Volume 32 No. 2
February 2016
The Priory Hotel offers one-of-a-kind experience
Troy Hill’s Saint Anthony Chapel is America’s Vatican By Justin Criado It’s winter in Troy Hill. The narrow lanes of Lowrie Street feel more crowded than usual with the piles of snow to each side, and while it’s not a particularly busy day, the gentle snowfall seems to make the neighborhood move in slow motion as it lays itself down on every visible surface.
Photo by Neil Strebig
Priory Hotel supervisor Adam Frye (left) and owner John Graf both received accolades from the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association. The Priory Hotel in Historic Deutschtown is one of the most unique attractions in all the of the city. By Neil Strebig When the Graf family took over Historic Deutschtown’s Priory Hotel in 1986 they wanted to create a memorable destination for visitors; one that stood apart from the other hotels in the area. They never expected the former-monk monastery to grow into one of the region’s premiere overnight destinations. They never expected to feature some of the finest banquet and dining facilities in all of Pittsburgh. Nor did they expect to see a Hollywood movie like “Southpaw” filmed on the property. “There’s really no business model like ours in the whole city,”
INSIDE
John Graf, Priory Inc.’s President and CEO, said, “Which is a European-style hotel that operates like a regular hotel, but it’s independent. It doesn’t have a national flag. It kind of sets us apart here; that we have a model that nobody else has.” Graf and hotel supervisor Adam Frye were recently acknowledged by the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association (PRLA) for their achievements in the service industry. Graf will take over as chairman for the PRLA, previously serving as vice chairman, state treasurer and President of the local Western PA chapter. Graf decided to leave his career in law before
-Comics, Page 6 STORIES, COLUMNS, -Photo gallery, Page 11 FEATURES & MORE -Education, Page 23
taking over Priory Inc. in 2002. “When you do a good job, you execute and people really have a good time in a memorable point in their life. It is much more gratifying than serving someone with process on Christmas Eve just to mess with them,” Graf said of his career move. Frye added: “I was kind of surprised, but it is an affirmation of I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing. It feels really good.” The soft, but eloquently spoken Frye originally earned a BFA in drawing and painting from Edinboro University before deciding to take his abstract mind into the hospitality industry. He began See Priory, Page 16
See Chapel, Page 12
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THE NORTHSIDE CHRONICLE 922 Middle St. • Pittsburgh, PA 15212
Managing Editor Justin Criado editor@thenorthsidechronicle.com Advertising Manager Lauren Stauffer advertising@thenorthsidechronicle.com www.thenorthsidechronicle.com Phone 412-321-3919 • Fax 412-321-1447 Mail Subscriptions are available at a rate of $35.00 per year. Distribution: 8,000 copies 2016 Advertising Rates: SIZE Black & White Color 1/8 page $56 $68 1/4 page $118 $157 1/2 page $229 $295 Full page $452 $585 Back Page $616 Center Spread $965 Discounts of up to 20% off rate card price for multiple-insertion contracts DISCLAIMER: The viewpoints and opinions of the writers and contributors that appear in the Northside Chronicle do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints, opinions, beliefs or positions of the Northside Chronicle’s publishers, editors, staff and/or affiliates. The Northside Chronicle is not affiliated with any formal political, social, religious, educational or philosophical organization or party of any kind. The materials comprising the Northside Chronicle are provided by various organizations, community groups, advertisers, entities, writers and contributors and are provided as a service to the readers of the Northside Chronicle on an “as-is” basis for informational purposes only. The Northside Chronicle assumes no responsibility for any copyright infringement, errors or omissions in these materials and expressly disclaims any representations or warranties, express or implied, including, without limitation, any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose regarding the correctness, accuracy, completeness, timeliness and reliability of the information provided. The Northside Chronicle is not responsible for damages of any kind arising out of use, reference to, or reliance upon such information. Reference herein to any commercial product, process or service does not constitute or imply endorsement or favoring by the Northside Chronicle. © The Northside Chronicle 2008
February 2016
Community Meetings Allegheny City Central Association 2nd Monday, monthly, 7 p.m. at Fabled Table in New Hope United Methodist Church, 1400 Buena Vista St 412.465.0192
Northside Coalition for Fair Housing Board 2nd Monday, monthly, 6:30 p.m. 1821 Brighton Rd. 412.321.5527
