Development News

In just over five years the Pittsburgh-based handmade bag company, Moop, has grown from a living room operation to a new 7,000-square-foot facility in Carnegie, adding employees and growing customer base.

Moop is owned by Wendy Downs and Jeremy Boyle.  The couple moved to Crafton, where Boyle grew up, from New York City in 2009.  They returned to the region to be near family, but also because Pittsburgh was affordable, and would allow them to grow their business at a faster pace, Downs says.

Once established in Crafton, the business began hiring employees, expanded its product offerings, and increased its ability to meeting customer demand.

Last year though it became clear that their business had outgrown its 700-square-foot facility in the West End, and they would need a new shop.

While exploring various neighborhoods for a new suitable space--by road and by Google Maps--Boyle remembered an old industrial facility where he had gone to skateboard as a kid.  They tracked down the warehouse, and learned it was for rent.

Boyle, a former contractor, used his construction experience to renovate their space, which Downs says was an empty rectangle when they moved in.  They subdivided and added a fully-enclosed woodworking shop, production areas, a lounge and kitchen for the staff, as well as offices and art studios.

The facility, located at 100 Rosslynn Road, is also close to their daughter’s high school.  Downs says that as a small family business it was important for the entire family to be comfortable with the space, and to have an ease of mobility.

Downs says if Moop continues to grow at its current pace they’ll be looking to hire more employees in the coming months.

“Our growth is slow and steady, which means its manageable and its controllable and its predictable,” Downs says.  “Which are all very healthy ways of running a business.”


Writer:  Andrew Moore
Source:  Wendy Downs

While PNC Bank readies the foundation for the world’s greenest skyscraper, they’re quietly opening another structure, the Lantern Building, as a tribute to the region’s banking history.

The new 800-square-foot facility, located at 600 Liberty Avenue, is part of the PNC Legacy Project, a program designed to honor, document and preserve the history of banks that PNC has acquired. 

The exhibit is free to the public, and features interactive multimedia displays that highlight the city’s culture, commerce and community.

Within the exhibit a touchscreen timeline chronicles Pittsburgh’s history from the late 19^th century, and features a listening experience using oral histories collected from prominent community leaders, from the Zambelli Brothers to Carol Brown, former executive director of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.

David O’Neil, an oral historian and the founder of Story Trust, produced the stories that tell of the city’s numerous transformations.  Mary Beth Corrigan, an archivist and curator who has curated other PNC Legacy Projects, oversaw the development of the exhibit.

The Innovation Wall, also part of the exhibit, recognizes 230 organizations that have recieved PNC support.

The building, redesigned by Pittsburgh-based EDGE studio, makes use of an existing storefront, but the former Liberty Travel structure is hardly recognizable.  Gone are the billboards that had once adorned the façade.  A revolving door, green and grey zinc panels, and channel glass bring the space in line with PNC’s other nearby properties.

The Lantern Building sits adjacent to the Fairmont Hotel, and its sleek modern materials complement the towering glass structure.

And while it might not be as large as the planned green tower on Wood Street, the new Lantern Building does feature a green roof that’s used to naturally cool the building and lowering energy consumption, as well as address storm water management.

The building will not be used for any banking operations,  however, its second floor will be used as a meeting space.

In addition to Pittsburgh, Legacy exhibits exist in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Cleveland, Fredericksburg and Annapolis. 

The Legacy exhibit will be open to the public on Thursday, August 2^nd.
 

Writer:  Andrew Moore
Source:  Emily Krull, PNC Bank; EDGE studio

Even the smallest neighborhood business district is important.

That’s the message of the City’s latest revitalization initiative known as Biz Buzz, a small grant program that targets the less prominent districts of the city. And it’s meant to enable small businesses and volunteers to have an immediate impact in their community.

“We've put a lot of focus on our larger business districts like Liberty Avenue, Butler Street…and we’re still working with them” says Josette Fitzgibbons, URA Mainstreets/Elm Street coordinator.

But Biz Buzz will provide services to the little districts that, while they may never become booming destinations, are “key to being not only the health of the neighborhood, but the key to the health of the city,” Fitzgibbons says.

According to Fitzgibbons, the project has three main goals: to create a buzz about a particular business district; to attract new people, whether it be shoppers from outside, residents within, or even new entrepreneurs; and to highlight the unique nature of a particular neighborhood.

Mayor Ravenstahl will launch the program today, at Cannon Coffee, in Brookline.

