New era in East Liberty housingOld high-rise site being reclaimed by new complex

November 3, 2013 10:37 PM

By Diana Nelson Jones / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The only reminder left of East Liberty's high-rise legacy -- a bare space at the neighborhood's

western gateway -- is being reclaimed by the construction of a four-story complex of 52 new

apartments and 11,000 square feet for retail.

The $14.2 million East Liberty Place South, at Penn Avenue and North Beatty Street, will

complete the redevelopment of the former site of the East Mall high-rise, which was razed in

2005.

Work began more than a month ago, but the official groundbreaking ceremony is 10:30 this

morning because the site, which once held a gas station and dry cleaner, had to be capped and

sealed and old foundations stabilized, said Jim Eby, senior project manager for Community

Builders.

The nonprofit also has redeveloped and is managing other former public housing high-rises in

East Liberty. They include Pennley Commons, New Pennley Place, Penn Manor and East Liberty

North.

They are all mixed-income communities. East Liberty North was completed two years ago

directly across Penn Avenue from the current construction site.

"This has been a long time coming," Mr. Eby said.

East Liberty Place South, whose completion is expected by next October, is almost anti-

climactic after the drama of East Liberty Place North's development. When North got underway

in 2009, the parties involved remarked on the arduous effort it took, largely because financing

was extracted at the height of the economic crisis.

"Probably only a thousand people had to work very hard to make this happen," Rob Stephany,

Bob Donaldson/Post-Gazette

Construction on East Liberty Place South is expected to be finished next

October.

"Probably only a thousand people had to work very hard to make this happen," Rob Stephany,

who was then executive director of the Urban Redevelopment Authority, said at the time.

In 2001, Community Builders bought three East Liberty high-rises -- East Mall, Liberty Park

and Penn Circle Tower -- from a multipartnership group led by Federal American Properties in

a foreclosure arrangement.

East Mall was 17 stories and had 160 units. Liberty Park was 20 stories with 158 units. Along

with their demolition, another 174 distressed townhouses and apartments were razed. The 20-

story Penn Circle Tower was sold for redevelopment as a Target store.

Target's popularity has made it a challenge to get retailers to look west toward the gateway

developments, Mr. Eby said. Because of that, East Liberty Place South was designed for more

flexibility so that larger retailers might expand into adjacent, city-owned lots, he said.

East Liberty Place North has six retail spaces and 54 apartments, 38 of which are for low-

income households. The Community Builders is in lease negotiations with a sandwich shop and a

full service Asian restaurant there, Mr. Eby said.

The less-dense replacement of subsidized high-rises for a mix of incomes has caused a shortage

of housing for the very poor, a condition low-income housing advocates have decried as a crisis

in recent years.

Mr. Eby said Community Builders fulfilled its mission to provide a mix.

"We are a nonprofit, mission-driven company, and a big part of our mission is to provide and

maintain access to low-income housing but in a healthy neighborhood context," he said. "There

had been no market-rate housing in East Liberty for many years."

One-third of the new apartments will be market-rate; the rest are being built with low-income

tax credits and will be rented at percentages of median income, he said.

Former federal properties come with restrictions to ensure that the public interest is protected

because the government does protect the public money that went into them, Mr. Eby said.

Community Builders is legally required to fulfill conditions of a covenant that says that, if it

were to sell, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development would get the proceeds,

and if Community Builders does not produce a certain amount of low-income replacement

housing, it would be in violation.

"The percentage of low-income is negotiated," he said. "No one is expecting us to replicate what

was here."

Tom Cummings, director of housing for the URA, agreed that the need for very-low-income

housing is a crisis that needs to be addressed "with stronger policies at the federal level, and we

don't see those resources going in a positive direction." One program, the HOME Investment

Partnership, which provides funding directly to cities and counties solely for low-income

housing, has been slashed by 50 percent over the past three years, he said.

But mixed-income redevelopments have proved to be more sustainable than the old model,

which segregated the poor, he said.

Of East Liberty Place South, he said, "It has been an epic adventure, a long road. This was a

massive undertaking by all involved, including former residents."

The URA and East Liberty Development Inc. took some pains to find replacement housing for

displaced residents, and Community Builders will make final outreach efforts for East Liberty

South, he said.