After Jail & Prison Ministry Support Group Mondays, 6-7 p.n. Allegheny Center Alliance Church 412.321.4333 ext. 127 801 Union Place, first floor
Northside Coalition for Fair Housing Membership Monthly, call for times 1821 Brighton Rd. 412.321.5521
Allegheny West Civic Council 2nd Tuesday, monthly, 7:30 p.m. Calvary United Methodist Church 412.323.8884 Brighton Heights Citizens Federation 2nd Thursday, bi-monthly, 7 p.m. Morrow Elementary School 412.734.0233 Brightwood Civic Group 3rd Tuesday, bi-monthly, 7 p.m. Pressley Ridge, 2611 Stayton St. 412.732.8152 Brightwood Community Emergency Response Shelter 3rd Thursday, monthly, 6 p.m. 3219 Central Ave. Community Alliance of Spring Garden/ East Deutschtown 2nd Tuesday, monthly, 6:30 p.m. Fuhrer Building of St. Michael’s Church 412.977.1979 Deutschtown New Hope Council 3rd Thursday, monthly, 6:30 p.m. Community Center, 623 Suismon St. East Allegheny Community Council 2nd Tuesday, monthly, 7 p.m. Bistro to Go 412.321.1204 Fineview Citizens Council 4th Wednesday, monthly, 6 p.m. 1629 Sandusky Ct 412.231.0330 Mexican War Streets Society 3rd Monday, bimonthly, 6:30-7pm Fabled Table in New Hope United Methodist Church, 1400 Buena Vista St 412.323.9030 Manchester Citizens Corporation Quarterly meetings, call for times MCC Center, 1319 Allegheny Ave. 412.323.1743 Manchester Public Safety Meeting Quarterly meetings, call for times Northside Leadership Conference 412.323.1743
Northside Leadership Conference Call to confirm 1st Wednesday, monthly, 6 p.m. Bistro Annex, 417 E Ohio St 412.231.4714 North Side Lions Club 2nd and 4th Tuesday, monthly, noon Max’s Allegheny Tavern North Side Public Safety Council 1st Thursday, monthly, 5:30 p.m. Northside Leadership Conference 412.330.2559 Northside Rotary Club Every Friday, noon Cardello Building, 2nd Floor Northside Toastmasters 2nd & 4th Thursdays, monthly, 6:30pm Carnegie Library, 1230 Federal St. 412-204-6018 Observatory Hill, Inc. 3rd Wednesday, monthly, 7 p.m. Byzantine Seminary, 3605 Perrysville Ave. 412.231.2887 Perry Hilltop Citizens’ Council 4th Monday, bimonthly, 6 p.m. Pittsburgh Project, 2801 N. Charles St. perryhilltop@gmail.com 412.223.7144 The Promise Group Every other Tuesday, 6 p.m. Western Pa. Humane Society 412.321.1019 Troy Hill Citizens Council Second Tuesday of the month , 7 p.m. 1619 Lowrie St. 412.321.2852 Spring Hill Civic League March 7th, May 2nd, Sept. 12th, Oct. 3rd, Nov. 7th. 7 p.m., Spring Hill Elementary School contact@shcl.org Summer Hill Citizens Committee 3rd Tuesday, monthly, 6:30 p.m. WPXI Television Station community room
*To list or change meeting info. please contact the editor at editor@ thenorthsidechronicle.com.
February 2016
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Mattress Factory celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. with MLK Birthday Bash
Photo by Neil Strebig
Two participants work on a collage by cutting up magazines and creating celebratory art during the MLK Birthday Bash at the Mattress Factory in Central Northside Jan. 18.
Photo by Neil Strebig
Artist William Chambers was on hand to oversee an embroidery project during the MLK Birthday Bash . Chambers, a Lancaster artist, was showcasing his new exhibit, “Service Station.�
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Public Safety With the winter weather making its presence felt, the Northside Public Safety Council wants to remind people to remove all the snow from their vehicles before driving. “The snow can blow off in to other people’s view and cause an accident,” council president David Stacy said. “You have to make sure all the snow is off.” Also in regards to snow accumulation, make sure that fire hydrants are clear of snow piles. In other public safety news, the city passed a new ordinance last year about pet care and weather conditions. The new guidelines are as follows: •Dogs can’t be tethered outside unless the tether is attached to the dog by a non-choke collar, attached by swivel anchors. • The tether must be at least 10 feet or 3x the length of the dog; chains can’t be more than 1/8 inch. •Easy access to food and water and, adequate shade and/or
shelter within the tethered area. •The dog is tethered outdoors for no more than 30 minutes if the temperature is below 32F or above 90F. •Dog houses can’t be constructed of metal or material that conducts heat or cold; must be moisture and wind proof; at least three-inches off the ground; and, a roof extending at least eightinches to keep out rain; and, have suitable bedding material (straw, or cedar shavings), to provide insulation. Blankets, rags and other material(s) that retain moisture are not permitted for bedding. •Dog houses need to be large enough to accommodate the dog so as to allow for ample room for the dog. •Violators can face fines up to $500, as determined by a judge. For questions or concerns contact officer Larry Crawford at larry.crawford@pittsburghpa.gov.
February 2016
February 2016
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Light of Life looks to open satellite site Science Center names new board members By Neil Strebig The Light of Life Rescue Mission in Central Northside announced the approval of a licensed agreement for property near Madison Avenue and the Veterans Bridge in East Deutschtown Jan. 14 with the Urban Redevelopment Authority. The new agreement comes in the wake of a collaborative effort by Light of Life Director Craig Schweiger, Mayor Bill Peduto and the URA. “This was an amazing day for Light of Life, the community on the Northside and Pittsburgh in general,” Schweiger said in a statement. “Relocation efforts have spanned over 20 years now looking for the right fit and for something that was beneficial to the community. After all of that work, we could not have found an opportunity better than what we have now.” The new satellite property will
aim to provide emergency shelter, food and chapel services for the By Justin Criado area’s homeless. Light of Life’s 635 Ridge Avenue location, purCarnegie Science Center anchased in 2012, offers long-term nounced the addition of three new housing, transitional housing and board members in a statement emergency shelter. The current Jan. 20. The bios are as follows: location, which also features staff Joseph P. Bartolacci has been offices, will look to expand on President and CEO of Matthews their current services along with International since 2006, and previrenovations to their Ridge Avenue ously served in roles at Matthews as School. Both locations seek to con- General Counsel; president, casket tinue offering aid to local home- division; executive vice president, less and those in need of refuge. and president, Matthews Europe, “The balanced sites between where he acquired and managed our Ridge Avenue School and the nine businesses to create the largproperty on Madison Avenue will est packaging graphics group in give us the absolute best opportu- Europe. Prior to joining Matthews nity to serve the population in the International, he was vice presivery best manner,” Schweiger said. dent and general counsel for Thrift Despite being approved for Drug, Inc., with sole responsibility the liscensed agreement ear- for negotiations of acquisitions, lier this month Schweiger and credit agreements, and lawsuits. Light of Life Rescue Mission Jennifer M. Liptak, is Chief of will need to proceed with city Staff for Allegheny County Execuzoning hearings before con- tive Rich Fitzgerald. In addition to struction can officially begin. representing the County Executive
on various boards and authorities, Liptak serves as a board member of the Allegheny County Retirement Board, the Allegheny County Professional Services Review Committee, the Jail Collaborative Cabinet, the Riverlife Board of Directors, the Pittsburgh Film Office Board of Directors, the Allegheny County Airport Authority and the First Night Advisory Board. Pace A. Markowitz is Director of Communications, NOVA Chemicals Corporation. At NOVA Chemicals, he oversees employee, community, investor, media, and brand communications. He joined NOVA in 1997. His prior roles at NOVA Chemicals include engineering, operations leadership, business development, investor relations, and executive support. Markowitz currently serves on the board of Reading is FUNdamental Pittsburgh. Information from Carnegie Science Center was used in this story.
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February 2016
Northside Comics YINZ! Comics by Nils Balls
Nils Balls is a Central Northside resident and comic artist, who has been contributing a recurring Yinz! Comic for the Chronicle for the past several years. Balls is known for his long-running Skeleton Balls strip and has also published a graphic novel (Ship of Soiled Doves), among other works. Follow him on Twitter @NilsBalls
Free Money by Dan Mccloskey
Daniel McCloskey is a Central Northside resident and comic artist. His latest creation, Free Money, is a monthly comic book about working in the not-too-distant future, financial literacy and aliens. It’s distributed throughout the city for free. The Jan. issue will be available during the last week of this month. Visit danielmccloskey.com for more info.
February 2016
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Local comic creators reflect Northside, city in works also creating a profit for oneself. “As boring as fiscal literacy sounds it is the basic rules of the Dan McCloskey and Nils Balls, both of Central Northside, are two world we live in and people don’t comic book artists proudly display- pay attention to that, so I started to ing their Pittsburgh muse in their think about ways to spread some balatest creations. Players in the comics industry for the better half of the past decade, both continue to use the blue-collar attitude of the city to fuel their comics and characters. “Because it is our scenery, we draw a lot of hills with trees and smoke stacks, which you Self portrait by Daniel McCloskey don’t see a lot of in Los Angeles comics or Brooklyn comics,” sic ideas of that,” McCloskey said. Balls said. “It is a little grittier.” He admits that his time spent McCloskey is currently finish- studying abroad in Tokyo, Japan ing up the last issue of his “Free helped fuse his current style, disMoney” comic, which tells the tale played in the beautiful water color of hustling in the not-so distance art between the pages of each copy future. It is a serialized comic that of Free Money; where his playful harvests McCloskey’s feelings on urban illustrations mesh perfectly what he calls “fiscal literacy,” or with the raw dialogue to convey essentially establishing an inter- the hard reality of trying to get by est in expressive writing while in a futuristic world, a sentiment By Neil Strebig
that can still resonate with readers today. Balls current comic, You Can Did It, is a collaboration. “Nobody is above that,” Balls said about the stories inspiration. McCloskey added: “Even though the style of stories are really different there’s a lot of focus on working and getting by – struggling and the comedy of people who have shitty jobs.” Interestingly enough, neither artist originally intended to be comic creators. McCloskey recalls back in 2008 while he was trying to finish up one of his first novels in a screenplay format he began to rewrite it with comic frames to help with its readability. As the progress wore on, he slowly saw his work turning more and more into a comic book rather than a piece of literature. Since then the art form has stuck. See Comics, Page 8
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From Comics, Page 7 Balls was originally drawn to film, but admits that his early readings of X-Men comics, the Sunday newspaper funnies and his grandfather’s old clippings of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s cartoonist, Rob Rogers, helped push him into his new, current direction. “Nils’ style is really crisp and clean and has this indie flavor, but is really accessible,” McCloskey said. Despite being something he slightly “fell into” doing a few editorial comics for his college newspaper, Balls has since carved out a significant role here in Pittsburgh as a political cartoonist, a role he enjoys. He’s proud of the openness comics allow for expression. “It is a way of telling stories without the production of film,” he said. “There’s really no limitation to the medium, other than it’s two dimensional.” Uniquely, both Balls and McCloskey have helped give back to the local community here that has helped inspire much of their recent works. Both helped teach open seminars and classes on comic creation/illustration at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh-Allegheny Central Northside. McCloskey also helped create the Cyberpunk Apocalypse in 2009 back in Lawrenceville, a collective group of 46 writers/cartoonists from across the nation and Canada that essentially would help feed off each other’s
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works, collaborations, and help promote the comic and arts scene organically here in Pittsburgh. Eventually relocating to Northside, the space now functions primarily as a publishing house for McCloskey’s personal work. Both admit that Northside
Self portrait by Nils Balls has been a much more productive outlet for their creative works and mindsets. “[Writing] is a solo mission,” McCloskey said. Balls quickly interjected: “[But] it is always nice to have a neighbor doing the same thing as you.” Since moving to the Northside from Lawrenceville, they’ve seen a massive array of local support and interest in not just their own projects, but the arts in general. “Creative people can be creative wherever, but as far as support for art organizations, this neighborhood [Northside] is particularly friendly,” McCloskey said. McCloskey and Balls will be hosting a featured event Feb. 11 from 7-9 p.m. at Penn Brewery in Troy Hill. McCloskey’s latest issue of Free Money will be hitting stands shortly and Balls will look to continue producing beloved
February 2016
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Observatory Hill bakery a hidden ‘Gem’
Photo by Neil Strebig
A glimpse of some of Schorr’s Bakery’s freshly baked donuts, a local favorite. ually produce the highest level of By Neil Strebig product for their customers. BuyAs soon as you walk into ing frozen products is something Schorr’s Bakery on Perrsyville Av- “we stay away from,” he said. enue in Observatory Hill, the door “Good quality. We make a chime rings and your senses are good cake from scratch with good saluted by the overwhelming sight ingredients. We make a good and smell of fresh pastries, do- cake with buttercream, real butnuts, sweets, cakes, and of course tercream, we don’t skip on that. the infamous ‘Gem’ pastries. Everything is from scratch.” “[The Gems] are typiSchorr, gets up at 4 a.m. evcally gone in an hour,” em- ery day in order to make the stores ployee Debbie Horlich said. supply for that particular business While her personal favor- day. While he fancies his locaite is chocolate she admits, tions’ ability to sell everything “[Everything] is good here. he and his staff are able to make It is all made from scratch.” in a single day he is also very The emphasis on fresh in- keen on giving back to the comgredients and product are munity. Any extra pastries they something current owner, Jim have he gives to the Little Sisters Schorr, 58, learned from his fa- of the Poor in Brighton Heights. ther who opened the business Although they are past the over 40 years ago before hand- holiday season push, Mardi Gras ing it down to his son in 1995. and Faschnaut Day are right Schorr’s father still works at around the corner. The Fat Tuesthe bakery part-time helping prep, day crowd is expected to bring in fry donuts and decorate the numer- upwards of 300 customers to both ous cakes and dolces. While the of the Schorr family’s locations. younger Schorr has entertained “People like our donuts bethe possibility of handing down cause you can tell they’re fried the business to his daughters, it here,” Schorr said. He plans on is a thought he has shied away having a “good variety” of fasfrom unless it is what they want. chnauts on hand for Fat Tues“If they want to take over, day including glazed, crawlI’d definitely stay and help.” ers, fritters, Persians, and his For now he is very proud of personal favorite, coconut crawlers. a business he described as “chal“I love donuts and I like cocolenging at times” and is very ada- nut. It is just a good combination. mant about their ability to continSee Schorr’s, Page 20
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Scout leader to be honored for 44 years of service
Providence Connections, Inc. names new executive director in Jan.
Boy Scout Troops 228 & 81 will be holding a free event Feb. 27 at the Bidwell Presbyterian Church in Manchester. The event is to honor scout leader Alan Perry, who has served in the role for the past 44 years. A presentation will take place. The event is from 4-6 p.m. and is free to the public. In a case the event has to be rescheduled, the make-up date will be March 5.
The Sisters of Divine Providence and the Board of Directors of Providence Connections, Inc. have appointed Samantha Ellwood as the new Executive Director of Providence Connections (the parent organization for Providence Family Support Center) in January. Board President, Charles Vargo, helped lead the search committee and expressed his thoughts on the transition, “We are looking forward to her leadership of the organization into our third decade of service to families on Pittsburgh’s Northside.” Ms. Ellwood succeeds Sister Carolyn Winschel CDP who retired at the end of 2015, after nine years of service as the Brightwood organization’s executive director.
Photo by Justin Criado
Alan Perry (standing, right)
February 2016
Photo courtesy of Darlene Harris’ office
Continuing her service to District 1, Councilwoman Darlene Harris was sworn-in Jan. 4. Harris has been the district’s councilwoman since November 2006.
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February 2016
First wintery weather arrives in Northside
Photo by Neil Strebig
Northside saw its first snowfall of the year this past month. Here commuters brave the weather in Allegheny Commons.
Photo by Neil Strebig
Nearly blending in with its surroundings, a flock of birds try to stay warm during one of January’s winter storms.
Photo by Neil Strebig
The cold temps and snow didn’t effect Pirates great Willie Stargell, though, as he kept concentration outside of PNC Park.
Photo by Neil Strebig
Drivers brave wintery road conditions on Duquense Boulevard near Downtown Pittsburgh. The whole area was effected.
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February 2016
Troy Hill chapel preserves thousands of religious relics
From Chapel, Page 1 Such is life during this time of the year. The typically quiet neighborhood lulled to sleep by Mother Nature, keeping most inside. One woman braves the weather, though, and finds herself walking to Harpster Street, nestled in the rear of the area, where the twin steeples of Saint Anthony Chapel still stand proud even amongst the harsh conditions. Once inside the woman is welcomed to the golden glow and warmth of one of the most unique places of worship in the world. Hymnals play softly as she lights a votive candle, and after a brief moment of silence and reflection the woman disappears back in to the icy white weather as if she was never there. Scenes like that are commonplace in the chapel, according to Carole Brueckner. As chapel chairperson and head docent, Brueckner recalls many stories of similar pilgrimages and observance. “Many people have said to me that when they walk in [to the chapel] they feel a presence,” Brueckner said. “That is not unusual because you are surrounded by so many relics of saints our church verifies are in Heaven. “…Many people say they feel a presence and I will not dispute that.” Saint Anthony Chapel is home to the largest collec-
Photo by Justin Criado
Saint Anthony Chapel, tucked away in Troy Hill, houses the largest collection of Christian relics in the world outside of the Vatican. tion of Christian relics in the world, outside of the Vatican, with over 5,000 verified items. “It’s like wanting to share something that’s so sacred,” Brueckner said of continuing to spread the word of this Troy Hill treasure. “I always talk about the chapel as being my sanctuary. It’s a great place just to come, sit down and listen.” Relics are divided in to three classifications, with each class having its own criteria. For example, a first class relic is one that directly came in to contact with Jesus Christ or any part of a saints body. “You see that small reliquary?” Brueckner asked during the tour. “Inside that is a piece of thorn from the Crown of Thorns.”
Brueckner goes on to point out pieces of wood from the cross and Last Supper table, bones from all 12 of the Apostles, and clothes Jesus wore as an infant. “People will say many times ‘how do you know?’ Well first, what is our faith? Our faith is believing without proof. We also know the church doesn’t do anything rapidly or without research,” Brueckner said. “It is hard to understand, but [in] the Catholic faith there’s many things we believe that we can’t prove.” Most of the relics were gathered by Suitbert Godfrey Mollinger, a Belgian-born noble/physicianturned-priest who settled in the area in the late 1800’s. Father Mollinger
saved most of the relics from Europe during wartimes and the collection was dedicated in 1883. The Vatican recognizes the collection and each relic has a Certificate ofAuthenticity from the church. “This is our little Vatican,” Brueckner said. “It’s just like going back in to Europe.”Brueckner was born and raised in Troy Hill, and grew up as a member of Most Holy Name of Jesus Church, which held events in the chapel. She recalls the 1970’s when the chapel fell into despair before being renovated in 1978. The chapel is maintained strictly on private donations, and fundraisers have been held in the past for minor repairs. Nowadays, regular tours are held, and 400-500 visitors pass through the chapel doors a month, depending on the weather. No matter when a visitor enters the sacred walls, Brueckner’s advice is the same. “Just listen and maybe the saints and our Lord are trying to tell you something.” The chapel is one of two places in the Diocese of Pittsburgh this year where one can gain the privilege of The Holy Year of Mercy Plenary Indulgence. Mass, devotions and weddings are still practiced in the chapel. For more info. please visit the official website at saintanthonychapel.org and for a full photo gallery visit nschronicle.com.
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February 2016
From Priory, Page 1 working in corporate hotel management for five years before moving to The Priory two years ago. He considers the Priory, which was built in 1888, “unique” and “unlike any of the other hotels in the city.” “You get to tell a story to everyone who walks through the door,” he said of the customer experience. Priory Inc. includes the 42room Priory Hotel, the luxurious Grand Hall, Priory Bakery on E. Ohio Street, and a hotel-consulting business. As Graf explained each facet of the business is looking to leave a “footprint” on the Northside. “Personalized service, is very important to us and maintaining a historical venue. I think those are two things that really set us apart from our competition,” Graf said. Whether, it’s with delicious pastries or with superb, awardwinning accommodations at both the hotel and Grand Hall, Graf proudly refers to the historical value of their guest services. “It is a very organic thing. It is not like Disneyland; something that was created to look like something. This is the real deal. You have 14-foot high ceilings in the guest rooms, big windows; I think a lot of too is an experience…there’s a cue there that says you’re some place different.” The Priory is one of Pittsburgh’s most unique destinations. With the red carpet, satin drapes and the burgundy hue of the wood grain architecture, the Priory embodies a sense of elegance and nostalgia. The Grand Hall can fit between 350-500 patrons for weddings, cocktail parties and blockbuster events like local boxing matches (see “Southpaw,” featuring actor Jake Gyllenhaal). “I think coming from a bigger hotel to here you get to spend a lot more time individually with each guest, which you just can’t do when you’ve got 300 or 400 rooms even 100 rooms it is still difficult,” Frye said. “But we only have 42, so
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you get to know everybody while they’re here, which is really nice.” Along with the opulent Grand Hall, the Priory’s Pressley Avenue location also boasts the adorable, homely, Monk Bar, the state’s smallest bar. The Monk Bar is decorated with three high-top bar stools and a custom-designed slate menu (written by Frye) that overlooks the other ten available dining room seats. The bar is open to the public from 5-11 p.m. It is precious oddities and novelties like these that make the Priory a must-see destination in Pittsburgh. However, it is the guidance and leadership of Graf and Frye that make the hotel such a memorable establishment. “[Our goal is] to try and innovate our product to find new ways to surprise and delight our guests so it is a different experience for them every time,” Graf said. While both understand the hotel and catering industry presents different challenges than the restaurant side of the business, they both make it resoundingly clear that they want the Priory to be a part of the newly emerging hospitality trend in Pittsburgh, especially as a staple destination on the Northside. “(Historic Deutschtown) is really ready to take off,” said Graf. “If you want to come to a hotel where everybody looks like you do, we’re probably not the place for you. If you want to come to an interesting and diverse neighborhood that’s perfectly safe then you should definitely consider staying with us.” Along with changing the perception of the neighborhood, Graf would also like to use his reputation in both the city of Pittsburgh and the PRLA to help improve and facilitate the process of opening new businesses and restaurants. He currently sees the process of accessibility towards obtaining permits, coordinating the departments, and city communication. as a bit too “complicated” and “cumbersome” See Prioy, Page 19
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February 2016
Brighton Heights Carmen Misiti to Christopher and Sheila Guzzy at 4060 Cambronne St. for $35,000. Harry Leicher to Lisa Vogel and Kenneth Vogel Jr. at 915 Haller St. for $49,000. Chad Stepke to Matthew and Angela Haule at 3831 McClure Ave. for $134,900. Greenbriar Investment Co. LLC to Zena Smith Hale and Jason Hale at 2016 Stonelea St. for $133,560. Reinford Fischer to Gregory and David Boyd at 1159 Termon Ave. for $40,000. Jodi Ann Johnson to Quality Homes Investments LLC at 3817 Wilksboro St. for $47,500. Jaclyn Cox to Jessica Sebastian at 1152 Lapish Road for $120,000. Estate of Mildred Barnes to Citizens Bank Pennsylvania at 3642 Purdue St. for $4,405 by sheriff’s deed. Phillip Jandrokovic to Robert and Gisele Gierke at 1115 Stanford Road for $142,900. Robert Kramer to Rearden Properties L.P. at 1143 Termon Ave. for $41,500. Jason Roebuck to Quality Home Investments LLC at 3838 Wilksboro
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St. for $60,450. Scean Lawhorn to Yvon Denis at 3459 Shadeland Ave. for $180,000. US Bank NA trustee to Quality Home Investments LLC at 2056 Stonelea St. for $38,000. Thelma Kenchel to Belinda Watts and Thomas Ralph Higgs Jr. at 3617 Moale St. for $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $21,250). Brightwood Mehgan McAfee to Christiana Howell at 1320 Woodland Ave. for $89,000. Charlene Morrow to Jermaine Younger at 1439 Woods Run Ave. for $35,000. Allegheny Transport LLC to Dennis Hill Jr. at 1 Boston St. for $3,000. Juliana Anton to JA Home Investors LLC at 2666 California Ave. for $39,500. Federal National Mortgage Assn. to Scean and Diane Lawhorn at 2839 California Ave. for $12,500. Peggy Feather to Que Sera Sera LLC at 3228 Rothpletz St. for $38,000. Central Northside Douglas Nimmo et al. to Schenley Capital Partn. LLC at 1327 Arch St. for $300,000. William Joyce Jr. to Blest Investment
Group LLC at 1416 Boyle St. for $55,000. Canty Knowles Gore & Co. Inc. to Jose Bernardo at 204 E. Jefferson St. for $25,000. Pittsburgh City to David Brown Jr. and Beth Brown at 240 E. Jefferson St. for $3,900. Jill Palmer to Maria Romito at 1419 Sandusky St. for $2,750. Harbaksh Sidhu to Mark Turner at 1110 Palo Alto St. and Eloise Way for $133,900. Garden Theater ACDG LLC to Garden Theater Block LLC at 1012-14 W. North Ave. for $334,562. Pittsburgh City to John Masley Jr. at 121 Hemlock St. for $5,900. Daniel Brown to Nivlem Properties L.P. at 1313 Sandusky St. for $84,500. Estate of Yvonne Hayes to Latsko Properties L.P. at 101 Jacksonia St. for $54,000. Jacqueline Marshall to Latsko Properties L.P. at 26 Jacksonia St. for $56,000. Andrae Eccles to Logan and Gretchen Schofield at 402 Jacksonia St. for $330,000. Resaca Assoc. LLC to John Augustine at 1110B Palo Alto St.
