8th Ave Offices and Lofts

WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA
BROWNFIELDSCENTER http://www.cmu.edu/steinbrenner/brownfields/

8TH AVENUE OFFICES AND LOFTS
IN HOMESTEAD
LOCATION: Homestead, PA TIMELINE
SIZE: < 1 acre 1871 Homestead Bank & Life Insurance purchases over 123
acres of farmland.
FEATURES: Proximity to Universities
and Downtown, Access to 837, Public 1880 Homestead Mill is introduced.
Transportation, Adjacent to the Waterfront
Development
1892 The Homestead Strike occurs.
OWNER: Karl Haglund, Judith Tener & David
Lewis, and 225 E. 8th Street Associates LP –
(three separate parcels) 1942 Homestead Steel Works expands and theworkers. are
converted into small apartments for steel
buildings

CURRENT USE: Office, Loft, and Retail Space
1980 Homestead Mill closes.
PAST USE: Retail, Lodging, Commercial, and
Residential
2005 The Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County gives
a façade easement for the Seventh Avenue building
CONTAMINANTS: None elevation and the facades are restored according to
historic guidelines.
TOTAL ACTUAL COST: Unknown

OVERVIEW
Close to the Golden Triangle, downtown Pittsburgh, the city’s regional amenities, employment centers, and universities, Eighth Avenue
has experienced Homestead’s rise and fall. Soon after the introduction of the Homestead Mill in 1880, Homestead was a busy
commercial center. For the 100 years that the mill had been active Eighth Avenue alternated between retail, entertainment, and
residential use. By 1980, the mill closed and the area was desolate. Homestead entered Act 47, but the successful redevelopment of
the Homestead Mill into a shopping mall, The Waterfront, in 1999 pulled Homestead out of municipal bankruptcy. The mall spans the
three boroughs of Homestead, West Homestead, and Munhall and is about five minutes driving distance away from the following Eighth
Avenue case study properties. Contrary to the expectations of residents, the Waterfront’s prosperity was isolated within their development.
Many residents of the three boroughs realized the disparity between The Waterfront and the nearby Avenues and utilized the assets
of the community, in particular, its history. In the 1990’s a group of local citizens was able to place the buildings of Homestead’s Main
Street into National Register of Historic Places. Also, seven local businesses and property owners on East Eighth Avenue formed the
Down Street Development Consortium to spearhead a revitalization project for the Homestead area.
Some current plans to draw attention beyond The Waterfront include the Seventh Avenue Initiative and “Homestead Happens.” The
former is a proposal to repair and renovate the Seventh
Avenue-side rears of East Eighth Avenue’s buildings
- eyesores visible from The Waterfront. It is funded
by the Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County.
“Homestead Happens” is a mini-festival that includes a
sidewalk sale and bike night.
The consortium secured $380,000 for the construction
of 14 loft-style apartments on East Eighth Avenue above
the storefronts. The following property owners have
been part of this initiative by successfully retaining and
rehabilitating these buildings on East Eighth Avenue.
Case Studies Completed in Summer 2008 by Melinda Angeles
SOURCES Picture courtesy of Google Maps
Baron, Jennifer. “New rental lofts part of redevelopment efforts in “The Avenues: Beyond the Waterfront” The Western Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh’s Homestead neighborhood.” 21 May 2008. Pop City Media. Brownfields Center, Redevelopment Workshop. 27 May 2008.
<http://www.popcitymedia.com/developmentnews/hmstd0521.aspx > Vellucci, Justin. “Planners target revitalization in Homestead.” 31 May
Dee, Jordan. “East Eighth Avenue developers plan U-Turn.” 21 May 2005. 2008. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. <http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. <http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/ pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_570322.html >
s_336623.html >

WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA http://www.cmu.edu/steinbrenner/brownfields/
BROWNFIELDSCENTER
Karl and Walter Haglund
Urban Design Ventures, LLC.
212 East Eighth Avenue*
LOCATION: Homestead, PA
TIMELINE
SIZE: < 1 acre
1880 Homestead Mill is introduced.
FEATURES: Proximity to Universities
and Downtown, Access to 837, 1980 Homestead Mill closes.
Public Transportation, Adjacent to the
Waterfront Development 2004 Karl & Walt Haglund purchase 212 East
Eighth Avenue in November and begin
OWNER: Karl and Walter Haglund of construction soon after.
Urban Design Ventures, LLC.

