North Side : Development News

The project includes construction of the Helen M. Schmidt FliteZone Theater for live bird presentations, films and educational programming.

"The FliteZone Theater will be the nation's first indoor educational theater designed to incorporate free-flight bird demonstrations as a critical part of conservation education programming," says Patrick Mangus, executive director of the National Aviary. "Conservation-focused classes and presentations will be designed to help educate visitors about individual bird species, and about the importance of wildlife, biodiversity and the preservation of natural habitats."

The project also includes the creation of new facades and a grand entrance along Arch Street; a new cafe operated by North Side's Bistro To Go with indoor and outdoor seating; an open-air rooftop Sky Deck for raptor demonstrations and special events; and a new education classrooms with state-of-the-art multimedia features. Significant renovations to the existing facility are also taking place.

Work is expected to be complete in September 2010, and to achieve LEED certification. In addition to the design being eco-friendly, it's also bird-friendly. Millions of birds die each year from collisions with glass windows, so to reduce bird strikes, the design will employ extensive use of fritted glass, a dotted material that lets in light while appearing opaque enough from the exterior for birds to recognize the glass as a surface rather than a transparent space.

The Aviary's expansion and renovation are designed by Springboard architecture firm, located in the River Walk Corporate Centre on the South Side.

The first phase of the project (the 2,3000-square-foot Penguins Point exhibit and renovated Main Hall) opened Memorial Day 2009. Construction on the Grasslands exhibit concluded in March 2010.

The National Aviary's building was originally constructed in 1952. The wetlands area and large greenhouse structure were added in 1968. 1996 saw the addition of the atrium area and gift shop, and a parking lot was added around that time as well.

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Writer: Caralyn Green
Source: Patrick Mangus, executive director of the National Aviary

Image courtesy of National Aviary

Classic German fare includes schnitzel and a wide variety of wursts, but as Pittsburgh is a "melting pot," says co-owner Linda Nyman, the brewery is incorporating lots of ethnic dishes, such as Hungarian goulash and chicken paprikash, Polish pierogies and kielbasa, a French fry-topped Pittsburgh salad, unique Buffalo-style pierogies stuffed with chicken and hot sauce, and a brand new fresh salad bar for sit-down or to-go lunchers.

New beers include the Penndemonium, a strong, full-bodied, gold-colored Maibock that will be released this week, as well as the Allegheny Pale Ale, a rich amber, medium-bodied ale released mid-April at a Penn Brewery fundraiser to benefit the Point State Park fountain. The Pale ale is Penn Brewery's first non-German style beer.

Penn Brewery's restaurant has been closed since August 2009. The brewery itself stopped brewing beer on-site back in November 2008, when new owners started brewing at Lion Brewery in Wilkes-Barre. Original owner Tom Pastorius bought back Penn Brewery, with several partners, in November 2009, and in December resumed brewing at the historic North Side location. Penn Brewery is based in the former Eberhardt and Ober Brewery in the historic Deutschtown section of the North Side, where beer has been made since 1848. The buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Sites.

"The beer really didn't taste the same brewed in Wilkes-Barre," says co-owner Linda Nyman. "It wasn't up to the same standards that it had been. It was really key to the new ownership to guarantee that we are producing the same product here that has been produced at this property for the last few decades."

For the past few weeks, the brewery has hosted a smattering events, and starting in March, hosted Friday night "growler hours." The brewery, which started shipping kegs against in February, will start bottling beer again in early May. Penn Brewery currently has distribution of its Pittsburgh-produced keg beer in nearly 100 locations.

Nyman says Penn Brewery was able to start making and serving beer before it could serve food because the kitchen and dining areas needed an overhaul. The owners did much of the renovation work themselves, including resurfacing the cobblestones in the beer garden.

The capacity of Penn Brewery, including its indoor dining area and outdoor beer garden, is about 240. During Oktoberfest, the brewery sees about 10,000 guests, making use of its two-level parking garage.

Penn Brewery will be hosting a Pennsylvania Microbrewery Festival, with about 28 guest breweries, on June 5.

