Unique partnership with Pittsburgh Scholar House will create 40 affordable apartments and an array of support services for Scholar House families.
PITTSBURGH – (September 24, 2024) Tishman Speyer and TREK Development Group today announced plans for the first residential development at Hazelwood Green. The 50-unit Lytle Street apartment building will include 40 affordable housing units developed in partnership with Pittsburgh Scholar House; Almono Limited Partnership, a joint venture of the Richard King Mellon Foundation, The Heinz Endowments, and the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation; the City of Pittsburgh; Urban Redevelopment Authority; Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency; and Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh.
The plan for the five-story apartment building, which is a result of Tishman Speyer’s extensive engagement with the City of Pittsburgh and local community leaders, is made possible through supportive financing from the Urban Redevelopment Authority and state and federal tax credits. The apartments will be a key part of the new Hazelwood Green mixed-use neighborhoods that Tishman Speyer is master developing to include residential, retail, lab/office, greenspace, and biomanufacturing facilities.
The new residential building will be located directly across from The Plaza Park at Hazelwood Green, a two-acre public green space adjacent to Mill 19 that hosts free public events, festivals, concerts and family-centric programming throughout the year. Designed by Perfido Weiskopf Wagstaff + Goettel, the project will encompass 33 one-bedroom (26 affordable; seven market rate) and 17 two-bedroom (14 affordable; three market rate) apartments. Through a unique partnership with Pittsburgh Scholar House (PSH), 13 of the two-bedroom units will be dedicated to single parents in need of safe and affordable housing while pursuing a college degree.
“At Hazelwood Green we are creating a welcoming extension of the neighborhood, and this first mixed-income, residential building is an important piece of that mission,” said Tishman Speyer’s Austin Gelbard. “We are pleased to have collaborated with Trek, the Almono partnership, the local community and our many public-private partners in moving this vital project forward and are excited to continue to be a part of the neighborhood.”
Pittsburgh Scholar House (PSH) is dedicated to improving the quality of life for single parents and their children through post-secondary education and comprehensive supportive services, including housing. PSH’s Wayfinders Program is specifically tailored to mitigate barriers that would otherwise impede degree completion by providing stable and affordable housing matched with on-site support services. The building’s first floor will feature spaces for providing wrap-around supportive services to parents participating in PSH programs and their children, including management and study/library/classroom spaces for both adult and early learning programs, and a children’s playroom.
“This project will have a transformational impact in the lives of PSH families,” said Dr. Diamonte Walker, CEO of Pittsburgh Scholar House. “It supports our commitment to investing in people to ensure they are prepared for opportunities in high-priority occupations and our goal of bringing 100 units of PSH affordable housing online by 2028. We look forward to working with our development partners and the community to bring innovative economic mobility solutions to Hazelwood residents.”
The building’s first floor will activate Lytle Street and in addition to PSH spaces, will include commercial space for neighborhood retail, a community room, fitness room and bike storage. The first floor of the building has an entrance off Lytle Street as well as from the garden and includes resident parking in the rear yard. The project was designed to be the first of multiple phases on the same block.
Construction will commence in 2025 with move-ins anticipated in early 2027. The project will be designed and constructed to achieve LEED Gold certification, a requirement of Special Planning Zone 10, and sits within the broader platinum-certified Hazelwood Green LEED-ND Neighborhood.
“We are honored to be part of this important new Pittsburgh community helping to realize the vision of our philanthropic partners and the Hazelwood community,” says William Gatti, CEO, TREK Development.
“Establishing Hazelwood Green’s first residential development project in partnership with Pittsburgh Scholar House is a wonderful reflection of the vision that the Almono foundations and our many city, state, and community partners have had since the site was purchased more than two decades ago from the steel mills” says Todd Stern, Almono’s asset manager. “This building will provide residents and families with secure, affordable housing, a beautiful park setting, and proximity to the economic, workforce, and educational opportunities at Hazelwood Green, in Oakland and downtown. Residents and their children will have access to quality early childcare, as well as nearby family health services, and cultural, social, and neighborhood programs, all of which will contribute to economic mobility and stability for families and the local community. This first of multiple phases of mixed-use, mixed-income housing projects at Hazelwood Green, this project is the result of collaboration among many individuals and organizations, all of whom share our commitment to forging a future of vibrant, equitable development without displacement at Hazelwood Green.”
