Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation450 The Landmarks BuildingOne Station SquarePittsburgh, PA 15219

Published for the members of the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation

No. 107 Fall 1988

Portable Pittsburgh BeginsRoadtripHistoric Plaques AwardedSteel Industry Heritage TaskForce

o Court House Publication

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Schenley CentennialSchenley Park CentennialCommittee OrganizedLandmarks' efforts on behalf of the resto-ration of Schenley Park have borne fruitwith the creation of the Schenley ParkCentennial Committee. Announced in Juneby Mayor Masloff, the Committee will as-

sist in documenting the Park's history andplanning a one hundredth birthday cele-

bration, as well as developing a long-rangeplan for the Park, including physicalimprovements, maintenance operations,and Park programs. The Committee will be

co-chaired by Louise R. Brown, Director ofthe Department of Parks and Recreation,and David Bergholz, Assistant ExecutiveDirector of the Allegheny Conference onCommunity Development. The approxi-mately 2O-member Committee includesrepresentatives from local foundations,corporations, neighborhoods, and Citygovernment; Landmarks is represented byits president Arthur P. Ziegler, Jr. and staffmember Christina SchmidlapP.

At the Committee's first meeting on July21, Landmarks presented a summary of theactivities on behalf of Schenley Park inwhich it and others have been involved dur-ing the past three years, including research,

documentation, fund-raising, and toursfocusing on Schenley Park's rich historyand its continued importance to Pittsburgh.L¿ndmarks looks forwa¡d to participatingin this important Committee and contribut-ing to the planning for Schenley Park's nexthundred years.

"Planning in the Park," I-andmarks'June 5 walking tour led-jointly by stafffrom Landmarks and the Department ofCity Planning, led 24 people throughSchenley Park's southern section. The tourfocused on the various uses of SchenleyPark over the years and how its design ac-commodated those uses. This was the fifthtour Landmarks has held in the Park since1986.

With a grant from the National Endow-ment for the Arts and a major gift from theCNG Foundation, Landmarks has commis-sioned several studies of Schenley Parkwhich are now underway. The condition ofthe Park's vegetation, the paths and struc-tures of Panther Hollow, and the hydrologyof Panther Hollow are being examined byconsultants to provide detailed informationon the extent of restoration needed in theseareas. Additional funding from the Pitts-burgh Park & Playground Fund of theWestern Pennsylvania Conservancy hasenabled the firm of WGSM landscapearchitects to examine three specific vegeta-tion areas of the Park in addition toPanther Hollow: Flagstaff Hill, OverlookDrive, and Prospect Drive. To be completedthis fall, the studies promise to assist theSchenley Park Centennial Committee informulating a plan for the Park's secondcentury.

Aboue:

Tl¡e entrøøce to Scy'tenley ParA øroand 1910, witl¡St. Pìene Røaine still unrepløced b1 Scbenley Pla-za, tbe neuly-bailt Forbes Field to tbe right, andCarnegie Tecú under constraction to tbe /eft reør

Rigltt:lYould yoa belieue tltis fønziliør løødnør6 is ¡anz-nering in Cleoelønd? The Scbenley Fountain y'ra.r

been temporøri/y remoaed from its bøse for restora-tion by a Clercløndfirm.

Centennial Committeel¡uise R. Brown, Co-ChairDepaûment ol Porks & RecreationDavid Bergholz, Co-ChairA llegheny ConJerence on

Communit! DevelopmentPhyllis BaskinJeanne CaliguiriSylvia ClarkMellon BankJoseph N. CogleyDepartment oÍ Porks & RecreationDeborah DoddsWilliam ElkindPhyllis Moorman GoodeJohn A. HerbstHistorical Society of Western

PennsylvaniaEloise HirshHenry P. HoffstotRobert LurcottDepartment of City PlanningCarl A. MancusoDepartment ol Parks & RecreationJake MillionesPittsburgh School BoordSandra L. PhillipsOakland Planning and DevelopmentJohn P. RobinThe Urban Redevelopment AuthorityChristina SchmidlappPittsburgh History &. Iandmarks

FoundationThomas M. SchmidtWestern Pennsy Iv ania C o ns erv ancyMorton StanfieldI nro ads Pit ts burg h, Inc.George H. TaberRichord King Mellon FoundationAlfred rW. WishartThe Pit t s burg h FoundatíonBen WoodsCity CouncilNancy ZappalaArthur P. Ziegler, Jr.Pittsburgh History & Iandmarks

Foundation

Rigbt:Steps bebind the Nøture Ceøter dating to 1939,

þørt ofø collection ofsToneaorà built b1 theIV(P.A. in Pøntùer Hollou ønd noø in need ofreslorøtion.

Page 2 PI{LF News Fall 1988

ffiNEV/S

Il/e/conze New MembersMs. Rosemary BeynonMs. Josephine ButzMs. Ma¡ie B. CellierMr. & Mrs. Dolph Chiste & FamilyMrs. Earl R. ClementEquimark CorporationMs. Lila DeckerAlan S. Fellheime¡Ms. Elizabeth A. FlorekDaniel FrederickMrs. Ethel HaglerMs. Eloise HirshMiss Judy HoffmannThomas O. Hornstein

Preservation of religious properties of architectural and historic impor-tance is the subject of concerted effort these days, with active programsunder way in Philadelphia and New York. On May 13, Landmarks, theCity's Historic Review Commission, and the South Side Local Develop-ment Company sponsored a day-long series of lectures on the topic.This meeting offered practical advice and general orientation on churchand synagogue preservation, and on July ll a committee met to draft aproposal for a local program to provide technical preservation advice tocongregations.

The proposal suggested that:. the program should benefit religious buildings of outstanding architec-

tural and,/or historic character in Allegheny County.. it should be an adjunct to Landmarks'Preservation Fund.. it should seek funding for 24 months initially, with evaluation of its

success beginning after 18 months.. it should offer advice to individual congregations, hold educational

workshops, make the names of professional consultants availablg makegrants for professional services, and help with outside grant applica-tions, but not make grants for construction work.

. it should be administered full-time by a project director who wouldexamine the buildings, assess the needs, work with the congregations,and administer the program's operations.

. it should also have a technical review committee to screen and approveproposals by the congregations, and an advisory panel to representchurch and community opinion.

Church buildings of later than 1940 would ordinarily not be eligiblefor full assistance, nor would churches - the buitdings themselves, thatis - of no particular architectural or historic character. Adaptive use ofunderused spaces would be among the solutions considered. For furtherinformation, call Earl James (471-5808).

Vo/unleers:You Can Be OneWe are fortunate to have a membership that is vitally interested in thework we do - so interested that many members are willing to roll uptheir sleeves and work hard, no matter what the job may be.

Volunteers are involved at Landmarks in almost every aspect of ourwork: they conduct tours of Pittsburgh's history and architecturg givelectures, help organize the tibrary and photograph file, research, preparebulk mailings, update various lists, and help with special events. Thethree-day annual Antiques Show, scheduted this year on November 4through 6, provides volunteer opportunities for close to 100 people.Volunteer duties in advance of the event include selling ads in the pro-gram, updating mailing lists, and preparing bulk mailings. During theshow volunteers collect tickets, pass out programs, and assist thedealers. As a token of our appreciation, Landmarks gives complimen-tary Preview tickets and parking passes to all Antique Show volunteers.

