Part of the Crawford Square Development along Wylie Ave in the Hill District (Peter Diana/Post-Gazette)
Mark Belko | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | March 10, 2021 | Read the full story
Crawford Square, one of the city’s most celebrated residential developments, is gearing up for an encore.
After sitting vacant for two decades, the last parcels within the Hill District development are set to be completed.
Bridging the Gap Development LLC is proposing to build six for-sale townhouses on the 12 tracts, finishing off work that started back in the 1990s.
Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority board members are expected to vote Thursday on whether to enter into exclusive talks with Bridging the Gap for the sale of the parcels on Wylie Avenue, Peach Way and Manilla and Roberts streets.
As part of a deal to acquire full ownership of the Hill District complex, St. Louis-based McCormack Baron Salazar plans to rehabilitate all 347 Crawford Square rental units — the first full-scale renovation to take place since the development was built in the early 1990s.
Also Thursday, the board is planning to vote on whether to sell the former Hamm’s Barber Shop building and three adjacent lots in the Hill to Thomas Boyd, owner of Big Tom’s Barbershop, for $21,000 plus costs for a proposed redevelopment.
The URA is moving to complete Crawford Square at the request of the Crawford Square Homeowners Association, which wanted to see the last of the publicly owned lots redeveloped.
“The properties have been sitting there. The land has been vacant for the last 10 to 15 years. There was no reason not to finish the development,” said Rosalyn Guy-McCorkle, president of the homeowners association.
The exterior of the new houses will be similar to those built in the last phase so they will fit in with the existing residences. All are expected to be two stories with two or three bedrooms, Ms. Guy-McCorkle said.
Of the six new townhouses, four will be market rate and two will be affordable to households with incomes up to 80% of the area median, according to the URA.
Ms. Guy-McCorkle said it is important the last tracts be developed.
“There’s a need for housing in the city of Pittsburgh. If there’s a possibility to get housing done that’s already part of the plans, we should proceed with those approved plans so people can find housing in the inner city,” she said.
The exclusive negotiations with Bridging the Gap Development would run for six months.
In all, there are currently 71 homes in Crawford Square. The development also includes more than 340 rental units.
Mr. Boyd, meanwhile, is planning to move his own barber shop, which he has operated for 15 years in the Hill, into the iconic Hamm’s building at 2178 Centre Avenue.
According to the URA, he is also planning two apartments, each two bedrooms, on the second and third floors. They would be reserved for households at 50% to 80% of the area median income.
The adjacent lots will be reserved for an outdoor deck space that could be used by the community or neighborhood businesses.
Development costs total $1.3 million. Mr. Boyd has received a $50,000 grant from Neighborhood Allies and another $50,000 from the URA.
The Hamm’s Barber Shop redevelopment is part of a broader effort to revitalize parts of the Centre Avenue corridor in the middle Hill.
Mark Belko: mbelko@post-gazette.com or 412-263-1262.