Awardees will be given up to $7,000 for a particular initiative. Biz Buzz has a total project budget of $45,000, and Fitzgibbons hope to allocate more funding for the project in the coming year.

At today's event, Brookline will introduce their new shop-local campaign, called, I Shop the Line. The Biz Buzz program will reward shoppers with Brookline Bucks for purchases made in the district.

The URA plans to work with communities to develop successful strategies, and to build capacity for specific events. But Fitzgibbons says the actual ideas should come from the districts themselves.

“We want groups to be creative about this,” she says. “There's not a whole lot of guidelines to it because we want to hear what the community has to say, and what the community wants to do.”


Writer: Andrew Moore
Source:  Josette Fitzgibbons

To many, the name Wholey's is synonymous with the Strip District.  And with the opening of Wild Alaskan Grille, Luke Wholey is hoping to build on that legacy by offering a full-service restaurant that fittingly serves high-quality seafood.

Located at 2106 Penn Avenue, one aspect of the new eatery will seem familiar to regulars of Wholey’s Fish Market: Luke himself. 

For the past three years, Wholey has served grilled sockeye salmon outside the market that his grandfather established over a hundred years ago.  And Wholey will once again be on grill duty, standing beside his six-foot-wide, cast-iron grill.

"I'm out here seven days a week, manning the grill," he says.  "Cooking has always been a passion of mine, and it's a lot of fun for me to be out here serving my customers."

Wholey’s sidewalk salmon special ($12) is served over rice with grilled zucchini and roasted red peppers.

Inside, the restaurant features a full-service kitchen and menu.  The space is a repurposed warehouse that plays well on the Strip’s legacy and the Wholey name.  It currently seats 150 on the first floor, but will accommodate up to 300 guests once the second level is complete.

Nautical décor features prominently throughout the rustic interior, including work by local artists, fish mounts, and handmade tables of reclaimed electric cable spindles.

Wholey will be missing from the grill in the coming weeks, but he has a good excuse for his absence.  He will be competing in the Great American Seafood Cook-Off in New Orleans.

Wholey, a lifelong fisherman, plans to catch eight yellow perch in Lake Erie, and ship them live to New Orleans, where he will prepare them for the competition on August 11th. 

A hopefully victorious Luke Wholey will celebrate a grand opening at his restaurant on August 15th.


Writer:  Andrew Moore
Source:  Luke Wholey

Business is booming for National Woodwork as it continues to expand in the Pittsburgh region.  The company has recently moved to a new, 10,000 square-foot facility near Crafton, and is currently building a new showroom in Upper St. Clair.

The 40-year-old custom woodworking business has tripled its sales and number of employees in the past three years, following its purchase by Russell Rice. 

Rice says their success is due in part to the company's integrated approach.

"What makes us unique is our ability to do the entire project, and the ability to do it cost effectively," Rice says.  "A lot of times true custom can be very expensive, and we work with the customers to work within their budget and meet their needs."

National Woodwork does custom woodwork; stocks ready-made cabinets; and has field carpenters that do trimming, mill work, wainscot, and other in-house finishing.

"Most people do one of those three things," Rice says.  "We do all three.”

The new production facility in the Windgap Industrial Park, on Neville Island, is part of Rice's plan to have one manufacturing facility supporting three showrooms around the city.

In addition to the forthcoming showroom in Upper St. Clair, Rice hopes to open a second space in the North Hills/Wexford area, and a third in the East.

The showrooms displays the company's full product offerings to builders and designers, and includes a range of residential and commercial woodwork.


Writer:  Andrew Moore
Source:  Russell Rice

Last year, the Allegheny River community of Aspinwall led a successful grassroots campaign to buy a private marina and turn it over to the public.  Now, in anticipation of the new Aspinwall Riverfront Park, project directors have turned to the community once again to find out exactly what area residents want in a park.

Top activities include walking, running, bicycling, playground areas, and nature appreciation.  According to Friends of the Riverfront (FOR), who facilitated the survey,17 percent of respondents expressed a desire to create a natural park that focuses on the river with fishing, rowing, and canoeing or kayaking.

"What was important to us is that we create something that is really valuable to the public, and that meets their needs," says Susan Crookston, of Aspinwall Riverfront Park, Inc.  "And by doing this survey we wanted to incorporate people's ideas and their own dreams for the park too."

