piles of rubble, or a vacant lot.

What happens if we as a region start to grow again? What will be left upon which to build? What will become of our identity once we rip it all down? What kind of a message does that send to young people in this region?

Demolition, as an option, must be pursued carefully and with proper planning. An inventory of vacant properties must be taken. Thought must be given to what will happen to the property once it is gone. Salvage must be given more consideration. Design standards should be put in place to ensure that new construction is sensitive to the surrounding fabric. And young people as future investors in the community must be engaged.

The unfortunate thing is that few communities have any plan for their future. History is snubbed, buildings get demolished, and young people continue to leave southwestern Pennsylvania. So far, we aren't on the right track.

What Does Green Mean?

2010-04-15T19:03:00.000-07:00

Today, I walked along Forbes Avenue in Squirrel Hill and noticed four beautiful houses about to be demolished. Attached to a chain link fence facing the sidewalk, were the words "Location. Light. Size. Space. Green. Efficient. Luxurious. Beautiful." And a photo of the proposed new development, another cookie-cutter bland box.

The development, proudly sponsored by Coldwell Banker Previews and Terradime ("Tear-it-Down") Development and Sustainability, prominently featured their signs in front.

Green? Who are they kidding? I don't get it.

Why tear down perfectly good old houses and send them to a landfill and build something new and call it "green"?

This issue is partly about waste, partly about good design (or, lack thereof), and partly about leaving a legacy for the next generation.

Here are three facts about waste in America.

1. According to the American Institute of Architects (http://wiki.aia.org/Wiki%20Pages/Construction%20Waste%20Management.aspx), between 20 and 40 percent of all waste is construction debris.

2. According to the Sustainable Sources website (http://constructionwaste.sustainablesources.com/),

8,000 lbs of waste are typically thrown into the landfill during the construction of a 2,000 square foot home.

3. More than 130 million tons of debris from construction sites is dumped in U.S. landfills annually, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. And more than half of that comes from nonresidential renovation and demolition projects. (http://www.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2002/06/03/focus1.html)

Even if these homes were demolished and the majority of the materials were recycled, the design of the new structure is horrendous. It does not fit in with the surrounding neighborhood at all.

Lastly, there's the legacy. What kind of message does this send to young people? It's OK to tear stuff down and erect mediocrity? What's wrong with the old stuff, which can become good as new with a bit of restoration that employs local materials and labor?

Furthermore, who in Squirrel Hill allowed this to happen?

It's a shame, really. Using "green" as a cover for demolishing perfectly good houses is a ruse to get people to buy into a project that is really lackluster and wrong for the community.

Unfortunately, in a city that doesn't have that many young people to begin with, it's another nail in the coffin. Why would young people be attracted to a city that puts up crap?

Downloading the Past for Preservation Generation 2.0

2010-04-02T10:30:00.000-07:00

Hazelwood was once as vibrant, wealthy, and packed with talent as any community in America. When the mill was running--LTV's Coke Works--living wages enabled men and women to provide for their families, support the business district along Second Avenue, and maintain nice homes.

When the mill closed, work disappeared, and people gave up on Hazelwood. Unable to support the business district, local businesses, like Dimperio's Market, closed. Homes were boarded up and began to decay. Men especially were left adrift, wondering what to do with their skills honed in heavy industry that no longer needed them.

Such is the story of Hazelwood, but also of many industrial towns along the three rivers in the Pittsburgh region. It's a sad state of affairs for many of these company towns. Upon first glance, anyway.

There are hidden gems in these former industrial boom towns. The gems are both the historic buildings and architectural treasures that remain, as well as the people that remain. One must never forget that people still live in these communities, especially young people.

I stood today in front of the Carnegie Library of Hazelwood as a press photographer took my picture. In the yard directly across from the Carnegie, a small African American boy played on his tricycle. It was then that I realized that any effort to restore, revitalize, and re-imagine community assets like the Library must include the dreams and aspirations of young people like that little boy.

One day, he will grow up and most likely leave Hazelwood. But what will he remember? Will he remember the vacant and abandoned historic building across the street? Or will he see it being renovated and witness life come back to one of the first neighborhood Carnegie Libraries built in the United States. Of course, history won't matter much; the future of the building is what matters most. At least to him.

