YPA's Top Ten List Released!

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...

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

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

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.

#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

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.

#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

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.

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

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.

#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.