BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE
Our Mission
The Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition gives voice to the hopes and concerns of our residents, institutions, businesses and visitors and works to preserve, improve, and celebrate the quality of life in our vibrant urban Squirrel Hill neighborhood.
ON THE COVER: The Commercial Street Bridge Replacement project is already underway in Frick Park. Photo by Melissa Eppihimer.
FOR ADVERTISING INQUIRIES
Contact marketing@shuc.org. All other communications can be directed to editor@shuc.org or (412) 422-7666.
As you walk, ride, or drive through Squirrel Hill, think about how the landscape shapes your experience. By landscape, I mean both the natural features and the manmade ones.
In this issue, SHUC focuses attention on the built environment in our neighborhood: how it came to be and how it may change in the future. Most importantly, we look at how the community can have a say in these matters. Share your voice or your expertise.
Finally, a note of correction: in the Spring 2025 issue, our profile of ‘Hidden Gem’ Eveline Young mentioned her 15 years of community outreach. In fact, it’s 51 years! We apologize for mixing up the numbers.
MELISSA EPPIHIMER
Editor, Squirrel Hill Magazine
SQUIRREL HILL URBAN COALITION OFFICERS
PRESIDENT Dalia Belinkoff
VICE PRESIDENT Lisa Murphy
VICE PRESIDENT Erik Wagner
SECRETARY Raymond N. Baum
TREASURER Jeremy Kazzaz
IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Mardi Isler
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Justin Berk, Guy Costa, Jacquelyn Cynkar, Lori Fitzgerald, Marshall Hershberg, Melissa Hiller, Martha Isler, Rachel Lecrone, Karen Ooserhouse, Vida Passero, Jon Prince, Rivkee Rudolph, Mary Shaw, Lisa Steindel, David Vatz
The Squirrel Hill Magazine is a publication produced by the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition (SHUC), a nonprofit organization. As a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, donations to SHUC are tax-exempt, and SHUC complies with all 501(c)(3) rules and regulations.
CONTRIBUTORS
Dalia Belinkoff, Maria Cohen, Melissa Eppihimer, Lori Fitzgerald, Lawrence Gerson, Mardi Isler, Kimberly Kweder, Jim Rogal, Helen Wilson
EDITOR Melissa Eppihimer
DESIGNER Karen A. DeTurck
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Maria H. Cohen
Squirrel Hill Magazine, Vol. 23, Issue 2, is provided by the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition as a free publication for the residents and businesses in the 15217 zip code. Subscriptions are available for $25/year. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced without permission. Printed by Knepper Press.
Greetings from the SHUC President
By Dalia Belinkoff, SHUC Board President
HELLO SQUIRREL HILL,
In the last magazine we highlighted small shopping areas in Squirrel Hill and asked for your input on three questions concerning “neighborhood” shopping locations. I’m sure you remember the questions, but for those who didn’t read that issue of the magazine, the questions were:
• Would you like more small shopping areas in the minineighborhoods of Squirrel Hill?
• What kinds of shops and/or services would you like in these areas?
• If this isn’t a good idea in your opinion, why not?
We received 20 responses. Since we send the magazine to about 12,000 households and it was on our website, you might consider this a very low ratio of responders to readers. I myself had low expectations going into this. Therefore, I was thrilled! We have never tried this type of information gathering before, and the twenty Squirrel Hill residents who answered took these questions seriously. I learned a lot from reading their responses, and I’m happy to share what I learned.
There were two “no” answers to the question about the desirability of having more small shopping areas in the mini-neighborhoods of Squirrel Hill. Having said “no,” the respondents were thoughtful about what might be a better idea. Specifically, both responders wanted fewer vape shops—anywhere. One person called for more robust business on Murray Avenue, where a number of businesses have closed and vape shops have taken their places. The other person was actually amenable to small shopping areas if they were sustainable.
Thank you to the “no-sayers”! We learned a lot from your thoughtful remarks.
A number of people replied they’d like more small business areas and provided commentary on potential problems. For example, parking problems and increased vehicular traffic were cited as “yes, but” issues. The traffic patterns and problems at the Wilkins and Wightman commercial area were specifically cited in this regard. Oh, and at least one “yes” vote said no more vape shops!
Alright, I know the suspense is killing you. What did people want? And do those things align with what you personally want? Here are the main categories of requests:
Food: sandwich shop, small grocery, varied restaurants, coffee shop, late-night food, outdoor dining, fast-casual dining, reasonably priced quality grocery, farm to table restaurants, healthy to-go food shops, cafes, bakery, Aldi/Trader Joe’s-type store, gelato store, kosher (meat) restaurant
I’m sure you can see the point being made (no pizza by the way). From our sample, people want cozy spaces with high-quality food, and more variety in the type of eating establishments than what currently exists in all our shopping areas.
Commercial Enterprise: clothing store, hardware store, general store, antiques, gift store, consignment store, art/ culture, indoor play space for kids, art studio/gallery
It appears that our residents don’t want to do all their shopping online and that both home necessities and home “enhancements” are desirable.
Community: community space, place for games, activity venue (late night games, ping pong, darts, ax throwing, pottery), bars, sports bar, brewery (with outdoor family friendly space)
Well, ax throwing is not for me, but it might be just the ticket for a different demographic! What’s at play here (pun intended) is that people want spaces to be together, to meet each other and have fun together. They want community!
I found all of this fascinating, and of course I have some thoughts about it. But the most immediate question is how to achieve any of these aspirational inspirations.
Since our survey in the spring, Nana’s Scoops opened on Northumberland, and progress is being made on Afters Café on Murray near Giant Eagle. Perhaps patience is all we need for some of these dreams to become reality. Others will be harder to forge.
One way is to do it by ourselves. There are a number of community-organized and -outfitted enterprises such as
hardware stores throughout the U.S. Close to home, the Farmers’ Market Cooperative on Sheridan Street near the Home Depot was a community-organized project that started in 1941. It’s collaboratively owned by the vendors. Let’s think about this as an option—it’s a huge idea, but one worth considering.
Another way is to entice an already flourishing store to come to Squirrel Hill. We have room! There are empty storefronts on the Forbes/Murray corridor, but we should check out other pockets all over Squirrel Hill.
I think it’s useful, too, to think about the big picture of all these ideas. What kinds of spaces should they occupy— would these desired cafes or antique stores be better off as the first floor of a four-floor apartment building? How can we make sure they are accessible—would there be bus routes nearby for easy access? What are the challenges to operating a small business here—if a new store is opening in a previously used space, do we know why the prior merchant left?
I don’t even know all the questions to ask!
The Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition will be thinking about these ideas, and more, as we put together a revitalized Neighborhood Plan for our part of the City. Hopefully, in the near future we will call for volunteers to participate in focus groups, make idea maps, and grapple with the question of where should Squirrel Hill go and how it should grow in the next twenty years. I hope you’ll be part of the journey.
Caroline E. Boyce, historic preservation advocate and steward of the Koerner House
Dr. Eugene Myers, pioneering otolaryngologist at Pitt’s School of Medicine
Ann Belser, publisher of Print newspaper and supporter of local journalism Action Housing, leading developer of supportive and affordable housing
Announcing the 2025 Treasures
The Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition proudly announces our 2025 Squirrel Hill Treasures.
Join us in celebrating these remarkable members of our community at our annual Treasure Dinner, held this year at The Pittsburgh Golf Club on Thursday, November 6, from 6 to 8 pm.
For dinner tickets and sponsorship opportunities, visit our website shuc.org, email info@shuc.org, or call us at 412-422-7666.