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Writer: Caralyn Green
Source: Linda Nyman, co-owner and marketing director, Penn Brewery

Photograph courtesy of Penn Brewery

The Charm Bracelet Project's microgrant fund, established in 2007, supports collaborations that strengthen partnerships among organizations, and connect North Side cultural amenities with North Side residents and visitors -- that "continue and maintain a collective and collaborative working environment by and between North Side stakeholders," says Chris Siefert, deputy director of the Children's Museum. The program holds two rounds of microgrants each year, and has supported about 30 projects in the past three years, ranging from kayaking on Lake Elizabeth (a continuing project of Venture Outdoors and Allegheny Commons Initiative) to the Girls Empowering Girls mentoring program at Perry Traditional Academy.

Microgrant awards range from $500 to $10,000. Eleven proposals were submitted for this round of grants, and five were selected.

These projects are:

ART Outdoors ($7,000): A partnership of the Mattress Factory and Venture Outdoors to bring free family activities, focused on art programs and performances, to Allegheny Commons Park on Tuesday evenings this summer. The activities will be coupled with outdoor activities, including kayaking, at the park's Lake Elizabeth

Northside Songs ($9,750): The Saturday Light Brigade, in partnership with the Children's Museum, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh and Allegheny Commons Restoration Initiative, will work with students from Cardinal Wright Regional School this fall on on researching, writing, performing and recording folk songs about the North Side.

Poetry on Northside Streets ($10,000): City of Asylum will hold free outdoor poetry and jazz performances on June 24 (Cave Canum reading) and September 11 (sixth annual Jazz and Poetry Jam) in the Mexican War Streets. The June 24 event will feature African-American poets Sapphire, Colleen McElroy, Carl Phillips and Latino poet Brenda Cardenas. The Jazz and Poetry Jam will feature collaborations between poets and musicians from the North Side and beyond.

Troy Hill Community Garden Co-Op ($2,250): The Troy Hill Citizens Council and Garden Co-Op are rehabilitating, renovating and expanding the community garden, and moving to a more cooperative style for community use and consumption. Work is already under way.

Urban Learning Gardens ($10,000): Sarah Heinz House (SHH), a Boys & Girls Club, is using its LEED Gold-certified building and grounds -- including its three large Learning Gardens -- as "learning laboratories" for children this summer. SHH is working with Grow Pittsburgh on the programming about sustainable agriculture and healthy eating, and with SilverSneakers senior program to foster cross-generational communication and appreciation. Herbs from the Learning Gardens will be used in SHH's kitchen.

The next round of Charm Bracelet microgrants is slated for September.

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Writer: Caralyn Green
Source: Chris Siefert, deputy director, Children's Museum

Photograph of Allegheny Voices, funded by Charm Bracelet Project, courtesy of Larry Rippel/Children's Museum

The comprehensive plan, which is expected to be complete in 2014, will be the City's "gameplan for growth over the next 25 years," taking into consideration issues including open spaces, parks and recreation; transportation, public art; education facilities; energy and efficiency; and cultural heritage and historic preservation. The plan will come together in a multi-purpose policy document that will set investment priorities, coordinate neighborhood-scale planning efforts and guide the City's land use and development decision-making processes.

PLANPGH is starting its process looking at open spaces and at preservation. PRESERVEPGH, the cultural heritage planning effort, held its first public meetings over the course of this past week. A second round of public meetings will be held early next fall. City residents may also submit their input via an online survey at www.planpgh.com. Deadline is May 23, 2010.

PRESERVEPGH will culminate in a working document that identifies historic and cultural assets; considers the issues and opportunities associated with those resources; and develops goals, policies and strategies for their appropriate use, conservation and preservation.

PRESERVEPGH is expected to take one year to complete. The budget for the plan is $133,000, with funding provided by the City of Pittsburgh, the PA Department of Community and Economic Development, the PA Historical and Museum Commission, and Preserve America program.

The Department of City Planning will serve as the primary organizer, with assistance from lead consultant T&B Planning Consultants Inc., the Walker Collaborative and Thomason & Associates.

Currently, Pittsburgh's 90 City neighborhoods have 12 historic districts, one historic site, two historic objects and 75 city-designated landmarks, as well as 111 properties on the National Register of Historic Places, says Robyn Barber with T&B Planning. The question, says Tracy Zinn from T&B Planning, is then, "How do we preserve Pittsburgh's character while transforming it as a 21st century city?"

At a PRESERVEPGH meeting Monday at the New Hazlett Theater, resident concerns included preserving the Carnegie Library at Allegheny Center, preventing further demolition of older properties in Allegheny West, and restoring the Garden Theater.