But residents want the park to be enjoyed by non-humans as well.  Crookston's organization was delighted to find a river otter on the property last week, an animal which has only recently been reintroduced to the Allegheny.  Bald eagles and hummingbirds have also been spotted in the park.

"There's a really unique ecosystem…that we'd like to protect and cherish," Crookston says.  "We really want to get people back to the river and interacting with the river, so that's an exciting possibility for us."

FOR purchased the marina on behalf of the Aspinwall community last October from David Kushon, who retired after more than 40 years on the river.  The purchase was made possible through the community's grassroots fundraising, an effort which Crookston spearheaded in 2010, raising over $2.3 million.

FOR has also announced the local design team that will create a Master Plan for the park, which includes Pittsburgh-based Environmental Planning & Design (EPD) as team leader and landscape architect of record.

EPD is joined by NIPpaysage of Montreal, Quebec; studio d’ARC architects of Pittsburgh; Lennon, Smith, Souleret Engineering of Coraopolis; blue tomato design of Pittsburgh; and 360 Intelligent Marketing.

Crookston says there is also an interest in having canoe and kayak rentals at the site, among other amenities, but that the specifics are still being developed.

"It's an enormous task that we're trying to undertake here, to not only run a  business that generates several million dollars a year and has several employees," she says, "but what we hope will be a treasure for our community for years to come."


Writer:  Andrew Moore
Source:  Susan Crookston

In the heart of the Northside, a large Victorian home sat vacant for more than three decades, located just across the street from Allegheny General Hospital.  But thanks to a doctor there, the building will be given a second chance, this time as the Allegheny Inn bed and breakfast.

A groundbreaking ceremony was recently held at the circa-1880 home (1010 Cedar Avenue), and the building's new owners--Justin and Keili Mistovich--were joined by Mayor Ravenstahl and other city and neighborhood leaders. 

Justin Mistovich, orthopedic surgeon at AGH, says he and wife Keili (a pediatrics resident at Children’s Hospital) had their eyes on the building for a while.  Mistovich, originally from Youngstown, Ohio, says he first became familiar with the neighborhood as an undergraduate at Duquesne University.

The couple own their home in nearby Mexican War Streets, and Mistovich says creating this bed and breakfast is part of their commitment to the neighborhood, and the region.

"For the two of us growing up in Youngstown, we’re very familiar with communities that had been down on hard times, especially in the Rust Belt," Mistovich says.  And even though there is still work to be done, he believes the neighborhood's residents are driven to revitalize the area.

Mistovich says he is eager to use the inn to showcase the neighborhood and the hospital.  He anticipates guests to be affiliated with AGH, or tourists visiting the Northside's myriad attractions--from the Pirates and the Steelers, to the numerous museums.

The couple plan to restore the building, which includes five bedrooms, to the Victorian era, including furnishings, wallpaper, etc.  

"The whole decor is going to be like you stepped back in time into the glory days of both the building and the neighborhood," Mistovich says.

Mistovich's friend Brent Bissell is a partner in the project.  Bissell's parents, who run a bed and breakfast in Columbiana, Ohio, will also help establish the inn, and will manage day-to-day operations once it opens.

Northside architect Bob Baumbach will lead the historic renovations.  Mistovich expects the building to be completed and the inn’s first guests to arrive within nine months.

"We firmly believe in the positive value of this neighborhood, both to the city and the community as a whole, and we’re anxious to be able to show people the good stuff that both Pittsburgh and the Northside has to offer," he says.


Writer:  Andrew Moore
Source:  Justin Mistovich

The Montour Trail is significantly closer to being a completely car-free route that connects communities in the Pittsburgh region.  At a ceremony this Saturday, the Montour Trail Council will celebrate the opening of two bicycle/pedestrian bridges more than ten years in the making.

The two bridges, a 118-foot long span crossing Morganza Road, and another at 110 feet above Georgetown Road, opened recently in Cecil Township.  The “twin” bridges are less than a half mile apart, and replace former railroad spans torn down many years prior.

Ned Williams, MTC board president, describes the trail as a sylvan experience, in most places a car-free path through the woods.  But those intersections, which are very busy, had hindered access by many users to the entire trail.

"There were a lot of people that simply would not cross this road.  They would just turn around and go back," Williams says. "So this just completely opens up the whole thing...to a more complete experience. It makes a tremendous difference."

The Montour Trail is a 46-mile trail that runs a C-shaped route from Coraopolis on the Ohio River, to Clairton, on the Monongahela.