COMMUNITY CHAMPION: RAY BAUM
By Jim Rogal
Ray Baum knows a lot about land. Zoning, buying, selling, developing, tax credits, usage—you name it, he’s done it. He is, after all, a prominent Pittsburgh real estate attorney with more than 50 years of experience, so it’s highly unlikely that anyone would be able to pull the sod over Baum’s eyes.
That’s been a boon to Allegheny County and its environs, where Baum practices his craft. In his words, he has represented “real estate developers, non-profit organizations, investors, housing and redevelopment authorities, property managers, lessors and lessees, in all aspects of real estate development, financing, and operations.” Yep, that just about covers it. Oh, wait— he’s also been on the Real Estate Loan Committee of the Urban Redevelopment Authority for 30 years and counting. That’s called a full plate.
“I like getting things done,” Baum explained. “As a business lawyer, my job is to create consensus. You have to be a consensus builder if you want to get anything done. It’s really not that hard.” Add modesty to his list of attributes.
Since the early ’80s, Baum has served on more Pittsburgh task forces and committees than you can shake a stick at. Just a few: Pittsburgh Public Schools,
Pittsburgh Fund for Arts Education, Pittsburgh Council on Public Education, Allegheny Home Rule Charter Finance Committee, United Way of Allegheny County… The list goes on, but you get the idea.
And yet, as much as he’s contributed to the region, he’s given even more to Squirrel Hill because pretty much all of the work he’s done for our community has been free of charge—pro bono, as the lawyers say. Part of the reason is that Squirrel Hill has been Baum’s home for his entire life—born here, raised here, schooled here (Pitt and Pitt Law School), worked here, married here, raised two children here—but also because involvement is simply a fundamental piece of Baum’s nature.
“I’m an organizer,” he said. “I’m like Tom Sawyer—just trying to support people who want to get things done.”
So, what does that look like? Well, let’s take just the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition as an example. He’s been
on the SHUC Board of Directors since 1999, when it was basically “just a few people sitting around a table saying, so what do you want to do today?” Baum said.
He served as SHUC President from 2010–2015, and over the years he’s not only raised substantial funds for SHUC, but has also served on SHUC’s Executive Committee, Treasure Dinner Committee, Squirrel Hill Magazine Committee, Education Committee, and more.
Add to that all of the many Squirrel Hill building projects in which Baum has played a role. He helped clear the way for O’Conner’s Corner at the intersection of Phillips and Murray, which required zoning and construction permits from the city as well as private funding.
He was instrumental in the recent renovation of The Neill Log House in Schenley Park, the oldest existing residential structure in Pittsburgh, built in 1795. Restoring the house required many architectural interventions, including raising the entire structure to replace all four sill logs. Baum had a hand in the legal side of the process, including the incorporation of Friends of Neill Log House and the lease of the property with the City.
Baum also played a significant role in the development of the Squirrel Hill residential area known as Summerset at Frick Park, where he currently resides. The entire community was built on a giant slag heap from old steel mills, and it’s now considered one of Pittsburgh’s finest neighborhoods to live in.
His simple explanation for all of his efforts: “I like projects.”
Again, Baum underplays his many roles. “I just try to empower people who have good ideas,” Baum said. “‘I’m more of a facilitator than a lawyer. I try to marshal the troops, coax consensus [that word again], and encourage others.”
So, what is it about Squirrel Hill that calls to him so strongly? “I love Squirrel Hill,” Baum said. “Ninety-nine percent of our residents are wonderful people who like to be involved. And we’re an economically and ethnically and culturally diverse community. We keep renewing ourselves, and we keep changing. For people who want to live in the city, Squirrel Hill is beautiful, and it’s fun to walk, eat, and live in.”
Baum remains motivated to participate by people who say, “we’ve got to do something about this neighborhood.” He added, “And it makes me feel better to get involved and get things done. It’s more fun to do stuff.”
And with that, Baum excused himself to get ready for yet another evening community event.
State and City Council Corner
State and City Council Corner shares reports submitted by the elected members of Pittsburgh City Council and the Pennsylvania Legislature that represent Squirrel Hill.
FROM STATE SENATOR JAY COSTA
In April, Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa was joined by Democratic Appropriations Chair Vincent Hughes, Senator Wayne Fontana, Senator Tim Kearney, Senator Sharif Street, Senator Tim Kane, Senator Lindsey Williams, Senator Maria Collett, and Senator Amanda Cappelletti to champion the importance of building and maintaining housing for the future of Pennsylvania’s working families.
Members asserted the urgency of protecting the progress made by the Fair Housing Act and discussed ways to keep up the momentum on the state level, including zoning reform, eviction sealing, repairing Pennsylvania’s aging housing stock, and building more new affordable housing.
Senator Costa highlighted findings from an October 2024 study by the Legislative Budget and Finance Committee about the Impact of Housing on Health. The study underscores that safe, stable, and affordable housing is a foundational determinant of individual and community health, and that housing instability significantly contributes to adverse physical and mental health outcomes.
FROM STATE REPRESENTATIVE DAN FRANKEL
Rep. Dan Frankel and Rep. Rick Krajewski (Philadelphia-D)’s legislation to decriminalize and regulate adult-use cannabis has passed the Pennsylvania House. The bill prioritizes public health, safety, and equity by creating a regulated system that includes publicly owned retail stores, private consumption lounges, and equity-focused licensing. It includes strong protections for youth, with mandatory ID checks, restrictions on advertising and packaging, and limits on high-potency products. The Liquor Control Board is empowered to oversee the market, shut down illegal operations, and ensure accountability. The legislation includes sweeping expungement and resentencing provisions and will end over 12,000 annual arrests for simple possession. It creates thousands of union jobs and protects cannabis users from discrimination. With projected revenues of $630 million, the bill reinvests 60% into housing, treatment, legal aid, and other supports for impacted communities.
FROM CITY COUNCILPERSON ERIKA STRASSBURGER
From Top to Bottom:
State Senator Jay Costa; State Representative Dan Frankel; City Councilperson Erika Strassburger; City Councilperson Barb Warwick.
For residents of Squirrel Hill and surrounding neighborhoods, the closures of the Charles Anderson and Panther Hollow Bridges have disrupted daily life by cutting off vital routes to Oakland, Downtown, and other neighborhoods in our City. It’s
been very frustrating—but there is progress underway, and we are close to regaining access to these two important bridges.
Construction on the Charles Anderson Bridge is continuing to move forward, with major milestones reached and multiple work crews now active on steel repairs, painting, and platform installation. The bridge is on track to reopen by Fall 2026.
At the same time, work on the Panther Hollow Bridge is nearing its end. Since its closure in October 2024, the bridge has undergone a structural analysis and inspection. Final repair plans will be complete by this summer and construction is expected to begin shortly after.
While detours and delays have tested our patience, these investments will soon restore safe, reliable connections to Squirrel Hill and the rest of Pittsburgh.
FROM CITY COUNCILMEMBER BARB WARWICK
This spring, Councilmember Warwick introduced a bill that would allow Pittsburgh residents to cultivate native and pollinator gardens. The legislation exempts intentional plantings of vegetation native to Pennsylvania from the Pittsburgh property code’s prohibition of plant growth more than ten inches high.
To address the concerns of residents who are interested in establishing native gardens but worried about getting cited for overgrowth, the bill requires managed natural landscapes—which include rain gardens, pollinator gardens, and native gardens—to be registered with the City’s Department of Permits, Licenses, and Inspections (PLI). Through the registry, City inspectors won’t need to try to determine based on their own observations which yards have cultivated plantings and which yards are overgrown with weeds.