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Writer: Caralyn Green
Sources: Robyn Barber, Tracy Zinn, T&B Planning

Image courtesy of PLANPGH/City of Pittsburgh

CLP's 5,000-square-foot Woods Run location has been certified LEED Silver for its renovation completed in the summer of 2006. A plaque will be presented at its April 22 Earth Day celebration. Designed by Loysen + Kreuthmeier Architects, the renovation includes new mechanical systems and thermal insulation throughout, as well as new lighting and the introduction of daylighting in all occupied spaces.

Ron Graziano, CLP facilities director, says the green renovation creates a clean, high-quality environment for its occupants, and significantly reduces operating costs. Water-conserving plumbing fixtures reduce water usage by more than 30%, and high-efficiency mechanical systems create an energy cost savings of more than 15% above that required by current building codes.

"By reducing costs to run the building, we can provide more physical, hands-on services to our customers, rather than spending those funds on utilities," says Graziano.

Several other CLP branches that have been designed to LEED standards are currently awaiting certification: Allegheny ($6 million building renovation completed in 2009), Hill District ($3.15 million renovation completed in 2008), Squirrel Hill ($4.7 million renovation completed in 2005), Brookline ($2.9 million renovation completed 2004), and East Liberty, which is expected to re-open in August 2010 after a $5.6 million renovation.

In addition to sustainable design, CLP is also committed to securing sustainable funding. Last year, the Library struggled to close the gap between increasing costs and declining revenues, due primarily to state budget cuts and level RAD funding. CLP projected a $5 million deficit by 2014 and presented an Action Plan, which included service reductions and branch consolidations and closures. That Action Plan is currently on hold until January 2011 as the Library works to find long-term dedicated funding.

In February, CLP announced the creation of a 10-member public-private task force to explore alternative funding models. That group -- which includes representatives from UPMC, Reed Smith, The Pittsburgh Foundation, the City and the County -- is holding its first meeting this week.

This week CLP is also relaunching is Donor Plus library card program, which raised nearly $60,000 in 2009. The Donor Plus card -- $30 for individuals and $50 for a family card -- is tax deductible, and includes incentives such as a unique card design, special events invitations, e-newsletter subscriptions, and a 20% discount at more than 25 area Crazy Mocha locations, including at CLP - Main.

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Writer: Caralyn Green
Sources: Ron Graziano, facilities director, and Suzanne Thinnes, communication manager, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Image of Woods Run courtesy of Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh

Squint your eyes and Anne Hathaway is pulling espresso shots in the corner. Wait for the release of Love and Other Drugs, and you won't have to squint.

The Edward Zwick production, also starring Jake Gyllenhaal, filmed all over Pittsburgh last year, including at Buena Vista Coffee (Hathaway's character works at the coffee shop, and a steamy love scene was shot just around the block). Buena Vista's owners liked the space's Hollywood set decoration makeover so much that they kept much of it intact.

The interiors may be Tinseltown, but what Buena Vista serves is homespun goodness. Shallary Boss, who owns the place with husband Brent Boss, makes simply decadent baked goods that crumble when they're meant to crumble, melt when they're meant to melt, and go great with an ice cream-and-espresso affogato in the summer. After seven years at Uptown Coffee in Mt. Lebanon, Shallary--a Dormont native who now lives in Lower Lawrenceville--jumped on the opportunity to open her own cafe in the former space of Beleza. Shallary had never spent much time on the North Side before opening Buena Vista Coffee, but now can't get enough of her adopted neighborhood. She says it's a "unique part of the city" full of more foreign languages and out-of-state license plates than any other part of Pittsburgh.

Beleza closed in spring of 2009, and Shallary opened Buena Vista Coffee around Christmas 2009.

Named for its location (1501 Buena Vista St.), Buena Vista serves Commonplace Coffee from Indiana County, and a limited though ever-changing menu of treats such coffee cake, banana bread, muffins and cookies, including oatmeal ones loaded with sunflower seeds, cranberries, raisins and apples. Wi-Fi is free, and WYEP is the soundtrack of choice.

