Young Preservationists Association of Pittsburgh » Blog

YPA to Host P32 Community Conversations

Dan Holland — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 18:11:31 +0000

The Young Preservationists Association of Pittsburgh is hosting Community Conversations this summer as part of the regional visioning effort sponsored by the “Power of 32.”

The “32″ refers to the 32-county region surrounding Pittsburgh. It includes 32 counties in four states encompassing 4.1 million people. The Power of 32 is the nation’s largest regional visioning effort!

Community Conversations are being held to solicit input from the general public about the future of the region. This is a unique opportunity for you–the public–to provide your input on how the Pittsburgh region should be shaped in the near future.

We encourage you to attend one of our Community Conversations, below, or find one closest to you.

To register and for more information, go to www.powerof32.org.

Homestead & Steel Valley Community Conversation – July 27
Location: Pump House - July 27th
880 E. Waterfront Drive, Munhall
Homestead, PA
Time: 6:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Register Here: http://www.powerof32.org/event/homestead-community-conversation

East End Community Conversation – August 5
Location: Union Project
801 North Negley Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA, 15206
Time: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Register Here: http://www.powerof32.org/event/east-liberty-friendship-community-conversation

North Side Community Conversation – August 9
Location: Penn Brewery
800 Vinial Street Ratskeller Party Room
Pittsburgh, PA
Time: 6:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Register Here: http://www.powerof32.org/event/north-side-community-conversation

Hill District Community Conversation – August 11
Location: Hill House
1835 Centre Avenue
Conference Room A
Pittsburgh, PA, 15219-4396
Time: 6:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Register Here: http://www.powerof32.org/event/hill-district-community-conversation

Student/Youth Conversation – Sept. 7
Location:  William Pitt Student Union (on Pitt’s campus)
4200 Fifth Avenue
Room 548
Pittsburgh, PA  15213
Time:  6:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Register Here: http://www.powerof32.org/event/youth-forum-community-conversation

Squirrel Hill Conversation – Sept. 27
Location: Squirrel Hill JCC
5738 Forbes Avenue, Room 202
Pittsburgh, PA 15217
Time: 6:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Register Here: http://www.powerof32.org/event/squirrel-hill-community-conversation

Students Publish Preservation Book!

Dan Holland — Thu, 10 Jun 2010 19:09:25 +0000

On June 3, 2010, six high school students proudly sat at the Tin Front Cafe in Homestead and autographed copies of their new book, “Take a Walk From the Past to the Future of Eighth Avenue.”

They were participants in YPA’s Youth Main Street Advisors Program that encourages young people to explore and document their community and make recommendations for changes. The book was the product of a year-long process of discovery and creativity.

YPA is grateful to the Grable Foundation, which supported the project, and Red Engine Press, which published the book. Additional support was provided by SLB Radio, which conducted an interview workshop for the students, and Rivers of Steel, which provided research assistance. Louise Sturgess from Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation, and Eric Milliron, from Main Street Mt. Lebanon, spoke to the students at an orientation session held in October.

The 100-page book is available from either YPA or Propel Andrew Street High School (http://www.propelandrewstreet.org/) and are $12.00. Book sales benefit the school.

The Post-Gazette covered the story:
Students pen a historical look at Homestead Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, June 10, 2010

See photos from the training sessions and the book signing:

Propel Student Book Signing 6-3-10

Andrew Street HS Youth Main Street Advisors Interview Workshop, 12-10-09

Youth Main Street Advisors Program, Oct. 22, 2009

YPA Celebrates Historic Preservation Month!

Dan Holland — Tue, 25 May 2010 15:42:26 +0000

YPA celebrated National Historic Preservation Month at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater in East Liberty on Friday, May 21, 2010.

YPA unveiled its new list of the “Top Ten Best Preservation Opportunities in the Pittsburgh Area.” The list, published annually, highlights historic preservation projects with a good chance of survival and reuse. It’s a great way for communities all over southwestern Pennsylvania to celebrate historic preservation victories in the making.