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for $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $109,000). Charles Street Valley Landry Jr. & Assoc. LLC to OGR Realty 3 L.P. at 302 Elsdon St. for $34,000. East Deutschtown Alfred DePasquale to October Real Estate Holdings LLC at 808 E. Ohio St. for $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $204,048). Karen Brady to Pinre Holdings L.P. at 835 Peralta St. for $75,000. Estate of Richard Lacher to October Real Estate Holdings LLC at 825 Phineas St. for $65,000. Pino Assoc. L.P. to East Deutschtown Investments LLC at 1022 Chestnut St. for $50,000. Concord Street L.P. to East Deutschtown Investments LLC at 836 Concord St. for $50,000. Concord Street L.P. to East Deutschtown Investments LLC at 838 Concord St. for $50,000. Cornelius Poillon to East Deutschtown Investments LLC at 840-842 Concord St. for $10,000. Cornelius Poillon to East Deutschtown Investments LLC at 844 Concord St. for $10,000. Cornelius Poillon to East
February 2016
Deutschtown Investments LLC at 848 Concord St. for $10,000. Quadvestors LLC to Stephen and William French at 924 Peralta St. for $240,000. Robert Davies to October Real Estate Holdings LLC at 841 Phineas St. for $95,000. Pino Assoc. L.P. to East Deutschtown Investments LLC at Spring Garden Ave. (24-F-104)for $10,000. Pino Assoc. L.P. to East Deutschtown Investments LLC at 832 Tripoli St. for $50,000. Manchester Joseph Williams III to Bruce Williams at 1330 Pennsylvania Ave. for $97,200. Lee Van Voorhis to N13 Realty Holding LLC at 1008 Abdell St. for $140,000. Denise Gill to Ashley Catalano at 1309 Liverpool St. for $312,500. Observatory Hill Federal National Mortgage Assn. to PA Coldstream LLC at 101 Dunlap St. for $45,000. Richard Landers to Finco Development LLC at 429 Dunlap St. for $11,000.
The Northside Chronicle
Ross Harris Investments LLC to MINU 5 LLC at 3943 Perrysville Ave. for $15,000. Erez Alexander Anker to Timber Holdings LLC at 4222 Perrysville Ave. for $50,000. Barbara Kelly Eickenberg to Albert Golobish at 173 Watson Blvd. for $64,000. Perry Hilltop Jason Sauer to Most Wanted House LLC at 258 Kennedy Ave. for $25,000. AIH LLC to Daniel Kubaczyk at 306 Kennedy Ave. for $42,000. John Carmen Marano Jr. to Donna Borowski et al. and Patricia Antram at 1845 Clayton Ave. 202 for $116,500. Robert Wenger to OGR Realty 3 L.P. at 231 Burgess St. for $43,000. Pittsburgh City to Thomas Murphy Jr. and Mona Murphy at 111 Lafayette Ave. for $4,000. Pittsburgh City to Thomas Murphy Jr. and Mona Murphy at 113 Lafayette Ave. for $4,000. Joseph Kammersell Jr. to Square One Holdings LLC at 105 McNaugher St. for $1 (state deed transfer stamps
indicate a value of $34,444). TJ1 Real Estate Investments LLC to Triple Helix LLC at 2814 Perrysville Ave. for $40,000. IRA Services Trust Co. CFBO Kenneth B Her to Brian and Katharine Moser at 130 E. Kennedy Ave. for $40,000. Spring Garden Daniel Rhodes Jr. to Peter Blatt at 1113 Spring Garden Ave. for $5,000. Spring Hill Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. to William Schober at 44 Rostock St. for $2,000. Bank New York Mellon trustee to Mt. Nebo Realty L.P. at 1922 Bader St. for $24,800. Angela Miller to Joe Valorie at 91 Luella St. for $21,000. Daniel McNellie to Timothy McNellie at 1024 Goehring St. for $75,000. Troy Hill William Urbanic to Michael and Timothy Albrethsen at 1354 Herman St. for $13,000. William Hinchey to Eva Szigethy and Kevin Reilly at 6 Waterside Place for $601,000.
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Nava Naimer to Mark Sepe at 1826 1828 Lowrie St. for $110,000. Brian Cubellis to 2036 Lowrie Street Properties LLC at 2034-2036 Lowrie St. for $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $68,888). David Rau to HDR Properties LLC at 1816 Elbow St. for $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $10,900). Jeffrey Honnold to Benjamin Donald Cook at 1307 Lowrie St. for $5,932. Wesbanco Bank Inc. to No Good Deed LLC at 1729 Lowrie St. for $10 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $155,000). Evan Mirapaul to No Good Deed LLC at 1718 Rialto St. for $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $40,003). Evan Mirapaul to No Good Deed LLC at 1800 Rialto St. for $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $86,546). Evan Mirapaul to No Good Deed LLC at 1812 Rialto St. for $1 (state deed transfer stamps indicate a value of $27,250).
February 2016
From Priory, Page 16 “On a local level is something that we’d really like to see get done. Streamlining that process. Getting people to talk to each other. Getting the agencies to coordinate so things don’t get gobbled up.” The historical relevance of the property offers a level sentimentally that Graf considers “very important,” but it is equally important in both Graf and Frye’s eyes to continue improving their own locations’ services and pushing the standard of Pittsburgh’s food scene. One that both Frye and Graf consider is rivaling the food scenes of New York, Chicago and Philadelphia. “It is closer than it has been in a long time,” Frye said. “In six years I’ve been here it is not the same city it was then, it’s phenomenal.” Both expressed the seriousness of food tourism and how impressive it is that Pittsburgh has beaten out San Francisco on Za-
The Northside Chronicle
Photo by Neil Strebig
gat’s latest food destination cities. “I think it is affordable and it is pretty easy to start up your own place here. There’s a lot of opportunity for some of those chefs to get going on their own,” Graf said. “What’s good is some of those pioneers like Salt Of the Earth (in Garfield), which I’d say was probably the restaurant on the vanguard of this new foodie scene (Pittsburgh) kind of paved the way for that. It was a different kind of cooking and people really responded to it. I think other chefs took a cue from that and said ‘well you know I’m going to get creative too’.” That competitive and creative drive is exactly why the PRLA has recognized both of these individuals as stalwarts in the field. For more information on The Priory Hotel please visit the website at www.thepriory.com or call 412-231-3338.