As YPA prepares to focus on four historic sites in Hazelwood as part of the Preserve Pittsburgh Summit on April 10th, we must remember what we are doing this for. It's for the next generation. We cannot, must not, will not let the next generation down.

What do young people in distressed neighborhoods wake up to? What should they wake up to?

These are fundamental questions that all preservationists must ask. It's not just about the buildings, but the people around them that must be engaged to bring them back to life.

YPA also recognizes that there's an older generation that remembers the stories and value of these old buildings. It is therefore essential that younger generation connects with the older generation to ask questions, poke, pry, inquire--to download the stories of the past to bring them back to life in a new way.

This process of downloading the past must be institutionalized so that the older generation doesn't feel threatened or skeptical of young people, who seemingly don't care. Likewise, young people must crack through the wall of history that so many older people guard and let few people through.

YPA challenges both the older generation and the young generations to create a constructive dialogue about the past. Why do this? To continue the traditions, save the stories, and maintain the great things that older generations worked so hard to create. We manifest this work in the form of building preservation--saving old buildings. But we can also see the results by inspired young people, enhanced skills, college diplomas, new jobs, and bright smiles.

I know Hazelwood can come back to life, especially the four buildings featured at the Summit--the Library, the John Woods House (featured at left), Gladstone School, and the Spahr Building. But it can't be done without the help of young and old people working together.

If YPA's Summit can inspire at least one person to make a difference in his or her community, then we will have been successful. Let's keep downloading history for Preservation Generation 2.0. Pres Gen 3.0 isn't far behind.

Keeping the Legacy Alive

2010-03-08T13:55:00.000-08:00

YPA was founded on the premise that young people are the key to the future, and investing in our young people by passing along valuable information about the past is critical.

Some come to me and ask, "how old do you have to be to be a young preservationist"? I respond, "everyone who supports the next generation is a young preservationist." We don't discriminate on the basis of age or any other human characteristic. We have a commitment to intergenerational dialogue.

As much as I spend working with young people--students and young professionals--I also spend a lot of time talking with those older than me. They have fascinating stories to tell. It inspires me to keep their legacy alive, and it should inspire you, too.

The older generation remembers. They remember what it was like before desegregation, when war really did mean a cutback in the materials and energy we were allowed use, when recycling was just a matter of course, and before the car culture scattered our society to far-flung places and took down so many buildings.

Of course, we cannot preserve people, but we can preserve their memories, and we can preserve the buildings in which these memories took place. The built environment is the physical manifestation of our generational legacy. From the soaring cathedrals and monuments, to the modest homes of great people, it is our duty to keep their legacy alive.

There have been many people who have inspired my work, but three people in particular push me to preserve their legacy: my father, David Lewis, and Barbara Edwards Lee. All three have worked hard to pass along their knowledge and experiences to the next generation. Actually, there is a fourth person whom I'll mention last.

My father, Harry Holland, was an artist, and he gave me the ability to articulate and pursue my vision. I had the good fortune of having had a fond and respectful relationship with him until his death, in 1994, when I was 25 years old. His perseverance, vision, and ability to express his deepest emotions and dreams in art inspire me to do the same, even if I'm not an artist in the traditional sense.

My father was also an innovator. He created one of the first computer painting and drawing programs to be used in a university art program. His work has been recognized by the Siggraph art show and others in the field. But like any artist, he pursued his dream to simply create art as a way to satisfy his quest for amazement, which, to him, was the purpose and value of art.

He also taught me how to run (and, perhaps by extension, to love the post-run beer). It is through running that I have gotten to see many of the great sights--from the Grand Canyon, to the top of Mt. Elbert in Colorado, to the varied and diverse neighborhoods around our region--all on foot. Running also gives me the balance I need to think clearly and stay focused on those things that are important to me.

Architect David Lewis, who created Urban Design Associates Architects and CMU's Urban Lab Program, is also a visionary, and over the past several years that I have grown to know him, the more I believe that he is also trying to keep alive a tremendous legacy in the next generation. He is an artist, preservationist, and man of the world.