Here’s the Top Ten Report: Top Ten Report 2010

YPA also released a new, groundbreaking report, “The Economic Impact of Historic Preservation in Southwestern Pennsylvania.” The report quantifies how many dollars, jobs, new businesses, and housing units have been created in the last few years through historic preservation.

Download a copy of the report here: Economic Impact in SW PA

Finally, YPA published a new report, “The Top Ten Buildings We Wish We Had Back,” which looks back on what we have lost. They serve as lessons for what to preserve in the future. Download a copy here: Homage to the Fallen May 2010

Here are pictures from the fun, networking reception:

YPA's Preservation Month Celebration, 2010

Sponsored by the Neighborhood Investment Association

Catering provided by the Culinary Artists Catering Group

2010 Top Ten List Released!

Dan Holland — Fri, 21 May 2010 09:00:57 +0000

YPA has released its new list of the Top Ten Preservation Opportunities in the Pittsburgh Area. The Top Ten Report was released at YPA’s Preservation Month Celebration, held at the Kelly-Strayhorn Theater in East Liberty, on May 21st.

YPA counted down the Top Ten on its blog, “Give Life to History!”

The blog can be accessed at http://youngpreservationistsassociation.blogspot.com/

Download a copy of the Top Ten report here: Top Ten Report 2010

Here is a copy of YPA’s new report, “Homage to the Fallen: The Top Ten Buildings We Wish We Had Back” Homage to the Fallen May 2010

YPA Releases New Report: Historic Preservation Creates Jobs!

Dan Holland — Thu, 20 May 2010 09:00:10 +0000

On May 20, 2010, YPA and Pennsylvania Works! released a new report that details the economic impact of historic preservation in southwestern Pennsylvania. The report, called “The Economic Impact of Historic Preservation in Southwestern Pennsylvania,” demonstrates the power of historic preservation to stimulate investment, generate taxes, create new housing units, and create jobs for Pennsylvanians that cannot be outsourced.

The report shows that in ten counties in southwestern Pennsylvania, over a five-year period, 2004 to 2009, historic preservation projects created:

> $475 million total investment,
> $65.6 million in taxes generated,
> 1,204 new housing units,
> 5.2 million square feet of space, and
> 3,042 permanent jobs.

The report measured the economic impact of historic preservation among YPA’s list of the Top Ten Best Preservation Opportunities, historic Main Street and Elm Street communities, and federal historic tax credit projects.

At a time when jobs are paramount, there’s no better way to stimulate the economy than through reinvesting in our core communities and historic structures.

Download a copy of the report here: Economic Impact in SW PA

YPA and Pennsylvania Works! call on the Pennsylvania legislature to pass a state law that provides incentives to owners of historic properties to preserve and reuse their old buildings. For the past ten years, the Pennsylvania legislature has been considering this legislation, but has failed to act. The time to act is now in order to put people back to work and invigorate the struggling economy.

The proposed legislation would provide direct grants to owners of historic properties to be used for building rehabilitation. It provides $15,000 for owners of residential properties, and up to $500,000 for owners of commercial properties. These funds not only fix up historic properties, but they employ local skilled labor that cannot be outsourced.

This economic impact report underscores the need for Pennsylvania to adopt this preservation incentive legislation to extend the economic benefits of preservation to all communities across the Commonwealth. Preservation puts people back to work, restores our core communities, and reinvigorates the tax base.

This new economic impact report is the definition of YPA’s slogan, “Give Life to History.”

YPA Press Release: YPAPressRelease 5-20-10

YPA CEO’s Remarks: YPA CEO Remarks 5-20-10

See images from the Press Conference here:

YPA Press Conference, May 20, 2010

Preservation Solutions Developed for Hazelwood

Dan Holland — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:00:36 +0000

More than 115 people met on Saturday, April 10, 2010, to develop solutions for preserving historic sites in Hazelwood. YPA hosted the second-annual Preserve Pittsburgh Summit as a way for young people, and people of all ages, to get involved in preserving local history. The Summit was held at the Frick Fine Arts Building in Oakland, and tours of Hazelwood were provided in the morning.