Media contact:
Gigi Saladna, media@pghscholarhouse.org, 412.956.2499
About Hazelwood Green:
In 2002, Almono LP was formed by four Pittsburgh foundations to purchase what is now the Hazelwood site from LTV Steel for $10 million. Today, Almono comprises three Pittsburgh foundations – the Richard King Mellon Foundation, The Heinz Endowments and the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation. Located in Pittsburgh’s Hazelwood neighborhood and situated along the Monongahela River, Hazelwood Green is envisioned to become a world-class model for sustainable development that is aligned with community and grounded in the principles of sustainability, equity, and inclusive economic opportunity. This former urban brownfield is being transformed into a center for innovation, with a design vision that encompasses a mix of offices, research and development, light manufacturing, housing, retail, public green spaces, trails and transportation. This includes Carnegie Mellon University’s Robotics Innovation Center, the Roundhouse innovation hub led by OneValley, The University of Pittsburgh’s state-of-the-art BioForge biomanufacturing facility, Steelers Field – a multi-sport facility in partnership with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Richard King Mellon Foundation, an additional three-building research and development hub, and two-acres of green space. More at www.hazelwoodgreen.com.
About Tishman Speyer:
Tishman Speyer is a leading owner, developer, operator and investment manager of first-class real estate in 36 key markets across the United States, Europe, Asia and Latin America. Our portfolio spans market rate and affordable residential communities, premier office properties and retail spaces, industrial facilities, and mixed-use campuses. We create state-of-the-art life science centers through our Breakthrough Properties joint venture, and foster innovation through our strategic proptech investments. With global vision, on-the-ground expertise and a personalized approach, we foster innovation, quickly adapt to global and local trends and proactively anticipate our customers’ evolving needs. By focusing on health and wellness, enlightened placemaking and customer-focused initiatives such as our tenant amenities platform, ZO, and our flexible space and co-working brand, Studio, we tend not just to our physical buildings, but to the people who inhabit them on a daily basis. Since our inception in 1978, Tishman Speyer has acquired, developed, and operated 557 properties, totaling 226 million square feet, with a combined value of over $128 billion (U.S.). Our current portfolio includes such iconic assets as Rockefeller Center in New York City, The Springs in Shanghai, TaunusTurm in Frankfurt and the Mission Rock neighborhood currently being realized in San Francisco. More at www.tishmanspeyer.com.
About TREK Development:
Trek Development Group is a regional industry leader in the development and management of residential, commercial and mixed-use real estate. As a distinguished real estate development firm, they specialize in building innovative and sustainable communities that produce positive long-term financial returns and meaningful positive change to their respective communities. Trek works with local stakeholders and financial and development partners to create developments that reflect the architectural character, values and needs of the communities they serve. Trek does not dictate outcomes to community partners but seeks collaboration in support of its mission: focusing on creating value, enhancing lives, and strengthening communities. Since its founding in 1992, Trek has built a successful organization by embracing 3 basic values/practices: Responsibility, Curiosity and Humility.
About Pittsburgh Scholar House:
Pittsburgh Scholar House is a pioneering nonprofit organization dedicated to building generational prosperity for single parents and their children through post-secondary education and housing support. By combining affordable housing with comprehensive support services, including academic advising, workforce development, and child development programs, PSH empowers families to build brighter economic futures. We are committed to fostering a community where education and housing stability can ensure long-term economic mobility and a higher quality of life for the families we serve. More information is available at www.pghscholarhouse.org.
About Almono:
Formed by four Pittsburgh foundations to purchase the Hazelwood site from LTV Steel in 2002, Almono Limited Partnership (Almono LP) is the primary land owner at Hazelwood Green. Today, Almono comprises three Pittsburgh foundations – the Richard King Mellon Foundation, The Heinz Endowments and the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation. To learn more, visit www.hazelwoodgreen.com.
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