Earlier this year, the MTC also completed a 6.3 mile branch trail to the Pittsburgh International Airport.  Williams says his organization has received several reports of cyclist riding to and from the airport using the new trail amenity.

"That's a great force for tourism in the area," and for promoting the natural beauty of the region, Williams says.

And on Saturday, the council will announce yet another branch trail that will extend from the Montour Trail to the Southpointe business park in Canonsburg. 

To the east, the council is working on two more bicycle/pedestrian bridges in Peters Township.

The design and construction costs for the two bridges was just under $1.9 million.  

Funding for the bridges came from the federal Transportation Enhancement program, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Allegheny Trail Alliance, and the Washington County Local Share Account, among donations from other local organizations and private donors.

The ceremony will be held at noon, this Saturday, at the parking area off Georgetown Road, just east of Morganza Road in Hendersonville.


Writer:  Andrew Moore
Source:  Ned Williams

The Allegheny River Green Boulevard is beginning to take shape.  At last week's public meeting, project leaders unveiled specific information about the corridor's future, including a detailed six-mile bicycle/pedestrian path alignment.

The uninterrupted bicycle path is set to run along  Allegheny Valley Railroad's freight corridor between Lawrenceville and the Strip.  

But while AVR continues to pursue commuter rail service in this area, Green Boulevard leaders want to move some aspects of the project forward sooner rather than later.

"We'd love to see new transit options in there, but we also want to move some elements of the plan forward before that," says Lena Andrews, URA senior planning specialist.  "We don’t want to wait for that to happen."

At the meeting, consultants presented test scenarios for Lawrenceville's 43rd Street master plan, which included passive recreation space along the river between 43rd and 48th Streets and a mix of riverfront townhomes and multi-unit buildings.

In the Strip District, consultants recommend future developments to include a 95-foot setback from the river.

Andrews says community members in attendance were supportive of the boulevard project, particularly for the bicycle/pedestrian trail and commuter rail options, but also were eager to see improvements in storm water infrastructure.

Possible funding sources for the project were discussed, and included special assessment districts, tax increment financing, corporate sponsorship, and contributions from foundations.

Andrews says another possibility for making the project financially feasible is to reduce the development's parking requirement.

A reduced parking requirement should make sense for the Green Boulevard.  One of the project’s goals is to reduce the city’s dependence on automobiles by increasing transit options and by providing a safe and direct bicycle corridor.

"It makes a huge amount of sense, and that's the point of building all this new infrastructure…to enable people to live a little less dependently on the automobile,” Andrews says.  “To have a district where the parking requirement is a little bit lower, that not only has benefits for the environment but it makes it cheaper to build, too."

The last public forum will be held later this year in November.


Writer:  Andrew Moore
Source:  Lena Andrews, URA

What's a community to do with an abandoned pool ?
 
That was the challenge for the Leslie Park Pool Collective (LLPC) in Lawrenceville looking to reconceive the space for the abandoned pool site. Seeking help, they contacted the Urban Design Build Studio at Carnegie Mellon.  In the fall of 2010, the two groups started working together on ideas and framework for a project with a design process focused on community. The ultimate request was for a lower maintenance, interactive design to be used day and night, 365 days a year, using LED lighting.
 
The result is a self-sustaining spray pool with LED lighting known as the Puriflume Splash Pad Play Space--otherwise known as EcoBeastie.
 
“Because pool infrastructure is difficult to maintain, the city of Pittsburgh and other post industrial municipalities have been looking to alternative recreational facilities that offer relief from heat but don’t require substantial resources to maintain,” says John Folan, director of UDBS.
 
After various community and stakeholder meetings,  it became clear that a spray park was the most viable option for the Leslie Park Pool. Proposals for the space focused on passive closed-loop water treatment systems.
 
What they came up with--EcoBeastie--is capable of many things, thanks to the help from 11 CMU students who were selected to work on the project under Folan’s direction. Final plans incorporated everything from a water harvesting system and slow sand filtration beds to ultra-violet sterilization so that all water from the spray park can be captured from rainfall, treated on site, and never leave the site, says Folan. 
 
That's crucial because pollution problems are often associated with structures that have excess water, over-flowing sewers and contaminating spaces. Not in EcoBeastie!
 
The venture was funded by multiple grants from the Ford Motor Company, the Alllegheny County Department of Economic Development, and AutoDesk, as well as private donors. 
 