Mary Lu Denny, director of membership services at Landmarks,coordinates all our volunteers. We have jobs that can take months forone person to complete alone or just days for a "palty" of volunteers. Ifyou would like to become involved as a volunteer, please call Mary LuDenny (471-5808) to arrange a schedule that suits your needs andinterests. We would love to have you join us! You will have a chance tomeet people who share similar interests . . and work hard to get a jobdone well.

DonationsThe Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation thanks the following:

o William J. Dixon, of Sarasota, Florida for 44 articles and clippings ofthe 1930s through the 1950s on Pittsburgh history. Many of thesepertain to industry. Mr. Dixon has given us other valuable material inthe past.

o Phipps Hoffstot, for four photographs from the Gwinner family; acaricature, with accompanying verses, of Frederick Gwinner; and theengraving plate from which the caricature was printed.

PHLF News is a quarterly publication of the Pittsburgh History &Landmarks Foundation.

A¡thur P. Ziegler, Jr. ..presidentlouise King Ferguson. . . .Editor/Executive DirectorMary Lu Denny . .Director of Membership ServicesEarl D. James .Director of preservation programs & ServicesWalter C. Kidney . . . . .Architectural Historian and ArchivistStanleyA. Lowe . . .... ...Director of the preservationFundChristina Schmidlapp . . . .ipecial project AssociøteSusan K. Donley . . .Education ConsultantJeanHodak .....Art¡st

MAIESTY OF TFIE LIilNTHE COURT HOUSES OF ALLEGHENY COUNTY

Ms. Mary Jayne KressMs. Diane LaBelleMr. & Mrs. Walter Lurie & FamilyMartin A. MarascoEugene A. MarchWilliam B. Millard & FamilyHon. Thomas J. MurphyM¡s. Sue NeffMs. Barbara PelkingtonMs. Catherine C. SnyderDr. Vaughan StaggMs. Linda A. TarajosMs. Mary Yo¡k & Family

Religious Properties Program

Majesty of the Law: The Court Houses ofAllegheny County, by James D. VanTrump, will be released on September 24byLandmarks and the Bicentennial Commis-sion of Allegheny County. The occasionwill be the bicentennial of the AlleghenyCounty and the Court of Common Pleas,and the centennial of the dedication of thepresent Court House and the accompany-ing Jail. The book is a condensation of thefull study that Jamie Van Trump wrotesome years ago, with material by Walter C.Kidney to bring the account up to date.

Pittsburgh has had three court houses: ared-brick Georgian one of the 1790s, asandstone Greek Revival one of 1841, andthe present, world-famous, granite one inRomanesque. Of the present County Build-ings by Henry Hobson Richardson weknow the most, arrd their distinction war-

rants the extensive treatment given them inthe publication. Their development isrecorded in detail, from conception to reali-zation, as are the actual and threatenedchanges to them since their dedication in1888.

Prints and photographs (numbering 113)

accompany the text, showing not only thesuccessive Court Houses but the changingcity in which they rose. The pictorialdocumentation is most intensive for thepresent County Buildings: Richardson's de-signs and those of others in the competitionof 1884, construction shots, exterior viewsbefore and after the Hump reduction of1913, interior views from the early years,renderings of projects that threatened bothbuildings, modifications that did occur,and recent restorations. Of special interestare modern detail photographs by the archi-

Aboue: H.H. Ricltardson's ofrtce in Brooh,line,MassachuseIIs,.c. I886. Left: Ricbardson's uìnningcom¿tetìtìon design for the Couøty Bøì/dings,1884.

tectural historian William H. Pierson.The writing and publication of Majesty

of the Law was made possible throughgrants from the 1988 Bicentennial Commit-tee of the Court of Common Pleas of Alle-gheny County, the Edgar KaufmannCharitable Foundation, the law firm ofKirkpatrick & t ockhart, the Lawyers' FundCommittee of the Allegheny County BarAssociation, and members of the AlleghenyCounty Bar Association. The publicationwas designed by Thomas Stevenson ofLandmarks Design Associates and theAllegheny County Graphics Departmentdonated typesetting and graphic artservices.

The publication is priced at $19.95, andcan be ordered by members (at a l0% dis-count) by completing the form below.

Reserve Your Copy NowTotal

Yes, send me

-

copies of Majesty of the Law $19.95 each

tæss l09o member discount (- 82.00 per book)

Plus 6Vo sales tax ($1.08 per book)

Plus handling and shipping (82.00 per book)

Total:Please make your check payable to "Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation" and reference it "CourtHouse." Complete this form, enclose payment, and mail to PHLF, 450 The Landmarks Building, One StationSquarg Pgh., PA 15219. Books will be mailed at the end of September. Call Shirley Kemmler (471-5808) if youhave any questions.

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Il/øtertouer base (/eft) øndpampl:oøse (be/ou) øttbe ltistoric Honesteød IYorAl These øre two of thestrøcTares p/ønned for presentøtion to noørÁ thelønding siie oftbe Pinäertons during tbe 1892

stiÁe/lockoat of tbe Anzølgønzated Associøtion oflron and Stee/ IYorþers.

E.VE-NTS

More thøn 170 people toured the Friendshìp neìghborhood on July 13, íncluding representa-tìves from the Møyor's ofÍíce, City Council" major newspøpers, and several neíghborhoodpreservat¡on groups. Pørticipants saw the hontes of two former Píttsbutgh mayors'Chrßtopher Lynan Magee ond David L. Lawrencq und toured 4lovely home of the early19(Ns that had just been put on the mûket - and wøs sold that níght to a Løndmarks'msmben We thank the Fríendshíp-Area Preservation Committee for theír enthusíasm øndleadershìp.

PreviewSeptember Tour SeriesBe sure to tour with us on Sundays in Sep-tember. Our SeptemÞer lE tour features thework of Boston architects in Pittsburghfrom the 1880s into the 1900s. On Septem-ber 25 we will tour the Richardson Court-house in honor ofits centennial, and otherRichardson Romanesque landmarks in thedowntown, North Side, and East End areas.

88 members 812 non-membersBus tours depart from the Station SquarcSheraton øt 2 pm and return by 5 Pm

October 9

Industrial Pittsburgh(See the adÍor details; below left).

Eleventh AnnualAntiques ShowFri, Sat., & Sun. Nou 4, 5 & 6FYí. & Sat.: Noon-I0pmSun.: Noon-6pmThirty-one dealers have been invited to thisyear's show that will feature miniatureantiques, as well as period furniture, silver,china, painting, and glass. The PreviewParty for members will be on Thursda¡November 3 from 5:30 to 8 pm. If youwould like to volunteer at Landmarks'largest fund-raising event, call Mary LuDenny (471-5808). V/e'll see you at theshow.

Admission donøtion: 84.00

1988 Distinguished læctureWed., Nou 16 I pmStatíon Square Sheraton

Holiday Tour ofHistoric PropertiesSun., Dec. II I to 5 pmFour historic properties will be decoratedspecially for Landmarks' holiday tour: theNeville House (c. 1797); Old St. Luke's(1852); the Rachel Carson Homestead (1870

and later); and Burtner House (1821). Par-ticipants will tour each property and enjoycarol singing and feasting too.

$8 members 812 non-membersBus tour departs from the Station SquareSheroton,

Events at theHISTORICAL SOCIETY OFWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA

4338 Bigelow Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 15213

Sept. 20- 'A rüy'ay to be Seen"Dec 3l an exhibit of women's

fashions in Pittsburgh be-tween 1870 and 1920

Through Homcwood-Brushton pho-Dec. 31 tographic exhibit continues

Lectures will be presented on October 5, Novem-ber 2, and December 7. Call the Society at681-5533 for details.

