In the 1970s, Manchester was the focus of Pittsburgh’s neighborhood revitalization as the federal HOPE VI program enabled the renovation of vacant, massive old single-family homes into multiple apartment units.
Many of those original units are now themselves in need of renovation, and the Urban Redevelopment Authority has moved to do just that. During its February meeting, the URA board approved a $50,000 grant that will allow the Manchester Citizens Corporation to acquire 86 of those properties.
“This was one of the first Hope VI projects in the nations and contains mostly larger townhouse style units, 3- and 4-bedrooms that are in high demand,” said authority Executive Director Robert Rubenstein. “The acquisition of this portfolio by MCC the will help preserve an important affordable housing resource for the neighborhood.”
The MCC has a pending purchase agreement and plans to finance the property renovations with state low-income housing credits. It is budgeted at $40,000 per unit.
The board also approved giving Oxford Development and S&A Homes a nine-month exclusive purchase agreement for 56 properties in Homewood that would yield 45 affordable housing units. The development is the second phase of the authority’s Bridging the Busway initiative and would compliment the 41-unit senior housing facility already constructed.
The board also approved $100,000 in pre-development funds for a second project in Homewood that would create five, single family detached for-sale houses at the intersection of North Dallas Avenue and Kelly Street.
Rubenstein said the passive, modular homes would be built by EcoCraft Homes of Bridgeville and is part of the authority’s strategy to offer “green” housing options in Homewood.
“This development will build off the strength of the Homewood Station and Susquehanna Street, the Bridging the Busway planning, Operation Better Block’s Cluster Planning and other positive neighborhood activities,” he said.
The board also approved selling nine vacant lots that will be used to build another five single-family, detached homes on Mayflower Street in Larimer. The project is part of the larger Larimer Estates project and is budgeted at $1.25 million.
The board also approved paying FU Wilmers Architects $100,000 for design and development consulting services for the Mellon’s Orchard development at the corner of N. Euclid Avenue and Station Street in East Liberty.
In other business the board also approved a $75,000 contract to LaQuatra Bonci Associates for Larimer green infrastructure design strategies, and another $22,370 to the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy for additional community planning work in Larimer.
The board also approved retaining the Green Building Alliance as an advisor for its sustainability review process, helping developers that are subject to review to create a viable sustainability plan.
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