The URA had been able to keep up with 150 residents and help them relocate in East Liberty.

Others either did not respond to mailings or the mailings were returned, URA officials reported

at the time.

Lee Sims, president of Coalition of Organized Residents of East Liberty, advocated for low-

income residents during the planning of East Liberty Place North and South. She moved into an

apartment in East Liberty Place North in 2010 and said, "I love it." But completion of the

development across Penn Avenue will not put an end to the issues, she said.

"Not everybody who wanted to move back has moved back. There are not as many affordable

units as there were. And even though there's going to be more housing at the other side of East

Liberty in Bakery Square II, that's all market rate," she said. "If mixed-income housing makes

for a better community, then why aren't they all" mixed-income?

Low-income rents at East Liberty Place South will remain at controlled rates for 30 years --

$530 for a one-bedroom, $620 for a two-bedroom -- but the market rents in Walnut Capital's

redevelopment of the Highland Building, Walnut on Highland, could allow for higher rents in

East Liberty South, he said. Rents at Walnut on Highland range from $1,300 to $1,600.

Community Builders will soon post information for people to begin filling what Mr. Eby called

"an interest list."

Diana Nelson Jones: djones@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1626. Read her blog City Walkabout

at www.post-gazette.com/citywalk.

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EAST LIBERTY PLACE SOUTH PUBLIC ART OPPORTUNITY Request for Artist Qualifications

Pittsburgh, PA

Postmark Deadline for Applications: July 1, 2013 Info Session for Applicants: May 29, 2013 at 6pm

Artist Project Budget: $31,750

The Community Builders, Inc. is working with the Office of Public Art to enhance their new housing and retail project, East Liberty Place South, by integrating works of art into the project. They wish to commission an artist or artist team to enhance the experience of the building for residents, neighbors, and visitors. The commission budget is $31,750

A. Project Overview and Goals The Community Builders, Inc. is a national non-profit whose mission is to build and sustain strong communities where people of all incomes can achieve their full potential. They have recently completed construction on a mixed use residential/commercial building, East Liberty Place North, at 5819 Penn Avenue. They have begun planning a new housing and retail project, East Liberty Place South, will be located across the street from the recently completed East Liberty Place North location.

We are seeking an artist to integrate artwork into some of the architectural elements designed for the building. There have been many sites identified as opportunities for artists. These include but are not limited to:

Metal grates on the east façade of the building.

Four-story window at the east façade building entry.

Metal grates on the north façade of the building located in the parking area.

The main goal of the collaboration between the artist, Community Builders, Inc., and Strada, LLC is to create a gateway to the neighborhood and create a welcoming and interesting streetscape and building façade. The project will enhance the experience for pedestrians, drivers, residents, workers, and visitors.

The goal is for the artwork to be in place when construction in complete in July 2014.

To learn more about The Community Builders, Inc., visit: http://www.tcbinc.org/. To learn more about Strada, LLC, visit: http://www.stradallc.com/

B. Budget and Contract

2

The artist will receive a design and project management, fabrication, and implementation fee of $31,750. This total budget includes but is not limited to all design fees; project management; attending meetings; travel; models or renderings of the project; fabrication; installation; and insurance. The artist will enter into a contract with The Community Builders, Inc.

C. Selection Process The Office of Public Art is facilitating the artist selection process for this project. Qualifications submitted through this RFQ will be reviewed by and artist selection committee and invite a limited number of artists for an interview and site visit.

During the interview, artists will discuss their past work, their ability to work on the project, and their interest in this particular project. The artists who are asked to interview for the project will not be asked to develop a model or proposal at this time. Artists who are being interviewed for the commission will have travel expenses reimbursed up to $200.

It is the intention of the project for one artist or artist team to be selected to receive the commission. Should the selection committee determine that none of the artists presented are the right match for the commission, The Community Builders, Inc. may choose to select an artist via an invitational process.

D. Project Timeline This timeline is subject to change.

May 2013: Circulation of Artist RFQ May 29, 2013: Artist Information Meeting (Optional) July 1, 2013: Postmark Deadline for RFQ Submissions July 2013: Review of Qualifications by Selection Committee August 2013: Artist Interviews and Finalist Selected September 2013: Contract Completed November 2013: Artist Concept Presented December 2013: Artist Concept Approved July 2014: Project Completion

E. Selection Criteria This RFQ is open to artists who have the vision and skills required to complete an integrated art work. Artists do not have to be local residents, but are encouraged to use local fabricators or materials when possible. Artist teams, and teams that include individuals working in multiple fields, are eligible to apply. Artists currently enrolled in degree programs, such as BFA or MFA, are not eligible to apply.