Private Group ToursOur tour program not only includes specialtours for members but tours and lecturesfor private groups, schools, communitygroups, and conventions. In the past eightmonths Mary Lu Denny has organized44private group lours and lectures, presentedby our capable volunteer staff of 14

docents. Some ofthe groups we have servedinclude:

ABC Travel of GreensburgAmerican Association of MuseumsAmerican Association of Retired PersonsAmerican Society of Mechanical EngineersBaker Elementary School of

Upper St. Clair TownshipBen Avon Heights Top of the Hill

Garden ClubBloomfield Senior Citizen's CenterBrookline Senior Cente¡Classic Car Club of AmericaCommunity College of Allegheny County,

North CenterDaughters of the American RwolutionExecutive Women InternationalHillel AcademyKatonah Gallery of New YorkKings Daughters of the Brookline

United Presbyterian ChurchKittanning Township Elementary SchoolMahonning Valley Historical Society

Arms MuseumMaster Mason's ClubMt. l¡banon Public LibraryNorth Star High School of JohnstownOliver High SchoolOrder of the Eastern StarPark lodge #676 of MillvalePennsylvania Society of

Professional EngineersPerry Elementary SchoolPeters Township High SchoolPine Middle School Gifted ProgramRemaking Cities ConferenceSewickley YMCAStation Square Festival Tent/PromotionsStephen Foster Senior Cente¡

of l¿wrencevilleThe Tkentieth Century ClubToledo Automobile ClubVista International Hotel, PittsburghVoTech High School

We "advertisd' our tour service throughword-of-mouth and often rely on our"clients" to spread news of our tour serviceto area groups. The Greater PittsburghConvention and Visitors Bureau and areahotel sales departments refer many touriststo us. The Station Square Fþstival Tþntoffers a one-day "Station Square Vaca-tionj' which includes a walking tour ofStation Square conducted by our docentsand, sometimes, a guided tour of theStation Square Transportation Museum.Since April, when the Station Square vaca-tion day was initiated, our docents havebeen walking and talking the pavementsbetween the Sheraton Hotel and SmithfieldStreet Bridge almost weekly.

A typical bus tour of Pittsburgh, calledthe All-City Tbur is about three hours andbegins and ends at Station Square. Mem-bers of Landmarks who are interested inarranging a bus tour ofPittsburgh, itsethnic neighborhoods and churches, or awalking tour of Station Square or down-town Pittsburgh should contact Mary LuDenny (471-5808). tæt us show you thetown!

Steel Industry Heritage Task ForceChairman SelectedAt its first meeting on May 16, the steeringcommittee of the Steel Industry HeritageTask Force elected David Bergholz (Assis-tant Executive Director of the AlleghenyConference on Community Development)as Task Force Chairman. Doris Dyen, asteering committee member, summed upthe committee's sentiments: "David's stronginterest in preserving the cultural heritageof our region and in enhancing the effec-tiveness of our educational institutionsmade him the obvious choice. We feel thatthe community leadership which he exem-plifies is essential to the success of ourefforts."

Task Force PrioritiesTäsk Force priorities were hammered out

during two workshops led by the NationalPark Service, which is acting as advisor tothe Thsk Forcg and in numerous committeemeetings. They include:

. Fundrøising: Grant proposals have beensubmitted to support further evaluation ofthe Carrie Furnaces site in Swissvale andRankin and a portion of the former USXHomestead Works as possible museums,and to study the tourism/market potentialfor such a venture. In addition, the TaskForce will be seeking support for a majorpublicity effort this fall.

¡ Hßtoríc Distrícts: Portions of the Munhall,Homestead, and West Homestead areas willbe nominated for a National RegisterHistoric District, and other steel mill townsand neighborhoods will be surveyed to de-termine their National Register potential.Currently, Pittsburgh's South Side is theonly steel mill neighborhood with a Nation-al Register Historic District, which makesthe area eligible for both Investment TaxCredits for commercial rehabilitation andfor support from the National Trust forHistoric Preservation's Main Street Pro-gram. The success of the Maín Street onfust Carson Project (see page 8 article)shows what can result from the appropriatepreservation and revitalization of suchhistoric resources.

t Action Plan: The Täsk Force and theNational Park Service have set a target dateof November 30, 1988 to publish its SteelIndustry Heritage Action PIan. The planwill present specific proposals for thepreservation and reuse of buildings andother structures at selected steel sites for

museum purposes, identify potential his-toric districts in mill towns, and describestrategies for attracting tourists to thesesites and towns, including transportationlinkages required and a multi-site promo-tion package. The plan will also include aschedule for ongoing development of thesesites.

Federal Fundingand Iægislation

Representative John P. Murtha (D-PA), amember of the House AppropriationsCommittee, notified us in July that ourrequest for federal funds to support site-specific reuse plans at selected historic steelsites had been approved by the House ofRepresentatives and is expected to beapproved by the Senate early this fall. Thisaction will allocate $350,000 to the Nation-al Park Service for two major projects inAllegheny County:

. $150,000 to support the professional staffof the NPS's Historic AmericanEngineering Record office to thoroughlydocument historic steel sites in AlleghenyCounty with large-format photographs andmeasured drawings, as well as make anevaluation of the historic significance ofthese sites from a national perspective.

. $200,000 to support the development of aFinal Action Plan. This version of theAction Plan will be site-specific and willinclude construction specifications forreuse of selected steel sites for museumpurposes, a proposed construction sched-ule, and lists of related historic programsand tourist attractions, including those be-ing developed in the nine-county America'sIndustrial Heritage Project.

This $350,000 is included in an appropri-ations amendment introduced by Represen-tative Murtha totaling $12.57 million forAmerica's Industrial Heritage Project.Obviously, this project has become popularon the Hill.

Also in July, H.R. 3313, RepresentativeMurtha's legislation to authorize America'sIndustrial Heritage Project, was passed bythe Subcommittee on National Parks andPublic Lands, the most important hurdle tojump on the House side. On the Senateside, Senator John Heinz's version, 5-1902,includes Allegheny County. A final versionwill be worked out this fall in a House-Senate Conference.

S ""

our II\DUSTRIAL PASTTOUR \ryITHLANDMARKS

Sunday Oct.9 - 2-5 pm, depariing fromStation Square Sheraton

Toufae: $Sformenben; $12 uon-mbæ

Tour Hazelwood, Homestead, Braddock, andthe South Side by bus, and en route see

remains from our steel heritage: the CanieFumaces, two hot-metal bridges, the site ofthe funrre Kennywood Park expansionproject, and the boile¡house of the ElizaFumace.

ffiçsY for ReservationsUP tironu"*h History & Landmarks Foundation (412) 471-5S08

Page 4 PHLF News Fall 1988

Preservation Scene

The PennsylvanianThe ongoing metamorphosis of UnionStation into the Pennsylvanian was soadvanced that a grand opening party wasgiven on May 23. Outside, the buildinglooked most handsome, its brick and terracotta clean and repaired, its rotunda cupolaonce more admitting daylight, and light-bulbs outlining the rotunda arches, as theydid originally, in soft light. The main wait-ing room was not far along in its refinish-ing, its great skylight still covered, and onlya specimen of its ceiling painted work, be-ing done by Victorian Interior Restoration,on view to show the delicate effect it willeventually have.