Cultivating native gardens in place of turfgrass lawns improves our local biodiversity, air quality, and water quality, and helps to make Pittsburgh a more sustainable, climate-resilient city.
Bridge and Interchange: The Changes Coming to I-376 in Squirrel Hill
By Dalia Belinkoff
PennDOT (PENNSYLVANIA DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION) IS BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE OF TRANSPORTATION IN PITTSBURGH, and the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition is closely watching two major projects that will affect Squirrel Hill directly.
The first project, the replacement of the Commercial Street Bridge, is already underway. The second project is
the planned redesign of the I-376 Interchange at Squirrel Hill. The exact configuration of that project is not known, but a general description is provided below.
While there will be short-term detours and other challenges, both of these projects promise long-term improvements. SHUC and our Bike-Ped Committee are actively involved with PennDOT, working to make
Accelerated Bridge Construction techniques allow the new Commercial Street Bridge to be built first alongside the existing bridge before being slid into place.
Squirrel Hill will be impacted considerably by whichever plan is ultimately selected.
sure that the community’s views are heard and that its residents understand what is happening and when. Here’s an overview of the two major projects.
Commercial Street Bridge Replacement
SHUC is keenly interested in the Commercial Street Bridge Replacement on the Parkway East. The $95 million project (which is currently in the “Construction” phase) is located between Exit 77–Edgewood/Swissvale and the Squirrel Hill Tunnel. The bridge spans Nine Mile Run, Frick Park, and Commercial Street, all of which will be affected by the replacement process.
Note the use of the words “replacement process.” After all is said and done, a new bridge will replace the existing 74-year-old bridge, but the process is noteworthy.
PennDOT will be using Accelerated Bridge Construction (ABC) techniques to minimize the impact on the highway. The new bridge will be constructed on temporary foundations just south of the existing bridge. Once that step is complete, the Parkway will be closed down for
several weeks so that the current bridge can be removed using a mixture of conventional and explosive demolition. Then, the new bridge will be slid into the gap in the highway. This will be an amazing process to watch.
Beyond this major change, the project also includes elements meant to improve infrastructure on the road, including signage, more vertical clearance in the westbound off-ramp to Forest Hills/Wilkinsburg (Exit 78B), a new median barrier and upgraded guide rails, and Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS), CCTV cameras, and an Over Height Truck Detection System.
Construction is already underway on the first phase of the Commercial Street Bridge replacement.
Bridge and Interchange (cont.)
Among the road impacts in Squirrel Hill, Commercial Street, which travels beneath the bridge, has already been shifted to make way for construction. This allows vehicular travel to continue during the early phase of construction. The impact on drivers on I-376 should be limited to an approximately month-long period in July 2026 when the highway closes completely for the demolition of the old bridge and the shifting of the new bridge. Commercial Street will also be closed for an extended period during this stage.
There will also be impacts on the park system itself, both Frick Park and Nine Mile Run, but the project includes plans to mitigate the impacts and restore the site fully upon completion. Park-goers should pay attention to the orange netting surrounding the active work zone, which is for their own safety as well as the workers’ safety.
Protections for the natural landscape include compost filter socks installed to prevent sediment from entering the water in the run and to filter out pollutants. There
is also a temporary bridge (later a causeway) to minimize the effects of equipment moving across the stream and its beds during construction. The clearing of the site for construction impacts the vegetation (and its inhabitants), of course, but more trees and shrubs will be planted after the project ends than were cleared to make way for it.
For updates on the Bridge Replacement, visit PennDOT’s project website: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/penndot/ projects-near-you/district-11-projects/ commercial-street-bridge-replacement.html
To learn more about the environmental impact mitigation efforts, visit the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy blog: https://pittsburghparks.org/ environmental-efforts-at-commercial-street-bridge/
Frick Park is not the only Squirrel Hill park impacted by bridge construction. Both the Charles Anderson and Panther Hollow bridges in Schenley Park are closed for rehabilitation. The City of Pittsburgh is leading these projects, and SHUC is monitoring their progress.
Frick Park is not the only Squirrel Hill park impacted by bridge construction.
Both the Charles Anderson and Panther Hollow bridges in Schenley Park are closed for rehabilitation. The City of Pittsburgh is leading these projects, and SHUC is monitoring their progress.
Bridge and Interchange (cont.)
Parkway East–Squirrel Hill Interchange
In February of this year, PennDOT conducted a community outreach program in Greenfield that informed residents of three potential plans to improve the Parkway East interchange at Squirrel Hill. Residents had an opportunity to present their views about the “Design” phase of the Squirrel Hill Interchange Improvement Project on I-376 (Parkway East). The current construction timeline runs from 2029 to 2031.
The main goals of the project are 1) to improve traffic flow and safety at this interchange by separating the outbound entrance and exit ramps, and 2) to eliminate the stop sign at the outbound entrance.
Currently, traffic from the outbound entrance ramp (the one with the stop sign) enters just before the outbound exit ramp to Squirrel Hill/Greenfield. As a result, drivers are trying to enter and exit the highway simultaneously, not to mention the difficulty of entering a full-speed highway from a stop. This is unsafe, and there is a track record of crashes and close calls along this stretch. Beyond improving safety, there are projected reductions in congestion and improvements in travel time.
Squirrel Hill (and our neighbor Greenfield) will be impacted considerably by whichever plan is ultimately selected. All of the plans, for example, introduce a roundabout where Monitor Street meets Beechwood Boulevard and new traffic lights on Forward Avenue to control the movement of cars onto and off of the highway. More subtle changes involving the length and curvature of the
A PennDOT rendering of a proposed roundabout at Monitor Street and Beechwood Blvd.
Rendering courtesy of PennDOT.
The entrances to the Parkway East would look very different after the Squirrel Hill Interchange Project is completed.
ramps and the movement of vehicles on Beechwood Blvd. aim to enhance vehicle and pedestrian safety and improve traffic flow.
The differences between the three options being considered are difficult to picture in one’s mind, but they all envision major new construction and a reconfiguration of the entire interchange. The plans cost between $112 to $192 million and necessitate the taking of between 1 and 14 properties plus the loss of a number of parking spaces. It will be an important and impactful decision.
Finally, although this is primarily a highway project, other modes of transportation are involved. Bus stops on Beechwood Blvd., for example, would be repositioned. The project plans also include a multi-use trail on the northern side of the highway (the inbound side) stretching from Forward Avenue in Squirrel Hill to Saline Street in The Run section of Greenfield. This would be a ped-bike path (“shared use” in PennDOT lingo) similar to the Eliza Furnace Trail (‘jail trail’) in its location alongside a highway.
Taking heed of the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition’s Bike-Ped Committee’s recommendations, SHUC sent a resolution to PennDOT specifically supporting this multi-use trail,
See the PennDOT website for help understanding the different Squirrel Hill Interchange plans: https://www.pa.gov/agencies/penndot/projectsnear-you/district-11-projects/squirrel-hillinterchange-project.html
called the Saline Street Bike Connection. Further, SHUC requested that a bike-ped ramp connecting the proposed trail with the existing Pocusset Trail in Schenley Park be shown in PennDOT’s plans as a future project. In addition, SHUC requested that the intersection of the future ramp with the Saline Street Bike Connection be constructed as part of the project.
The SHUC resolution sent to PennDOT also supported bike-ped crosswalks that PennDOT’s plans show at three proposed signalized intersections and at the roundabout proposed for the intersection of Beechwood Blvd. and Monitor Street.
The close connections between our Bike-Ped Committee and PennDOT illustrate the dedicated and meticulous work done by the Bike-Ped Committee. They increase our ability to succeed in our primary mission—to enhance Squirrel Hill and improve the lives of our residents. We can build on these plans and relationships to continue to support our neighborhood. We welcome your thoughts on these and other transportation developments on the horizon.
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Built Environment Committee SP TLIGHT:
By Lori Fitzgerald
This is the fourth entry in a series highlighting the work of SHUC committees and their members. We previously focused on Litter Patrol, the BicyclePedestrian Committee, and the Tree Committee. Here, we take a look at the efforts of the Built Environment Committee to maintain and enhance the physical landscape of Squirrel Hill.
When we build, let us think that we build forever. Let it not be for present delight nor for present use alone; let it be such work as our descendants will thank us for, and let us think, as we lay stone on stone, that a time is to come when those stones will be held sacred because our hands have touched them, and that men will say, as they look upon the labor and wrought substance of them, “See! This our fathers did for us.”
- John Ruskin
THE SQUIRREL HILL BUILT ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE
If you live, work, or play in Squirrel Hill, you are engaged in a primarily built, urban landscape. We here in Squirrel Hill and the 14th Ward are fortunate to have two amazingly lush green parks, an abundance of trees, and natural wildlife (deer anyone?). Yet the landscape around us in Squirrel Hill has primarily been built by humans. Most of our roads, buildings, bridges, and structures have been here for over a hundred years. In the case of the Neill Log House, portions of that building have been standing since 1795! We humans have been altering our landscape here in Pittsburgh for centuries, and it’s the built environment that shapes our daily lives, our movement, our experiences.
Note how after significant natural disasters (such as wildfires, hurricanes, or tornadoes) people comment on missing landmarks such as schools, places of worship, and homes. They feel lost and disoriented without those physical places. We organize ourselves and our lives around the physical buildings and structures. Here in Squirrel Hill, it was terrible to lose so many mature trees during the severe storm in April. But, at the end of that day, we still could identify where we were because of the stable and durable presence of our built landscape.
The built environment of Forbes and Murray at the heart of Squirrel Hill, zoned “Local Neighborhood Commercial.”
Squirrel Hill is mostly zoned Residential but has a Commercial stretch (marked in pink) on Murray, Forbes, and Forward avenues.
This map utilizes data and services provided by the City of Pittsburgh’s GIS Team – Department of Innovation and Performance. The provided data and mapping service are for informational purposes only. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy and reliability, the City makes no warranties, express or implied, regarding the completeness, correctness, or suitability of the presented data. The City of Pittsburgh is not responsible for any monetary loss, damages, or other consequences resulting from the use or misuse of this information.
The Squirrel Hill Built Environment Committee focuses on the physical spaces and places that make up Squirrel Hill. We strive to maintain and enhance the unique character and quality of place that define Squirrel Hill.
Here’s how.
WHO WE ARE AND WHY WE DO THIS
Like the Board and Committees of SHUC, Built Environment Committee members are all volunteers. These volunteers are Squirrel Hill residents who happen to have interest and expertise related to building and land development and construction (architecture, engineering, design, construction, real estate, or law).
For example, I am an architect, and my career has equipped me with expertise in community issues, renovation, and land development and environmental knowledge. I currently serve as Chair of the Committee.
At times, our committee has also had participants who simply care very deeply about the quality and character of their built landscape, even if they themselves have backgrounds in other fields. They’ve come to understand design and development and care enough to volunteer their time to get involved.
Committee members get involved because we know how impactful our built landscape is, and we know that landscape can be enhanced or diminished through changes, big and small, over time. We know it’s important to be aware of how incremental changes add up so that the result is enhanced quality of urban life.
ON ZONING
Zoning is the legal process by which the City of Pittsburgh (and other municipalities) regulate land use. Therefore, it has a foundational impact on the built environment and our committee’s work.
SP TLIGHT (CONT.)
In Squirrel Hill, we have at least 10 zones, which include our Local Neighborhood Commercial (LNC) District (think Forbes and Murray) as well as various Residential Zones with sub-categories related to the size and density of residential structures—single-family homes, townhouses, rental units, apartments, etc. The variety of these land uses and districts helps create diversity among our demographics. By having a mix of land uses such as parks, university campuses, business districts, and low- to high-density residential options, we have built-in options for a variety of ages, lifestyles, and ways to live or be in Squirrel Hill.
Each of these zoning districts has its own legal criteria regulating how the land is used and how buildings or structures are developed. The zoning code regulates height, area, parking, and other quantifiable factors. It also defines the types of uses. For example, there are no zoning districts in Squirrel Hill that would permit a factory or skyscraper.
Zoning is not a perfect process or parameter, and our committee sometimes disagrees with these rules. But the zoning regulations are the parameters in which property owners are required to work, with the intent to benefit the greater good of our shared landscape.
WHAT WE DO AND HOW WE DO IT
When a current or potential property owner (someone perhaps looking to buy or develop a property) seeks to modify a property, the Built Environment Committee may get involved if the work affects the public realm or meets a threshold for requiring a Registered Community Organization (RCO) process, such as:
• Buildings that are bigger or taller than zoning allows.
• Developments that have parking issues, exterior signage, equipment, or other features with possible visual, noise, or other impacts to neighbors.
• Developments whose proposed use may be changing from a previous occupancy to a new use (such as a school being converted to apartments).
In such circumstances, SHUC plays a formal role as a Registered Community Organization (RCO) for Squirrel
Hill. The City of Pittsburgh describes RCOs as “a nonprofit community organization or collaboration of community organizations that are registered with the Department of City Planning (DCP) as stakeholders of a specific geographic area.” These groups are tasked with facilitating communication within the community when it comes to impactful developments.
When the project is going through its formal zoning process, the Built Environment Committee members typically do the following:
• Convene informal conversations between property owners and immediate adjacent neighbors or stakeholders to flesh out any questions, concerns, or information prior to a broader public meeting.
• Co-host a public Development Activities Meeting (DAM). These are held on Zoom, and anyone can attend. You can find them listed here: https://www.pittsburghpa.gov/ Business-Development/City-Planning/PlanningPrograms/Registered-Community-Organizations/ Development-Activities-Meeting
• Capture notes and public feedback on a development.
• Report back to the entire SHUC Board on especially significant developments so that the Board can vote on SHUC’s position on the topic on behalf of Squirrel Hill.
• In some cases, write a letter to the Zoning Board expressing support or opposition to items proposed.
• In other cases, and often in addition to a letter, attend the Zoning Board meeting to add verbal testimony.
A screenshot from April’s Development Activities Meeting on the City Historical Designation proposal for Robin Road.
It is important to note that our committee represents Squirrel Hill and the feedback we hear at the DAM or from direct communications to our Board or members. We are not testifying on our personal behalf. Instead, as an RCO, we aim to represent the feedback we hear from YOU. In some cases, that may actually differ from our individual personal opinions. But we always strive to represent the community.
Because of the established and known good reputation of SHUC and our committee, we are often approached by property owners as a courtesy prior to a formal process. Occasionally, our committee has found developments to be incongruent with the character of the immediate neighborhood and urged an owner to reconsider. So, in some cases, certain ideas don’t move forward into public discussion because of our committee. In most cases, though, we use our knowledge of the community and its concerns to advise a developer ahead of a public process. For example, we may suggest that a developer add a screen to hide air conditioning equipment from view or provide more street trees than are required to better enhance the landscape.
Our committee does not get involved in the design of the interior of a structure. We do not police aesthetics.
We do not pick colors or materials or plants. Design and construction teams do that, and property owners have a wide range of choices over which SHUC and our committee have absolutely no say. We want property owners to invest in Squirrel Hill. Development is good and we encourage it, but we encourage it to be done thoughtfully in the context of the overall community.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
• Pay attention to news, the City of Pittsburgh Planning Department website, and the SHUC website (shuc. org) for upcoming projects or meetings.
• Attend meetings or send your feedback about developments to us through our website.
• If you have interest or knowledge on these topics, join our committee! We’re just volunteers, so our reach is limited by our time. We want to be more proactive than reactive, but we are a band of just a few people. We want to expand our impact on the community while including more people in the process. Please help us continue to enhance Squirrel Hill.
Our Built Environment is inherently a shared environment. It literally shapes our community and our daily lives.
Notice it all around you, and help us keep it vibrant, authentic, and unique to Squirrel Hill!
A screenshot from April’s Development Activities Meeting on the City Historical Designation proposal for Schenley Park.
NEIGHBORHOOD NOTES
NEW BUSINESS NOTICES
NANA’S SCOOPS (5876 NORTHUMBERLAND STREET)
A summer afternoon requires one of two things: a steaming hot drink or an ice-cold dessert. If you need both, visit Nana’s Scoops.
This family-owned and operated venue near the Squirrel Hill police and fire station serves up hand-scooped ice cream, soft serve, and slushies on the cold side, and coffee, espresso, and tea on the hot side.
Among the drinks are Turkish coffee, a nod to the owners’ origins. Ammar Alkhafaji and Eshraaq Al Saeedi, who also own the dry cleaning business next door, grew up in Iraq. Al Saeedi makes many of the Arabic sweets sold at Nana’s Scoops, including the newly famous Dubai chocolate filled with pistachio cream and crunchy knafeh noodles.
Nana’s Scoops is clearly a family affair. Its namesake ‘Nana’ is Alkhafaji and Al Saeedi’s daughter, who bakes the tres leches cakes, and their son can often be found scooping the different flavors of Perry’s Ice Cream.
What’s his favorite sweet treat? “Probably my sister’s cake,” he said, before turning his attention to his mom’s delicious pastries.
DIEGO’S BARBERSHOP (2327 MURRAY AVENUE)
Diego Nasisi had been getting his hair cut two or three times a week when he realized it might be more convenient if he opened his own barbershop. Out of that realization, Diego’s Barbershop was born.
The barbers at Diego’s Barbershop offer a VIP haircut experience with top of the line cuts, hot towels, and massages.
The barbershop’s tag line, “Cool Cuts, Fresh Style,” hints at the atmosphere inside. With jet black walls and golden barber’s chairs, the vibe is both serious and fun, enhanced by soccer memorabilia from Nasisi’s native Argentina. The neon white lights on the dark ceiling resemble the hexagons of a soccer ball.
It might sound like a man’s world, but Nasisi insists that the barbershop is for everyone—men, women, children of all backgrounds.
“Everybody’s welcome here,” he said, noting the diversity in the Squirrel Hill neighborhood. “People should feel comfortable coming in since we’re open to everyone.”
FRICK PARK OPENS ENVIRONMENTAL CENTER SENSORY CLASSROOM
Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy and its community partners gathered on May 15 to celebrate the opening of Frick Park’s latest resource: an inclusive learning environment constructed within the park.
A multiyear development process engaged local schools and teachers to determine how best to serve students and other park visitors with special needs. The result is a two-part transformation of three acres adjacent to the Frick Environmental Center.
The first component is a fully accessible 1/3 mile trail through the woods featuring stations that engage the senses. The second is the Outdoor Discovery Space, an open-air classroom with two pavilions suitable for learners with different abilities.
Beyond its new elements, the project significantly upgraded existing park features such as the Observation Deck.
NEIGHBORHOOD NOTES
WELCOME TO CLP-SQUIRREL HILL, TAYLOR LEE!
Meet Taylor Lee, the new Library Services Manager at the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh–Squirrel Hill branch, who wants more connections with the community to bolster the library activities.
“We do a good job already connecting with community partnerships and library users, and we would like to do more of it,” she said.
Lee has been working in libraries since 2011. She started her managerial role at the Squirrel Hill branch in February, overseeing around 24 staffers. Prior, she was a manager at the Downtown branch and worked as the Director of the Wilkinsburg Public Library before coming to Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.
“I love working with the patrons, talking with and helping them, and helping the staff do their best job,” she said.
Lee received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from the University of Pittsburgh’s Johnstown campus and her Master of Library and Information Science degree from the University of Pittsburgh main campus. She said that she did not want to pursue publishing or teaching roles. Instead, she paired her love of books with a love of helping people to make a “natural transition” to library work.
One of the more challenging parts of managing a library, she explained, is helping people with social services, primarily housing requests.
NEIGHBORHOOD NOTES
“There are barriers, and we don’t have what they need,” she said. While the library may not be able to meet all needs, Lee pointed to how the city is doing a better job at helping the homeless population with housing resources.
Lee said she looks forward to what’s to come with building connections.
Squirrel Hill was the first neighborhood in the city she immersed herself in, and she said, “it has a special place in my heart.”
“I am really excited to meet more people in the community,” she said.
AMAZING RACERS
A new reality-inspired competition took place in Sewickley on May 22, and Squirrel Hill was represented among the contestants. Rachel Herskowitz and Linda
Tashbook participated in the Amazing Race–Pittsburgh, a charitable event sponsored by the Pennsylvania Apartment Association that raised $8,000 for the Best of the Batch Foundation.
“We both love the reality TV show The Amazing Race, so we eagerly signed up to participate in this local version as soon as registration opened,” said Tashbook, a law librarian and adjunct professor at Pitt.
Lots of people in Squirrel Hill will recognize Herskowitz because she works at Bunny Bakes and has been active in The Friendship Circle since she was a teenager. Tashbook has known Herskowitz since serving as her childhood nanny, and the two have remained friends ever since.
The race consisted of twelve “minute to win it” skill games. Herskowitz won the Cookie Face Slide game after maneuvering an Oreo from her forehead to her mouth in less than ten seconds! “Mine fell on the ground several times in the sixty seconds that I tried the task,” said Tashbook.
The pair was sponsored by Franklin West Apartments in Shadyside and wore cowboy hats and bandanas as part of the “The Westerners” team. While there was no cash prize like on the TV show, this race’s participants won friendship, community, and fun. Simply put, “it was a great Amazing Race,” said Herskowitz.
IN MEMORIAM
Squirrel Hillers were saddened by the death of Victor Vrabel, the greeter at the Manor Theatre for almost twenty years. He saw every film and was happy to chat about it with theatergoers. Victor was gracious and welcoming; he will be missed.
Parks Respite & A Guide to Green Spaces in Squirrel
Hill
With text and photos by Melissa Eppihimer
FOR A CITY NEIGHBORHOOD, SQUIRREL HILL IS A VERY GREEN PLACE. A SATELLITE VIEW REVEALS A COMMUNITY WITH ABUNDANT TREE COVER. A WALK ACROSS THE NEIGHBORHOOD LEADS FROM ONE GIANT PARK TO ANOTHER.
Whether you’ve been visiting Squirrel Hill’s parks and playgrounds all your life or are searching for a new place to explore, use our guide to learn where to observe wildlife, practice a sport, let your kids run free, or simply sit for a moment during a busy day.
City Parks
Pittsburgh is blessed with city-run parks. Sandwiched between the two largest, Squirrel Hill is especially lucky when it comes to green spaces for recreation and connecting with nature.
Frick Park
The largest of the city’s parks, Frick Park houses extensive walking and biking trails for exploring its wooded landscape. The Frick Environmental Center at the park’s NW corner is a good starting point, especially with the recent opening of its Sensory Classroom. Further south on Beechwood, sports enthusiasts will appreciate the pickleball, basketball, and baseball facilities next to Blue Slide Playground that’s famous for, well, the blue slide set into the hill. On the eastern edges in Point Breeze and Regent Square are the lawn bowling greens, clay tennis courts, and other play spaces.
Frick Park’s Sensory Nature Trail and Outdoor Classroom
Parks Respite &
Schenley Park
Schenley Park is arguably less rugged than Frick, as it is home to the Bob O’Connor golf course and a disk golf course; the track, soccer fields, and tennis and pickleball courts of the Schenley Oval Sportsplex; a public swimming pool, multiple playgrounds, and a skating rink; and the curated indoor and outdoor gardens of Phipps Conservatory. Even so, trails through Panther Hollow still offer abundant glimpses of natural beauty, including much wildlife.
Mellon Park
Mellon Park straddles Squirrel Hill and Shadyside, with Fifth Avenue running through its center. The northern part (in Shadyside) has baseball fields, a playground with a spray park, and the Mellon “Bubble,” home to indoor tennis courts. The southern half (in Squirrel Hill) hosts sledding in the winter and dogwalkers and children romping through the trees of its arboretum in warmer seasons. The park is also the site of the Pittsburgh Center for Arts & Media and the Phipps Garden Center.
Schenley Park Café and Visitor Center
Mellon Park’s arboretum
Davis Park
The newly refurbished playground at Davis Park attracts young children to this neighborhood gem on Hobart Street. Recreation enthusiasts can enjoy basketball, tennis, deck hockey, and other sports on its surfaced areas, while those just happy to sit and enjoy the park’s mature trees can enjoy lunch on its picnic benches.
Wightman Park
From its little league field to its flower blossoms, Wightman Park on Solway Street squeezes a lot into one compact block. Two playground complexes and a walking path through a rain garden provide entertainment for all ages.
Youth baseball at Wightman Park
Davis Playground’s latest additions
Parks Respite & Urban Oases
Murray Avenue runs like a spine through Squirrel Hill and its main business district. Along the way, tiny pockets of calm offer pedestrians a place to rest and watch city life go by.
O’Connor’s Corner (Murray and Phillips)
The maturing trees in this plaza, which commemorates the late Pittsburgh Mayor Bob O’Connor, provide shade to those seated on its benches.
Bellisario Memorial Garden (Murray and Hobart)
This miniature garden’s brick enclosures honor Filomena and Giuseppe Bellisario, members of a local family.
Mardi’s Urban Forest (Murray and Beacon)
The namesake of this area with chess tables, benches, and a verdant mural is the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition’s former President, Mardi Isler.
Post Office Parklet (Murray and Darlington)
A broad arc of benches and a set of mosaiced plinths frame the Post Office Parklet, a prime location for seating during the summer Night Markets. The site often hosts social activism like a recently spotted Community Pantry cabinet.
The Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition has worked to beautify the business district in recent years by adding benches and planters along Murray and Forbes avenues.
Mardi’s Urban Forest on Beacon Street
Post Office Parklet Mardi’s Urban Forest
Campus Escapes
The campuses of Squirrel Hill’s educational institutions are rich in opportunities for relaxation and renewal. No need to enroll. Just take a stroll and see what you can learn.
Carnegie Mellon University
CMU’s paved pathways promise a pleasant walk on the way to visiting Phipps or the Carnegie Museums in Oakland. Grab a bite from a food truck while observing future Tony Award and Nobel Prize winners.
Chatham
University Arboretum
The rolling hills of Chatham’s campus are home to a certified arboretum. Download a map marked with the location of tree species from their website (chatham.edu) as a guide to this idyllic landscape atop Squirrel Hill.
The Children’s Institute: Nimick Family Therapeutic Garden
This specially designed sensory garden promotes healing for kids and families at The Children’s Institute. Open to the public, the garden brings sculpture and nature together in a space that is physically small but oversized in heart.
Although it is residential, Summerset at Frick Park has the feel of a college campus with landscaped paths and public squares. The development’s two parks, Crescent Park and Shelburne Park, both have gazebos with picnic benches and a view that looks out over the Monongahela River valley to the south.
Chatham University’s leafy campus
The Children’s Institute’s Nimick Family Therapeutic Garden
Crescent and Shelburne Parks
See photo on page 26.
NOTES FROM YOUR SQUIRREL HILL URBAN COALITION STAFF
Update from SHUC Executive
Director, Maria Cohen
Summer is a wonderful time to think about the good things to come and building for our future. There are some very exciting things brewing in our city and in Squirrel Hill.
On Thursday, May 15, the new Outdoor Discovery Space and Sensory Nature Trail at Frick Park was unveiled. The Sensory Nature Trail offers an entirely new way to experience the trail and natural environment centered on stillness, observation, and presence. Catherine Qureshi, Brandon Riley, and the whole team created an incredible space for people of all abilities to enjoy!
Pittsburgh is embarking on a city-wide comprehensive plan for 2050. This is an exciting opportunity for our neighbors and community members to make our voices heard. What is important to you? Are you interested in climate change, arts and culture, parks, food justice, historical preservation, land use, or one of the other important topic areas? There really is something
for everyone! I was fortunate to be selected for the Community Working Group and will be out and about taking surveys, answering questions, and sharing information. Please fill out the 90-to-1 survey to start engaging and building an incredible future for our city. We have 90 neighborhoods in Pittsburgh and want each to share what is important to them.
As the City plans for Pittsburgh, Squirrel Hill is beginning to structure and develop a new neighborhood plan that will most likely be implemented in 2027 in order to be adopted by the City. Dalia Belinkoff, our board President, already put out feelers in our last magazine to ask our community about their dreams for the future of Squirrel Hill’s business districts. You can read her President’s Letter in this issue for some really interesting and good ideas from our neighbors!
Stand for All Pittsburgh is a newly created organization formed to combat bias and hateful rhetoric and incidents in Pittsburgh and Squirrel Hill. It will help our community create a future where our neighbors are protected and we can all feel safe. Our communications committee is in the process of putting together the organization’s brand identity and strategy for the Fall. We are excited to form this team to support community members facing these frightening, gutwrenching situations.
SHUC is excited to be partnering with our local Squirrel Hill Library’s Taylor Lee, the JCC Center for Loving Kindness, and several other community partners to
QR Code to complete the 90-to-1 survey.
bring a Resource Fair for our underserved and homeless community members to the Squirrel Hill Library. The event is scheduled for October 15 from 11 am – 3 pm. Jacquelyn Cynkar, SHUC board member and Steel City Helping Hands founding member, is going all out to support us in putting together an impactful event with many resources for our community members who need our support. We are doing our best to help them build a better, brighter future.
Please reach out to share what you would like the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition to continue, feedback about changes that you would like to see in our Squirrel Hill community, and your thoughts and ideas to help support us in preserving, improving, and celebrating the quality of life in our vibrant Squirrel Hill community. Volunteers are always welcome and appreciated! You can connect with me at mcohen@shuc.org.
