Issue

Preserving Pittsburgh's history

Historic designations, markers, and documentation of places that tell the city's story.

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  1. Bobby Wilson · 1 story
  2. R. Daniel Lavelle · 1 story

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City Council

Residents petition for a hearing to replace a missing workplace safety marker in Market Square.

City code requires council to hold a public hearing on replacing a missing Market Square marker about workplace accidents. On Oct. 13, council received a petition from 26 residents asking for that hearing. According to the marker's text, the research it honored led to workers' compensation laws. The hearing isn't scheduled yet, and it doesn't guarantee the marker will be replaced.

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Preserving Pittsburgh's history

City Council

Documenting Pittsburgh's LGBTQIA+ history with a $25K state grant.

A bid last year to make Donny's Place, a Polish Hill gay bar, the city's first gay historic landmark failed. Now, council has advanced city planners' request for a $25,000 state grant to study Pittsburgh's LGBTQ+ history. A planning official said the bar's nomination lacked the kind of study historic nominations typically include. The grant requires a $7,500 city match.

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Preserving Pittsburgh's history

City Council

Three Sisters Bridges, Schenley Park and Pump Stations are on the verge of historic designations.

The Three Sisters bridges, two pump stations, and Schenley Park are close to gaining historic protection. Council gave them preliminary approval, and final designation is expected next week. Separately, a pending nomination already protects the former Office of Municipal Investigations building, which council approved selling in June. Council plans a public hearing on it, though no date is set.

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Preserving Pittsburgh's historyManaging the city property portfolio

City Council

Challenged Historic Designation for Former Gay Bar to Receive Public Hearing.

Donny's Place, a Polish Hill gay bar from 1972 to 2022, served as an AIDS-crisis outreach center. If approved, the site would become Pittsburgh's first LGBTQ+ historic landmark, and the nomination will get a public hearing. However, the Planning Commission voted against it, and the late owner's estate opposes it. For now, no hearing date has been set.

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Preserving Pittsburgh's history