Bower læwis Throwe¡ the Philadelphiaarchitects, have introduced necessary newfeatures with a light hand in the publicspaces. The242 rental apartments them-selves, apart from two in restored executivespaces, are completely modern in detailingand finish, in appearance unconventionalonly in their ceiling heights.

This ends Landmarks' long worry overthe future of this great building, whosepreservation we tried for so many years toensure.

Fourth Avenue MallIn April, Landmarks joined 14 otherindividuals and organizations, representingcultural, civic, and commercial interests, inaddressing a letter to the late MayorCaliguiri. This was inquiry regarding therecently-announced mall proposed betweenGrant and Wood Streets, Forbes and FourthAvenues. The signatories, who had ob-tained few details from the newspaperaccounts, were uneasy on a variety ofgrounds.

The mall, in which Oxford DevelopmentCompany would be a partner, is supposedlyto contain a department store and possiblya hotel facing the City-County Building,and a department store at the other end,and is to cross Smithfield Street on a bridgeseveral stories high and presumably quitebroad.

Downtown business interests were natu-rally wondering about the effect of thecommerce planned to fill these spaces onextant businesses. Those concerned withthe quality of life downtown had otherconcerns: Would retail be wholly turnedinward, with only blank walls along thestreets? What would happen to the historicbuildings on Fourth Avenue betweenSmithfield and Wood Streets? WouldSmithfield Street be turned into a tunnel?

The Clio Group, a Philadelphia historic-research organization, made what appearedto be a thorough inquiry into the historicarchitecture ofthe area. Its presence was tosome extent reassuring, but did not guaran-tee that the buildings, which are not pro-tected by City designation, would not beobliterated or their facades reduced todeath masks set against new construction.Nor would historic-preservation considera-tions of the usual sort affect the visualwalling-off of Smithfield Street that wouldseemingly be inevitable in a mall plan. Thefall of ground between Grant and Smith-field is about 25 feet, and a passage levelwith Grant would thus give somewhat lessthan25 feet in clearance over Smithfield,and, ofcoursg it would have to be fairlybroad to accommodate the kind of com-mercial space that is presumably intended.

Until we are reassured otherwisg there isreason to fear an oversized, self-centeredintrusion into the center of the Tiiangle.Nothing had appeared in print on theproject for a couple of months, as of eariyAugust, and Landmarks and the others areawaiting more concrete and detailedinformation.

National Trust ConferenceThe National Trust Annual Conference, tobe held in Cincinnati this year, is to includean October 22 session on "PreservingAmerica's Industrial Heritage."

Pennsylvania is gratifyingly represented.David L. Salay, director of the AnthraciteMuseum Complex, will speak about thePennsylvania Statewide Industrial Survey.Gray Fitzsimmons will lecture on HistoricAmerican Engineering Record,/Society forIndustrial Archaeology surveys of Pennsyl-vania coal and steel sites, Landmarks' EarlJames will tell of our recent survey of steelplants in Allegheny County. Sandy Walter,director of the Lowell National HistoricalPark, will tell of preservation and interpre-tive success in that Massachusetts textiletown. Then back to Pennsylvania for anaccount by John Albright of the NationalPark Service of the America's IndustrialHeritage Project, developing just to oureast with Johnstown and Altoona its majorfoci.

The Oldest Extant BuildingsThe Planning Department of the City ofPittsburgh has identified 3l extant build-ings from before the end of the Civil Warperiod; they may receive a thematic nomi-nation as City Landmarks. It is very likelythat others exist, and will be added to theIist. Seven others already have City designa-tions.

lVeber House and BarnIn April, Walter Kidney (PHLF) andWilliam Joyce of Landmarks Design Asso-ciates went to Hartwood Acres to see thehouse and barn of the old Weber farm,whose future was in doubt. They recom-mended preservation of both. The house isa conventional but handsome Mid-Vic-torian structure with its ornamental workintact and without major deterioration.The barn, a Pennsylvania bank barn ofthebeginning ofthe l9th century, is quiteunusual, with a massive structure of sand-stone piers, logs, massive joists, heavyplanking, and pole rafters. It could be read-ily restored or re-erected elsewherg minustwo easily-removable additions.

Mt. WashingtonVisitors'CenterThe Mount Washington Branch of theCarnegie Library has opened a Visitors'Center in its basement. The presentarrangement is temporary, but alreadyincludes take-away,literature, a readingtable with books on Pittsburgh, and anexhibit of historic photographs. This fall,construction work is to begin for the.per-manent Visitors' Center in the Library, witha two-story elevator as a prominent featureat the east end of theöuilding. The designwill be by Damianos and Associates.

Duquesne{ncfthreThe Veterans' Memorial, a globe ofpolished granite on an obelisk, has beencompleted at the Grandview Avenue stationof the Duquesne Heights Incfine. The workon the station and new overlook is now fin-ished and quite handsome indeed.

West End UnitedMethodist ChurchThe West End United'Methodist Church, aFrank Alden design of 1887, is in safehands although it has been given to anothercongregation, A.M.E. Zion Church. Thenew minister, Norman Walker, is said tohave every intention of preserving thechurch, and of continuing its previousoccupancy: church, Head Start, and FoodPantry.

Byers-Lyon HouseThis summer the Byers-Lyon house, nowowned by the Community College of Alle-gheny County, was a place of furious activi-ty, as a full exterior and modified interiorrestoration progressed. Brownstone detail-ing of the Flemish Renaissance houses hadbeen cut away where badly deteriorated,and cast-stone replicas that will weather tothe same shade were being installed. Thetwo arcades that form a picturesque featureof the entrance court were down for com-plete reconstruction. Much of the wroughtiron was away for repairs. Insidg reproduc-tion millwork in oak stood beside the origi-nals in doorframes and mantelpieces, newhardware and fixtures were on order, andconsultations on wall colors had begun.Our board member Dr. Frances Hollandhad been to Landmarks as early as June toborrow furniture and a 1900-period mantel-piece to equip the house suitably.

In general, the social rooms of the firstfloor are to be fully restored, as are theupper stair halls. Bedrooms will havedropped ceilings to accommodate wiringand ductwork. The basement is beingcompletely remodeled, apart from the oldbilliard room, for day care and musicinstruction, and the tall attic will be amechanical space.

Reed HallThe Ben Avon Area Historical Society iscampaigning to save Reed Hall, the originalmain building of 186l at Dixmont StateHospital. This is an imposing four-storyItalianate block, one of many buildings ona 357 -acre site overlooking the Ohio Riverin Kilbuck Township. The hospital wasdesigned on the progressive Kirkbride Plan,with an administrative block betweenextended patients' wings. It was sited andplanned with close supervision by DorotheaDix, the famous reformer of public institu-tions, and until 1907 was a branch ofWestern Pennsylvania Hospital.

Oddly enough, alarge model of ReedHall is undergoing preservation as well.Built with help from the patients, the modelwas discovered in bad condition in thebuilding itself. The West Penn Foundationhad financed the restoration, and willdisplay it.

Gwin¡rer-Harter HouseIn early summer, it appeared that the Citywould have to take legal action to force adecisionon the fire-damaged Gwinner-Harterfiouse at 5061 Fifth Avenue. Minorwork would be adequate to stabilize thecondition of the house, which is sounderthan it appears, but repeated efforts by thebuilding inspector to obtain a commitmentfrom the owner had had no results. Neieh-bors were complaining about the appear-ance of the ruined mansard roof and thederelict condition ofthe house, and ademolition order was quite possible.