YPA honored PA State Representative Jake Wheatley for his contribution to preservation in his district and in the state legislature. Rep. Wheatley addressed the audience as the opening speaker.

The sites that were featured included the 1790 John Woods House, the 1899 Carnegie Library of Hazelwood, the 1912 Spahr Building, and the 1914 Gladstone School. Summit participants developed solutions for the sites, and then squared off in a So You Think You Can Preserve contest. The winning team was the John Woods House, but all recommendations that were developed were constructive ideas for the reuse of these historic sites.

The Summit featured a keynote address by Kate Burns Ottavino, Director of Preservation Programs at the Brooklyn High School of the Arts, the nation’s first high school preservation program.

Kate Burns Ottavino Bio

That evening, YPA hosted the Preservation Awards Reception at the Carnegie Museum of Art. At the Reception, YPA awarded the top Preservation Videos, presented by First Commonwealth Bank.

The winners were:

Historic Site
Mershon’s Summer Kitchen & Stable
209 West Main Street
Saxonburg, PA 16056
Butler County

Winning Student
Jamie Cashdollar
Knoch High School, Saxonburg

Nominating Teacher
Mr. Michael King

Youtube Link:

Historic Site
Trinity Hall
231 Park Avenue
North Franklin, PA
Washington County

Winning Students
Devin Mast, Jarrett Maleski, Chelsea Denman
Trinity High School, Washington, PA

Nominating Teacher
Mary Ann Berty

Youtube Link:

YPA also gave the Michael Eversmeyer Promise Award to students from Propel Andrew Street High School for their work on a book about Homestead’s past, present, and future. The award was presented by Clearview Federal Credit Union.

Michael Eversmeyer Promise Award

Here’s a map of the sites featured on the tour:

View Preserve Pittsburgh Summit Sites 2010 in a larger map

From Preserve Pittsburgh Summit Uploads for 2010

2010 Preserve Pittsburgh Summit Sponsors

Katherine Mabis McKenna Foundation

Paramount Pictures Film Exchange: Pittsburgh’s Newest Landmark

Dan Holland — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:00:07 +0000

Paramount Pictures Film Exchange, 1727 Boulevard of the Allies

On Thursday, Jan. 28, 2010, Mayor Luke Ravenstahl signed the final legislation designating the Paramount Pictures Film Exchange to be a City of Pittsburgh Historic Landmark. Council had voted, 8-1, to designate the Film Exchange on Jan. 26th. You can see a copy of the legislation here: Final Bill Passage

YPA is grateful to Councilman R. Daniel Lavelle and the other Council people who voted in favor of this designation, as well as YPA’s Board, Advisory Committee, Members, and partners, such as the Uptown Community Partners, Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation, Pittsburgh Filmmakers, and the Pittsburgh Film Office. More than 75 letters of support had been received in support of the designation.

YPA is especially grateful for Drew Edward Levinson, the 21-year-old film student who first called our attention to this important historic landmark. His video appears below (scroll down).

Last spring, YPA nominated the Paramount Pictures Film Exchange Building, at 1727 Boulevard of the Allies in Pittsburgh’s Uptown neighborhood, to be a city of Pittsburgh Historic Landmark.

On August 5, 2009, the City of Pittsburgh Historic Review Commission voted to recommend to City Council the designation of the Paramount Pictures Film Exchange to be a City of Pittsburgh Historic Landmark. The Uptown Community Partners, the leading community based organization in the Uptown-Soho neighborhood, endorsed the nomination, along with more than 75 supporters.

The building was recently sold to a developer who plans to rehabilitate the building. The building had been owned by UPMC Mercy since 2008. This is a win-win for the Uptown neighborhood, which is undergoing a revival, the City of Pittsburgh, and for the region’s film history. If it were not for a YouTube video about the film exchange produced by Drew Levinson last spring, Pittsburgh’s rich motion picture legacy would not have been told.

