St. Nicholas a National Immigration Museum?

Even before St. Nicholas Church on Route 28 closed in 2004, efforts were underway to preserve this first Croatian parish in the U.S. Today the Northside Leadership Conference and the Preserve Croatian Heritage Foundation announced some possibilities for the property.

PCHF President Bill Vergot says his group spent $40,000—almost all the money they'd raised to save St. Nicholas—for studies on converting the property into a national immigration museum for all immigrants to Pittsburgh--not just Croatians.

There are also plans for a trail that would connect with the riverfront trail system.

The architectural studies by Astorino estimate a cost of $10 million to build the museum and 5- to 600,000 dollars a year to maintain. Mark Fatla, Executive Director of the Northside Leadership Conference says the cost is modest compared to the $20 million Aviary expansion and the $30 million August Wilson Center. Funding strategies would avoid the traditional museum model that requires annual grants by seeking an endowment from fraternal organizations and individuals for operating costs, with government and foundation money for capital costs. A marketing study by Integra Realty Resources says about 25,000 visitors could be expected each year.

A sale of the property being negotiated by the parish and a billboard company would not necessarily doom the project, according to Fatla. PennDOT plans for Route 28 spare the church property, according to Mark Fatla, and would not impact the project, which is probably at least five years away.

North Side United: History Shows Continental Will Deplete Area

Dozens of North Side United members, congregated on the corner of 8th Ave. and Amity St. in Homestead to protest an agreement between the Stadium Authority and Continental Development. Protesters gathered in Homestead to use the borough as an example of the devastation caused by Continental Development when it built the Waterfront. "There used to be businesses all along this street," says Homestead business owner Mike Stout, "now only three businesses are open."

North Side United Chairman Michael Glass feels the same could happen to the North Side unless a Community Benefits Agreement is signed. "A CBA is the only way to guarantee that they will fulfill their promises."

In light of strong opposition from the protest group as well as Pittsburgh City Council, the Stadium Authority recently passed a vote to sell the land between the two North Side Stadiums to Continental for about 8$ per square foot.

Glass says the deal is unfair because other land in that area has been sold for as much as $80 per square foot. Today also marked the release date for North Side United's "White Paper," a study on the effects that will be felt from Continental ownership of the North Side parcel.

Climate Action Plan Approved, Holdoff on Stadium Authority Development Action Requested

At a Pittsburgh City Council meeting today, city legislators approved the Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan, designated the Salvation Army building (formerly the Malta Temple) a historic structure, and one council member shared his request that the Stadium Authority delay a final decision on several land parcel development deals until a public hearing is held.

The Pittsburgh Climate Action Plan, a measure sponsored by Councilman Bill Peduto, passed with a unanimous 9-0 vote. The Action Plan offers guidelines that the city can use to cut its carbon footprint by 20 percent. Peduto says the next step will be codification of the guidelines so that they are reflected in city code. He hopes this can be done by December.

The Salvation Army building was designated a historical structure. After being the center of an hours-long debate at last weeks legislative meeting. The measure passed without discussion with an 8-1 vote. Councilman Revered Ricky Burgess was the only dissenting member.

Finally, at the conclusion of the meeting during open forum, Doug Shields unveiled his plan to lobby the Stadium Authority to delay their decision on several North Shore land Development deals involving the firm Continental Development. Shields says that he would like to hold a public hearing on the deals prior to a final decision being made. He says that since the deal will greatly effect the public, their interests and concerns should be heard on the matter. Continental Development had an options agreement with the Stadium Authority but failed to act on it and it has since expired. The parties are currently negotiating a way to extend the expired contract to the dismay of several council members and the grassroots group Northside United.

Malta Temple One Step Away From Historic Designation

Pittsburgh City Council has preliminarily approved a historic designation for the Malta Temple in the North Side. The Salvation Army owns the building and objects to the designation. The Salvation Army wants to demolish the building and replace it with one that the organization says would be better suited for its efforts in the community. The historic designation nomination was made by the Mexican War Streets Society. Councilman Ricky Burgess cast the only no vote. He says the building should be protected as a place of worship. The Salvation Army is a Christian organization. A final vote is expected Tuesday.