St. Stephen's ChurchAs of early August, the dispute over St.Stephen's Episcopal Church in Sewickley,reported at length in our Spring 1988 issuewas continuing unresolved. Citizens forPreservation was making the followingpoints:

. institutional expansion ofthis kind isimpairing the character of Sewickley as aresidential town, and weakening its taxbase.

. two historically important houses wouldhave to be destroyed ifthe new "Sanctuaryis built.

. the style of the "Sanctuary" is inharmoni-ous with the street scene.r the size ofthe "Sanctuary" still violateszoning laws.

¡ the parking situation, already unfair to residents and other churches near by, would beaggravated.

. a poll ofthe congregation, although itshowed strong support of the new buildingproject, is invalid because only 1,220 of the2,000 membership were polled (the poll, inany case, is not binding on the Vestry).

At the beginning of August the affairwas quiescent, and Landmarks was await-ing a call to testify on the matter and ameeting with representatives from St.Stephen's.

Neville HouseDonations to the Neville House Auxiliary'slSth-Century Furniture Fund have madepossible the purchase of two Windsor chairreproductions documenting a Pennsylvaniastyle ofthe lSth and l9th centuries. Thesehand-made chairs were purchased for thedining room which the official Neviltefamily inventory lists as having 18 suchWindsor chairs.

Jane Nylande¡ director of StrawberryBank, a collection of40 lSth-centuryhouses in Portsmouth, New Hampshire,visited the Neville House in early June toadvise on lighting, carpets, and decoration.

The third annual Neville House AntiquesShow was held on the grounds of the houseon Memorial Day, May 30. More than 500people attended the event and toured thehouse. Proceeds from this show, coupledwith funding from the Colonial Dames,moved Landmarks closer to acquiring thecarpet for the great room of the house. Thecarpet is being woven in Brussels using adesign incorporating point papers from1794. The colors of the loose laid wall-to-wall carpet, not unusual for the period ofthe house, will compliment the blue of theliving-room walls and the bright verdigrisof the dining-room walls. The wallpaper inthese rooms, similar to the original, will beinstalled in September. The carpet isexpected later in the fall.

Burtner HouseA new addition to the Burtner Housegrounds is a large millstong unearthed bythe local gas company when pipes were laidby the Route 28 roadway in HarrisonTownship.

October 8 will bring the annual HarvestFestival: rifle demonstrations, a blacksmithshop, hand-woven basket demonstrations,dulcimer concerts, home-canned preserves,funnel cakes, dried flower arrangements,etc. Interested members can call 226-2970for details.

Deed PreservationLandmarks has supported a proposal byMichael A. Della Vecchia, the Countyrecorder of deeds, to establish a fund forpreserving dockets of deeds kept by hisoffice since the founding of the County in1788. These documents, valuable for histor-ical research, would be kept in a safe andorderly manner. The fund would be raisedby a dollar added to the fee for recordingeach deed.

Will PowerPreserve our region's history and land-marks for future generations. Add thePittsburgh History & Landmarks Foun-dation as a beneficiary under your Will.If you would like to discuss this givingoption, please call louise Ferguson(471-s808).

Fall 1988 PHLF News Page 5

Otd St. Luke's:The \ü/ork Is Nearly Done

This summer, the return of Old St. Luke'sfrom its abject state of 20 years ago wasnearly complete. There was work to do out-side, but the fabric was basically sound andthe interior handsome.

The church is known to most of ourreaders: a simple stone Gothic work of 1852with a wooden exterior vestibule. It standsin a churchyard in Scott Township, in aplace used for Anglican worship since 1765and for burial since 1795, with the earliesttombstone dating from 1802. Early in thecentury, St. Luke's was used for summerservices only, and later only for Sundayevensong. Its condition was deterioratingdespite partial restoration in 1949, and itwas entirely closed in 1955, its wooden ves-tibule gone. In that year the original archbraces of the roof were replaced by newwooden struts, and its organ and stainedglass were removed. ln 197 5, ArchdeaconWilliam Lewis convened the Rev. VictorZuck and 15 others to discuss the problem,and the result was an incorporated body ofl9'76 that changed in 197'7 to the Old St.Luke's Auxiliary of Landmarks.

Donations of money and work by manyindividuals, with some help from Land-marks' work crew, bit by bit reversed thesituation. The Easter sunrise service of 1977still had to be held outside, but the badtimes were largely over. The 1822 organ,

restored by Dr. Zuck, was reinstalled in1982. The plain glass windows of 1955yielded to multicolored diamond panes thenext year, and new lamps similar to theoriginal oil lamps came in 1987. The feworiginal pev/s, returned from the basement,stood with enough new copies to fill thechurch on a handsome floor of random-width boards from an old mill in Tidioute.Oddly enough, the church does not qualify,according to the State, for National Regis-ter certification: the roof members of 1955

and the interior walls, left stripped of theirplaster, are held to have compromised thebuilding's integrity.

Today, Old St. Luke's is ecumenicalthough still in the possession of the Epis-copal Church. There is no congregation as

such, but there are holiday services,weddings, and baptisms, as well as concertsand meetings of historically-orientedorganizations.

Old St. Luþe's eørly in the tuentieth ceniury(right), ønd as tt is todaY (øboue)'

Rev. Victor Zuck, who was with thechurch as rector throughout the restorationcampaign, is about to retire, and CanonRichard Davies is to take over.

Minor work to the exterior, tomb restora-tion, and a memorial garden in the church-yard, about $31,000 worth of work, willcomplete the rehabilitation. The Auxiliaryis to be commended for their fine work todate, particularly for their skill in raisingfunds locally, little by little for specificprojects, and in finding a use for Old St.Luke's that serves the community. Memberswho attend our December 11 holiday tourof historic houses will be able to tour OldSt. Luke's.

PreserYùtion Lo an Fund Pro gress

E & O BreweryThe Brewery and its principal tenant, theAllegheny Brewery and Brew Pub, are toopen this month. This is the realization of aplan made almost three years ago; to trans-form the Eberhardt & Ober Brewer¡ not-able against the background of Troy Hilland of historic interest, from a deserted andshabby building group into something liveagain.

For the purpose E & O Associates wasformed, a partnership whose members areThomas V. Pastorius of the PennsylvaniaBrewing Company, the Gateway FinancialGroup, and the Northside IndustrialDevelopment Company, a subsidiary of theNorth Side Civic Development Council.The total project cost of $3.6 million camein loans and grants from the Local Initia-tives Support Corporation, the UrbanRedevelopment Authority, Mellon Bank,the Ben Franklin Partnership, and privateparties. Landmarks lent $50,000 from itsPreservation Fund.

Allegheny Brewery is a 100-seat restau-rant that will serve a variety of beers brewedin the rear of the main building. The moodand food will be German, and the beer it-self will be traditionally made from barley,hops, yeast, and water alone. The brew pubwill take up 7,500 of the total 55,000 squarefeet. Professionals, a food manufacturer,an umbrella maker, a computer company,and a medical-instrument maker are amongthose who have either expressed stronginterest in the spa.ce or have already signed

leases. The four buildings will open, it isanticipated, with half the space leased.Sixty percent of the space will serve as abusiness incubator, easing the overhead ofnew companies by supplying joint supportservices. A lease provision also requires thattenants use the Neighborhood EmploymentProgram in finding workers. The wholecomplex is likely to employ 95 people, some35 at least living close by.

Architecturelovers are pleased by therejuvenation of the old brick buildings,beerlovers are anticipating the first swallow,and neighborhood groups are proud of thissymbol of continuing local vitality. Fromall points of view, this project is a preserva-tion triumph.

901-05 Western AvenueBy the end of next year, 901-05 WesternAvenue, some of the oldest houses on thestreet, are to be restored fcr commercialand office use. The North Side CivicDevelopment Council is the developer. ThePreservation Fund is lending $80,000 of the$597,000 budseted.

Home Ownership forWorking PeopleThe first phase of the Home Ownership forWorking People has resulted in the rehabili-tation of five vacant buildings in theCentral North Side for low- and middle-income famities. The North Side CivicDevelopment Council was developer. ThePreservation Fund has lent $186,000, as wellas technical assistance, for the $228,000project.

Manchester RestorationIn Manchester, Landmarks is providingrestoration assistance in two ways. A$40,000 loan from the Preservation Fundand technical assistance from Landmarksare helping in the restoration of six vacantbuildings for low- to middle-income fami-lies, in a development by the ManchesterCitizens Corporation. Total developmentcosts are $346,000. Monthly mortgagepayments will be $325-425. The project isto be completed in 12 months.

Landmarks' Historic Standards for NewConstruction are being used as a guide in a$1,280,000 MCC/Tom Mistick & Sons pro-ject that will result in as many as 20 newhousing units by the middle of next year.

These units will be for middle-incomefamilies with funding support from theURA of Pittsburgh.

l4l7 E. Carson StreetReconstruction of 1417 East Carson Streetwas well advanced this summer, and allfour levels were signed up. Blooms, a floristshop, has taken the basement and first andsecond floors, and the South Side l¡calDevelopment Company will be on the third.Behind a restored shop front, Blooms willincorporate an original hexagonal-tile floorand some other original features into alight, open, and frankly modern interior byLandmarks Design Associates.

1"09 Million for theNeighborhoodsPittsburgh History & Landmarks Founda-tion's Preservation Loan Fund DirectorStanley A. Lowe and Union National Bankrepresentatives announced June22 that anhistoric $109 million community reinvest-ment agreement has been negotiatedbetween the bank and 18 city neighborhoodorganizations. The document is a first forPittsburgh's inner-city communities,including five National Register HistoricDistricts (Manchester, Mexican WarStreets, East Allegheny, Allegheny West,and Southside). The agreement captures thesubstance and spirit of five months ofnegotiations and includes the followinghighlights.

As part of the Pittsburgh CommunityReinvestment Group-Union National BankAgreement (an 18 city-wide neighborhoodgroup), Union National Bank will offerzero-point, 30-year fixed-rate mortgageloans to low- and moderate-income resi-dents at a rate which is at least one-half ofone percent below Union National Bank'sprevailing rate, and depending on case-by-case reviews Union National Bank mayoffer other deeper discounts.

Union National Bank will make $55 mil-lion available over a five-year period forfirst-mortgage financing. lf -a largeramount of good business can be guaran-teed, Union National Bank will exceedthese limits.

Union National Bank will provide train-ing and technical assistance to cornmunitydevelopment organizations and other non-'profit organizations to assist them inpurchasing and servicing loans.

Union NationalBank will make availaüethe principal amount of $40 million overfive years to non-profit organizations forconstruction financing at a lower effectiveintereSt rate. These funds can be used forhousing restoration, new construction, andcommercial development.

Union National Bank will make availablethe principal amount of $8 million over fiveyears for small and minority business loans.I-oan purposes include building construc-tion, improvements, rnachinery, equipment,and working capital.

Union National Bank will make available$6 million over five years for second fixed-rate or variable-rate loans for up to 15

years. The Union National Bank-Pitts-burgh Community Reinvestmeni Grouploan agreement is now in effect.

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Page 6 PHLF News Fall 1988

EducationNlews

Pittsburgh HeritageSummer-fun in the City

Twenty-eíght teachers and students explored Píttsburghß heritage this June during Landmarks,summer y9r\s,hop. Sue Nffi course ínstructor, led the students and teachers oi the eight-day

adventure. HÍghlights íncluded walkíng tours of McKees Rocks, the Mexicun Wør Streetsi down-town Píttsburgh, and Støtion Squøre; scavenger hunts; rides on the Gatewøy Clþper ønd inciine; and

buildíng bridges, printing a townscape out of block prínts, møking scrapbooks, and sculþtíng

Fall ProgramsThis fall, Susan Donley will be teachingtwo courses for Landmarks:¡ Exploring Your City, a teacher inservice

on Tuesdays: October 4, 11, 18, and 25,

from 4:45 to 8:j0 p.m. Call the AlleghenyIntermediate Unit (394-576Ð to register.

¡ Architecture Apprenticeship Íor hishschool students on Wednesdays: October12, November 9, December 7, and Febru-øry 22. Call the Gifted and Talented Pro-gram of the Allegheny Intermediate Unit(371-8484) to register

1989 FestivalLandmarks' t hird ønnual Hands-On Histo-ry Festival will be held on Saturday, April15 at the Station Square Festival knt- Anyteochers or students who want to partici-pate in the Festival should call Mary LuDenny (471-5808), l4te are planning to makethe 1989 Festival bigger and better than theIast two successful Festivals . . . detailsforthcoming in the wínter issue of P}JLFNews.

Lìbrøry Open to MembersLandmarks' library, on the fourthfloor ofthe Landmarks Buîlding at Station Square,is open to members Monday throughFriday from I0 a.m. to 5 p.m. The holdin4sinclude books on the Pittsburgh areø andPennsylvania generally; books on industryand engineering; Pittsburgh Blue Booksand city directories; clippings and ørticleson the Pittsburgh area and elsewhere;manuscripts, tapes, and published articlesby James D Van Trump; architectural andshelter magazines ofthe I9I0s, '20s, and'30s; drawings by the Pittsburgh engineerSamuel Diescher; designs for buildings inthe Pittsburgh area; photographs and artwork of documentary value; pencil sketchesby Edward B. Lee; plat-map andfire-insurance atlases; National Register nomi-nations; and forms for our AlleghenyCounty Historic Resource, Steel- Site,Frederick Scheiblef and DowntownSurveys.

Persons wanting to use the library shouldcøll lilalter Kidney (471-5808) to be surethat he will be in the office.

S cheíbler Artícle AvøilableLøndmarks has a limited number of copiesof Pøt Lowry's long article on the homes ofFrederick Scheibler, "More Than Just anEnvironment." This appeared in the Sun-day Press of last June 5, and contains bothhistoric information and enthusiastic com-ments by present-day dwellers in Scheiblerhomes. There are eight color illustrations.Copies are available at 82.00 each. CallShirley Kemmle4 471- 5808.

Researching YourHouse's HistoryA newfive-pøge papeq "Researching theHistory of your House," is available tomembers for 81.25, to non-members for82.00. It is a practical guide to its subjectfor the Pittsburgh area. Call Shirley.

At Home in Pittsburgh:Art ønd Furnßhingsfrom ClaytonSeptember ú0-October 30A selection of the paintings and decorativearts from the Pittsburgh residence of HenryClay Frick will be displayed at the FrickArt Museum in Point Breeze at 7272 Rey-nolds Street. Included will be a group ofMn Frick's earliest recorded acqußitions;later acquisitions of notable works by ma-jor masters; furniture, silve4 and ceramicsfrom the 1880s and 1890s; and turn-oÍ-the-century clothing and accessories - all care-fully preserved by Miss Helen Clay Frick atClayton until her death in 1984. The exhibi-tion will be accompanied by an illustratedbooklet.

