Facilitators guided discussion groups and on-site tours to develop recommendations for these four historic sites:  the August Wilson House and New Granada Theatre in the Hill District; the Garden Theater on the North Side; and the National Negro Opera Company house in Homewood/Lincoln-Lemington.

The Summit, held at the Frick Fine Arts Building in Oakland, enabled young people and community residents to make history come alive by injecting innovative ideas to create a better future for these important but endangered historic sites.  A final report will be issued at a later date.

That evening, Post-Gazette’s Tony Norman and PA State Senator Jim Ferlo hosted YPA’s Preservation Awards Reception.  YPA awarded $500 to the winners of its preservation video contest and announced the Promise Award to an emerging preservationist.  Entertainment was provided by “Sounds of Steel,” the Northside Urban Pathways Charter School Steel Pan Band.  Immediately following the Awards, participants enjoyed networking with dynamic movers and shakers in the Pittsburgh region.  

Read the Final Report here: Preserve Pittsburgh Summit Final Report June 2009

The 2009 Preservation Video Award winners included:

First Place ($250):

Site: Paramount Pictures Film Exchange, City of Pittsburgh (Soho)

Winning Student: Drew Edward Levinson

School: Pittsburgh Filmmakers

Hometown: Zelienople, Pa. (Butler County)

Age/Grade: 21, Sophomore

Nominating Teacher: Lorraine Heidekat

YouTube Link:

 
Second Place ($125):  

Site: “Save the Strand,” Strand Theater, Zelienople, Butler County

Winning Students:

Bethany Bettencourt

Selena Blair

Michaela Burr

Alex Deep

Connor Domhoff

Tyler Falk

Christian George

Austin Hall

Rachel Hunter

Justin Kording

Morgan Marion

Cole McDonough

Austin Ridgley

Hailey Vey

Chelsea Alberth

Kayla Hart

School: Riverside Middle School

Hometown: Ellwood City, Pa.

Ages/Grades: 13-18, 8th Grade – Senior

Nominating Teacher: Mrs. Rebecca Erin

YouTube Link:

 
Third Place ($75):  

Site: Old Indiana County Courthouse, Indiana, Indiana County

Winning Student: Brandon Roudebush

School: Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Hometown: Kittanning, Pa. (Armstrong County)

Age/Grade: 20, Junior

Nominating Teacher: Dr. Erick Lauber

YouTube Link:

Fourth Place ($50):  

Site: The Longwell House, Monongahela, Washington County

Winning Student: Caci Lignelli

School: Ringgold High School

Hometown: Monongahela, Pa. (Washington County)

Age/Grade: 15, 10th Grade

Nominating Teacher: Mr. Don Roberts

YouTube Link:  

YPA’s Promise Award was presented to Dawn R. Webb Turner, a third-grade teacher in Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood.  

YPA’s Promise Award, started in 2005, will go to one person, organization or place that is undertaking a new preservation initiative that represents great promise for advancing historic preservation in southwestern Pennsylvania.

Ms. Webb Turner’s work with YPA over the past year as a volunteer to develop the Pittsburgh region’s first African American history tourguide, as well as her efforts to preserve the National Negro Opera Company first home, and her extensive experience, education, and community involvement makes her an ideal awardee.

Ms. Webb Turner is currently a third-grade teacher at Pittsburgh Faison Arts Academy in Pittsburgh’s Homewood neighborhood. A Pittsburgh native, Ms. Webb Turner is a graduate of Westinghouse High School.

She received undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Pittsburgh, graduating Cum Laude. She has held positions as a Branch Manager for Three Rivers Bank and Assistant Vice President for PNC Bank. Ms. Webb Turner is currently developing the George A. Webb Sr. Learning Institute that will teach financial education and entrepreneurship to elementary-school aged children and older.  She is also the Steward of Homewood North under the Clean Pittsburgh Commission, and started the “Let’s Clean Up Our House Committee,” a group of youth, residents, and block club members who are dedicated to cleaning up areas in the community.