CURRENT USE: Office Space and 2005 Urban Design Ventures is established.
Apartments
2005 The Redevelopment Authority of
PAST USE: Movie Rental Store Allegheny County gives a façade
easement for the Seventh Avenue
CONTAMINANTS: None building elevation and the facades are
restored according to historic guidelines.
TOTAL ACTUAL COST: Unknown
2007 The development of the Haglund
property is completed in August.

HISTORY
Before this site’s redevelopment, 212 East Eighth Avenue was home to a movie rental store. On
November 3, 2004 – the same day that Karl and Walt Haglund buy the property – they also start
renovations. Two years after, the site is ready to house offices and apartments. The Haglunds
completed development in August 2007.
SITE ASSEMBLY AND CONTROL
This property was owned by Scott W. Reisch in 1991, Kitty Lesko in
2000, and finally Karl and Walt Haglund in 2004. The Haglunds were
able to salvage and renovate the one building on the development.
There was no need for zoning changes due to the nature of pre- and
post-development site use. There were also no covenants restricting
land use and no tax liens on the property.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
There was no need to perform environmental assessments, and
the owners reported no contamination found on the site prior to
development.
211 East Seventh Avenue Facade
Photo courtesy of Karl Haglund

PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
Prior to redevelopment, water, power grid, sewage, cable/DSL, phone,
and cellular lines were existing and adequate.
COSTS & ECONOMIC INFRASTRUCTURE
All of the financing for physical infrastructure came from private funds.
Financing for the development itself was made possible from a combination
of public and private funds. Of that, public funds made up about 40% of
Interior the total funding. These public funds came from development grants and
Photo courtesy of Karl Haglund loans from state and local sources.
Specifically, Walter Haglund received $54,286 from the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency low-interest
loan program for two new apartments in his building at 211 E. 8th Ave.

CURRENT STATUS AND LESSONS LEARNED
Because Eighth Avenue is listed on the National Register of
Historic Places, much care had to be taken to preserve the
history of the area.
This site is completely redeveloped, and the development was
able to create four jobs.
* First of three properties included in “8th Avenue Offices and Lofts in
Homestead”
Case Study Completed in Summer 2008 by Melinda Angeles

211 East Seventh Avenue Facade
Photo courtesy of Karl Haglund

SOURCES
Baron, Jennifer. “New rental lofts part of redevelopment efforts in
Pittsburgh’s Homestead neighborhood.” 21 May 2008. Pop City Media.
<http://www.popcitymedia.com/developmentnews/hmstd0521.aspx >
Haglund, Karl. Urban Design Ventures. Western Pennsylvania Brown-
fields Center Online Survey. 23 June 2008.
“The Avenues: Beyond the Waterfront” The Western Pennsylvania
Brownfields Center, Redevelopment Workshop. 27 May 2008.
The Tribune-Review. “Real Estate notes.” 25 March 2007. Pittsburgh
Tribune-Review. <http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/busi-
ness/realestate/s_498937.html
“Urban Design Ventures, LLC.” 2008. Manta. <http://www.manta.com/
coms2/dnbcompany_jvqs60 >
Vellucci, Justin. “Planners target revitalization in Homestead.” 31 May
Photo courtesy of Karl Haglund 2008. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. <http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pitts-
burghtrib/news/cityregion/s_570322.html >

BROWNFIELDSCENTER
Judith Tener and David Lewis
Five and Ten Lofts
213-215 East Eighth Avenue**
1880 Homestead Mill is introduced.
SIZE: < 1 acre
F.W. Woolworth Company moves into
FEATURES: Proximity to Universities 1924 the space.
and Downtown, Access to 837,
Public Transportation, Adjacent to the 1980 Homestead Mill closes.
Waterfront Development
A fire destroys the upper floors of the
1988 property.
OWNER: Judith Tener & David Lewis
1999 Judith Tener and David Lewis purchase
CURRENT USE: Commercial and the property.
Residential Space
2000 Tener/Lewis receive a grant from
the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks
PAST USE: Commercial and Foundation and restore the Eighth
Residential Space Avenue Facade.

CONTAMINANTS: None 2007 A green roof is installed in the Lewis
property.
TOTAL ACTUAL COST: Unknown 2008 “Five and Ten Lofts” is ready for
occupancy in June.