The aesthetics of the 14-foot long mechanism, mounted on a trailer for mobility, are “open to the imagination of the individual,” Folan says of the inventive and grand blue and orange structure.  It is designed so onlookers can interpret the project as they see fit, encouraging creativity.
 
The unveiling of the creation took place last Thursday at Carnegie Mellon and it will be traveling to various spots around Pittsburgh.  The next chance to see it will be on August third and fourth at the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh.
 
Writer: Emily Shields, Pop City intern
Source: John Folan, Urban Design Build Studio

A string of openings have come to the Strip District, including the new Italian restaurant Emilia Romagna; Marty's Market; and R Wine Cellar.

Marty's Market, a specialty food store and café, held a soft opening on Saturday, giving shoppers a glimpse of the new market that replaces the former Right By Nature at 2305 Smallman Street.

The market is one-third smaller than the former grocery store, and specializes in locally grown and organic foods. But Marty's seeks to distinguish itself as a unique retail experience, starting with design.

Renovations to the space include three glass garage doors--which open to the downtown skyline--two kitchen areas, and a coffee bar.  Owner Regina Koetters says transparency, from the kitchen to the street view, was a guiding principle in the market’s design.

Marty’s cafe, which seats up to 45, serves made-to-order meals from a menu that changes daily.  The cafe is also planned to serve as a community kitchen of sorts, with tastings and cooking demonstrations by local chefs and amateurs alike.

-  Just a few blocks away Emilia Romagna will celebrate its grand opening this Friday.  The restaurant is a project of Chef Jonathan Vlasic, of the Allentown restaurant Alla Famiglia, and Peters Township’s Arlecchino.

The menu features dishes inspired by those regions of Northern Italy, as well as popular dishes from the proprietors’ other two restaurants.

Located at 108 19th Street, the space will also introduce a new nightclub to the Strip--V Ultra Lounge--which will also open on Friday.  The lounge will occupy the building’s second floor and balcony, and will feature a limited menu of antipastas, burgers, and sushi.

The lounge and restaurant are a project of Vlasic, Vince Isolde, and Chef Cory Hughes.

-  R Wine Cellar has opened at 2014 Smallman Street, selling house-made wines.  The cellar, a family owned urban winery, currently has four reds and four whites available, including oaked and un-oaked Chardonnays.

Although juices are currently brought in from elsewhere, all wines are fermented, blended, and bottled on site.  And several wines are made using grapes from the Lake Erie Region, including the white Traminette ($12) and the Lake Erie Red ($13).

Owner Steve Russell says they chose this location because they wanted to be in the middle of the developing Strip District.

"We think the potential here in the future is very strong," he says.

Koetters agrees, and says it’s an exciting time to be part of the Strip District, and recognizes that each new businesses is a boon to the neighborhood.

“We’re fortunate to be enjoying a great time in the Strip,” she says.  “There’s a lot of stuff going on… [and] I want Marty’s to be a vehicle to encourage more investment in the Strip.”


Writer:  Andrew Moore

As a writer and broadcaster, David DeSimone spent the past 25 years sharing experiences with food and wine from his travels throughout Europe.  Now, with the launch of Bridge Ten Brasserie, DeSimone is going beyond words to translate those experiences into a French-inspired brasserie and bar.

Located adjacent to the South Side’s Holiday Inn Express and Suites (20 S. 10th Street), the restaurant focuses on the cuisine, wine, cocktails and beer from all regions of France.

Although the dining room is still under construction, Bridge Ten’s terrasse patio and bar are now open, seating up to 90.  The current menu features a variety small plates, mussels, soups and salads, and pizza à la Française; prices ranging from $6 to $20.

Bridge Ten replaces the former Patio 10 in this location.  The remodeled dining room will include a new floor and décor, as well as the removal of one wall. 

“Basically putting in the mode of a brasserie that you might find in Paris or Léon, France,” DeSimone says.

DeSimone expects the main dining room to be open in September.  He plans monthly prix fixe dinners, each highlighting a different region of France, with September featuring the cuisine of Provence.

The restaurant’s chef will be Shawn Carlson, a former executive chef for Toni Pais, of the former Baum Vivant in Shadyside.  And Bridge Ten’s maître d’is David Cesaro, a native of France. 

DeSimone says the brasserie, like those of France, is upscale yet casual, and even features a special student menu.  He says the effort to reach students is part of an overall attempt to make French food and wine more accessible to a broad spectrum of diners.