Historic Significance

Designed by R.E. Hall Co. Architects of New York City in 1926, the Paramount Pictures Film Exchange building meets the Historic Review Commission’s criteria for its association with important cultural or social aspects or events in the history of the City of Pittsburgh, the State of Pennsylvania, the Mid-Atlantic region, or the United States.

The Paramount Pictures Film Exchange Building is the last original remnant of Pittsburgh’s “Film Row.” From the 1920s until the 1970s and 80s, film exchanges were operated by movie studios that contained a film library of reels, offices, and private screening rooms. Theater owners could view a picture before booking them into their theaters. Pittsburgh’s film exchanges were all within a couple blocks of each other forming a “film row,” because it was very much a ‘one-stop shopping’ deal, where theater owners could go out of one exchange and immediately into the next—possibly to negotiate or book films from several studios. Now, Pittsburgh’s last one remains, the Paramount Pictures Film Exchange building.

History Captured in Film

This history came to light just this spring, when YPA held a historic preservation video contest for students under the age of 25. This year’s first-place winner was a student at Pittsburgh Filmmakers, Drew Edward Levinson, who profiled the history—and possible threat—to the Paramount building.

Judges for the contest included a number of experienced preservationists who had never heard of this building, never knew of Film Row, and were fascinated by the video. The YouTube video is embedded below.

YPA held an awards ceremony on March 28th to honor Mr. Levinson and the video was shown before an audience of about 100 people at Carnegie Museum of Art. State Senator Ferlo encouraged Mr. Levinson to nominate the building for historic status, and YPA offered to assist. YPA’s board unanimously supports this nomination.

Here’s the YouTube video:

Here are two GigaPan interactive panoramas of the Paramount building:

YPA Letters & Testimony:
Testimony for 1-12-10

Letter to City Council 10-30-09

Testimony for 9-15-09

Testimony for 8-5-09

Oral Testimony 7-1-09

Testimony for 6-3-09

Paramount Pictures Film Exchange Building: Fact Sheets
Fact Sheet

Film Exchange Pamphlet Complete 6-30-09

Here’s the original historic nomination form:
Paramount Pictures Film Exchange Building Nomination Form

Articles:
City Council votes to designate Paramount building as historic landmark, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, January 27, 2010

Pittsburgh City Council designates Paramount Pictures building as historic, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, January 26, 2010

Pittsburgh approves historic status for Paramount building, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, January 20, 2010

Sale of Paramount building slated for today, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, January 19, 2010

Uptown Paramount building historic designation debated, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, January 18, 2010

Public supportive of Paramount, The Duquesne Duke, January 14, 2010

Preservationists aim to save Uptown film exchange building, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, January 13, 2010

Dozens attend meeting about Paramount Pictures building, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, January 12, 2010

Historic Uptown building faces demise, The Duquesne Duke, October 1, 2009

Movie buff’s effort saves a building of paramount importance to film history, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, August 10, 2009

Historical designation for Uptown building OK’d, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, August 6, 2009

Pittsburgh’s Film Exchange gets historic designation, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, August 6, 2009

A bid to preserve part of Pittsburgh’s film history, WQUQ 90.5-FM, August 4, 2009

Group wants to save some of Pittsburgh’s Hollywood history, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, May 10, 2009

Discover Pittsburgh’s African American History!

Dan Holland — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 21:31:52 +0000

After nearly three years of work, YPA is pleased to present the first-ever tourguide of African American historic sites in the southwestern Pennsylvania region.

Called “Discover the Legacy: The African American Experience in Southwestern Pennsylvania,” and developed in collaboration with VisitPittsburgh and other partners, the website features more than 100 sites important to the development of southwestern Pennsylvania’s African American community. Ten historical themes are represented in nine southwestern Pennsylvania counties, including the city of Pittsburgh. The tourguide also interfaces with the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission historical markers.

YPA is in the process of planning a public release of the printed tourguide, so stay tuned! In the meantime, here is the list of sites that will be featured in the forthcoming hardcopy of the tourguide:
Discover the Legacy

The VisitPittsburgh website link is here: Black History Tourguide

A WQED-TV special on the National Negro Opera Company, America’s first black opera company which began right here in Pittsburgh, won an Emmy Award in Fall 2009.

