Development Projects

Building a Future on Old Images
The old Allegheny Social Hall echoes with history. Maybe you’ve noticed it looking mostly forgotten near the I-279 entrance ramp off of Madison Avenue in Spring Garden. In its heyday decades ago, the hall hosted dances, weddings, and other festivities, offering two dance floors, two stages, several bars, a kitchen, and even duck pin bowling alleys in the basement.

Built to support the celebrations of energetic crowds, this century-old building features triple brick construction, steel columns and arch supports, and a massive cathedral ceiling on the second floor.

Vacant or underused for almost 30 year, the Allegheny Social Hall was jump started to life again briefly last October as the setting for the Halloween FLUX #8. Arriving from all over the region, more than 900 young professionals, many in costume, arrived for a spectacular evening of arts and entertainment.

Photo Antiquities Museum of Photographic History saved the hall from the wrecking ball in 2001, seeing the structure as a museum lover’s dream and an answer to the space limitations the institution currently faces. Occupying a mere 2,500 square feet on East Ohio Street, the hall will allow the non-profit organization to better fulfill its mission and provide benefits to Spring Garden, the city, and the region by providing another world-class complement to the six other cultural institutions on the Northside. With the Allegheny Social Hall as its future home, Photo Antiquities will become the premier photographic history museum in the world.

When complete, Photo Antiquities will be better able to share the unique collection of more than 100,000 rare and historic items of 19th and 20th Century photographs and equipment. Imagine families, tourists, children and historians moving in and out of the galleries, classrooms, lecture hall, and gift and coffee shop. With architectural plans in progress for the renovation, Photo Antiquities also intends to include space for community and business meetings, weddings and special events.

Not just for the photo enthusiast, Photo Antiquities currently teaches art, culture, science and history through its collections and hosts a variety of educational programs. The larger facility with classrooms will enable a sharper focus on education and will provide much needed environmentally controlled space to safely archive some of the world’s rarest historic images for future generations.

For more information, call the museum office at 412-231-7881.

New Life for Buhl Building

In 1926, Donaldson Transfer constructed a seven story fireproof building on Western Ave. Originally used for furniture storage, this facility was leased to Buhl Optical in 1948. Buhl manufactured a variety of custom lenses for eyeglasses and industrial equipment. In the early 1960’s Buhl sold the Eyewear division to focus on its growing industrial business. Buhl developed the lens system used by all overhead projectors. The Buhl Overhead projector was a staple at schools nationwide. Buhl, the world’s most diversified lens manufacturer, sold this division in the early 1970’s. In 1998, Buhl merged with a competitor and has since relocated to Rochester, New York.

A young entrepreneur, Jim Genstein, realized the potential and beauty of this historic structure. Having recently completed a development on Pittsburgh’s Southside, Jim began work on acquiring the Buhl building. In 2003, the property along with the parking areas will be developed by Jim’s company, NS Property LP into a new 32,000 sq ft office complex known as the Northern Light Tower.

The Tower will feature a roof deck, inside parking garage, and a glass fronted elevator that will have a city skyline view. The project is expected to be completed and leased by the end of 2004. This development will bring approximately 130 new jobs to the neighborhood.

Construction has recently started. Tours of the property are conducted daily. Call Jack O’Donohue of NIA Grant Street at 412-391-2621 for leasing information.