Writer:  Andrew Moore
Source:  David DeSimone

Robert Morris University is expanding in Pittsburgh once again.  The university has announced that it will be opening a new campus, known as RMU Downtown, at the Heinz 57 Center on Sixth Avenue this fall.

The center will offer bachelor's and master's degrees for part-time students, and will become the new home of the RMU Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management, which will be relocating from the nearby Regional Enterprise Tower. 

The new campus comes just two years after RMU sold its former downtown location to Duquesne University. 

Kyle Fisher, VP for public relations at RMU, says the school had been looking for a better downtown home for its programs ever since selling its former location in 2010.  She says the previous space had been more square-footage than the university needed.

“This lease [at the Heinz 57 Center] provided us with the best of both worlds,” Fisher says.  “We can consolidate everything that we want to make available to downtown audiences…and also ample space to deliver a number of our high demand degree programs.”

And it's just one of several satellite campuses the university plans to open throughout the region, including degree programs at Southpointe in Washington County, and in Monroeville.  The school's main campus, located in Moon Township, is 18 miles from Downtown Pittsburgh.

Downtown RMU will offer six degree programs and two certificate programs, including Master of Business Administration; Master of Science in Information Systems; and undergraduate and graduate certificates in Enterprise Systems. 

Classes will start for the fall semester on August 25th.


Writer:  Andrew Moore
Source:  Kyle Fisher, RMU

Pittsburgh's first hostel in several years is now open in Lawrenceville.  Yet the establishment's name, Not Another Hostel, offers the first clue that it's slightly unconventional.

A project of John Potter and Steph Bercht, the hostel operates on a donations-based, pay-it-forward model where guests are encouraged to support the initiative with contributions, but aren't required to. Because, as Potter says, your stay has already been paid for.

Potter says the idea for Not Another Hostel developed during the course of the couple's own travels, informed by both good and bad hostelling experiences.  But the pay-it-forward model grew from a question Potter had been truggling with: Are people basically good, or not?

“In our last trip, we just had an overwhelming amount of people who would invite us into their homes, complete strangers, and I finally came to the conclusion that yes, I am positive, people are good,” Potter says.  “And I wanted to show that and pay back what I was given.”

The hostel's location is not available over the internet (it's about a block from the Children's Hospital, Potter says), and potential guests are vetted through their social media presence.  The website provides a contact form and a direct phone number to reach Potter.

Potter admits the current experience is something between couch surfing and hostelling.  The three-story home can accommodate up to 4 guests (comfortably), and features an information desk with maps and guides, basic amenities, and loaner bicycles.

Potter says the Pittsburgh Hostel Project, which is still seeking to re-establish a traditional hostel in the city, has been supportive of Not Another Hostel.  The city’s last hostel, Pittsburgh International Hostel, was located in the Allentown neighborhood, but closed in 2003. 

In the past two weeks the hostel has hosted around 25 guests, with visitors from Europe, Asia, and South America.  About half have paid for their stay.  But Potter says that’s not the point.

“It's really about hospitality as it should be, and not just about making money,” he says.


Writer:  Andrew Moore
Source:  John Potter

More new homes are under construction in Manchester, as Fourth River Development broke ground on phase II of its Columbus Square development.  The latest phase will bring four new homes to the former brownfield site, a project that has already begun breathing new life into this corner of the historic Northside neighborhood.

Sally Flinn, of Fourth River Development LLC, says the project has received significant interest based on its urban setting, the quality of the new construction, and now, because of its proximity to the new Allegheny Station.

“Based on the success that we've had on the current phase we hope to continue to just keep rolling and moving forward,” she says.  

The latest phase will bring two types of homes to Columbus Avenue, on the opposite end of the development site’s original five homes.  Two of the new homes will be large, four bedroom, three and a half bath (type C) models; and two will be three bedroom, two and a half bath (type A) models.  

Prices range from $325,000 to $214,000 for the various models.  Flinn says one already has a buyer, while the other three are still available.  

According to Flinn, the type A homes have proven to be the most popular style thus far.  Moving forward, the remaining 22 homes at Columbus Square will be built based on pre-sales.

One of the type C homes will be used as a model, and will feature a significant amount of upgrades, including a fireplace and granite counter tops, in order to showcase all that is available in various home packages, Flinn says.


Writer:  Andrew Moore
Source:  Sally Flinn