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Writer: Caralyn Green
Sources: Shallary and Brent Boss, Buena Vista Coffee

Photograph copyright Caralyn Green

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

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

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

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

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

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

Image courtesy of National Aviary

The New Hazlett Theater, which is housed in the same building as the library, received a Community Design Center of Pittsburgh grant in the fall of 2009 to create plans for the 65,000-square-foot, 120-year-old building's future needs. The library still uses the Allegheny Center space as a book depository, but will fully vacate the space in December of 2010, leaving the New Hazlett as the building's only tenant--"so we're being proactive," says the theater's executive director, Sara Radelet.

The building, which also currently houses a senior citizen center, previously housed the Carnegie Library (which reopened this summer in its new brand-new Loysen + Kreuthmeier-designed home at 1230 Federal St.) and Pittsburgh Public Theater (which occupied the space from the 1970s until 1999, when it relocated Downtown). The New Hazlett Theater was founded as nonprofit in 2004 with the mission to "cultivate the arts and provide a venue for world class and neighborhood cultural events." In 2004, the building underwent more than $2 million worth of renovations, designed by EDGE studio, with Turner Construction serving as contractor.

The theater has engaged Loysen + Kreuthmeier Architects to develop preliminary programming recommendations and plans for the structure. As a first step in the process, last week's community meeting focused on identifying community goals for the reuse of the building, and looked to identify other potential partners. Ideas included creating a community commercial kitchen, a shared office space for nonprofit startups, and leasing the space to a university. The New Hazlett is interested in using a portion of the space for rehearsals and programming.

Current partners in the library planning project include the New Hazlett, the City of Pittsburgh, the Children's Museum and the Warhol Museum, and the development team, led by Loysen + Kreuthmeier, includes Watson Engineering, Iams Consulting and Sota Construction Services, Inc.

Initial goals are the reduction of utility costs, and addressing code and accessibility issues. Making sure the building stays accessible to the public is also key. Future community meetings will include review of programming ideas, initial reuse options and a presentation of the final report.

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Writer: Caralyn Green
Sources: Sara Radelet, executive director, New Hazlett Theater; Karen Loysen and Sallyann Kluz, Loysen + Kreuthmeier Architects

Photograph courtesy New Hazlett Theater

In turn, the North Side Cultural Collaborative (NSCC) has launched NorthSide Now, which will serve at the area's "good news bureau," says Robin Rosemary Miller, executive director of the North Side/North Shore Chamber of Commerce.

"We felt we needed an umbrella to help bring together the cultural institutions, the big and small businesses, and the neighborhoods... To package our assets and lay them out to potential tourists and people who might want to move to this part of town," says Miller. "We have a lot to offer."

Miller emphasizes that NorthSide Now does not duplicate the efforts of the Charm Bracelet Project. "The Charm Bracelet was more about connecting the physical spaces, and now their focus is education and bringing art to young people," she says. "The North Side has the biggest concentration of cultural institutions in the city, so NorthSide Now is trying to make sure that when you come to the North Side, you can get the full experience. Like, if you come to the Children's Museum, don't forget you can have lunch at Max's. Or if you're going to the Penn Brewery, there's a church on Troy Hill with cool artifacts."

The NorthSide Now print magazine and website will highlight the many people, businesses, cultural institutions and attractions of the North Side. The free, full-color quarterly magazine is available at area hotels, businesses and attraction. The debut issue features stories on notable area personalities, including Andy Warhol Museum director Tom Sokolowski and Pittsburgh icon Johnny Angel, and the website, in tandem, provides up-to-date calendars and venue listings.

NSCC will host an event to celebrate its new NorthSide Now magazine and website 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., Thurs., Jan 28 at the New Hazlett Theater, in Allegheny Square East.

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Writer: Caralyn Green
Sources: Robin Rosemary Miller, North Side/North Shore Chamber of Commerce

Image courtesy of NorthSide Now

The development, called Columbus Square, is located at the intersection of Juniata and Sedgwick Streets in Manchester. The property--once the American Electric site, and more recently a giant vacant lot--has been empty for about two decades. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Thurs., Jan. 14. The first five homes are expected to be available for sale during the third quarter of 2010. Nine buyers have already expressed interest, according to Fourth River Development principal Mark Schneider.