NEILL LOG HOUSE NEWS
May 7 saw the beginning of regular opening hours for public visits to the Neill Log House. Friends of Neill Log House (FONLH) has an agreement with the Pittsburgh Park Rangers to manage the schedule and to provide a docent for drop-in visitors and special requested tours.
FONLH is fortunate to have Ranger Emily Ehrenberger in this lead role; she is interested in all things Neill and translates that enthusiasm to those who visit. On May 31, Emily arranged for an Arts in the Park experience for children and adults. It was a cold windy day, but dry, and those who participated enjoyed the experience of painting on canvas.
Improvements continue to be made to the landscaping at the site. After FONLH was awarded trees from Pittsburgh’s Shade Tree Commission, coordinated by the Forestry Department (evergreens for inside and outside the fence and deciduous trees along the road), focus turned to planting shrubs and preparing areas of the property for future improvements. For example, a raised herb garden is planned with selected plants that would have been grown by settlers not only for food preparation but also for medicinal uses and coloring textiles.
FONLH had a volunteer spinning wheel expert find the missing part for our flax wheel so that it can be operated. A weasel was also donated. This is a measuring device that “pops” after 40 revolutions, which produces an 80-yard skein. Does a certain children’s song come to mind?
FONLH encourages you to stop in and hear the stories about the Neills and their life and times, and see what essentials settlers had in their homes in the late 1700s. Please note that there are a number of stone steps and flagstone landings leading up to the house; therefore, it is not mobility accessible. The stairs and the path were part of the renovations completed by Pittsburgh’s Public Works–Construction Division, which also installed the wrought iron railing that was custom made for safety and aesthetics.
To see the regular open hours or to request a special tour please go to: https://www.pittsburghpa.gov/ Recreation-Events/Park-Facilities/The-Neill-Log-House
SPRING EVENT RECAP
EARTH DAY CLEANUP
SHUC held our annual Earth Day Cleanup Week in late April. The culminating event occurred on April 27, when volunteers spread out to pick up litter and beautify the neighborhood. Volunteers included groups from Friendship Circle, Colfax, and the Girl Scouts. For their efforts, select winners were rewarded with prizes generously donated by Squirrel Hill businesses like Silk Elephant, Little’s Shoes, Games Unlimited, and the Bagel Factory. The Starbucks on Shady Ave
provided coffee and Representative Dan Frankel’s office provided Napoli’s pizza to fuel the SHUC Litter Patrol that organized the event. We thank Litter Patrol leader Rachel Lecrone and all of the volunteers and contributors for their kindness and care.
ARBOR DAY
For the fifth year in a row, Friends of Mellon Park hosted an Arbor Day celebration in Mellon Park. SHUC was thrilled to be part of it again on April 26, and we thank the many young artists who stopped by our table. Their tree-inspired art projects brightened the day! Take a moment to enjoy the park and its arboretum this summer.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Summer is in full swing, and that means it’s time for the Squirrel Hill Night Markets! This year is the 10th anniversary of this special event—or, shall we say, events, since there are now three Night Markets each season. The next one is scheduled for Saturday, August 23, with the final market to follow on Saturday, September 27. Both will take place from 6 pm to 10 pm. Food and craft vendors will line Murray Avenue from Forbes to Beacon while performers dazzle the eyes and ears.
The Squirrel Hill Farmers Market extends through multiple seasons. This year, the market lasts until December 21, the first official day of winter! Take advantage of the assembly of sellers offering fruit juices, ripe vegetables, and handcrafted foods to gather up a picnic lunch or groceries for the week. The market takes place on Sundays from 9 am to 1 pm in the parking lot just off Murray Avenue between Beacon and Bartlett streets.
Join SHUC’s Bike-Ped committee on a Family Bike Ride & Trail Walk on Sunday, September 14 from 10:30 am to 1 pm at Frick Park’s new Environmental Center Sensory Classroom. Let’s explore the latest addition to the Park’s recreational and learning spaces together!
On Wednesday, October 15, the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh – Squirrel Hill and SHUC will host a Resource Fair where representatives from community organizations will be on site to provide those in need with information and guidance. The event at the library will run from 10 am to 3 pm.
November may seem far away, but plans are already underway for the next Day of the Dead/Día de los Muertos celebration in Squirrel Hill. Look for the festivities on Sunday, November 2 . Stay tuned for details!
Finally, mark your calendar for the annual Squirrel Hill Treasure Awards Dinner on Thursday, November 6. This event is a fundraiser for SHUC and an opportunity for neighbors to gather and celebrate the best of Squirrel Hill. Join us at The Pittsburgh Golf Club. Tickets can be purchased by e-mailing info@shuc.org or calling 412-422-7666.
SHUC SAYS “THANKS!”
Our Squirrel Hill and neighboring communities are so supportive. We really appreciate all you do!
Thanks very much to Alexandra Garay Sandoval who went above and beyond for us as our Fall/Winter intern. Ale was a phenomenal support behind the scenes for our Treasure Dinner, Day of the Dead celebration, Lunar New Year celebration, Arbor Day, Earth Day cleanup and much more. We are so thankful for all Ale has done to support us and are looking forward to having her back in the Fall! We are also thankful for our summer intern Derek Hurst, who quickly jumped into his work with SHUC and will be a very valuable support to us this summer.
Thanks very much to Jamison Combs (Uncover Squirrel Hill) who made sure that the Squirrel Hill Business District planters were ready for spring/summer! We are very appreciative of all of Jamison’s hard work behind
the scenes to keep our community looking good and enjoying fun events.
A big thank you to Bill Fielder and Scout Troop 9109 for a big neighborhood cleanup of our Welcome sign. It looks fantastic thanks to their team. Bill even went out for an Earth Day refresh to maintain the work already completed. And kudos to the teens who volunteered with our Litter Patrol as part of a J-Serve Day of Service in April. A huge thank you to the JCC for helping make this possible.
Thank you to our new head of the Squirrel Hill Carnegie Library Taylor Lee, who has jumped in full force to support our community. We already have plans for an October Resource Fair and several fruitful partnerships/ collaborations in the works.
Thanks very much to Theo Finer for being our Murray the Squirrel for Arbor Day 2025. Theo did a wonderful job as an engaging, fun Murray.
Special thanks to Catherine Qureshi and Brandon Riley plus their team for the great work they did to create an incredible inclusive Sensory classroom in Frick Park! We are very proud and thankful to have this first-of-its-kind park feature in our Squirrel Hill community.
If you would like to be added to our lists of special thank yous please reach out to volunteer or contribute to our wonderful Squirrel Hill Community. Thank you to our neighbors!
GOOD NEWS FROM OUR SCHOOLS
ST. EDMUND’S ACADEMY
On Friday, May 16, all St. Edmund’s Academy students participated in the school’s inaugural Sustainable Development Goals Symposium, featuring the projectbased learning that each grade completed throughout the year centered around the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
As the first United Nations Global School in western Pennsylvania, SEA is committed to learning about the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by all United Nations Member States in 2015, providing a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet, now and into the future.
SEA welcomed City Councilmember Erika Strassburger, who represents Pittsburgh’s District 8. Councilmember Strassburger shared the City of Pittsburgh’s proclamation recognizing St. Edmund’s Academy for its outstanding efforts in advancing sustainability and environmental justice through education and declaring May 16, 2025, to be the “Day of Sustainability and Environmental Justice” in the City of Pittsburgh.
