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

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.

#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.