Homewood is home to many architectural gems, and a group of neighbors wants to make sure all of Pittsburgh knows it.
From the historic National Negro Opera Company, and churches like the Holy Rosary and the Homewood AME Zion Church, to the many works of architect Frederick Scheibler, the neighborhood is filled with historically significant buildings.
Creative Local, a neighborhood events organization, is hosting an upcoming talk and discussion in Homewood to highlight some of these structures. It's the first in a new Homewood Arts and Culture Series presented by the group.
Yet however significant and prized they are by advocates, many of these unique buildings are in disrepair and are in need of some love, says Creative Local founder Kilolo Luckett.
“Homewood is a neighborhood that has been overlooked over the past few decades,” she says. “We're going to use [the event] as a springboard for opportunities for people to get to know Homewood, and the people of Homewood, and various different really interesting things that are going on.”
Creative Local was founded by Luckett, of Point Breeze, and Homewood resident Elwin Green, publisher of the online news site Homewood Nation.
The first event in the series is titled, Hidden Gems: The Architecture of Homewood, and will feature a talk and panel discussion. Speakers include Martin Aurand, author and CMU architecture librarian; John Brewer, author and historian; architect Christine Brill; and preservation architect Terry Necciai.
Chris Moore, WQED host of On Q and Horizons, will moderate the discussion, and Pop City is an event media sponsor.
Luckett says the next step in the effort will be to organize a tour of the neighborhood’s gems.
The Hidden Gems event will be held on Saturday, September 15, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m., and is free and open to the public. Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Homewood, 7101 Hamilton Avenue, 15208. RSVP requested: info@creativelocal.org or 412-818-1779.
Writer: Andrew Moore
Source: Kilolo Luckett