More than anything, David is a gifted storyteller. He will have you riveted to a long, drawn out story that fascinates as much as it entertains. And then at the end of the story, he'll have you doubled over in laughter with a funny punchline. His work is serious stuff; David has done much to create better ways to remake cities. But he is far from serious.

David has a humorous undercurrent that sometimes catches you off guard, but always seeks to make you have a good chuckle. It's good for the soul. Isn't that what we are here for--to make each other laugh and feel good about ourselves?

And there is Barbara Edwards Lee, the former National Secretary of the National Negro Opera Company, who lives in a nursing home in Clairton. Over the years, I have sought her out to gather stories of her work with Mary Cardwell Dawson (Barbara's aunt), who created the first black opera company in the nation right here in Pittsburgh. The NNOC went on to perform all across the nation to great acclaim before Madame Dawson succumbed to a heart attack in 1962.

But the memories survive, and so does the house where it all took place--7101 Apple Street in Homewood. Mrs. Lee didn't spend much time there. After she graduated from Taylor Allderdice High School (my alma mater, too!), she became discouraged with the segregated job market in the Pittsburgh area and moved with Madame Dawson to Washington, DC, in 1943. There, Barbara served as the National Secretary to the company. To think that it all started right there on Apple Street is amazing.

These stories need to be kept alive for new generations to appreciate and enjoy. There are lessons in the stories, unbelievable feats of courage, and funny punchlines. The people who continue to make them real after the human body has come to rest are the young people who keep them alive and save the places where these memories took place.

The fourth person who has influenced me over the years is Stanley Lowe, the former Housing Authority director, former vice president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and perpetual advocate for his neighborhood of Manchester, on Pittsburgh's North Side. He tirelessly and fearlessly pursued the dream of restoring his neighborhood back to what it once was, or could be, by saving as many old buildings as possible. He was also an important mentor to me, providing me encouragement and feedback on my career.

Just a few months ago, he hung in the background as the mayor and other dignitaries cut the ribbon on a new multi-million-dollar housing development in Manchester, where an electric company once stood. And to think that last summer, Stanley was fighting for his life in the emergency room, the victim of a senseless attack. The lesson is: don't try to keep down a man with vision and drive.

And isn't that the lesson from all four people I've mentioned, only one of which has passed away? All four had a dream, all four worked hard to achieve that dream, and all four never gave up on that dream.

Their memories persist with me and those whose lives they have touched. YPA's mission isn't just about involving young people for the sake of young people. But for the sake of everybody. After all, unless we connect the two disparate generations, we have no past, and no future. We only have the present.

Young people are valuable carriers of our legacy, and it is in them that we must invest.

Insanity Reigns Supreme in Friendship

2010-02-22T10:41:00.000-08:00

The Pittsburgh neighborhood of Friendship is known as a family-friendly community, replete with large houses, spacious yards, and signature porches--all right in the middle of the city. The neighborhood has been transformed in the past twenty years into a tasteful, (mostly) affordable community known for its historic housing stock.

It comes as a shock, then, to see the gracious old homes being deprived of their signature porches by owners that are, well, insane. The photo below depicts the last remaining fragment of a huge, wrap-around porch that was just taken off over the weekend.

It's worth recounting Friendship's post-war history to put this into context. Once known as a "streetcar suburb" for wealthy managers, lawyers, and doctors, as well as more modest homeowners from the 1880s through the 1940s, the neighborhood that fell on hard times in the 1950s through the 1970s.

The large houses were abandoned by their original owners and transformed by absentee landlords into rental units. Many of the grand homes' interiors were cut up to accommodate as many people as possible while generating maximum return, while decorative details were largely stripped away, such as 100-year-old wood paneling, marble fireplaces, and stained glass windows.

In the 1980s and 1990s, Friendship enjoyed a renaissance by young homeowners who had a taste for historic houses. Those homes that weren't too badly damaged were reclaimed and restored. By the late 1990s, Friendship had turned around. Home sales were among the fastest in the city, a place where one could get a lot of house for relatively little.