You can view the video here: http://www.wqed.org/ondemand/onq.php?id=614

YPA also created a Google Map of the historic sites here:

View Discover the Legacy in a larger map

Here are photos of the sites:

African American History Sites

Thank you to all who made it possible, particularly the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission and the PA Department of Community and Economic Development, the two agencies which underwrote the tourguide. Thanks to a collaboration with VisitPittsburgh (Colleen Kalchthaler) and a lot of hard work from Dr. Larry Glasco, Dawn Webb Turner (the 2009 Promise Award winner), Melody Farrin, John Burgess, Thea Young, Michael Bennett, and many others, this project is the product of a concentrated team effort.

Thank you for giving life to African American history!

YPA Participates in GigaPan Workshop

Dan Holland — Fri, 22 May 2009 14:57:11 +0000

Thanks to support from the Fine Foundation and Carnegie Mellon University, YPA CEO Dan Holland participated in a two-day training program, May 21 & 22, 2009, to learn how to use the GigaPan robotic camera.

The GigaPan camera creates very high-resolution panoramas by stitching together hundreds of individual photos. Once the images have been “stitched” and uploaded to the GigaPan website, a user can zoom in to specific features of the image.

The camera is a powerful tool for multiple applications, including architectural surveys of historic properties, land-use management, urban design to create models for new buildings as well as old, archival for future generations, promoting specific sites, and education.

Some sample GigaPans are embedded below. Keep checking this site for additional GigaPans of historic sites from around southwestern Pennsylvania.

Wheeling Through History Bike Tour a Great Success

Dan Holland — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 12:00:46 +0000

YPA’s Wheeling Through History Bike Tour: South Side Edition, held on May 19, was a smashing success.

A group of 15 cyclists joined Geof Comings from the South Side Local Development Company on a ride through history along the South Side Trail and Eliza Furnace Trail.

Short narratives were provided at a few stops along the trail to provide riders with an experience with history–while on the bike.

Accompanied by perfect weather, the ride was well-received by all as a great way to spend an evening with friends.

Above, crossing the historic Smithfield Street Bridge.

After the ride, YPA joined Leadership Pittsburgh, Inc., and the Pittsburgh Young Professionals as part of the New Pittsburgh Collaborative (NPC) quarterly HUB event at a reception at OTB Bicycle Cafe on Carson Street.

The NPC gang – a group of diverse young professionals dedicated to regional progress – networked with drinks, appetizers and tips for utilizing regional amenities during a down economy.

Tom Baxter, Executive Director of Friends of the Riverfront, and one of Sustainable Pittsburgh’s outdoor recreation partners, spoke at the event (below).

YPA’s next bike-friendly history tour will be a collaboration with Bike PGH and Venture Outdoors:

Friday, June 12, 2009

Car Free Friday Bike From Work Tour
In recognition of the launch of car-free Fridays (every Friday) BikePGH, Young Preservationists Association and Venture Outdoors will lead a leisurely urban bike ride exploring the roads and riverfront trails of the North Side and South Side. Guest speakers from the YPA will provide historic information along the route from their Wheeling Through History Tour. The ride will end at OTB Bike Cafe on the South Side for a happy hour of specially priced drinks. This event is FREE to members of BikePGH, YPA and Venture Outdoors. Non-members are encouraged to join one or all of the three groups ($60 for memberships to all three groups the day of the program!). Pre-registration is encouraged. BikePGH and YPA members can call the Venture Outdoors office to receive the Members price.

Price does not include bike rentals. Bike rentals are available through Venture Outdoors for $8.00. Reservations for rentals should be made by calling into the office, 412-255-0564 ext. 21 after registering for the program.

Location: Kayak Pittsburgh – Downtown (right under the Sixth Street “Clemente” Bridge, by PNC Park)
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 6:00 PM – 7:45 PM
Cost: $10.00 non-member
Organization: Venture Outdoors