Artists from southwestern Pennsylvania who qualify are strongly encouraged to apply.

To evaluate the RFQs, the selection committee will take into consideration the quality of an artist’s past work, experience working in the public realm, and experience collaborating with architects or other design professionals.

F. Submission Process and Address This application requires that artists submit examples of their work in digital format. All document file types must be delivered in Word .doc or .docx format (you can use Google Documents or free word processing programs such as Open Office to create a free .docx file) Do not send PDFs. All image types must be JPG only, and video must be .avi or .mp4.

5

Appendix: Site Images

Project site, East Liberty

6

Conceptual rendering, view from Beatty Street.

Conceptual rendering, view from Penn Avenue looking east. East Liberty Place North is on the left,

East Liberty Place South is shown in concept on the right.

7

Conceptual rendering of East Liberty Place South showing two potential art sites: grate and window.

ABOUT THE PROJECT

East Liberty Place South is a multi-use building similar to East Liberty Place North. Leslie Ansley is the artist who has been working with the team of architects and residents of East Liberty to design an artwork for the new building.

The proposed artwork, Convergence, reflects her conversations with residents and the community..

YOU ARE INVITED :ARTIST PRESENTATIONby LESLIE ANSLEY

Community Room East Liberty Place North 115 North Beatty Street

FREE SNACKS!

Questions? Call Kate 412-391-2060 x233

See the artwork that has been designed for East Liberty Place South. Meet the artist and hear from the residents about what the work means to them.

MONDAY, APRIL 7, 2014 5:30 - 6:30 PM

What's NewAnnouncements

Articles

Builders Newsletter

Related Links

Rental Housing Development

TCB's Corporate Brochure

The Promise of Mixed-­Income

Communities

TCB Facts & Figures

Established on June 4, 1964

Mission-­driven 501(c)(3) organization

10,000 apartments owned, operated

and managed

Approximately 500 employees across

14 states and the District of Columbia

Featured Project

East Liberty Place North -­ Pittsburgh

HOME > What's New > Announcements > East Liberty Place North Strikes LEED Gold

East Liberty Place North Strikes LEED Gold

PITTSBURGH, PA -­ May 10, 2011: East Liberty Place North, a mixed-­use apartment andcommercial/retail building at the gateway to the revitalizing East Liberty business quarter, has

achieved LEED for Homes Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The

building, developed by The Community Builders (TCB), is the first multi-­family LEED building in

Pittsburgh to be so certified, the only one to involve new construction and the first mixed-­use

building to achieve certification. LEED is the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in

Energy and Environmental Design certification program. The building also achieved the U.S.

Department of Energy ENERGY STAR standard. To date only two other buildings have

achieved LEED for Homes certification in Pittsburgh—a single-­family home, plus the Century

Building, which was certified a few weeks ago.

Attainment of LEED Gold also marks a first for TCB, which has set an internal corporate

standard of striving for silver-­certifiable in new construction projects. Tamara Dudukovich,

director of real estate development for TCB’s Mid-­Atlantic region, explained that pursuing the

formal certification at the gold level was appropriate for East Liberty Place North due to the way

sustainability has been championed by the local neighborhood and civic stakeholders.

Residents of the 54 apartment units have embraced the green features of the building. "We held

a formal training session for our apartment residents in everything from environmentally friendly

cleaning products to how to best run their individual HVAC systems," said James Eby, TCB’s

project manager for East Liberty Place. "The initial development of the 11,000 SF of commercial

space was to 'raw space'. How to promote the sustainability, energy efficiency and healthy

buildings character of LEED in the commercial space fit out and operations is what we’re

working on now. We totally finish the apartments ourselves in advance of occupancy by

residents, but commercial tenants all have their unique requirements for their spaces."

TCB sees a need to focus on education of commercial tenants, just as it has with its residents.

"We plan to deal with each of our commercial tenants in a way that gets them the information

they should have, explains the benefits of focusing on the kinds of things that LEED values, yet

recognizes that we are all busy people," said Mr. Eby.