By the time the movie "Wonder Boys," starring Michael Douglas and featuring Friendship, was released in 2000, the neighborhood was on its way back. Shortly thereafter, Whole Foods opened up nearby, Penn Avenue was successfully rebranded the Penn Avenue Arts Corridor, Trader Joe's came, the Eastside development was completed, the Children's Home opened, and Children's Hospital relocated to the western end of Penn Avenue.

One of the most defining trademarks about Friendship is its porches. Homeowners who value irreplaceable architecture and fine craftsmanship invested in their porches to create a distinctive neighborhood that is attractive to upwardly mobile residents. It's a true American story, a rags-to-riches tale that defines who we are as a nation.

It's embarrassing then, that right at Friendship's gateway, two of the most distinctive homes have been deprived of their porches. One house, where Roup and Fairmount come together, was just de-porched this past weekend.

This poor house joins another one a block away, that lost its porch several years ago.

When will the insanity end? And people have the audacity to say that historic preservation is "restrictive." Yet, the community has no recourse to this type of destruction without preservation protection.

These types of actions de-value others' homes who have spent a lot of time and money maintaining their porches. The insanity spreads and chips away at a neighborhood's value, one home at a time. Welcome to Friendship: Land of Lost Porches.

It is our hope that one day, insane absentee landlords will wake up to the importance of saving those things that cannot be replaced. Or, perhaps they should be institutionalized for our own safety. Porches are what makes neighborhoods like Friendship so important, and what makes us all proud to be (sane) Americans.

Preservation is Patriotic!

2010-02-04T16:26:00.000-08:00

Recently, City Council voted to approve the designation of the Paramount Pictures Film Exchange in Pittsburgh's Uptown neighborhood to be a City Historic Landmark. The vote was 8 in favor, one opposed. The Councilman opposed to the designation was Councilman Rev. Ricky Burgess.

There's nothing wrong with exercising one's democratic right to made independent decisions, even if they are unpopular. But his comment during the preliminary vote, that such designations are "unpatriotic" and "undemocratic," strikes us as being, well, a bit unpatriotic.

We're not sure what is so unpatriotic about protecting the last physical remnants of America's proud historic legacy. The Film Exchange served as the sole distribution point for all of Paramount's films into local theaters. The only way that Pittsburgh audiences could see and enjoy such movie greats as "Cleopatra," "Sunset Boulevard," "The Ten Commandments," and "Breakfast at Tiffany's," not to mention Popeye and Betty Boop, was the film exchange system.

Film exchanges were more than just "warehouses" for films. They served as offices, meeting places, and had screening rooms. In fact, every local theater owner was required to pre-screen every movie before offering it to local audiences. Movie stars, producers, and directors, such as Paramount's Cecil B. DeMille, came to Pittsburgh's Paramount Pictures Film Exchange. DeMille himself was in town in 1947 for the filming of "Unconquered."

Unlike today, where filming on location is relatively de-centralized, back in the 1930s through the 1960s, film exchanges in various cities were the place to meet. Built in 1926 by R.E. Hall Associates Architects, Pittsburgh's Paramount Pictures film Exchange ceased to be used as such in 1968. It was occupied by Allegheny County from 1968 until 1993. Then, it sat, owned as an unproductive asset by Mercy Hospital until 2009. Mercy was acquired by UPMC in 2008, but the film exchange building continued to sit, empty.

So, let's see: for 42 years, it served as the sole distribution point for some of America's most popular (and profitable) films. For 25 years, it was an office. And for 17 years, it was empty.

Funny thing about this nomination is that Duquesne University wrote a letter in opposition to the nomination (UPMC had already stated their opposition to it). They claimed that it "would have a negative impact on the surrounding neighborhood" and suggested it would unsafe to their students. Well, we are glad that they came to this conclusion after 17 years!

Yet, the Uptown Community Partners, the local community group, is on the verge of creating a critical mass of new businesses, new housing, and new hope in a neighborhood that desperately needs it. From the new coffee house, Asylum, to the old Fifth Avenue High School about to be converted into apartments, Uptown's revival is being built on historic preservation. The restoration and reuse of the Paramount Pictures Film Exchange, then, represents an extension of this revival.