Members of landmarks might be partic-ularly interested in attending the exhibitionopening on Saturday, September 10, from 6to 9 p.m. There will be musical entertain-ment and refreshments typical of a Victori-an reception that the Fricks might havehad. Members of Landmarks who are in-terested in attending the opening (ticketsare 825) may call 371-0600. The exhibitionis free to the public.

three-dimensional buildings out of paper.

41r, leachels commenting on the course said: "The møterials presented were excellent.',f "Pittsburgh.Heritage gave me ø better sense of the city; I learnbd many things about the¡ city's history ønd ørchítecture that I hød never known beþre." "I was an;azed that we

covered so much ground. . . so thoroughly.,, ìn such a short tíme.,,

Next year, Pittsburgh Herr,tage wíll be offered tune 21 through June 30for ele-mentary ønd secondary teachers only. And, Landmarks wílt ffir a specíaisessíon

in lyly lor oarents and chíldren. Interested members canïørl Møry Lu Denny(4 71 - 5 80Ð for detaí\s.,

The pílot program o/Pittsburgh Heritage was offered in I9g2withfundìng supportfrom the Henry C. Frick Eduiational Com_

mission. since then, Lsndmarks has offered the summer workshop six tímes.¡TÞ.rlf l r-r I-1¡¡

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Fall 1988 PHLF News Page7

POMBLE PITTSBTJRGHA Treasure Chest of llistoryWho would have thought thøt200-plus years of Píttsburgh hís-tory could be packed in ø treas-ure chest? Well, wíth a bit ofskill and lots of imagínøtìon,Landmarks' educatìon depart-ment has done it. The treasurechest is packed full of hìstoriccity vìews, mapg artìføcts,costumes, and lots more . . .

and the lid just barely closes.The treøsure chest will open -and the contents can be díscov-ered - by any school or com-munity group beginníng ínNovember, simply by callíngMary Lu Denny (471-5808).

Program DevelopmentPortable Pittsburgh, a docent outreach

program, was modelled after the successfulin-school program of the Carnegie Museumof Natural History. It was developedprimarily by Susan Donley, education con-sultant for Landmarks, and funded by theHenry C. Frick Educational Commission.The goal of Portable Pittsburgh \s todemonstrate in an active, fast-paced hour-long program how and why Pittsburgh haschanged over its long history. Variousaspects of work, leisurg everyday life, ar-chitecture, transportation, education, eth-nic groups, heroes, and inventions aretraced throughout six eras of Pittsburghhistory, divided according to easy-to-remember themes and named after variousnicknames Pittsburgh has had in the past:Forks of the O/¡io.'Native American Cross-roads (before 1755)Fort Pitt: Frontier/Military Outpost(1755-1795)Gateway to the West: The CommercialTown (1796-1851)Iron City: Early Industrial City (1852-1876)

Steel City: Manufacturing Metropolis(1877 -1945)Renaissance City: Corporate Center (1946-present)

This general goal translates into specificinstructional objectives:

Knowledge ObjectivesStudents will:

understand that history is a tool to help ustrace change over time.be able to name and briefly describe the sixeras of Pittsburgh history.

Skill ObjectívesStudents will:

compare and contrast parallel aspects ofdifferent time periods.begin to analyze cause and effect in histori-cal trends.

Attítude ObjectivesStudents will:

develop an interest in history.develop a sense of community pride.develop a sense of anticipation about thefuture of Pittsburgh.

To actively involve students in drawingtheir own conclusions about Pittsburgh'shistory, we have assembled the raw materialof historical research in the form of thePortøble Pittsburgh Treøsure Chest full ofartifacts, reproductions of historic cityviews and maps, architectural photographs,and historic newspapers from each era. Thedocents will be trained to use theseresources in their classroom visits to createan atmosphere of discovery where the stu-dents take an active part in learning abouteach period in Pittsburgh history. A giant100-foot scrolling timeline will graphicallyillustrate the chronological order and rela-tive time span of each of these eras.

Aboue rigbt: Unrollìng tbe 100-foot scrolling tinzelineBelow (/. to r.): ø detøil of the linìng paper in theI¿te-Victoriøn treøsure chest; a boy's søilorsait ofthe 1890s; and ø "Cøts ønd Mica" gømcboard andspinnex

Teacher's GuideSeveral weeks before a Portable Pitts-

burgh presentation is scheduled in a class-room, our volunteer coordinator, Mary LuDenny, will send teachers a copy of thePortable Pittsburgh Teacher's Guide to helpthem make the best use of the program asan integral part of their curriculum. Theteacher's guide provides an outline of theprogram goals, an overview of each era,suggestions for pre- and post-visit activities,and a reading list for further study.

Available November LPortable Pittsburgh wlll be debuted pub-

licly in a workshop session and exhibitors'

table at the Pittsburgh Fund for Arts inEducation,4rlists' Showcase on October22, 1988. Bookings can be made throughLandmarks (471-5808) beginning Novem-ber l, 1988. To help defray the program'sadministrative costs and maintain the kitmaterials, a nominal fee of $35 per sessionwill be charged.

Tieø¡are cúest ørtifacts (øboae): glats bottles, a sadiron, ønd tlte innerworäs of ø toaster; and ø mid-Vic torian p l: o to al b am.Below: aieøs ofPittsbargh, ønd a leøtlterfire ltel-ntet.

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Page 8 PHLF News Fall 1988

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Main StreetuMain Street" is not alwøys what itused to be; often it is neither theprincipal road through town northe principal place for shopping.Still, if functions of the old MainStreet slip away, the architectureremains. Nor is it fated that MøinStreet go into a steady commercialdecline. In this ørticle we discussthree local Main Streets, two incommunities now absorbed intoPittsburgh, one ín ø neørby bor-ough, and their progrøms for møk-íng Møin Street a better place.

East Carson StreetIn 1985, the National Trust selected EastCarson Street, between South 9th andSouth 25th Streets, as the subject of a three-year Urban Demonstration Program. Thusfar, the Trust's Main Street Center hadoperated only in small communities; withthis project it was moving into the city. TheSouth Side Iocal Development Company,in conjunction with the City PlanningDepartment and with Landmarks' support,had applied for the Program and estab-lished a new organization, Main Street ontust Carson (MSOEC), as the localadministrator.

The architecture of the street ispredominantly commercial, mostly latel9th century, and all in all a handsome dis-play of the builder's art. A recent remodel-ing (see "Iætdown at No. 1705j'this page)is all the more poignant because of its goodenvironment.

The project began promptly in October1985, aided by State funding that con-tributed heavily to staff salaries and designservices. The Trust sent in advisory teamsto organize and inform Carson Street mer-chants and help organize promotionalevents. MSOEC had designs created for thestreet itself, the fronts of buildings includ-ing signs, and some interiors. A strongBusiness Assistance Teams Program wasestablished to help strengthen existingbusiness. The program provides individualassistance with financing, design, andpreparation of business plans, as well as anongoing workshop series. The City, theAllegheny Foundation, and the HowardHeinz Endowment contributed service andmoney.

An aspect of the project was the ensuringof a commercial mix that would serve thelong-time residents of the South Side andalso the newcomers - businesses, residents,and visitors. The artists and art and antiquedealers were treated as a special asset. Theold question ofindustrial traffig congestiveand noisy, has been a serious problem,since it has discouraged both visitors andupstairs apartment dwellings. A route hasbeen proposed that would relieve EastCarson Street of this traffig but it couldtake up to l0 years to open.