HISTORY
The area containing this site was undeveloped until 1871 when Andrew
and Ann Harper bought the lot. The Harpers built a two-story house,
listed now as 215 East Eighth Avenue. When this property changed
hands to John and Malissa Irwin in 1885, it was subdivided into three
lots and sold to his three daughters. Eleven years later in 1896, John
Irwin designed a three-story building for the property now known as
213 East Eighth Avenue. By 1912, a third story was added to the
215 East Eighth Avenue property, as well. In 1924, F.W. Woolworth
stepped in and occupied the first floors of 213-215 East Eighth Avenue.
Woolworth’s Five-and-Dime Store was the major tenant there for nearly
40 years, with a billiard parlor in the rear and office & residential space
on the top floors. In the 1960’s, Woolworth’s Five-and-Dime Store
closed and was replaced by Gil’s Discount Store. It did not last long,
and by the late 1970’s the first floor was rented out to a Pennsylvania
State Liquor Store. A fire in 1988 destroys the upper floors of the
property and leaves those floors vacated. In 1990, the last tenant, Rite
Discount Stores, rented the first floor. They moved out in 1995.
Four years later, Judith Tener and David Lewis purchased the
property. Since then, they have received grants and loans to assist in
the redevelopment of the site into “Five and Ten Lofts,” aptly named in Front Elevation of Five and Ten Loft building
recognition of the site’s history. Picture courtesy of www.myspace.com/fiveandtenlofts

Since 1924, these two buildings were primarily commercial with residential spaces on their second and third floors. Ownership of
the commercial space has changed hands from F.W. Woolworth (1924-1960’s), the Grand Billiard Hall (1929-?), the Family Loan
Company (1945-?), Gil’s Discount Store (1960’s-1978), the Pennsylvania State Liquor Store (1978-1990), and Rite Discount
Stores (1990-1995). The residential space on the top floors included Floyd and Grace Osborne (1929-1951), O.W. Colgan
(1929-?), Irene Knepshield (1929-?), James Gould (1929-?), Edna I. Neen (1929-?), Patrick O’Hare (1945-?), William J.C. Lamb
(1945-?), Helen H. Winner (1973-1978), and John and Patricia Gentilcore (1978-1998).
After it became vacant when Rite Discount Stores moved out in 1995, Judith Tener and David Lewis purchased the property.
There were no covenants that restricted
development; however, there were many tax liens
imposed on the property. All are paid now.
There was no need to perform environmental
assessments, and the owners reported no contamination
found on the site prior to development.
No additional parking structures were needed on
the site. Tenants are allowed permit parking in a
municipal lot across the property, and metered
parking is available.
Before this site was redeveloped, cable/DSL was
nonexistent and the water, power grid, and phone Photos courtesy of www.myspace.com/fiveandtenlofts
lines were existent but inadequate. All public utilities were made adequate by the developer, and each unit is cable and internet ready.
Frequent buses allow easy access to Oakland and Downtown Pittsburgh, while stores, theatres, and bars are within walking distance.
Funding for the development was made possible by a mix of public and private sources. According to the Steel Valley Enterprise
Zone, millions of private dollars are being invested in properties, including Lewis-Tener and Ranii. Also, the Mon Valley Initiative
and the Homestead-area Economic Revitalization Corp. provided $103,142 towards the development of Five and Ten Lofts. The
Initiative provided $162,856 to renovate six apartments in two buildings at 216-218 East Eighth Ave. David Lewis also received
a grant from the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation (PHLF) to restore the Eighth Avenue Façade of his buildings. In
addition, Three Rivers Wet Weather, a non-profit venture involved with improving water quality, gave a grant towards adding a
green roof to this property.

Because of the fire in 1988, Tener and Lewis internally reconstructed both buildings. A PHLF grant allowed them to restore the
building’s façade. They also repaired the roof and replaced missing and fire-damaged windows.
By 2007, structural stabilization, the framing of apartments, and green roof installation were completed. Although the roof costs
about 25% more than a normal one, it will save on utility costs for the residents by helping insulate and improve the water quality
of runoff.
In June 2008, the Five and Ten Lofts became ready for occupancy. Since then, all units have been occupied except for one.
** Second of three properties included in “8th Avenue Offices and Lofts in Homestead”

SOURCES
Baron, Jennifer. “New rental lofts part of redevelopment efforts in Pittsburgh’s Home- Lewis, David. Western Pennsylvania Brownfields Center Online Survey. 23 June
stead neighborhood.” 21 May 2008. Pop City Media. <http://www.popcitymedia.com/ 2008.
developmentnews/hmstd0521.aspx >
“The Avenues: Beyond the Waterfront” The Western Pennsylvania Brownfields
“Conveniently Green.” Reporter: Sally Wiggin. Channel 4 Action News. Online Video Center, Redevelopment Workshop. 27 May 2008.
Link. <http://mfile.akamai.com/12932/wmv/vod.ib sys.com/2007/0802/13808877.200k.
wmv > The Tribune-Review. “Real Estate notes.” 25 March 2007. Pittsburgh Tribune-
Review. <http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/business/realestate/s_498937.
Dee, Jordan. “East Eighth Avenue developers plan U-Turn.” 21 May 2005. Pittsburgh html
Tribune-Review. <http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_336623.html >
Vellucci, Justin. “Planners target revitalization in Homestead.” 31 May 2008. Pitts-
“Five and Ten Lofts.” 9 June 2008. Myspace. <http://www.myspace.com/fiveandten- burgh Tribune-Review. <http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/
lofts> s_570322.html >

BROWNFIELDSCENTER
Joe Ranii and
225 East Eighth Street Associates, LP.
225 and 227 East Eighth Avenue***
SIZE: < 1 acre
1871 Homestead Bank & Life Insurance
FEATURES: Proximity to Universities purchases over 123 acres of farmland.
and Downtown, Access to 837, 1880 Homestead Mill is introduced.
Public Transportation, Adjacent to the
Waterfront Development
1892 The Homestead Strike occurs.
OWNER: 225 E. 8th Street
Associates LP 1980 Homestead Mill closes.

CURRENT USE: Loft and 2005 The Redevelopment Authority of
Commercial Space Allegheny County gives a façade
easement for the Seventh Avenue
PAST USE: Boarding House and building elevation and the facades are
Curiosity Shop restored according to historic guidelines.
2007 The Ranii property begins development
CONTAMINANTS: None in October.
TOTAL ACTUAL COST: Unknown 2008 The development for the Ranii property is
scheduled to be completed in October.

HISTORY
This site was once home to a curiosity shop in the first floor and a cheap boarding house above. The curiosity
shop and boarding house ceased operations when 225 E. 8th Street Associates purchased the property in 2003.
The two buildings on the site were inactive for four years until the owners renovated them to include loft and
commercial space in October 2007.
When the buildings housed a curiosity shop and flop house, Ann Stewart was the
owner. In October 2003, 225 E. 8th Street Associates, LP purchased the property. The
two buildings that existed on the site before development were able to be salvaged.
The whole 8,800-square-foot building on 225 East Eighth Ave. was used, while only
3,300 square feet of the 4,100-square-foot building on 227 East Eighth Ave. were
salvaged.
There were no covenants in the buildings’ deeds that restricted land use, and the site’s
current zoning is consistent with its past zoning.

There was no need to perform environmental assessments, and the owners reported
no contamination found on the site prior to development.
225 East Eighth Avenue Exterior
Photo courtesy of Joe Ranii

The water, power grid, sewage, cable/DSL, phone,
cellular, and fiber optic were all existing and adequate
prior to development.

A lot of the financing for the development of this site
came from private funds. According to the Steel Valley
225 Interior Enterprise Zone, millions of private dollars are being
invested in properties that include this one.
Public funds, geared towards physical infrastructure and development, has been available in the form
of local grants and loans, state loans, and federal and state tax incentives.

The site is still in the construction phase and is
scheduled to be completed in October 2008, a
year after development started. Also, because the
area is listed on the National Register of Historic
Places, much care had to be taken to preserve the
architecture of the building.
*** Third of three properties included in “8th Avenue Offices and Lofts
in Homestead”

225 Seventh Avenue Exterior

SOURCES

Dee, Jordan. “East Eighth Avenue developers plan U-Turn.” 21 May 2005. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. <http://www.pittsburghlive.
com/x/pittsburghtrib/s_336623.html >

Ranii, Joe. Cityscape Construction Company. Western Pennsylvania Brownfields Center Online Survey. 23 June 2008.

“The Avenues: Beyond the Waterfront” The Western Pennsylvania Brownfields Center, Redevelopment Workshop. 27 May 2008.

Vellucci, Justin. “Planners target revitalization in Homestead.” 31 May 2008. Pittsburgh Tribune-Review. <http://www.pitts-
burghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_570322.html >

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