Columbus Square is being developed by a partnership of the Manchester Citizens Corporation (MCC) and the principals of Fourth River Development, which is once again transforming unused or underused land in Pittsburgh into a residential community. Fourth River's other notable developments include Washington's Landing, which converted a neglected 142-acre island in the Allegheny River into an upscale mixed-use development; and Summerset at Frick Park, which turned a 25-story slag heap into a 47-acre award-winning traditional neighborhood.

Columbus Square employs a traditional neighborhood design, with each of its single-family, market-rate residences containing a private yard and two-car garage. Ten of its units are townhomes connected in pairs of two, while the remaining 21 are freestanding residences. Home prices range from $179,000 to the mid-$200,000s.

"The architecture of the houses seems like Manchester, but the houses have the latest floor plans and energy efficiency," says Schneider with Fourth River. "Our history has shown that if you can build the right house, and price it right, and it's right in the city of Pittsburgh, it will sell, and there will be a lot of interest."

Devlin Architecture, Residential Development and Construction, Inc., and LaQuatra Bonci Associates are responsible for the design, construction and landscaping of the project, respectively. The Pittsburgh office of GAI Consultants will provide infrastructure design for the new development.

Funding was secured from the URA, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Allegheny County's Community Infrastructure Tourism Fund and the Pittsburgh Water and Sewer Authority. Additionally, PNC Bank financed a model unit, and PNC Mortgage Company has committed to providing a below-market mortgage rate to qualified buyers. Buyers will also benefit from a 10-year tax abatement.

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Writer: Caralyn Green
Source: Mark Schneider, principal, Fourth River Development

Image courtesy of Fourth River Development

On Monday, a 2,017-foot long stretch of riverbank between the Fort Pitt and Smithfield Street Bridges was dedicated as the Mon Wharf Landing. The $3 million project transformed parking spaces into a park with public riverfront access. The area features new lighting, seating and steps to the Monongahela River, as well as native shrubs and plants. The park was designed by South Side-based LaQuatra Bonci Associates to withstand flooding, and construction was overseen by Pittsburgh-based Clearwater Construction.

The Mon Wharf Landing is the first phase of a project that will eventually connect Point State Park to the Eliza Furnace Trail and the Great Allegheny Passage.

"Right now it's a little island of a park," says Stephan Bontrager with Riverlife. "But for the cycling community, patience is going to pay off. This trail will eventually lead to Washington, D.C."

Support for the project was provided in part by Riverlife, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, PennDOT, the K. Mabis McKenna Foundation, the Heinz Endowments and the Richard King Mellon Foundation.

Additionally, Friends of the Riverfront announced this week that construction is starting on new section of the Three Rivers Heritage Trail as part of PennDOT's Route 28 East Ohio Street Improvement Project. The half-mile segment will offer users a dedicated trail corridor along the Allegheny Riverfront between Pittsburgh and Millvale.

To complete this $2.8 million segment, Friends of the Riverfront is partnering with the City of Pittsburgh and PennDOT. Funding has been provided by PennDOT through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development, Federal Earmarks, Laurel Foundation, the Heinz Endowments and membership support from Friends of the Riverfront.

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Writer: Caralyn Green
Sources: Stephan Bontrager, director of communications, Riverlife; Thomas E. Baxter, executive director, Friends of the Riverfront

Before and after photographs of the Mon Wharf Landing courtesy of Riverlife

The science-of-sport exhibition, which originally opened in 2001, was experienced by 3 million visitors in its initial location, and will reopen Dec. 19 in a new facility adjacent to the main Science Center building on the North Shore. The exhibit was previously housed in the former Miller Printing Co. building a block from the Science Center campus. The move to relocate the facility was accelerated by Port Authority's construction of a transit station at SportsWorks' previous spot.

"SportsWorks has 30 hands-on exhibits, including rock climbing, a trampoline, a food pyramid game and the new You-Yo exhibit, which whisks visitors 15 feet into the air," says Christine Line with the Science Center.

The exhibits are fun, says Line, but also educational--they teach visitors about the physics of sports, healthy nutrition and more in a dynamic, high-energy way.

The new Highmark SportsWorks building and exhibit cost $5 million, and broke ground in November 2008. The 20,000-square-foot building, which houses the 12,000-square-foot exhibit as well as four classrooms and a multi-purpose room with a spill-out space, was designed by South Side-based Renaissance 3 Architects. Mascaro Construction of Pittsburgh served as general contractor.

The new SportsWorks location provides a direct visual connection to the Carnegie Science Center through a transparent glazed curtain wall that wraps around the northwest corner of the pre-engineered building frame. The building's transparency allows SportsWorks' exhibits to figuratively reach out to visitors as they transition across the site, says Deepak Wadhwani, a principal at Renaissance 3 Architects. The building utilizes recycled content, regional materials and large low-airflow paddle fans to circulate air in lieu of traditional ductworks. It is registered to become LEED certified.

Writer: Caralyn Green
Sources: Christine Line, Carnegie Science Center; Deepak Wadhwani, Renaissance 3 Architects

Image courtesy of Renaissance 3 Architects

The $10,000 Design Fund grant from the Community Design Center of Pittsburgh, will go toward creating a master document. The New Hazlett Theater will match this amount. The theater applied for the grant in August, and received it in September. The next step is to develop an RFP, says the theater's executive director Sara Radelet.

The building, which also currently houses a senior citizen center, previously housed the Carnegie Library (which reopened this summer in its new brand-new home at 1230 Federal St.) and Pittsburgh Public Theater (which occupied the space from the 1970s until 1999, when it relocated Downtown).

The New Hazlett Theater was founded as nonprofit in 2004 with the mission to "cultivate the arts and provide a venue for world class and neighborhood cultural events." In 2004, the building underwent more than $2 million worth of renovations, designed by EDGE studio, with Turner Construction serving as contractor. The New Hazlett is available for corporate functions and independently organized events, and has six anchor tenants, including Prime Stage Theater, Attack Theatre, Dance Alloy Theater, the Warhol Museum and Pittsburgh Musical Theater.

Andrea Lavin with the Community Design Center says the Design Fund grant will help the New Hazlett "take stock of the building," and figure out how the space can be used to expand theater and community needs, and also help the facility become a model for green, sustainable technologies in an historic building setting. Radelet, the New Hazlett's executive director, says she'd love to see the second floor of the unused space split into offices, and have the first floor include a public component that meshes with the arts and family focus of the surrounding amenities such as the Children's Museum.

The New Hazlett building is owned by the City, and the New Hazlett Theater holds a long-term lease.

Writer: Caralyn Green
Sources: Sara Radelet, executive director, New Hazlett Theater; Andrea Lavin, Community Design Center of Pittsburgh

Photograph courtesy of the New Hazlett Theater

It's art in which we live, work and play. Art that occupies every corner of our city, and the curves that crawl around the region. It's art that is tied to the past and the future, that at its best, is innovative and inspirational. It's art that has positioned Pittsburgh as a global leader in sustainability and green building.

Architecture is integral to Pittsburgh's growth, development and beauty, and its stars--the people and places that inspire and shape the city--are being honored at Design Pittsburgh, AIA's annual event.

This year's competition features submissions in the categories of architecture, architectural detail, interior architecture, open plan, regional & urban design, landscape architecture and "timeless," a grouping for projects built in the last 25 years. Though the winners will not be announced until Thursday night, nominations include Astorino (Children's Hospital), DRS (Duquesne University Power Center), EDGE studio (CMU's Tepper School of Business addition), Bergman, Walls & Associates/Strada (Rivers Casino), moss Architects (the Silver Top House on the South Side) and Perkins Eastman (East Liberty's green vision).

This year's Design Pittsburgh will also honor Rebecca Flora with a Gold Medal, a special award bestowed to a non-architect who makes a difference in the region. Past winners have included Teresa Heinz, and Children's Museum Executive Director Jane Werner. Flora, a founding member of the Green Building Alliance, now serves as senior vice president of education and research at the U.S. Green Building Council. She is credited with changing the culture of Pittsburgh to recognize and celebrate sustainability, says Chip Desmone, president of AIA Pittsburgh and principal at Desmone & Associates, which was voted "Best Architect of 2009" by the readers of Pittsburgh Magazine.

Design Pittsburgh includes an exhibit that is open to the public Oct. 20 and 21 at the August Wilson Center, as well as a juried competition, a People's Choice Award and a gala and ceremony on Thurs., Oct. 22.

Writer: Caralyn Green
Sources: Anne Swager, AIA Pittsburgh; Chip Desmone, Desmone & Associates

Photograph of Children's Hospital courtesy of AIA Pittsburgh