If commercial tenants want to pursue their own LEED certification under LEED 2009 for

Commercial Interiors, TCB will assist them to get to the right consultants. Whether or not formal

certification is the route, the commercial lease contains provisions to promote the spirit of LEED.

"We include in the lease reasonable steps that we ask our tenants to take which should also

benefit them. These are things that really cost about the same, but produce a healthier indoor

environment and energy efficiency," said Mr. Eby. He added: “We ask our tenants to focus on

things like water efficiency, use of Energy-­Star rated appliances, recycling of waste in both

construction and operations, buying locally when appropriate, using Energy Star lighting, and

applying finishing products that maintain good indoor air quality, like low VOC paints and

'green' wall and floor coverings.”

TCB walks the walk too in the owner’s fit out items, such as high efficiency, ENERGY STAR-­

rated HVAC units, concrete floor decks with recycled ash content, locally purchased gypsum

drywall with recycled product, water-­saving appliances in rest rooms and a focus on reducing

construction waste.

East Liberty Place North, 11,000 square feet of commercial space on the street level and 54

apartments above, is Phase 1 of the western gateway site to the East Liberty central business

district. It was completed in May of 2010. A second phase, called East Liberty Place South, is

now in front of funders for financing approval. Proposed is around 13,000 square feet of

commercial space with 60 apartments above. "We have set LEED Gold certification as our

minimum standard for that building," said Mr. Eby.

TCB has completed or preserved over 420,000 square feet of commercial space and 25,000

housing units throughout its Mid-­Atlantic, Northeast and Midwest regions since 1964. TCB has

been long engaged in East Liberty dating back to the mid-­1990s and through its participation in

drafting the 1999 plan, A Vision for East Liberty, and continuing through the redevelopment of

New Pennley Place (136 apartments), Pennley Commons (38 senior citizen apartments), Penn

Manor (55 apartments) and East Liberty Place North. TCB has located its Pittsburgh office

nearby on South Highland Avenue and is considering a move to the new building.

For additional information on LEED:

Clare Rosenberger, Associate, Residential Operations, U.S. Green Building Council

Tel: 202.552.1395 | Fax: 202.828.5110. crosenberger@usgbc.org

For additional information from the design/construction team:

Ernest Sota, President, Sota Construction Services

Tel: 412-­766-­4630 x 102. esota@sotacontruction.com

Dina Snider, Principal, Strada Architecture LLC

Tel: 412-­263-­3800 x 4803. dsnider@stradallc.com

Sam Klein, Green Program Manager, Magrann Associates

Tel: 888-­624-­7266 x 8771. samklein@magrann.com

Northeast Region: 617-­695-­9595

Midwest Region: 312-­577-­5555

Mid-­Atlantic Region: 202-­552-­2500

Contact Us | Site Map | Terms & Copyright

What's NewAnnouncements

Articles

Builders Newsletter

Related Links

Rental Housing Development

TCB's Corporate Brochure

The Promise of Mixed-­Income

Communities

TCB Facts & Figures

Established on June 4, 1964

Mission-­driven 501(c)(3) organization

10,000 apartments owned, operated

and managed

Approximately 500 employees across

14 states and the District of Columbia

Featured Project

East Liberty Place North -­ Pittsburgh

HOME > What's New > Announcements > Ground Breaking Ceremony for East Liberty Place North

Ground Breaking Ceremony for East Liberty Place North

PITTSBURGH, PA -­ April 30, 2009: The Community Builders, Inc. (TCB) and the UrbanRedevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh (URA) celebrated the construction and financial closing

of East Liberty Place North on April 30, 2009. City of Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, URA

Executive Director Rob Stephany, and local community leaders marked the occasion with

remarks followed by a Hard Hat Dig.

"5801 Penn Avenue (East Liberty Place North) will transform the gateway into East Liberty, fill a

long vacant parcel, and provide quality housing and retail options for residents. We are ecstatic

that construction has finally been able to start," Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said.