But back to the "unpatriotic" remark. If we adhere to this notion, then perhaps Paul Robeson, who was questioned about his patriotism during the House Un-American Activities Committee investigations in 1946, is not really a patriot. After all, he died defending civil rights.

He said, “Through my singing and acting and speaking, I want to make freedom ring. Maybe I can touch people's hearts better than I can their minds, with the common struggle of the common man.”

Without Robeson, we may not have had Barack Obama... ah, such is the life of an "un-American."

There are many examples of patriots right here in Pittsburgh. Martin R. Delany, an outspoken African American abolitionist who lived Downtown (when there were still houses) and authored "The Mystery," an anti-slavery newspaper. In 1850, he was accepted into Harvard Medical School, but faced such rabid racism on campus in just his first few weeks there, he returned to Pittsburgh to continue his training with a local doctor. A historical marker at PPG Place denotes his service to our country.

Or how about that patriotic author who challenged the status quo and became one of the world's most revered playwrights, August Wilson. His house stands n the Hill District as a proud testament to his life and work. Isn't his house worth saving in the name of "patriotism"?

Another patriot is Mary Cardwell Dawson, who not only challenged white society about the acceptance of black opera stars, but challenged male society. In 1941, she started America's first opera company for African Americans, called the "National Negro Opera Company," right here in Pittsburgh. The house where she started the company is in Pittsburgh's Homewood neighborhood, right smack in the middle of Councilman Burgess' district. So, by his rationing, should we tear that gorgeous house down in the name of "patriotism"?

Historic preservation was created not just to save old buildings but to preserve and reinforce the very notion of America: the values, the struggles, the victories, and defeats--from battlefields to Underground Railroad sites, to relics of our mighty industrial past. These all tell a powerful story of who we are, what we have accomplished, and how far we still have to go. But if we tear down the last remaining physical manifestations of our history, we are in essence tearing down America.

We have already seen what happens when we do this: urban renewal. It was one of the most destructive forces for old buildings in our nation's history. In Pittsburgh's Lower Hill District, for instance, the city forced out more than 8,000 families and ripped down thousands of old buildings--the businesses, homes, places of worship--that told the story of Pittsburgh's past. Lost was Pittsburgh's oldest black church, Bethel AME, among other one-of-a-kind landmarks.

The result: people left the city in droves, African Americans were forced to scatter about the city, and we all were left with indelible physical and psychological scars. Mindy Thompson Fullilove tells the story brilliantly in her book, "Root Shock."

Pittsburgh's historic preservation code was created in 1979 in response to this irresponsible destruction of history. It gave people a voice in how they should be able to shape their communities. There's nothing more democratic--and patriotic--than allowing people to forge their own destinies, rather than have it done for them by Big Government or Big Corporations.

Urban renewal was forced upon a vulnerable population from a top-down, elite led effort to impose values upon a neighborhood. Historic preservation, on the other hand, is an effort to empower people, to provide them with an important tool to help shape their future as they want to see it, not as someone else prescribes. For more than 30 years, Pittsburgh's preservation law has been used responsibly as a way to enhance the value of our neighborhoods.

Today, historic preservation remains a critical tool for urban revitalization. Thousands of communities all across America have utilized historic preservation as one tool, but one very important tool, to reinvigorate their economy--from Manchester and the South Side here in Pittsburgh to the 2,300 Main Street communities all across the country. It reinforces the local tax base, restores local pride, and creates jobs that cannot be outsourced.

Seems to us that this is the whole point of a participatory democracy: allows people to control their destiny and remain as committed as ever to the patriotic ideals that are America.

Paramount building ideal for tax-producing office space

2009-11-24T11:22:00.001-08:00

Concurrent with the historic nomination of the Paramount Pictures Film Exchange, YPA engaged a developer to come up with a development scheme for the reuse of the site.

What was developed was a 431-page proposal to convert the 1926 structure into a LEED-certified green medical clinic. The project would entail a $2.6 million rehab and build-out. Ultimately, the medical clinic would produce monthly rental income of $15,540 and $33,632 in cash flow after year three ($131,087 in cash flow in year 9).