Previous Promise Award winners have included The Union Project (2005); Braddock Mayor John Fetterman (2006); Sandee Umbach, director of Wash Arts (2007); and Tansy Michaud, a senior at Norwin High School (2008).

Photos from the Summit:

YPA’s Preserve Pittsburgh Summit, March 28, 2009

Photos from the Reception:

YPA’s Preservation Awards Reception, March 28

More info. about the Summit is here: Preserve Pittsburgh Summit 

Summit Program:  Summit Program

Preservation Awards Reception Program: Preservation Awards Reception

Download a poster here: Preserve Pittsburgh Poster

View a map of the four historic sites:

View Preserve Pittsburgh Summit Locations in a larger map

Preserve Pittsburgh Summit Host Committee

Diana Bucco, Executive Director, The Forbes Funds

Esther Bush, President and CEO, Urban League of Pittsburgh

Cheryle Campbell, Director, Pittsburgh Field Office, U.S. Department of Housing & Urban Development

Mindy Higgins Crawford, Executive Director, Preservation Pennsylvania

Aradhna Dhanda, Executive Director, Leadership Pittsburgh

Honorable Patrick Dowd, Pittsburgh City Council

Honorable Mike Doyle, U.S. Congressman

Dr. Kimberly C. Ellis, Executive Director, Historic Hill Initiative

Paul A. Ellis, Esq., Law Office of Paul Ellis & Associates

Honorable Jim Ferlo, PA State Senator

Saleem Ghubril, Executive Director, Pittsburgh Promise

Court Gould, Executive Director, Sustainable Pittsburgh

David Hopkins, Western Pennsylvania Community Development Territory Manager, PNC Bank

Ellen Kight, Executive Director, Pittsburgh Partnership for Neighborhood Development

Honorable Bruce Kraus, Pittsburgh City Council

Marimba Milliones, New Granada Theatre Committee

Jerry Morosco, AIA, Principal, Gerald Lee Morosco Architects, PC

Honorable Tonya Payne, Pittsburgh City Council

Honorable Bill Peduto, Pittsburgh City Council

Honorable Luke Ravenstahl, Mayor of Pittsburgh

Honorable Doug Shields, Pittsburgh City Council President

Sala Udin, President and CEO, Coro Center for Civic Leadership

Preserve Pittsburgh Planning Committee

Kevin Acklin, Renew Pittsburgh

Regina Anderson, Coro Center for Civic Leadership

Drew Armstrong, University of Pittsburgh Architectural Studies

Laura Becker, Student, Pitt

Terri Blanchette, Heinz History Center

John Burgess, Coro Center for Civic Leadership & Pitt Student

John Burke, URA

Bill Callahan, PHMC

Sean Capperis, YPA/Councilman Patrick Dowd’s office

Robert Carter, First Commonwealth

Matthew Cesare, YPA & Student at Geneva College

Ann Fortescue, Heinz History Center

Dan Holland, Young Preservationists Association of Pittsburgh

Mac Howison, Sprout Fund

Kelly Lyons, Coordinator of K-12 Outreach, School of Architecture, CMU

Rebecca Maclean, CPD Representative, HUD

Rick Malmstrom, Ellis School

John McCarthy, Ph.D., Robert Morris University History Club

Bethany McLaughlin, YPA

Alex Mickinak, Recent graduate, Pitt

Katherine Molnar, City of Pittsburgh Historic Review Commission 

Mikhail Pappas, State Senator Jim Ferlo’s Office

Becky Rodgers, Neighbors in the Strip

Chris Sandvig, YPA

Colleen Schmidt, Student, Cal. U.

Steve Seliy, Consortium for Public Education

Thank you to Our Sponsors!

Presenting Sponsors

PNC Bank

Grable Foundation

Contributing Sponsors

Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission

Katherine Mabis McKenna Foundation

Supporters

Carnegie Mellon University’s Center for Africanamerican Urban Studies and the Economy (CAUSE)

Carnegie Museum of Art

First Commonwealth Bank

Donors

Citizens Bank

Pennsylvania State Senator Jim Ferlo

Pennsylvania State Representative Jake Wheatley

GNC

Massaro

TriState Capital Bank

Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh