K-2 Manager Outlines Plans for New Beer Distributor · 7/11/2011 · Zeeshan Ahmed has been...

The final deadline for all articles, ads, and Bulletin Board items for the August 2011 issue isFRIDAY, JULY 15, 2011. Placement is first-come, first-served. For more information: 412-441-6915.

Volume 36, No. 7 Covering Bloomfield, Friendship, Garfield, East Liberty and Lawrenceville since 1975 July 2011

NON-PROFITU.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPITTSBURGH, PAPermit No. 2403

What’s up at K-2 conveniencestore on Penn Avenue? In early May,the gasoline tanks were dug out andremoved, replaced by huge mounds ofdirt, which were then hauled away thefirst week in June. On May 31, about20 nearby neighbors got a preview ofthe property manager’s plans toexpand the business by opening a beerdistributorship on the site.

Zeeshan Ahmed has been manag-ing the property for the past fourmonths, since the owner, Zabir Khan,who is his father-in-law, suffered astroke. At the May community meet-ing, convened by the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation and held atModernFormations Gallery on PennAvenue, Ahmed told neighbors thatthe “gas station was not economicallyprofitable… It lost money.” He hadthe tanks removed and the soil

checked for contaminants. Although“there is no contamination,” he is stillwaiting for final paperwork.

The new plan for the property is toretain the convenience store andexpand the building so that it alsohouses a beer distributorship, with thetwo businesses sharing a facade.Ahmed said he asked Freddie Croceof inter*ARCHITECTURE, wholives and works directly across PennAvenue from K-2, to conduct a pre-liminary feasibility study to assesshow the site might be reconfigured.Croce will eventually be drawingplans for the extension to the existingbuilding.

The structure, Ahmed said, willremain one-story, but the façade willbe improved, the parking lot repavedand the site landscaped. There will beseparate entrances and staff for theconvenience store and the distributor.The beer distribution business will be

K-2 Manager Outlines Plans for New Beer Distributor

By Paula MartinacThe Bulletin

See K-2, page 13

BRIDE MURAL GETS FACELIFT

She’s graced Penn Avenue for 15years, and looks a little worse forwear, with visible chips and flaking.Now “The Bride on Penn Avenue,”the iconic mural on the side of a build-ing at Penn and Graham, is getting afacelift that will “extend its life anoth-er 15 to 20 years,” according to RickSwartz, executive director of theBloomfield-Garfield Corporation,which owns the building.

“It’s starting to show signs of seri-

ous deterioration,” says Swartz of themural. This summer, local mural artistAshley Hodder, assisted by ZandraSpecter, will undertake the task ofreturning the artwork to its originalglory. The price tag of restoration is$37,000, of which the BGC has raisedall but $7,500.

Back in 1995, the BGC commis-sioned the local architectural firm ofArthur Lubetz Associates to restorethe four-story brick building at 5437Penn. Jill Watson, a partner in thefirm, was in charge of the restoration,

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See BRIDE, page 15

FAREWELL TOPEABODY ANDCLASS OF 2011

Senior class presidentAmber Craig (left) wel-comed the crowd tothe final graduationceremony forPittsburgh PeabodyHigh School onSunday, June 12. Readmore on PAGE 5.

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Page 2 • The Bulletin • July 2011

Garfield Map Project

Please submit your pictures and stories about your favorite places inGarfield! Garfield Community Action Team (GCAT) is starting an excit-ing new project to map out both the historic and the new exciting placesto see in Garfield. We welcome you to submit your favorite place in theneighborhood and let us know why this needs to be included in the proj-ect. All ideas are welcome! We will use these locations to map out walk-ing routes of interest in the neighborhood. They will aslo help preserveand record the rich history and new innovation in the neighborhood. Inyour submission, please include the location, a new and old picture (ifpossible), the reason why this part of the neighborhood is important toyou, and your contact information. There are many ways to submit:online at http://gcatpgh.wufoo.com/forms/garfield-map-project/; bymail: Bloomfield Garfield Corporation, ATTN: Kathryn Vargas, 5149Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224; or phone: 412-441-6950 x 17. Youcan just call and share your story!

Clean Streets Team Monthly Clean-Up

Take some time this month to give back to the neighborhood and help uskeep the streets clean. Saturday July 30th, 10 a.m.-12 p.m. The groupmeets in front of Edge Studio, 5411 Penn Avenue. Gloves and bags areprovided for all volunteers.

Green and Screen 5111 Build Day

Volunteers are welcome to join us in constructing the newest Green &Screen project for Penn Avenue. There will be two build days in July. OnSaturday, July 23rd, and Saturday, July 30th, at 10 a.m., we will meet at5111 Penn Ave (next to Awesome Books). Please contact: [email protected] for more information about the build day and the proj-ect. www.ecodesignersguild.org.

Garfield Community Action Team (GCAT)

Want to be part of planning and organizing community projects? Pleasejoin us for our upcoming planning meeting scheduled for Wednesday,July 27, at 6 p.m. at the Bloomfield-Garfield Community ActivityCenter, 113 N. Pacific Avenue.

Eastside Neighborhood Employment Center

Various volunteer opportunities are available at the ENEC, located at5321 Penn Avenue, including: assisting clients with Internet job searches, online applications, resumes and professional cover letters; andconducting mock interviews to assess strengths and weaknesses andbuild confidence. Additional assistance with data entry andreceiving/answering telephone calls is also needed. Please contact RickFlanagan at 412-441-9833.

If you have a volunteer need for the month of August, or have any

questions about what is currently listed, please contact Kathryn

Vargas at [email protected], or 412-441-6950 x 17

by July 15 to have it added to next month’s listing.

Cal l ing Al lVolunteers!

I am honored to serve as co-chair,with Councilman Bruce Kraus, of theCity Council Noise Ordinance TaskForce. Tools have been established tohelp citizens share their grievancesabout noise in the City of Pittsburgh.The Noise Ordinance Task Force willuse the input to help shape newmunicipal noise legislation. Somecommon noise irritants may include:industrial machinery; residential con-struction; parties; music; car andmotorcycle engines; and car stereos,alarms and horns.

Citizens are urged to phone, textor write to us about any issues ofnoise pollution that they experience.The noise line and task force websiteis noisetaskforce.pittsburghpa.govand the email address is [email protected]. Phone and textmessages should be sent to 412-223-7620. The postal delivery address isc/o Councilman Patrick Dowd, 510

City County Building, 414 GrantStreet, Pittsburgh, PA 15219.

This development stems from theTask Force’s research into best prac-tices of noise legislation around thecountry. The Task Force has also com-pleted a comprehensive review ofnoise issues in the current City ofPittsburgh municipal code; researchedrelevant technical issues in acoustics;researched legal issues in writing anoise ordinance; and reviewed thelegal and practical issues of enforce-ment, including the issues that havecome up for the police in enforcingthe current legislation.

In January, Council PresidentDarlene Harris created the NoiseOrdinance Task Force to study vari-ous noise issues in the City, and todevelop mechanisms of control thatare practicable and easily understand-able by various agencies and the gen-eral public. Other council members onthe Noise Task Force are TheresaKail-Smith and Daniel Lavelle.

Nearby neighbors can hear the birdssinging again, thanks to a collabora-tion of city council members, theMayor, the Bloomfield-GarfieldCorporation (BGC), the Children’sHome of Pittsburgh (CHP) and resi-dents of Friendship on a noise issuerelated to the air conditioning equip-ment at CHP.

The noise problem began soon afterCHP moved into its new $21 millionfacility at 5324 Penn Avenue in 2007.Nearby neighbors reported loud noisefrom the air conditioning units on theroof of the building, and CHP installednew compressor wraps and fan bladesin an effort to alleviate the problem.Although the sound changed after theinstallation, the neighbors said it actu-ally grew worse, becoming an insistent“pulse.” They engaged Aggie Brose ofBloomfield-Garfield Corporation as amediator between them and CHP.

The neighbors requested a “soundwall” that would direct the noise upinstead of out into the streets. But withthe financial obligations brought on bythe construction of its new facility,CHP said it had limited resources toimplement this solution, which cost

approximately $40,000. After severalmeetings with the neighbors, the CHPboard voted to contribute up to$20,000 to the effort if the neighborswould raise the remainder of the funds.

Councilman Patrick Dowd ofDistrict 7 offered to pitch in toward theeffort, and asked his fellowCouncilman Bill Peduto of District 8to join him. Councilman RickyBurgess of District 9 lobbied theMayor’s office on the community’sbehalf and secured additional fundsfrom Mayor Ravenstahl, bringing thetotal from the community’s side to$20,000.

Installation of the sound wall wascompleted on May 20, with positiveresults. “I feel the project has beensuccessful in reducing the overallnoise and bringing the ‘pulse’ to alevel that is not noticeable,” MikeDolan, one of the Friendship neigh-bors, told The Bulletin in an email.“The litmus test that I was using was,‘Can I hear the birds in my backyardwhen it is above 75 degrees?’ Theanswer is yes.”

Dolan added that he is “hopefulCity Council can construct legislation[see article below] that can help othercity residents avoid this unfortunate

situation in the future.” w

Noise from Air Conditioners at Children’s Home Abated


Making Noise About NoiseBy Patrick Dowd

City Council, District 7

See NOISE, page 4The BGC is now on Twitter! Follow @BloomGarCorp

July 2011 • The Bulletin • Page 3

Although the start of constructionis at least 18 months away, the PennAvenue reconstruction project is mak-ing progress on the design plans forPhase 1, which encompasses the four-block stretch between Mathilda andEvaline. The $5 million project hit amilestone on June 1 when engineerssubmitted the “Line, Grade andTypical Section” plans to the City’sBureau of Transportation andEngineering.

Patrick Hassett, assistant directorof the bureau, explains that the designplans “define the curb line, where carsgo, where pedestrians go. It establish-es the boundary between the two.”According to Brian Krul, ProjectManager with the engineering firm ofL.R. Kimball, the submission repre-sents 30 to 40 percent of the overalldesign, which keeps the project onschedule.

The next milestone, Krul says,will be the submission of a

Maintenance and Protection of Trafficplan, or MPT. This document will out-line traffic control plans during con-struction, such as how to keep trafficand pedestrians moving and business-es accessible. The MPT will show sec-tions of what the four blocks will looklike during theconstructionphase and thesignage thatwill directpeople to busi-nesses.

Preliminarydesign shouldbe completed by the end of the year,says Krul. In late fall, the plans will bepresented to the public at a communi-ty meeting.

Other engineering and design tasksare currently on-going. Within thenext couple of months, for example,drilling will be taking place at variouslocations as part of the project’s“Geotechnical Investigation.” Thiswill determine pavement depth at dif-ferent spots along the avenue. “Withthe drills and water, it might look like

Marcellus shale drilling, but don’tworry, it’s not,” explains Krul.

Another part of the design processinvolves planning for what is calledthe “streetscaping,” which includeslandscaping, trash and recycle bins,benches, bike racks, and poles for sig-

nals and sig-nage. KarenLoysen ofLoysen +Kreuthmeier,an architecturefirm located at5115 Penn, isutilizing the

urban catalog created for thestreetscaping, and will eventuallypresent the plans for endorsement bythe City’s Art Commission, whichadvises on all projects involving pub-lic right-of-way.

While engineering and design havebeen moving along, Rich Engel,Mainstreets Manager for theBloomfield-Garfield Corporation, hasbeen holding meetings with propertyand business owners at all the inter-sections between Mathilda andEvaline, to talk to them about changesthat will affect their businesses.

Carl Kirschbaum, owner of Carl’sTV at Penn Avenue and Winebiddle,says he has been well-informed by theengineers about the changes to hisintersection. “The engineers havebeen in two or three times, and I’msatisfied,” he told The Bulletin; he

says the BGC also sent him minutesof the Penn Avenue ReconstructionCommittee meetings. The entrance tohis parking lot is now on Penn, but toaccommodate a pedestrian bump-outat that intersection, the entrance willmove to Winebiddle with “NoParking” signs erected to keep it clearfor customers. “That’s all fine,”Kirschbaum noted. “The reconstruc-tion’s a good idea. It’s 100 percentpositive.”

One big change that will comefrom the reconstruction project istighter control of parking along thecorridor. Aggie Brose, deputy directorof the BGC, points out that there havebeen many missing meter heads alongthe Phase 1 stretch for about 12 years.After completion of reconstruction,“It’s not going to be the Wild West ofparking anymore,” says Hassett, not-ing that either new meters or kioskswill be in place and enforced.

To keep abreast of Phase 1 plansand progress, community membersand business owners can access infor-mation at the project website:w w w . l r k i m b a l l . c o m / p e n n -avenue.aspx. “There are currently sixtabs where you can visit and down-load PDFs of documents that havebeen approved, including agendas,meeting minutes, monthly statusreports, newsletters, reports from thephasing plan and the ProjectSchedules,” notes Ryan Sheran of

L.R. Kimball.w

Milestone Reached in Penn Avenue Reconstruction Project

“With the drills and water, it might look like Marcellusshale drilling, but...it’s not.”


serving Bloomfield, Garfield, East Liberty,Friendship, and Lawrenceville since 1975


The Bulletin

July 2011 • Vol. 36, No. 7

Total circulation:

20,000 copies 16,700 mailed

3,000 dropped

Editorial and Advertising Offices:

5149 Penn AvenuePittsburgh, PA 15224Phone: 412-441-6915Fax: 412-441-6956Email: [email protected]

Editor: Paula Martinac

Advertising: Martin Pochapin

Intern: Caitlin Cleary

Proofreading: Caitlin ClearyRick Swartz

Bookkeeper: Mary Anne Stevanus

Distribution: Garfield CISP

The opinions expressed herein are

not necessarily those of the publisher.

© 2011 by Bloomfield-Garfield Corp.www.bloomfield-garfield.org

We would like to acknowledgethe BGC’s NPP partner,

PNC Bank.

Thanks also to BNY Mellon,

Pittsburgh Partnership for

Neighborhood Development, The

United Way, Allegheny Valley Bank,

Dollar Bank, Citizens Bank, and all

our advertisers.

The Bulletin is published by theBloomfield-Garfield Corp. to:• serve the incorporated territory of theBGC and surrounding communities• report on activities and ideas affecting those communities• offer an opportunity to express opinions and exchange ideas

The Bloomfield-GarfieldCorporation holds its monthlyboard meeting on the second

Monday of each month at 5321Penn Avenue, starting at 7 p.m.These meetings are open to the

public.

Our eyesore of the month is inGarfield at 555 N. Aiken Avenue,10th Ward, the City of Pittsburgh.According to the Allegheny Countyreal estate website, the recordedowner is Ostara Exteriors, LLC. Theproperty was acquired in March,2009, at a sales price of $4,500. Theproperty is now tax-delinquent.

BGC staff visited the site and wasappalled at the neglected and blightedcondition of the house, which is in arow with houses on either side occu-pied.

BGC staff contacted the Bureau ofBuilding Inspection (BBI), whichreported that several citations werewritten for this property in December,2010, and sent to P. O. Box 100272,Pittsburgh, PA 15233 – the tax mail-ing and property owner address listedon the county website. The citationswere returned as undeliverable. Thelist of code violations is very exten-sive. Rear and right side walls havemortar erosion; windows are brokenand open; downspouts are missing;the rear porch and guard rails aremissing; the deck is rotted; the frontporch gutter is rotted, leaking andhanging off the building; the porchroof is rotted and collapsing; theproperty is vacant and open; and thereare overgrown weeds and debris. Andthese are only the exterior code viola-tions.

The BGC contacted Mark J.Krauland, Esq., who handled the fil-ing for Ostara Exteriors LLC.Krauland informed the BGC thatOstara Exteriors principal Kelly Kerrfiled a Consent to Appropriation ofName on December 23, 2008, and

The Noise Line will be open untilmid-July. Please note the Noise Lineis not a substitute for 311 or 911.Noise issues that require immediateattention should be reported to 311 or911. We hope this effort will helpcommunity members all around thedistrict. Should you have any ques-tions regarding the Noise OrdinanceTask Force or anything else in yourcommunity, please feel free to contactone of our team members in the officeat 412-255-2140 or district7@

city.pittsburgh.pa.us. w

NOISE, from page 2

E Y E S O R E O F T H E M O N T HE Y E S O R E O F T H E M O N T H

W A N T E DW A N T E D

Greg Stellmach, who had worked forher, filed that same day for aCertificate of Organization DomesticLimited Liability Company, becomingthe principal of Ostara Exteriors LLC.

Stellmach listed his address on thecertificate as 918 James Street,Pittsburgh, PA 15212, a buildingowned by October Real EstateHoldings, LLC, of which AlDePasquale is the principal.

The BGC phoned Stellmach at thelast known phone number listed forOstara Exteriors, only to be informed,“You got the wrong number – noStellmach here.”

The BGC then contactedDePasquale, who informed us thatStellmach had been his tenant and wasa roofer who had worked for EastLiberty Development Inc. (ELDI). AtELDI, Kendall Pelling told the BGChe was well acquainted withStellmach but had no information onhis whereabouts, and would also liketo contact him.

Working with the county staff,BGC staff could not locate any other

properties owned by Ostara ExteriorsLLC or Stellmach. They also couldnot locate Stellmach himself.According to our research into courtrecords, Stellmach has not passedaway.

As the owner of 555 N. AikenAvenue, Stellmach is the only onewho can be held accountable for theproperty. He has left a huge mess inour neighborhood, which is notacceptable.

This vacant and blighted proper-ty is causing adjoining homeowners tosuffer a loss in a value on their prop-erties, and their insurance companiesmay eventually cancel their insurancepolicies.

We are now asking for the help ofour readers to find him. If anyoneknows the whereabouts of GregStellmach, please contact the BGC at412-441-6950 x 15 so he can be heldaccountable to our neighbors andcommunity.

Let’s work together to hold peopleaccountable to our neighborhood. It

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555 NORTH AIKEN HAS AN EXTENSIVE LIST OF CODE VIOLATIONS...AND A MISSING OWNER.

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“They waited 100 years for us andas Peabody closes its doors for thefinal time we have to keep in mindthey save the best for last. Because weare the best there is, the best therewas, and the best there ever will be!To the class of 2011 and everyonehere, I say welcome.” The crowdroared as senior class presidentAmber Craig finished her welcomingremarks for what proved to be a joy-ous ending to a legacy.

Opening its doors in 1911, PeabodyHigh school is likely the alma materto the majority of community resi-dents living in the Garfield, EastLiberty, and Larimer neighborhoods.Famous graduates have includeddancer Gene Kelly, artist RomareBearden, and writer John EdgarWideman. After 100 years as ourneighborhood high school, Peabodyended its reign on a high note. Thegraduation ceremony took place onSunday, June 12, at Soldiers & SailorsMemorial in Oakland.

Joining the students for this historicoccasion were Pittsburgh Peabody’sprincipal, Kellie Abbott; members ofthe Peabody faculty and staff;

Pittsburgh Public School Board mem-bers Tom Sumpter and Dara WareAllen; and Pittsburgh Public SchoolsSuperintendent Dr. Linda Lane. Eachshared a few words with the joyouscrowd before the moment that familyand friends were all waiting for – theprocession of graduates.

The Bloomfield Garfield Corpora-tion and its close partner WirelessNeighborhoods have had a specialrelationship with Peabody HighSchool and its students. For more thanfive years, Peabody has been home tothe Community LEARNS afterschoolprogram. While the program will bemoving its base, CommunityLEARNS will continue to work withyouths living in the Garfield and EastLiberty neighborhoods. The BGC andWireless Neighborhoods are currentlyin discussion with PittsburghWestinghouse and University Prep toprovide afterschool programs in thecoming academic year.

Pittsburgh Peabody may be closingits doors, but the sprit of its alumniwill live on. The BGC would like toextend warm and enthusiastic con-gratulations to all of the 2011 gradu-ates as they prepare for their futuresand begin to leave their imprint on the

Pittsburgh community. w

Eight lucky and talented studentsof Peabody High School in EastLiberty can now consider themselvespublished authors with a book toprove it. Through a program with theYoung Preservationists Association,these students created a book aboutthe progression of the East End enti-tled Pittsburgh's East End: Then,Now and Later. This 100-page text iswritten in an essay style with multipleentries by each student. They docu-ment three areas of change through-out the East End: institutions, com-munities, and people. The book endswith reflections written by each stu-dent.

Extensive research went into thisproject, which is especially evident inthe photos used. Readers can appreci-ate the change undergone in this areaby contrasting photos taken in 2011with those from the early 20th centu-ry. The young authors make someinteresting insights throughout thebook. They do a particularly good job

ST U D E N T S = AU T H O R SBy Caitlin Cleary

The Bulletin

discussing schools in the area and thehistory of the Carnegie Librarybranches.

For the project, the students alsolearned interviewing techniques, andinterviews with East Enders such asJohn Brewer, Al Mann and CarolSpencer-Royall are included in theirentirety. Anyone interested in readingan insightful text by high school stu-dents-turned-authors can check outone of 500 copies available atCarnegie Library's East Libertybranch and at some East End

schools.w

SENIOR J’MAL CHRISTMAS SIGNSHIS SECTION OF THE BOOK.

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rtesy

YPA

Peabody Highlanders’ Last HurrahBy Kathryn Vargas

Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation

Pittsburgh Public Schools Board Member Bill Isler (above) talks with Westinghouse stu-dents Raymond Still and Solomon Campbell about the health careers that they havebeen studying. The Health Careers Fair was hosted at Westinghouse High School onThursday, June 9. The fair was the end-of-the-year event of East End Pathways toHealth Careers, a year-old initiative implemented by Wireless Neighborhoods with sup-port from the United Way of Allegheny County and the Jewish Healthcare Foundation.The initiative includes a weekly health careers curriculum and opportunities for studentsto engage with local health professionals. Wireless works in close partnership with theschools, local community organizations and health institutions to make this initiative pos-sible. Paramount to the success of the initiative was the effort put forth by students. Itwas their hard work and genuine engagement in the curriculum that made this event andthe year of career exploration successful. For more information on this project pleasecontact: Kathryn Vargas at Wireless Neighborhoods, 412-363-1910. w

STUDENTSENGAGED IN PATHWAYS TOHEALTH CAREERSINITIATIVE

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Thanks to all who’ve welcomedme as the new Mainstreets Manager onPenn Avenue. I’m working to reducevacancies and help current propertyowners and businesses, as well as toimprove cleanliness and safety onPenn. Contact me any time to askabout façade improvement grants,Unblurred: First Fridays, or any otherPenn Avenue matters, at [email protected] or bycalling the Bloomfield-GarfieldCorporation offices, 412-441-6950.

Please join me in extending a wel-come to new neighbors and business

owners Jason Demarchi of TattooNoir, Kate and Nikolaus Stoltzfus ofPlumb Media, and Jeff Newman ofSteel City Soils. Look for more aboutthese obviously tasteful folks inupcoming issues of The Bulletin.

Finally, some news from OldePittsburgh: On June 5, 1915, there wasa dedication ceremony for a play-ground next to Fort Pitt Elementary(now Pittsburgh Fort Pitt ALA). Acopy of the printed dedication programis in the wonderful Pittsburgh Historyand Landmarks Foundation library,and it includes many advertisementsfor businesses along Penn Avenue. Ifyou have a connection to a property orbusiness on Penn, perhaps you can

find your address below. w

BUSINESSES ON PENN IN 1915

4423 Penn, Simms monuments … 4516 Penn, Thoma plumber … 4708 Penn,Good Will Dairy … 4809 Penn, Model coat + apron … 5005 Penn, StuparitzMeat Market … 5006 Penn, Sauers & Kredell painting … 5011 Penn, Theisstailor … 5013 Penn, Nickholds hardware … 5015 Penn, Rosenkvistjeweler/optician … 5022 Penn, Linaugh wall paper … Penn at Winebiddle,Charters Grocery … 5025 Penn, Walsh confectionary, cigars … 5027 Penn,Laug’s Pharmacy … 5100 Penn, Winebiddle Pharmacy … 5102 Penn, Raineypainting, papering … 5103 Sternquist Jewelers … 5104 Fraley Electric … 5104Penn, Siebert & Gerheim Insurance … 5105 Penn, Moeller Meats … 5107Penn, McCabe Funeral Home … 5109 Penn, Gudat cigars … 5111 Penn, HeimBakery … 5112 Penn, Chivetta shoe repair … 5113 Penn, C. Miller butter, eggs,poultry … 5117 Penn, Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Co. … 5119 Penn, Bock tinand copper work and hardware … 5120 Penn, Hotel Kramer … 5121 Penn,Hufnagel fish, game … 5122 Penn, Ebert Grocery … 5124 Penn, Walker &Wilcox sheet metal work … 5125 Penn, Modispacher Shoes … 5129 Penn,Schurman gentlemen’s furnishings … 5137 Penn, Arnold Grocery … 5147Penn, Tea’s Pharmacy … 5149 Penn, Bowers Business School … 5154 Penn,barber shop … 5156 Penn, Newmyer-Beck plumbers … 5400 Penn, SchillerPharmacy … Penn at Graham, Swarger ice cream

M a i n s t r e e t s M e m oM a i n s t r e e t s M e m oBy Rich Engel

Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation

The Coalition of OrganizedResidents of East Liberty (COR) is a501(c)(3) non-profit organizationwhose vision is to improve the qualityof life for the low-income residents ofthe community. COR was formed bythe resident councils of the three FAP(high-rise) apartments in East Libertyto become the “voice of the resi-dents.” Throughout East Liberty’srevitalization, COR continues tonegotiate and advocate for affordablehousing in the East Liberty communi-ty.

COR serves as a WorkforceDevelopment organization with our

Section 3 Initiative. During the revi-talization of East Liberty, COR hasbeen dedicated to ensuring that resi-dents of East Liberty have an opportu-nity to obtain employment in bothconstruction and post-constructionjobs. COR can help you sharpen yourskills with resume building, refer-ences, job training and more.

COR will soon be referring peoplefor employment in all areas of con-struction to contractors on theFairfield Phase 2 construction project.For more information, contact me at412 661-2600. COR’s office is locat-ed at 211 North Whitfield Street, Suite210, in East Liberty. Our office hoursare Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to5 p.m. For more information, visit

www.cor-of-eastliberty.com. w

Workforce Development News from COR

By Ken Nesbit, MSWC.O.R Section 3 Specialist

Summer is here, and with that,higher electricity prices for some ofus, as fans and air conditioners beginto hum. You may have received piecesof mail from new companies onchoosing an electricity supplier. Itmay be a prudent time of year to lookinto your options on electricitychoice.

Utility rates are governed by thePublic Utility Commission. Over thelast few years, established rate capsexpired, allowing utility companies topetition the PUC to raise their ratesbased on their costs. Alternate suppli-ers were empowered to enter the mar-ket and give consumers more choices.The PUC has created PA PowerSwitch (http://www.papowerswitch.com) as a guide for consumers to usein making informed choices.

Your electric service includes threeparts: generation, transmission anddistribution. Generation is the produc-tion of electricity, and the companieswho produce it are called suppliers.Transmission is the movement of that

electricity from where it is producedto a local distribution system.Distribution is the delivery of electric-ity to your home or business.

In most of my district withinPittsburgh city limits, Duquesne Lightserves as your electric company.Duquesne will continue to deliveryour service, provide maintenance,and handle your billing, but you arenow able to choose the electric suppli-er who generates the electricity thatyou use. Once you enter your ZIPcode, you can see all the availablesuppliers, their price to compare, andcontractual terms. You are welcome tostay with Duquesne Light as supplieror you may elect to switch. A quicksearch for ZIP code 15201, home ofmy Lawrenceville district office,pulled up seven different options forresidential properties.

I urge you to visit PA PowerSwitch online or to call the PUC at 1-800-692-7380 and research carefully.If I can be of any assistance in this orany other matter, please contact mydistrict office at 412-621-3006 or visitmy website at www.senatorferlo.

com. w

POWERING CHOICE IN YOUR HOMEBy Sen. Jim FerloPa. Senate District 38


Twenty-two new businesses havemade Lawrenceville their home overthe past year. Lawrenceville Unitedand the Lawrenceville Corporationhave been stewarding the developmentand opening of new establishments toensure businesses and residents con-tinue to coexist in productive andmutually beneficial ways. Sweepingsidewalks, hanging flower baskets,and creating and implementingparklets and green spaces all supportthe efforts of the Butler Street andPenn Avenue businesses workingtoward a thriving corridor.

As part of a community processimplemented last year regardingchanges of use for commercial spaceand liquor-serving institutions, andlarge-scale significant zoning changesalong the business corridor, the com-munity organizations have taken spe-cific action on behalf of the residentsand stakeholders of the community.

The opening of the proposedIndustry Grill, located at 4305 ButlerStreet in Lawrenceville, is still onhold. Plans for the establishment,owned by Daniell Viszlay-Walker,David Viszlay, and Tim Linz (LVW,Inc), call for a special exception to thezoning code, and the approval of a

double transfer of a liquor license.After many community meetings, andmuch information gathering and shar-ing, the community protested the spe-cial exception requested by the ownersand asked for a public hearing regard-ing the approval of the liquor licensedouble transfer. Concerns with thepotential negative impacts on adjacentresidents and businesses, and with theprevious experience and managementhistory of the owners, led to thesepositions and requests. A decision hasnot yet been made on the zoning issue,and a public hearing is scheduledregarding the liquor license doubletransfer. The hearing will take placeon July 13, at 1 p.m. at 2 ParkwayCenter, 875 Greentree Road, Suite G8.

In May, Lawrenceville United,along with other residents, public offi-cials, and business owners, intervenedin the liquor license transfer for a pro-posed gastro-pub called Alchemy andAle, located at 5147 Butler Street. BigTree Entertainment, LLC , owned byKathleen Sheehan and Fred Gardnerand managed by David Santa, hasplans to open a gastro-pub at 5147Butler Street. Although the idea of agastro-pub, with an emphasis on thedining experience, was well-receivedby the community, the inclusion ofDavid Santa as its manager was not.Mr. Santa’s history and involvementwith other clubs and nighttime enter-tainment establishments was cause forgreat concern. A public hearing will

be scheduled regarding the approval ofthe liquor license transfer, though adate had not been set when TheBulletin went to print.

New Amsterdam, located at 4421Butler Street, is planning to expand itsbusiness. Owners Jon Pergal andJimmy Woods, along with ChrisLasky, presented plans to add a deckand full kitchen to the existing estab-lishment. The owners addressed thecommunity’s concerns about noise,design, and operating procedures at ameeting on June 2nd. The ownerswere excited to announce they were

bringing back some of the communi-ty’s favorite menu items and that theestablishment is now completely non-smoking. New Amsterdam is lookingto start construction in late summerwith support from the community.Plans and details are on file and readi-ly available for review atLawrenceville United offices.

We encourage you to contactLawrenceville United with any ques-tions or concerns regarding our com-munity process, or about these specificbusinesses: 412-802-7220 or at

[email protected]. w

Lawrenceville Groups Keeping Tabs on New BusinessesBy Lauren ByrneLawrenceville United

and Maya HenryLawrenceville Corporation


Hospitality Lawrenceville Stylewas the name of the game onSaturday, June 10, when the com-munity hosted a new and reinvigo-rated Garden Tour. An estimated100 visitors spent the warm sum-mer day meandering through 16tucked-away retreats and wereamazed at what they found.

From the roses at 223 40th Streetto a tiny container garden filledwith herbs and vegetables startedfrom seed at 5301 Lotus Way thistour demonstrated the creativity andingenuity of many of our residents.At 184 Home Street, visitors founda garden designed as a crossbetween an Easter Vigil Garden anda Native American StorytellersTeePee. Pennsylvania native plantsand herbs including borage provid-ed the highlight at 221 Fisk. Acrossthe way at 251 Fisk, mature lilactrees and a lush dogwood provideda shady and breezy haven for manyvarieties of wild birds.

The starting point of the tour,which was free and self-guided,was the Community Garden atStanton Avenue and Butler Street.The community garden is staffed byresident volunteers and has a mis-

sion of promoting urban food pro-duction and community building.Volunteers who help in the gardenshare in the bounty it produces.

The most distant garden was at3927 Howley Street and was amust-see space that started out as acompletely empty 42 x 20 lot.There are now more than 100perennial flowers, vegetables, adouble helix brick pathway, greenwall, cinder block planter and rainbarrels.

Best of all, visitors were treatedto some fantastic examples ofLawrenceville hospitality, withmany of the hosts and hostessesproviding treats such as homemadebanana bread, warm chocolate chipcookies right out of the oven,lemonade and water.

The Garden Tour was sponsoredby the Lawrenceville HospitalityAssociation, which was assisted inthe effort by the LawrencevilleCommunity Garden andLawrenceville United. Specialthanks to the planning committeemembers: Chuck Alcorn, PaulAlessio, Jon Daniel, Molly Johnsonand Dora Walmsley. Poster Art wasprovided by Josh “Stretch” Carter.Look for us next year: Same time,

same places. w

GARDENS BLOOM IN LAWRENCEVILLE

Shared Space at Union ProjectFosters Collaboration

By Kate BayerBulletin Contributor

GARDENS ON THE TOURINCLUDED 221 FISK STREET(LEFT) AND 3927 HOWLEYSTREET (ABOVE).

Union Project (UP) is a dynamiccommunity arts and enterprise centerwith the mission of using its space tobring people together to connect, cre-ate, and celebrate. For over a decade,Union Project has supported commu-nity enterprise, creating nearly 100jobs, growing dozens more, andincubating a diverse network of part-ners, including community leaders,artists, micro-entrepreneurs, smallbusinesses, and non-profits.

Located at 801 North Negley, UPprovides a variety of spaces in its his-toric building, from private offices toweekly rentals for community teach-ers and classes. Now, SharedWorking Space at Union Project willprovide an innovative way to workcollaboratively in a beautiful andflexible environment.

The idea is simple: Whether you

are a private contractor, an owner ofa growing business, or a craftspersonin need of a different environment todo what you love, Union ProjectShared Working Space provides youwith an affordable alternative to thetraditional office.

What makes Shared WorkingSpace at Union Project such an inno-vative solution? Shared WorkingSpace allows you to be as involvedas you want to be with the communi-ty around you, allowing you to workcollaboratively with communitymembers from multiple disciplines.

Additionally, working in ourshared environment allows you aunique space to hold conferences andevents, utilizing our beautifully reno-vated historic building at a discount-ed rate. With no yearly lease, renterswill have the stability of an officewith the flexibility of a month-to-month lease, starting at the low rateof $75 a month.

Interested in beinga part of UnionProject’s SharedWorking Space?Contact CarolSpencer-Royall [email protected] or 412-363-4550X 29 to see our avail-able spaces and shareyour office space

needs or ideas. w

By Kelly TobiasUnion Project

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Carol Peterson has a memory fromwhen she was about 5 years old ofbeing in a dress shop with her motherin Connecticut, where her family livedwhen at the time. “I remember beinginterested in the building and asking ifit used to be a house,” she says. Forthe past 20-plus years, she has pur-sued this curiosity in old houses andtheir stories by documenting the histo-ries of local houses for individualsand businesses.

Trained in Urban and RegionalPlanning, Peterson worked as anarchitectural historian in the CulturalResources section of a local engineer-ing firm from 1996 to 2007, research-ing historically significant propertiesaffected by development projects. Onthe side, she did house histories forresidents who shared her passion forthe stories old homes can tell. She hasnow completed more than 1,000house histories, many in the five EastEnd neighborhoods.

“People just get curious,” Peterson,who lives in Lawrenceville, explains,about why people hire her to docu-

ment their homes. “They’ll often saythere’s something idiosyncratic abouttheir house that they want to knowabout.” She says she thinks that some-times it simply comforts people toknow the history of their own placewhen the neighborhood they live in isundergoing change or turmoil. Inaddition, realtors hire Peterson to cre-ate house histories as closing gifts forclients, and nonprofit communitydevelopment corporations also engageher services.

Peterson says she is always able todocument the houses she’s hired toresearch, although some cases areharder than others. “There’s a misper-ception that all the information is onthe Internet,” she says. “But you haveto actually look at handwritten docu-ments that get you dirty. I don’t havetoo many white clothes.”

She can piece together a house’spast through construction documentsand deeds, and by using plat maps andarchives at the University ofPittsburgh and Carnegie Library. Topaint the full picture, she also doesgenealogical work, consulting censusrecords, wills, newspaper obituariesand city registers. “Sometimes I caneven track down and interview

House Historian Tells Stories of East End Buildingsdescendants,” she notes.

For the final product, she presentsclients with complete property own-ership history, with relevant informa-tion from each deed; constructiondocumentation; a biography of thefamily who had the house built; cen-sus records identifying all the occu-pants of the house; and copies of his-toric plat maps showing the house’slocation.

Peterson has documented all typesand styles of houses, from theMcBride log house in Lawrencevillebuilt in the 1820s (photo at right); tobuildings along Penn Avenue thatdate to the early 1900s; to a 1930shome in Mount Lebanon. She haseven done some 1950s houses, butshe draws the line there. “I don’t dohouses that are younger than me,” shelaughs. She chronicled the house inSchenley Farms built for FredRogers’ grandparents, andAmbassador Dan Rooney’s house onthe North Side, but not all of her workis documenting grand homes.

“All Pittsburgh houses have simi-lar forms, but they’re adapted to eco-nomics and lot size,” she explains.“So you’ll even find little Bloomfieldhouses with Queen Anne influences.”


Surprisingly, Peterson has not doc-umented her own house on 46thStreet. “It’s like the shoemaker’s kidsrunning around barefoot,” she says. “Ihaven’t had time to do my own

house.” w

Carol Peterson can be reached at412-687-032 or [email protected].

AMONG THE MANY PITTSBURGHBUILDINGS CAROL PETERSON HASRESEARCHED IS THE MCBRIDE LOGHOUSE IN LAWRENCEVILLE.

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The popular “Doo Dah Days: TheStephen Foster Music and HeritageFestival” returns to AlleghenyCemetery on July 9 with four hoursof musical entertainment, populartours of Allegheny Cemetery, food,and historical re-enactors. Since2006, Doo Dah Days has become aLawrenceville tradition that has beenwell-received by the public and hascaptured the attention of leadingnational newspapers, as well as theLondon Financial Times. All eventsstart at the Butler Street Gatehouse.

Although other cities have Fosterfestivals, the Pittsburgh event is theonly one that takes place in a ceme-tery – moreover, in the cemeterywhere the famous composer was laidto rest. Born in 1826 in the village ofLawrenceville, Stephen CollinsFoster has become one of America’smost beloved composers. By thetime of death in 1864 at the age of38, Foster left a legacy of 286 songsand musical compositions.

Doo Dah Days is more than a

musical festival; it is a celebration ofPittsburgh’s pre-industrial past vialively music, family entertainment,historical tours, and a throwback toearlier times with people dressed inperiod costumes talking about life indays gone by.

A collaborative venture betweenthe Allegheny Cemetery HistoricalAssociation and the LawrencevilleHistorical Society, this year’s eventwill run from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.Musical entertainment will featureauthentic Civil War era music,Bluegrass, Irish folk tunes, country,waltzes, reels, and patriotic songs.Wayward Companions will take thestage at 11:15 a.m., then back bypopular demand will be Home Frontat 12:30 p.m. The Allegheny StringBand will perform at 1:45, followedby The Venango Brigade.

Since Allegheny Cemetery ishailed as “America’s Pantheon,” afitting monument to our honoreddeparted, docents from theLawrenceville Historical Societywill conduct a series of trolley toursof the grounds. The first trolley tourbegins at 11 a.m. and the last departsat 3 p.m. Persons wishing to take the

tours are encouraged to purchasetheir tickets early in the day sincethis is a very popular event and thetours fill up quickly. Each docentwill bring a wealth of knowledgeabout the architecture and famouspeople interred on the grounds. Inaddition, the cemetery will provide acontinuous shuttle service to thegrave of Stephen Foster.

On hand will be Ellen HunterUlken, author of Beautiful Dreamer:The Life of Stephen Collins Foster,who will sell and autograph copies ofher book. The LHS will also have allthree Lawrenceville books –Monster on the Allegheny, ADoughboy’s Tale, and In Loving

Memory – available for purchase.Doo Dah Days: The Life of StephenFoster, a DVD will be sold.Proceeds from the sale of the LHSbooks and DVD help offset the costof Doo Dah Days.

Although all musical entertain-ment will be free, the sponsoringparties are not receiving any grantsto fund the events. Therefore, any-one wishing to help defray the costof Doo Dah Days may make a dona-tion either at the gate or by sending acontribution to the LawrencevilleHistorical Society, P.O. Box 4015,Arsenal Station, Pittsburgh, PA

15201-0015. w

HOME FRONT, WHICH PERFORMED AT THE 2010 DOO DAHDAYS, RETURNS THIS YEAR.

DOO DAH DAYS RETURNS WITH FLAIRBy James Wudarczyk

Lawrenceville Historical Society

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The Penn Avenue corridor wel-comed a new member to its ranksthis past October: BFG Café. Theformer flower shop has been underrenovation for the past five years totransform it into a welcoming, inex-pensive, and authentic eatery forcommunity members.

John Edgos, owner of BFG Café(which stands for Big Fat Greek),poured his heart, soul, and plenty ofconcrete into this project. Theextensive renovations involved ren-ovating the walls, floors, ceiling,and exterior. With help from theStern Brothers, Jason and Joshua,

Edgos remodeled this space to seat50 people comfortably in a uniquesetting. “It's been a good learningexperience,” Edgos reflects. “Youlearn to appreciate work more whenyou've done it yourself.”

The new space at 5335 PennAvenue offers three spacious roomsof wooden booths and tables.Customers place their order at thecounter and choose a seat where themeal is brought out to them. Whilewaiting they can take in the peace-ful peach walls and soft lighting thattransport them to an isle in theMediterranean, far outside ofPittsburgh. Pieces by local artistshang on the walls, with price tagsfor interested buyers.

Edgos has a background in the

Casual Restaurant Brings More Dining Options to Penn AvenueBy Caitlin Cleary

The Bulletin

JOHN EDGOS WELCOMES CUSTOMERS TO HIS NEW ESTABLISHMENT.

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restaurant business that spans 35years. He first worked in a family-owned establishment, Shiloh Inn, onMt. Washington. After 25 yearsthere, he moved on to Nakama in theSouthside. He says he came toGarfield to be his own boss and tofully experi-ence the up-and-comingatmosphere ofthe area.

He says hebelieves BFGCafé will contribute to the familyatmosphere seen in Garfield. “Thisis the best neighborhood inPittsburgh; it's so family-oriented.People care about being close.” Herecounts an instance in which a cus-tomer generously thanked him forthe food. “I should be thanking themfor coming in!”

BFG Café's menu has standardpizza and sandwich options mixedwith traditional Greek choices likebaklava and gyros. Unlike similarestablishments, all of the food is pre-

pared fresh and on-site. “Even oursteak is hand-prepped by our veryown Chef Milton,” Edgos asserts.“You won't find Steakumms here.”As with the renovations, Edgos saysthe menu will evolve as the restau-rant settles into its role on Penn

Avenue. One crit-

icism of thePenn Avenuecorridor hasbeen the lackof sit-down

restaurants, which BFG Caféaddresses. The restaurant’s varietyof choices offers something foreveryone, and the atmosphere isappropriate for any day of the week.The café is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.,Mondays through Fridays, and 12 to8 p.m. Saturdays.

Always optimistic, Edgos sayshe’s excited about the future. “Thisis the start of something good, notjust for me but for the whole area. I

think we'll grow together.” w

“This is the best neighbor-hood in Pittsburgh.”

B G C M E M B E R S H I P I S O N L I N E

Did you know that the Bloomfield-Garfield Corporation is a membershiporganization, composed of people like YOU who want change and improve-ment in their neighborhoods? If you like the work the BGC has been doingin housing, public safety, and youth development, or if you regularly readThe Bulletin, you can show your support by becoming a BGC member orrenewing your membership online... for as little as $10! Just visitwww.bloomfield-garfield.org, click on “Donate / Become a Member,” andfollow the easy instructions for paying either via PayPal or by check. Twooptions - two easy ways to support your community! We hope you will joinus and your neighbors in our commitment to the revitalization of Garfield,Friendship, and Bloomfield.


Nearly nine months ago,Kimberly Musial, a formerPittsburgh Coro fellow, gave birthto her dream of owning a bright,new yoga and meditation space.She named it “Yoga Hive.”Punctuated by orange walls, it sitsnestled in relaxed openness on theground floor of the Glass Lofts at5491 Penn Avenue. But as just thename implies, the place now bustleswith the activity of customers seek-ing respite from the rigors of urbanlife.

That concept was far fromMusial’s mind several years ago,while she studied for her Bachelor’sin urban planning and architecturalhistory and still further while shewas getting her Master’s in publicadministration. It wasn’t until 2009,11 years after her first yoga class,that she went to a retreat for a styleof meditation called “Vipassana.”During this training, she sat for 10days in silence. No talking. Nophones or TV. No distractions.

“I was trying to focus and clearmy mind. It was the hardest thingI’ve ever done in my life,” Musialadmitted. But she came away feel-ing good and with a better sense ofher self-worth. She’d also had anepiphany: she felt she could havean impact on communities by help-ing others discover more aboutthemselves, just as she had done.She confidently kicked the corpo-rate world aside.

Selecting the location for YogaHive – the Bloomfield / Garfield /Friendship area – was amazinglyeasy. “Yoga is so wonderful, and sobeneficial,” said Musial, “and Iwanted to reach an underserved anddiverse population of students, pro-fessionals and everyone inbetween.” She says she wanted tocreate a community space wherepeople of all walks of life could getin touch with their “center.”

But even with good intentionsand encouragement from communi-ty leaders, it was slow going forMusial and Yoga Hive in the begin-

ning. She hadn’t expected all thebureaucracy in owning a business,and attracting the diverse audienceshe wanted turned into a marketingmillstone. “Everyone doesn’t readthe City Paper. Everyone isn’t onFacebook.” She learned to dependon good old “word of mouth,” andnetworking with organizations thatserved the people she wanted toreach.

“I didn’t want Yoga Hive to bejust another yoga factory,” she said.“I make sure I know my studentsand they know each other.”

Musial said her yoga mission isas important as any other economicdevelopment happening along PennAvenue. “I’m adding to the shiftingdynamics of the community, byhaving opened a non-traditionalbusiness. People come here from allkinds of daily experiences and bondwhile they breathe together. Theymay all experience yoga differently,and that’s OK, too.”

Musial has also found an audi-ence by partnering with nonprofitand community groups. She hasparticipated in fundraisers for NewVoices: Reproductive Justice forWomen of Color, the Women andGirls Foundation, and the AfricaYoga Project, which does outreachto places as far away as Kenya.Soon she hopes do yoga training forunderserved youths here in the city.

“In yoga, every position is notcomfortable, and you have tobreathe through it, work throughit,” she said. “I believe this may behelpful to those who live in less-than-congenial circumstances tounderstand themselves better andtheir options to anger. It is my hopethat what they learn here they cantake off the yoga mat into everydaylife.”

Musial added with enthusiasm,“I appreciate each and every personwho walks through my door!”

Yoga Hive is currently offeringtwo weeks of unlimited yoga forjust $10. For more information,email [email protected] or

visit www.yogahivepgh.com.w

YOGA HIVE STILL GETTING BUZZ

“Avenue Insider” is a new monthly series that highlights businesses in andaround Penn Avenue to share what’s good in our neighborhoods.

Avenue Insider

By Christine BetheaBulletin Contributor

HELD IN JANUARY ATYOGA HIVE, BOOTCAMP 101 WAS ABEGINNER-LEVELINTENSIVE TO GETNEWER STUDENTSFAMILIAR WITH YOGAPOSTURES.

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“Like” the BGC on Facebook! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Bloomfield-Garfield-

Corporation/263453003709

Ever try mountain bike tirebowling? How about a high-techtreasure hunt in beautifulAllegheny Cemetery? Want todesign and screen-print your ownT-shirt? The Leslie ParkCollective, in collaboration withLawrenceville United’s YouthProgram, Venture Outdoors, theChildren’s Museum, Free Ride andSteel City Hoop Union, will pres-ent a “free sample” festival ofchallenging, cool, and creativeactivities on July 16th from 4 to 9p.m. at the decommissioned LesliePark Pool, located at 4700 ButlerStreet in Lawrenceville.

The DIY Challenge will intro-duce teens to a variety of activitiesthat focus on physical wellness,artistic explorations and learningnew skills, all under the guidanceof seasoned, certified youth pre-senters from established organiza-tions. The event is also aboutmaking connections: Once teensget a taste, if they’re interested indoing more of these activities, rep-resentatives will explain how theycan get involved. In addition, thefestival will help young peoplelearn about the history and archi-tecture of Leslie Park Pool, a love-ly civic amenity that’s beingreborn as an exciting recreationand performance venue.

The free festival will be jam-packed with afternoon and early

evening mini-workshops, interac-tive art and recreation, and per-formances in a program developedwith the Children’s Museum,Venture Outdoors andLawrenceville United’s YouthProgramming Director DaveBreingan.

The line-up includes T-shirtdesign and printing led by theChildren’s Museum; Try-a-KayakIn the Empty Pool and CemeteryGeo-caching led by VentureOutdoors staff (geo-caching is afast-paced treasure hunt usinghand-held GPS devices); a hulahoop jam with Steel City HoopUnion; and introductory bicyclerepair and maintenance workshopswith Free Ride, plus a make-and-take on jewelry out of bike parts.Free Ride will raffle several goodquality refurbished bicycles, too.

There will also be full-bodyBoggle in the empty pool withgiant letter cubes; a MakerBotmini electronics workshop; and apoetry slam performance and any-one-can-slam interactive. Foodand non-alcoholic beverages willbe available from local vendors.

Information and details areavailable on posters and at theevent’s Facebook page:DIYLive@Leslie. This event is spon-sored by a generous grant fromEQT Corporation’s CommunityInitiatives Program, with supportfrom the City of Pittsburgh,Lawrenceville Corporation and

Lawrenceville United. w

Teens Dive in at Leslie Park PoolBy Deborah Knox

Bulletin Contributor

K-2, from page 1

AT PRESS TIME, THE LIQUOR LICENSE FOR A NEW BEER DISTRIB-UTOR AT 4900 PENN WAS STILL “PENDING.”

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open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; K-2’shours will remain the same. Theentrances to the parking lot willchange, with an entrance on SouthMillvale and exit on Penn Avenue.

According to Ahmed, there willbe no drive-through, just counterservice, and the distributor will onlysell cases, not six-packs or individ-ual bottles. Ahmed further statedthat there would be no drinking onthe premises. While the distributor-ship will not have on-site securitypersonnel, he said he wants “toestablish a camera on the property.”

No design drawings were avail-able at the meeting. Ahmed agreedto hold another meeting with theneighbors when the design is final-ized, so that people can have inputon the drawings.

Although Ahmed said that hisattorney informed him on the day ofthe meeting that the liquor licensehad been approved, Aggie Brose,deputy director of the BGC, checkedwith the Liquor Control Board thatsame day and was told the licensewas still “pending” – in other words,not approved. Ahmed will have ayear from the time the license isfinally approved to get his operationup and running, and Croce estimatedthat the design and constructionprocess could take nine to 12months.

During a sometimes contentiousQ&A period, neighbors expressed anumber of concerns about the prop-erty, though more about problemswith the convenience store as itexists now than about a potentialbeer distributor on the site. One mansubmitted a typed list of suggestionsfor Ahmed. Another called the store“an eyesore to the community,” anda woman wondered how Ahmed andKhan will take care of a new, bigger

venture when “you’re not keeping itup now.” She asked why improve-ments to the property could not bemade now, instead of waiting for thenew business to open.

“It was a nice corner before yourfather-in-law took it over” 15 yearsago, one neighbor complained.Another alleged that that K-2 sellstobacco products to underage kids, acharge Ahmed refuted.

Brose explained that the BGCwill eventually enter into a memo-randum of understanding (MOU)with K-2, putting into writing thepoints of the plan Ahmed outlined.Although an MOU has no legalstanding, it will be registered withthe city’s Nuisance Bar Task Force,on which Brose sits. “If we see anyviolation,” she told the room, “we’llask the Task Force to deal with it.”

Ahmed informed attendees that ifthe nearby neighbors do not approveof his project, he will sell the storeand try to open a beer distributorshipat an alternate site, in Monroeville.“I’m not doing it if you don’t wantme to,” he stated. He asserted that heunderstands people’s concerns aboutK-2 – even his wife won’t come tothe store, he said – and wants towork with the community. For theirpart, most of the neighbors agreed tocome back to a second meeting in acouple of months, when the designdrawings are completed.

At press time, Croce told TheBulletin that he had not yet enteredinto an agreement for the design, butexpected to shortly. The financingfor the project, Croce said, is 50 per-cent secured. Croce further empha-sized that Ahmed is committed to“taking steps to improve the sitenow, before design even begins.

That is the first priority.”w


The Bulletin Board publishes list-ings of volunteer opportunities,free or low-cost events and class-es, announcements, fundraisingevents, and services that are ofparticular interest to our neigh-borhoods. Send announcementsto [email protected] by the 15th of eachmonth. We do not accept listingsover the phone. Listings pub-lished on a space-available basis.

T H E B U L L E T I N B O A R DT H E B U L L E T I N B O A R D

Parenting is a tough job - theParenting WARMLINE can help! Weoffer free, non-medical telephonesupport, information, and referral.Call 412-641-4546 or 800-641-4546or email: [email protected]. Confidential.

PARENTING WARMLINE

Come visit us at the Door of HopeCommunity Church, 5225 HolmesStreet, Lawrenceville every Sunday at11:00AM for our Church Service. Wealso offer Sunday School for all agegroups, plus Christians in Recovery,at 10 a.m. We would love to meetyou. For any additional information,please call us at 412-781-6440, emailus at [email protected] or check out ourFacebook page for our calendar andupdates on activities.

A PLACE TO BELONG

On the 3rd Saturday of every monthfrom April through October, residentsand community stakeholders cometogether to clean up, beautify, andplant Lawrenceville. Clean-upscrews work from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. onSaturday, with breakfast and a lightlunch provided. In addition, t-shirts,gloves, trash bags, and other neces-sary tools will be provided.Volunteers meet at LawrencevilleUnited, 4825 Butler Street, at 9 a.m.on each of the following clean updays: July 16, August 20, September24, and October 15.

KEEP LAWRENCEVILLECLEAN

BLOOMFIELD REDD UP

The Bloomfield DevelopmentCorporation has rescheduled the June19 Redd Up because, thanks to TreePittsburgh, they were able to add

greening to the agenda. Your help isappreciated and all supplies will beavailable to help Redd Up & GreenLiberty Avenue. Please join usSunday, July 10, at 9 a.m. in front ofStarbuck's on Liberty Avenue for cof-fee, fruit, bagels and cream cheese.

SPRAYPARK PLANS ONVIEW

The Leslie Park Collective invitesyou to see the model of the proposedspraypark and community center forthe Leslie Park Pool site. The open-ing reception will be Friday, July 1from 6-9 p.m. at Wild Card, 4209Butler St, Lawrenceville. The modelwill be on display at Wild Card fromJuly 1 to 9. For more information,call 412-344-3966 or 412-224-2651,or visit www.wildcardpgh.com

QUALITY HEALTHCAREINFORMATION

The Consumer Health Coalition aimsto enhance access to quality health-care. CHC enrolls at-risk consumersinto public health insurance pro-grams, educates the community pub-lic health insurance programs, andadvocates for legislative reform.Local rallies, phone slams, and otheradvocacy efforts work to improveaccess to quality healthcare. Theoffice is located at 415 East Ohio St.Suite 300 on the North Side. You cancall CHC at 412-456-1877 x200 or e-mail [email protected] for more information.

GIRLGOV APPLICATIONS

The Women and Girls Foundationwill begin accepting applications forthe Fall 2011 GirlGov trip. This one-day legislative shadowing program isopen to girls in grades 8-12 who livein Allegheny, Fayette, Greene, orWashington counties. Participants inthis all-day trip will have the opportu-nity to shadow a state representativefor the day in Harrisburg, Pa.Transportation and meals are includ-ed; there is no fee to participate. TheGirlGov program will take place inFall 2011. Applications must be sub-mitted by 5 p.m. Friday, July 15th to:The Women and Girls Foundation.100 W. Station Square Drive, Suite100, Pittsburgh, PA 15219; you canalso fax to 412-227-0417 or [email protected]

At 11:30 a.m. on Saturday Aug. 20,more than 20 four-person teams willshowcase their bocce skills and enjoya day of food, music, and fun at theSecond Annual Bocce Tournamentand Festival, which will be held in theSmallman and 12th Street parking lotacross the street from the John HeinzHistory Center. Spectators will enjoyItalian food and beverages providedby Common Plea Catering and musicfrom Pure Gold and other local bands.Admission is free for spectators. Formore information or to sponsor ateam, contact Natalie Taylor at 412-454-6325 or [email protected].

2ND ANNUAL BOCCETOURNAMENT

SUMMERFOOD PROGRAM

Through August 19, the AlleghenyCounty Department of HumanServices will run SummerFood, a freebreakfast, lunch and recreation pro-gram for children and youths 18 yearsof age and younger in economicallydisadvantaged communities.Nutritious meals for children will beavailable on weekdays at more than100 sites throughout AlleghenyCounty. A site supervisor and accom-panying staff will be present to ensurethe well-being of the children. Forlocations and information, call 1-800-851-3838.

HEALCREST SUMMERFESTIVAL

On Saturday, July 31, from 4 to 10p.m., Healcrest Urban Farm will hostthe 2nd Annual Rootz at SundownFestival. This event will offer gardentours, live performances, veganCaribbean food, and cultural vendors.For over three years, Healcrest hasprovided the community with greenopportunities, education on sustain-ability, and fresh, home-grown pro-duce. For more information onHealcrest and the events offered, e-mail [email protected] visit healcrest.com.

MCG Youth & Arts is offeringincredible courses for students ingrades 5-12 this summer. They'll getto create art in a world-class facility,using state-of-the-art equipment and

YOUTH ARTS SUMMERSESSIONS

professional-grade materials to createone of a kind works of art in ourceramics, photo, design and digital artstudios. Three two-week sessions willrun July 5 - August 12. Three two-week sessions for students 10-13years old, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 4p.m. Students will work in three ofour four studios every day, creating avariety of projects; $480.00 per ses-sion. Three two-week sessions forstudents 14-18 years old, Monday-Friday, 1 to 4 p.m. Each two-weeksession is focused in one studio, withstudents spending four hours indesign, photo or ceramics; $250 persession. Course spaces are limitedand available on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit the website atmcgyouthandarts.org/summer or callRose Mary East at 412-322-1773 x302 for more information or to regis-ter.

OUT-OF-SCHOOL YOUTHEMPLOYMENT

Need help getting a job? The BGCYouth Development Center is lookingfor those 17-25 years old to join theBGC Out-of-School YouthEmployment Program. Benefitsinclude: transportation assistance,pre-employment training, job place-ment, flexible hours, developmentworkshops, etc. For more informationvisit 5321 Penn Ave or call 412-441-9833 and ask for Charis Rose.

It’s time for the annual LawrencevilleHospitality House Tour.Homeowners in Lawrenceville’s 6th,9th and 10th wards are encouraged tosubmit their “labors of love” for con-sideration in the tour scheduled forSunday, October 2. Homes that havebeen thoughtfully or creativelyrestored or reconstructed and current-ly occupied by the owners will bewelcome. For more information or tosubmit a home for consideration con-tact Kate Bayer at 412-600-2068 [email protected]. Additionaldetails, including advance ticket saleslocations and volunteer needs, can befound at www.LHA15201.org.

CALL FOR HOUSES

Assemble, a community space for artsand technology, located at 5125 PennAvenue, is inviting the community tocome and paint building facades withcolorful paint and imagined experi-

UPCOMING AT ASSEMBLE


T H E B U L L E T I N B O A R DT H E B U L L E T I N B O A R D

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh -

East Liberty Branch

130 S. Whitfield St. 412-363-8274All programs are free

One World, Many Stories: Kids

Create: Drop In Art

Tuesday, July 5, 3-5 p.m.

Author Talk: John Brewer:

Presented by the Friends of

CLP- East Liberty

Join us for a presentation byacclaimed local author JohnBrewer. Saturday, July 9, 1-2 p.m.

Lego Night

Wednesday, July 135:30-6:45 p.m.

Family Storytime: How to Make

an Apple Pie and See the World

Tuesday, July 12, 11 a.m.

Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh -

Lawrenceville Branch

279 Fisk St. 412-682-3668All programs are free

Where You Are: Teen Summer

Reading: Teen Book Discussion

Teens join us for a special programjust for you! Grades 6-12 only.Wednesday, July 13, 4-5 p.m.

Games Around the World

Travel the world with games fromdifferent countries. Saturday, July16, 2-3 p.m.

Novel Destinations: Adult

Summer Reading: Armchair

Travel

Join your friends and neighbors todiscuss places you’ve been orplaces you’d like to visit. Tuesday,July 19, 5-6 p.m.

Family Storytime: Cinderella

Stories and more for kids and fam-ilies. Saturday, July 23, 11-11:30a.m.