Left to Right: Mayor Luke Ravenstahl, TCB Mid-­Atlantic Director of Development Tamara

Dudukovich, and President Alethea Sims of the Coalition of Organized Residents of East

Liberty

East Liberty Place North is a mixed-­use redevelopment project on the north portion of the site of

the former East Mall high-­rise at the intersection of Penn Avenue and Penn Circle West. The

project consists of 54 one and two bedroom apartments above 11,000 square feet of street-­front

retail space. The apartments include a mix of income and rent-­restricted units to serve low-­ and

moderate-­income persons, including former residents of the high-­rise, as well as market-­rate

units.

“We’re excited to finally start construction on this signature project that continues East Liberty’s

residential and commercial revival,” said Tamara Dudukovich, The Community Builders’ Mid-­

Atlantic Director of Development. “We [TCB] have been working with city and URA leadership,

East Liberty Development Inc. and community residents for more than a decade to realize this

project. During these challenging economic times, we are especially proud to have succeeded

in arranging significant public and private financing to permit us to move forward.”

Construction of East Liberty Place North commenced in March after TCB closed on the $12.3

million financing package. Funding sources include private equity provided by Aegon USA

Realty Advisors through the sale of Low Income Housing Tax Credits and an equity bridge loan

and construction and permanent financing from Dollar Bank;; deferred debt from the Urban

Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, and US

Department of Housing and Urban Development;; and grants from Citizens Bank/Federal Home

Loan Bank of Pittsburgh, The Pittsburgh Foundation, and The Home Depot Foundation.

The design is the work of Strada Architecture LLC, and Stuart Associates Architects, Inc. and

emerged from a charrette process, informed by advice from former residents, community

organizers, city leaders, and other stakeholders. East Liberty Place North will be the first

Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified project for TCB. It is being

built by Sota Construction and will be managed by TCB. The broker for the commercial space is

Gordon Real Estate.

The Community Builders, Inc. continues to plan and work toward the second phase of the

project, the redevelopment of 5800 Penn Avenue (the East Mall site to the South of Penn

Avenue). Current plans contemplate an additional 75 apartments or condominiums and

approximately 24,000 square feet of retail space.

What's NewAnnouncements

Articles

Builders Newsletter

Related Links

Rental Housing Development

TCB's Corporate Brochure

The Promise of Mixed-­Income

Communities

TCB Facts & Figures

Established on June 4, 1964

Mission-­driven 501(c)(3) organization

10,000 apartments owned, operated

and managed

Approximately 500 employees across

14 states and the District of Columbia

Featured Project

East Liberty Place North -­ Pittsburgh

HOME > What's New > Announcements > East Liberty Place North Featured in AHF Special Report

East Liberty Place North Featured in AHF Special Report

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -­ February 18, 2011: TCB's East Liberty Place North community in theEast Liberty neighborhood of Pittsburgh is featured as a Project of Note in the HOUSING FOR

ALL AMERICANS special report recently published by Affordable Housing Finance. The report

can be accessed online at:

http://mydigimag.rrd.com/publication/frame.php?i=60594&p=&pn=&ver=flex

Affordable Housing Finance describes the report as "a comprehensive, high-­impact report to

the 112th Congress and other key legislators nationwide about the low-­income housing tax

credit program. HOUSING FOR ALL AMERICANS comes at a crucial time when Congress is

focused on economic recovery as well as cutting the federal budget."

East Liberty Place North, located on the 5800 block of Penn Avenue in Pittsburgh, is the

redevelopment of the north parcel of the former East Mall Apartments site on Penn Avenue in

the East Liberty neighborhood, a neighborhood that is coming back to life after thirty years of

decline and stagnation. This new, 54-­unit mixed-­income, mixed use, elevator building features

three floors of environmentally-­friendly apartments above an 11,000 s.f. ground-­floor

commercial space, management offices, and community activity areas. The residential and

commercial components are structured as separate condominiums.

The community features attractive, spacious, and well-­appointed apartments that meet or

exceed local market-­rate offerings. Building systems integrate green technologies such as

ENERGY STAR rated appliances and lighting fixtures, high-­efficiency heat-­pumps, and a focus

on air quality in the decisions on materials and finishes and ventilating where possible. The

building achieved LEED Gold certification and is the region's first LEED for HOMES multifamily

certified project and TCB's first LEED certified project.

Northeast Region: 617-­695-­9595

Midwest Region: 312-­577-­5555

Mid-­Atlantic Region: 202-­552-­2500

Contact Us | Site Map | Terms & Copyright