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From Schorr’s, Page 9 I usually have one Saturday morning when I’m done [working].” Nearly half of Schorr’s staff is local residents of the Northside community. Krista Elway, who grew up on the Northside, but currently resides in Ellsworth, has been working at the Observatory Hill location for nearly 10 years and admits that a number of local residents stop in on a daily basis, especially students on their way to school. “[Sometimes] we should have a revolving door because it is constant,” she said. The original Observatory Hill location on 3912 Perrsyville Ave. is open Monday-Saturday from 6 a.m.-4 p.m. Schorr’s Bakery other location is in West View. The cityrenowned ‘Gem’ pastries were featured in Pittsburgh Magazine’s 2012 ‘Creme de la Crème: 20 Best Bakeries in Pittsburgh.’
February 2016
Mattress Factory receives major gift from artist James Turrell ceiling open to the sky. The aperture can be round, oval or square, James Turrell, one of the and Skyspaces can be autonomous world’s most highly regarded liv- structures or integrated into existing artists, has donated a Skyspace ing architecture. Turrell has creartwork to the Mattress Factory in ated 86 of these works in 29 counCentral Northside. The gift, which tries in the Americas, Europe, and is estimated to be worth at least $1 million, is the largest from an artist in the museum’s 39-year history, according to a press release. “This work will not only be an incredible contribution to the Mattress Factory, but also to the city of Pittsburgh,” Barbara Luderowski, museum co-director and president, said in a statement. She added that with the muse- Photo courtesy of c4gallery.com um’s 40th anniversary approaching in 2017: “This will enable Asia in private and public spaces, the institution to prepare for the with the first made in 1974 for future while remaining a leader Count Giuseppe Panza di Biumo in the contemporary art world.” at his home in Varese, Italy. TurJames Turrell’s Skyspace rell previously created a temporary works are specifically proportioned Skyspace for the Mattress Facchambers with an aperture in the tory’s 25th anniversary celebration
By Justin Criado
in 2002. The new Skyspace will be custom designed for the museum, and will be permanently installed. The Mattress Factory has a long history with the artist, and was one of the first museums in the United States to permanently install Turrell’s work. Between 1983 and 2002 the organization has shown 17 Turrell works, and currently has three pieces on view permanently. “It’s an honor to receive a piece from someone whom we’ve worked with for over 30 years,” Michael Olijnyk, Mattress Factory co-director, said. The Mattress Factory Board of Directors is in the early stages of determining the feasibility and scope of a capital campaign that will be needed to fund the installation of the new Turrell work. No timeline has been announced. For more information please visit the official website at www.mattress.org.
February 2016
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Education on the Northside
Northside schools participate in annual February attendance campaign
Photo courtesy of United Way
Teachers and administrators of Pittsburgh Schiller 6-8 during last year’s “Be There” campaign. The students were welcomed to signs of encouragement as well as free goods like pencils and other school supplies. By Neil Strebig Eight local schools participated in “Be There” kick-off on Jan. 28-29. The “Be There” campaign, is a United Way of Southwestern PA initiative focused on increasing student attendance during the month of February. Teachers, local community leaders and volunteers gathered outside of the schools, cheering, showing their support for local students. “We hope this challenge will motivate local students to show up every day and be excited about school,” Lois Mufuka Martin, United Way’s chief volunteer engagement officer, said in a statement. According to United Way, student attendance is significantly
lower in the month of February, thus they’re coordinated launch event at the end of January to help motivate students as February approaches. Studies have proven that students who miss 18 days a year, which is roughly 10 percent of the school year, have a greater difficulty reading, writing and comprehending basic arithmetic. “We call on the community to support this challenge by encouraging students to attend school through establishing a routine, talking about school every day and making attendance a household priority,” Martin said. In addition to the month-long student challenge, 13 groups of students are putting together videos to help motivate one another
The Northside Chronicle Education page is sponsored by:
on the importance of school attendance. United Way will be selecting a winner at the end of the month and local supporters can view student-made videos on the event’s “Be There Pgh” Facebook page. Even Mayor Bill Peduto joined in the festivities by making his own video about the importance of attendance and education. The United Way plans on gathering over a 150 volunteers to help organize the month’s ‘Be There’ events. They will also be giving out a prize at the end of the month to whichever school accumulates the highest attendance rate. Manchester K-8, Perry High School, Schiller STEAM Academy, Allegheny Traditional Academy 6-8, King K-8, Mor-
row, Spring Hill Elementary all participated in the event, while 16 schools throughout Allegheny County participated this year. For more information on specific event times/dates or to learn how to become a volunteer visit www.unitedwaypittsburgh.org.
Information from the United Way was used in this story. Neil Strebig is a Northsider and student intern attending Point Park.
Have an education tip? Please email the editor at thenorthsidechronicle.com.
February 2016
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February 2016
Medium
Sudoku
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Crossword puzzles provided by www. bestcrosswords.com / Used with permission.
Chronicle Crossword
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