CARNEGIE LIBRARY HAPPENINGS - JULYences on Friday, July 1, from 6 to 11p.m. “Colorize the Urban Landscape”features two artists living in theneighborhood as well: LeahBevilacqua and Stephanie Brunner.The gallery space will be convertedinto an indoor city environment, withparticipants working collaborativelyon the ultimate creation of a morevisually rich community. The hope isto inspire property/business owners,local community/business organiza-tions, and residents to embrace publicart as a community resource that canenhance everyday experiences tobeautiful and sensory encounters.Follow our progress atleahandsteph.tumblr.com. On July 9at 7:30, p.m., Assemble presents “TheGood, Bad, and Unique of YourNeighborhood, Illustrated,” featuringvisual facilitator Jonny Goldstein.

and suggested to the BGC that amural on the building would be anasset. That side of the building is at aprominent curve in the corridor, fac-ing a line of old Victorian houses.For the mural, Watson recommendeda friend, artist Judy Penzer, who hadcreated a sports mural on a buildingat 500 Wood Street downtown fea-turing local heroes such as MarioLemieux, Bill Mazeroski and others.Penzer signed on, and completed thePenn Avenue mural in 1996.

Until close to the unveiling, how-ever, the mural – a “trompe l’oeil”that pictures an African-Americanbride ascending the steps of an oldhome matching the others in the row– had no name. Aggie Brose, deputydirector of the BGC, remarked toPenzer that “everybody just called it‘The Bride on Penn Avenue,’” soPenzer settled on that popular choiceas the name and painted it onto thebottom left-hand corner. TheVictorian homes are now commonlyreferred to as “Bride’s Row.”

“She never gave her vision ofwhat it meant,” Brose recalls. “Whenpeople asked her, she’d just say, ‘It’swhatever you think it is.’” Brosesays that, while Penzer was painting,passersby would stop and talk to heron her scaffolding, asking why thebride was crying. “But she isn’t cry-ing,” Brose notes. “It just shows thatart is in the eye of the beholder.”

Tragically, Penzer, who was 49,and Watson, just 32, never lived tosee the mural’s unveiling. Travelingtogether to Paris, they died in thecrash of TWA Flight 800 in July1996 off Long Island, N.Y. Watson’sparents, who created a foundation inher memory, visited the muralrecently with Arthur Lubetz and con-tributed a “sizable gift,” Swartz says,toward its restoration. The McCuneFoundation then provided a partialmatch, leaving the project within$7,500 of meeting its budget. TheBGC welcomes donations from thecommunity dedicated to restoringthis mural, which has become a Penn

Avenue landmark.Artist Ashley Hodder, a Pittsburgh

native, specializes in mural painting.Since 2003, she has done public artprojects for Carnegie Museum, thePort Authority, Pittsburgh PublicSchools, Whole Foods and manyothers. While working as an artteacher with Alternatives toIncarceration Unit (AIU) at a site inEast Liberty, she often passed “TheBride” mural and says she “justloved it. This was even before Ithought about painting muralsmyself.”

Hodder says the restoration willtake 60 to 90 days and involvetedious, painstaking work. In the ini-tial stages, she and Specter, whooften works with her, will meticu-lously clean and dust the mural, thenspray it with layers of chemical solu-tion. Hodder consulted an artrestoration expert named NathanZakheim in Los Angeles, who sharedhis 20-plus years of knowledge withher. “You’re actually not changing

the original colors,” Hodderexplains. “Once you use the chemi-cal solution, it rebonds the moleculesand lets the original colors comethrough again.” She says she doesn’twant the restoration to look as if shesimply painted over Penzer’s work.“I want it to be as close as possible tothe original.”

Hodder told The Bulletin thatevery time she looks as “The Bride”she sees something different. “That’swhat keeps people interested in it,”she notes. “It’s open-ended.Personally, I don’t think she got leftat the altar. I think she got to thechurch and changed her mind.”

To make a contribution to therestoration of this Penn Avenue land-mark, send checks to the BGC, 5149Penn Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15224,with “Bride mural restoration”noted. Donations are tax-deductibleto the full extent of the law. For moreinformation on this project, contactRick Swartz at RickS@bloomfield-

garfield.org or 412-441-6950 x 11.w

BRIDE, from page 1

BLOOMFIELD-GARFIELD PUBLIC SAFETY TASK FORCE MEETING

Wednesday, July 13, 20114:00 p.m.Community Activity Center113 North Pacific Avenue, Garfield

Community residents may bring specific public safety issues to the atten-tion of the task force from 4 to 4:15 p.m.

Goldstein helps innovative organiza-tions create more engaging meetingsby drawing large-scale informationgraphics of the conversation as it hap-pens. Come describe the good, bad,and unique of your neighborhood!

NEW BETHEL CHURCHFAMILY & FRIENDS DAY

New Bethel Baptist Church, locatedat 221 43rd Street in Lawrencevillewill celebrate “Family, Friends andNeighbors Day,” Sunday, July 24, at10:30 a.m. Rev. Jonathan Gamble ofPetra Ministries will be the guestpreacher. An indoor picnic will beheld after the morning service, withfood, fun, fellowship, games andprizes. All are welcome!


A Hauling Job?We clear basements, yards, garages,

attics, estates

Fast, Reliable, ReasonableAlso demolition work, minor repairs,

grass cutting, salvage credit.

412-687-6928 Call Walt 412-773-0599

C L A S S I F I E D SC L A S S I F I E D S

SERVICESEDUCATION

A R T S H O W AT A R S E N A L

The students at Career Connections Charter High School (CCCHS), located at4412 Butler Avenue in Lawrenceville, prefer to see community service as “pay-ing forward.” Students, faculty members, parents, and community memberstook to the streets on May 27 through the “Pay It Forward” event to volunteerin a variety of projects throughout the city. Some locations included the GreaterPittsburgh Community Food Bank, Carnegie Library, Squirrel Hill FoodPantry, and the Women's Shelter of Greater Pittsburgh. Students also partneredwith the Lawrenceville United garden program to beautify the area, as picturedabove. CCCHS aims to create rich and diverse learning experiences throughsuch events as “Pay It Forward,” which teaches teamwork and the importanceof volunteering.

On May 27, Pittsburgh Arsenal PreK-5 celebrated its Third Annual ArtShow. During the music program, Lynda Dobos and Mailyn Gribble of Macy’sDepartment Store presented a check for $3,000 to Principal Ruthie Rea andJudy Flaherty, the art teacher at the school. This grant will be used to enhancethe elementary school’s art department with the purchase of a kiln and clay.

Arsenal has a full-time art teacher, a full-time music teacher, and a part-timeinstrumental teacher. Principal Rea has supported the arts by scheduling a cho-rus, art club, and annual art show. Visual art is hung throughout the school allyear long. Each student is required to include with his or her artwork a writtenresponse, an integral part of the school’s instructional focus: listen, read, think,and respond to comprehend.

The student population at Pittsburgh Arsenal PreK-5 is a diverse group ofstudents from 12 different countries. The school has two full-time ESL teachersto assist students whose families have emigrated from Somalia, Tanzania,Kenya, Burma, Nepal, and Qatar.

In September of 2010, Pittsburgh Arsenal PreK-5 received its initial grantof $1,500 from Macy’s to fund a program called “Engaging the Senses throughthe Arts.” Clay was purchased to enable the students to experience using theirhands as tools to form three-dimensional ceramics pieces. The 4th and 5thgraders attended the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater’s Nutcracker. Paint and canvaseshave been purchased for a mural to begin in the fall. This grant also providedthe funds to bring the African drumming and dance group, Afrika Yetu, to per-form for the May 27 art show.

Photo: Nasro Noor, Adrian Alberto, Hassan Hassan, Rickie Johnson, andKelly Le of Pittsburgh Arsenal PreK-5 pose in front of Van Gogh's sunflowers.

S E R V I C E D AY AT C C C H S

I C E C A R V I N G AT PJ C C

Jeff Lee, a Culinary Arts Instructor at Pittsburgh Job Corps Center (PJCC),recently spent 100 hours in training at the Academy of Ice Carving and Designin Fresno, Calif. “All the art and clay sculptures are done upside down beforeputting them into a block of ice weighing 300 pounds,” said Lee. “It is a 17 stepprocess. You have to learn how to lift the blocks of ice, how to keep themfrozen, how to level them, how to make a welded seam, how to make templateson tracing paper, how to take pieces of the ice block off with a chain saw, andhow to use a knife blade for carving. It helps to have an artistic eye and a littleart talent.”

This course trained and certified Lee so he can instruct students in Pittsburghfor three weeks this summer. This national program will be open to five stu-dents from culinary arts programs in Job Corps around the country. The cur-riculum will include art and clay design, the principles of ice, using tools andsafety equipment, handling ice, fusing for construction and repair, engraving,coloring and inlaying, as well as delivery, set-up, and display. “You would besurprised at how much physical stamina is needed to do this work,” said Lee.Any student between the ages of 16 and 24 interested in the culinary arts pro-gram should contact Josh Comer at PJCC at 412-441-8779.

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