posted by Joe Polk at 11:42 AM /
I've always wondered about the little house nestled between the North Parking Garage and H&R Block on Washington Road. As far back as I can remember, this house has had its windows covered and nothing going on inside.
Does anyone know the history of this house and why it just sits there unoccupied? It looks as though it used to be open for business since it has stickers for credit cards and a Yellow Pages ad on the front door. What type of business was it and how long was it in operation?
Labels: little house on Washington Road
8 Comments:
Joe,
Back when we were in High School, it was a flower shop. I think it has been closed since the early to mid 90's. I looked on the County Real Estate site and the property last changed hands in 1994 for $1.00 to someone with tax billing address in FL.
- A. Vines
Yes, Mr. Vines (Andy?)is correct. For many years it was a flower shop...and that's what most folks who have been here a few decades or more refer to it. For a short while in/around the mid-'90's, it was rented to a local interior designer, which didn't work out too well.
The house has the same ownership as the next door property to the North...was is really the "Mitchell Building", but is known locally as the H&R Block building, who are the tenants.
These 2 properties were the subject of litigation from 1988 or so to 1992 between the ownership and the Parking Authority who thought they wanted the properties for a massive commercial-residential building/parking development that never materialized. The Authority settled with the owner.
The property's may become a topic again if the TRID (Transit Revitalization Investment District)Program comes back to life. Initial TRID schematics of development possibilities and options remove or modify the 2 existing property improvements.
The family owners live in FL, one member of which, and the spokesperson, also has a home in Lebo. He is a Lebo grad and was instrumental in arranging the Morgan Memorial and the naming of Morgan Drive in Main Park as a rememberance to his friend & Lebo classmate.
Thank to Andy and Bill for educating me on the property.
Bill -- do you know why nothing is being done with the property at all? I'm just amazed to see a prime piece of real estate sit there unused for almost 2 decades.
When I wrote a couple of articles for the Mt Lebanon Magazine about Washington Road at the time of the 1920 census, I concluded that this little house probably did not exist in 1920. It looks superficially like a residence, but it was probably built as an office or retail shop.
I fondly recall Cliff's articles in the Mt. Lebanon Magazine (now *mtl*)....they were excellent !
Joe...there are several reasons for inactivity...one has to do with a long standing, serious illness and incapacity of a family member; and, the other reasons are considered private.
And I just thought it was simply one of the many vacant eyesores in Uptown.
I'm sorry to hear that they are having troubles. But if they cared about the town they would sell the parcel to someone that would put it to use.
Greg,
I'm not suggesting this is one of the private reasons of the owner; however, any change in the current improvement or structure and/or use of the structure was until recently, and is currently a zoning issue, methinks.
Until this past January, building and lot coverage restrictions would have prevented an economical commercial redevelopment on this very small lot without zoning waivers....and the commercial market has tanked anyway over the past 3-4 years. A significant revision (ie. relaxation) of zoning provisions in the Central Business District (CBD), where this property is situated, would permit such a redevelopment, I believe...demand & financing being favorable.
Prior to January, residential redevelopment was a question because zoning allowed only "attached" residential development in a lot. The zoning amendments for the CBD in January now prohibit residential, I believe.
So, it would appear that a form of "catch 22" existed and still seems to exist for this property from zoning coupled with the economy reasons...purely my reading, and I am no expert, nor am I speculating that this is the owners belief either.
Bill,
Thank you for your post. Very informative. And greatly appreciated.
Greg
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