YPA and its developer's offer to purchase the building and create the medical clinic was ignored by the owner. “The building's location and lack of parking does not make it a good place for anything but a warehouse," said David Montegomery, one of UPMC’s lawyers, at a recent Historic Review Commission hearing. "This simply is a pie-in-the-sky dream that this is going to become a public destination point."

He neglects to mention, however, that with Mercy hospital a few blocks away, the location would be ideal and parking would be plentiful. Besides, no one expects the Paramount to become a focus of public interest, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth putting to adaptive reuse as an office building or something similar.

After all, Greater Pittsburgh OB/GYN has an office at 1811 Blvd. of the Allies and Harvey M. Rubin is a pediatrician at 1709 Blvd. of the Allies, and Campbell Phillbin Medical Associates is less than a block behind the Paramount on Locust St., which proves that the stretch of road is indeed viable for medical office spaces.

However, if UPMC has their way, this huge swath of land will be forever removed from the tax rolls.

Update on the Historic Nomination of the Paramount Pictures Film Exchange

2009-11-21T05:25:00.000-08:00

The public hearing on the Paramount Pictures Film Exchange to be held last Tuesday, Nov. 17, was postponed to January 12, 2010.

A Wikipedia entry has been prepared: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paramount_Film_Exchange_%28Pittsburgh%29

Here's reporter Diana Nelson Jones' blog on the Paramount Nomination:

Council's "Oops!" moment, Nov 18: http://community.post-gazette.com/blogs/citywalkabout/archive/2009/11/18/council-s-latest-big-quot-oops-quot.aspx

In the meantime, Duquesne University is now opposed to the designation. Could this be a possible conflict of interest?

Charles J. Dougherty, Ph.D.

Duquesne University President

He is a member of the board of directors of UPMC Mercy Hospital, where he chairs the Ethics Committee;

the Senator John Heinz History Center, The Allegheny Conference on Community Development and the

Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh.

YPA’s offer to buy the building for $100,000 was rejected (we had lined up the financing, too). Meanwhile, the owners are willing to sell for much less--as little as $60,000.

In addition, a review of property ownership in the Bluff/Uptown shows that UPMC and Duquesne University own just about everything. They have assembled a huge amount of land that could only be used for one thing: to construct a monster building.

Or a parking lot.

Support the Paramount Pictures Film Exchange!

2009-11-12T14:01:00.000-08:00

YPA has nominated the Paramount Pictures Film Exchange in Pittsburgh's Uptown neighborhood to be a City Historic Landmark. Built in 1926, the Paramount film exchange served as the sole distribution point for major motion pictures, between Hollywood and local theaters. Drew Levinson, a film student, created a YouTube video of the film exchange:

Some of the most popular movies came through this film exchange, including Sunset Boulevard, Roman Holiday, and The Ten Commandments. The director Cecil B. DeMille himself spent several days in Pittsburgh at the Paramount film exchange while promoting a new Paramount movie. These were the central meeting point for directors, actors, producers, and theater owners.

Film exchanges existed in most U.S. cities; however, only a few exist today. As movie distribution systems changed, most film exchanges became obsolete by the late 1960s. Pittsburgh Paramount Pictures Film Exchange ceased operation in 1968 and it served many other uses since then. But it has been vacant for the last several years. Many film exchanges in other cities have been preserved and reused, such as in Chicago, Oklahoma City, and Seattle.

Most of Pittsburgh's film exchanges along the Boulevard of the Allies have been demolished. YPA envisions the reuse of Pittsburgh's last remaining original film exchange as an asset for the Uptown community. The first step is local historic designation to prevent demolition.

YPA has worked with a developer to assemble a proposal to convert the building into a LEED-certified green medical clinic that would serve the population of Uptown, Hill District, and West Oakland.

City Council takes testimony on Tuesday, November 17, at 1:30. Please come out and support this important landmark. Or, write a letter of support. More information is on our website, http://www.youngpreservationists.org/ypa-nominates-uptown-building-to-be-historic-landmark