The success of the Main Street project,from August l, 1985 through June 30, 1988,can be told by a few figures:ll2 facade changes ($2,304,850).65 building renovations ($4,897,450 com-mercial cost).

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184 building renovations ($2,520,000residential cost).15 public-improvement projects($1,397,200).

$11,119,450 total investments of which$8,653,800 was private money.72 business starts, 34 business closings,equaling 38 net new businesses.l19 net jobs gained.72Vo owner-occupancy ratq June 30, 1988.6090 retail, 2790 professional,9t/o miscel-laneous uses, 490 vacancy on ground floors,June 30, 1988.

Caroline Boyce, the director of MainStreet on East Carson from its inceptionuntil 1987, is very pleased with the project'ssuccess. So is the State's Bureau of HistoricPreservation, which on April 29 of this yeargave the project its Preservation InitiativeAward.

East Ohio StreetThe Public Space Improvement Project

of the East Allegheny Revitalization Corpo-ration (EARC) has somewhat similar inten-tions to those of the Mdin Street on EastCarson project. The present untidy appear-ance of East Ohio Street between CedarAvenue and East Street is to be lessened byputting wiring underground and removingutility poles, installing a mixture of tradi-tional lamp posts and high luminaires, lay-ing new concrete walks with brick banding,and allowing for trees if owners desirethem. These will give the close-packed com-mercial fronts, Late Victorian and poten-tially very attractive, a chance tci displaythemselves to greater advantage. Detaileddesign work by the engineering firm ofGannett Fleming will begin after formalapproval by City Council, expected in lateJuly. Completion is expected next spring.

Another program provides 50-50 match-ing grants for facade and sign improve-ments. This is to be financed in a public-private partnership, two-thirds of themoney from the City's Urban Redevelop-ment Authority, the remainder from privatesources.

Promotional events will be in the handsof EARC, as is the merchant support pro-gram; the latter, which has established aresource library and held seminars formerchants, has recently received an awardfrom the City Planning Department andthe URA.

East Ol:io Street, Nortû Side, øs it could be.

Tbe Pilgram Bai/ding, A//eg/:eny Rùer Bouleøørd

Allegheny River BoulevardThe centennial of the Borough of

Oakmont is coming up in 1989, and theBorough is planning a general beautifica-tion of its open, rather domestic mainstreet, Allegheny River Boulevard. Land-marks has offered advice, and plans areunder way. At the suggestion of the GardenClub of Oakmont, a landscape architect isbeing selected to do a long-range plan. TheGarden Club has been selling flowers, withsuccess, to aid the effort. Brick paving isbeing laid on the Boulevard roadway itself,block by block, with County help. ThePilgram Building is to be restored; this, apicturesque story building ofthe 1920s, isone of the most conspicuous on the Boule-vard. The Oakmont Library, an Alden &Harlow work of around 1910, has recentlybeen restored. The hope is that other build-ings, which present a disunified scenetoday, will be restored or remodeled intogreater harmony. Plaques are proposed forOakmont houses over 100 years old.

Commercial prosperity and commercialmix are not problems in Oakmont; here,visual amenity is what matters, and a mod-est, long-term effort is likely to accomplishthe task.

Restoration PrinciplesGiving Main Street a fresher coun-

tenance, improving its economic substancewhere necessary, is a delicate task. As apreservation group we of course advocatelooking at building fronts and the interiorsbehind them with care and imagination,seeing them in a restored state as a basis forthe street's new or renewed character. Wesuggest, too, that new signs, shop fronts, orindeed new buildings be constructed so asnot to clash with these older places, andthat street furniture, paving, planting, andso on unify the whole street and be visuallycompatible with its components. And yet,there has to be room for the truly creativedesign; nor do we advocate outright imita-tion of period forms in new construction.Each historical period, including our own,has a place on Main Street.

A good general principle for new work isthat, unless a building has a special sig-nificance to the general public, it should besubordinated to the character of the sur-rounding architecture: follow it, in ageneral way, in height, scalq proportions,materials, and intensity of ornamentation,while being modern in its detailing.

As to the character of the overall urbandesign, it should respond to the characterof both the architecture and the uses of thestreet. Cuteness on the one hand and

Bauhaus rigor on the other are both veryapt to be mistakes in graphics, street furni-turg and paving, since both extremes at-tempt to force a character on the street thatit is unlikely to have. Nor should plantingbe done arbitrarily; it should offer shade,contrast its forms and colors with those ofthe buildings, and give good spatial effects;further, it should be readily maintained andbe capable of enduring prevailing condi-tions.

All this is fairly obvious. Sensitivelytreated, Main Street can be a pride to itstown or neighborhood: not as a historicalclisplay, but as a living place with a sense ofhistory about it.

Na 1705 øs remo&led (øboue); Nol 1701-11before the remodeling (below).

Iætdown at No. 1705Until this spring the 1700 block of EastCarson Street displayed a row of handsomeVictorian fronts from l70l through l7ll.Numbers 1703 through 1709 were especiallyhandsome, with identical upper floors inItalianate. Number 1703 was an earlyLandmarks project, an illustration in the1970s of how a modern commercial frontcould harmonize with a Victorian facade.At first glance, what happened to the frontof 1705 this spring appeared as a dismalhallucination; one had to return to believeone's eyes. Here are Before and After views.We find it incredible to see that the ownerthus refaced the handsome building facadein this commercial district that is listed onthe National Register and is enjoying asuccessful restoration rebirth through theMain Street on East Carson project.

Awards of MeritThe time is here to nominate individ-uals and groups for Landmarks,Awards of Merit. Any citizen ofAllegheny County may make such anomination. For award criteria andnominating procedurq call EarlJames (471-5808). The awards will bepresented on the Distinguished Iæc-ture evening, November 16.

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Historic Plaques AwardedLandmarks has awarded its Historic Land-mark Plaques to the following:

. St. Mary's Priory (Henry Mosbr, 1888),614 Pressley Street, North Side.

. Ingram Elementary School (Press C.Dowler, 1914), Vancouver and MacrossAvenues, Ingram.

o Allegheny Cemetery (John Chislett andothers, chartered 1844), 4734 Butler Street,Lawrenceville.

. St. Bernard's R.C. Church (WilliamRichard Perry, 1933-47), 3ll WashingtonRoad, Mount Lebanon.

¡ Lawrenceville Branch, Carnegie Library(Alden & Harlow, 1898),279 Fisk Street,Lawrenceville.

. Brown Chapel A.M.E. Chr¡rch (architect

unknown, 1903), 1400 Boyle Street, NorthSide.

Several other sites were declared eligiblefor Historic Landmark status in the PlaqueCommittee meeting this year; their nameswill be announced when the owners haveordered their plaques.

In addition, a special plaque is being af-fixed to the house at l20l Buena VistaStreet as a marker for the entire MexicanWar Streets area. Its text gives a brief ac-count of the history and architecture of thisNational Register District, and of Land-marks' involvement in its rehabilitation.

Any members interested in submittingnominations for the i989 Historic Plaquemeeting should cali Earl James (471-5808).

Donøtions øndC a n Tri b u rio n s lWe / c o nzeIf you would like to donate any architectur-al materials - or if you would like to makea tax-deductible contribution to supportour library effort - call Walter Kidney(471-58C8) for further information.Iøurencetille Brøncb, Cømegìe Librøry