Also in attendance at the Symposium were representatives from the school’s SDG Community Partners: organizations that have partnered with
WHAT’S THE GOOD NEWS FROM YOUR SCHOOL? LET US KNOW AT EDITOR@SHUC.ORG.
students on their SDG projects throughout the year, including Grow Pittsburgh, Creek Connections, Marshall Legacy Institute, The Beacon, and the 10.27 Partnership.
Throughout the afternoon, each class shared the purpose and findings of their SDG project, with special emphasis on the capstone projects of the members of the Class of 2025. Projects ranged from the Early Childhood partnership with Grow Pittsburgh, where the school’s youngest learners planted a vegetable garden and learned about growing food, to the 6th Grade’s study of building peace and supporting communities in regions affected by violence and war.
Most importantly, students took the lead for the afternoon, sharing their learning experiences with each other and hearing from their friends in other classes about their work.
ART ON DISPLAY
Photos by Deborah Lieberman
This spring, art made by middle school students at Pitt’s Falk Laboratory School was on display in two Squirrel Hill businesses.
“It feels amazing to have people looking at my art even if it’s not perfect,” said student artist Leo G.
Little’s Shoes storefront window put the young artists’ ceramic shoes front and center: sneakers, slides, and oxfords.
At The Chocolate Moose, a series of colorful drawings depicting sweet treats like donuts and candy hung on the walls.
“It’s important to me that my students feel seen and valued as artists. Sharing their work with the community not only honors their creativity but also builds connection and helps our community grow,” said Falk art teacher Deborah Lieberman.
A Healthier Future for Animals and Humans
By Lawrence Gerson, VMD
MY 50TH REUNION FROM VETERINARY SCHOOL
WAS THIS SPRING. ON ACCOUNT OF THIS, I SPENT TIME THINKING ABOUT THE PAST. Since graduation in 1975, the world has seen significant changes and challenges. Some diseases that are common now were not even on the radar years ago. Take COVID-19 as an example. Everyone was impacted by COVID-19, but veterinarians were not surprised that an animal virus mutated and infected humans.
My profession has faced the challenges of virus mutation many times. Early in my career we had a feline virus transform to infect dogs. The parvovirus epidemic years ago killed and sickened large numbers of our canine patients. Clients were in a near panic, seeking care and looking for vaccinations to prevent this catastrophic illness. Parvovirus is still a serious threat to dogs without proper vaccinations.
Many other diseases have crossed between species. Avian influenza, also known as bird flu, has devastated the poultry industry and has the potential to infect cows, cats, and a host of other species, including people. Canine influenza infects dogs with a contagious cough from a variant of both bird and horse viruses. Viruses can mutate, and everyone must be aware of the need for vigilance.
We can apply the lessons learned from the past as we move into the future—something else I started thinking about as my reunion approached. How can we stay healthy as we work to keep animals healthy?
The challenges we face for a healthy future can be summarized in the concept of One Health, which views human health as being directly related to the health of the environment and animals.
Consider the risk of rabies. As populations expand from suburbia to more rural areas, we come into close contact with raccoons, foxes, skunks, and bats. These species are the main vectors for rabies. Hundreds of cases of rabies in animals are documented every year in Pennsylvania. Countless more animals die in the woods without being tested. Cats are the most common domestic species exposed to rabies, and this is just one reason to always suggest keeping cats indoors and being cautious or avoiding contact with strays.
Another example of the One Health idea is the connection between land development, deer, ticks, and Lyme disease. New construction on formerly undeveloped land disrupts natural habitats that provide a home for animal species like deer.
We can see this in Squirrel Hill, where the Summerset development disturbed a hillside that once fed deer. Having grown up in Squirrel Hill, I have never seen so many deer casually browsing on Beechwood Blvd. or the streets near a park or cemetery. As beautiful as it is to see wildlife in the city, deer are the reservoir for Lyme disease, as small rodents bring deer ticks and the disease they carry to our yards. Deer overpopulation has also devastated the parks by eating vegetation, and the population is not sustainable without mass starvation.
Further from home, there were reports this spring of algae bloom killing marine animals. Warming temperatures and excess fertilizer runoff can stimulate algae growth. As these examples show, environmental factors can impact human and animal health in different ways.
Sometimes, humans and animals share the same risks. Food-borne and other disease-causing illnesses are a constant threat to people, especially pregnant women, children, the elderly, and immunocompromised
individuals; over one million cases of salmonella, for example, are diagnosed yearly in people. Animals, too, can suffer from salmonella and transmit illness to people. Therefore, many health professionals do not recommend feeding raw food to pets. Careful handling of raw chicken, meat, and other products is a must for everyone’s health.
Likewise, the ways we combat illness in humans and animals are connected. Overuse and improper use of antibiotics in animals and humans contribute to the issue of antibiotic resistance. As a result, treating animals on the farm or pets with unnecessary antibiotics can pose a problem for people.
Our close relationships with animals can sometimes put us at risk. Internal parasites were once very common in the pets I treated years ago. Currently, most pets seen at a veterinary hospital should be on monthly parasite protection for intestinal worms, heartworm disease, fleas, and ticks. Even so, we must be cautious in handling puppies that can spread parasite eggs to people, causing migrating larva. Raccoons also carry parasites in their feces that are very dangerous to people. Veterinarians recommend wearing shoes and frequent hand washing anytime children and adults are outside in yards and parks.
The One Health concept recognizes that zoonotic diseases (meaning diseases that can be transmitted between animals and humans), antibiotic resistance, food safety, environmental protection, and vector-borne disease are all critical factors in animal and especially human health. Focusing on the connections between the health of humans, animals, and the environments we inhabit together offers the promise of a healthier future for all.
Preserving the Past for the Future: Historical Designations in Squirrel Hill
By Helen Wilson, Vice-President, Squirrel Hill Historical Society
WQED-FM OFTEN REMINDS US THAT “ALL MUSIC WAS ONCE NEW.” THAT IDEA HOLDS TRUE FOR BUILDINGS, STREETS, BRIDGES, AND PARKS AS WELL. Like music, they were created at different times, in different styles, and for different reasons. Yet today, only some are viewed as historically significant and worthy of public attention and preservation for the future. How do we know which ones qualify?
A good indication is the bestowal of a historical designation. There are several categories—National Register of Historic Places (NRHP); Pennsylvania State Historical Markers; Pittsburgh City Designated Historic Districts, Sites, Buildings, and Objects; and Pittsburgh History & Landmarks (PHLF) plaques.
Squirrel Hill has over 50 places with one or more of these designations. It would take too much space to list them all here, so this article gives just a sampling to demonstrate why people thought the sites were worth the effort to take on the arduous process of researching, writing, and illustrating extensive
nomination forms and go through the complicated approval process.
I discovered just how involved the process is when I wrote the City Designated Historic Nomination Form for Schenley Park. It took
The Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation plaque on the Panther Hollow Bridge
Melissa Eppihimer
Helen Wilson
Panther Hollow Bridge in Schenley Park, a landmark bridge.
several months to write the form, beginning in late 2024 and extending into the spring of 2025 as a project of the Squirrel Hill Historical Society (SHHS), with the help of Preservation Pittsburgh and the support of the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, and Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation. The application is now wending its way toward approval by Pittsburgh’s Historic Review Commission (HRC) and City Council, which should take place sometime this summer.
The SHHS undertook Schenley Park’s nomination for two reasons. First, Frick Park and Mellon Park received City Historic Site designations a few years ago, and the SHHS felt that Schenley Park—the oldest and grandest city park of all—should have that designation as well. Schenley was Pittsburgh’s first large urban park, designed to be a showcase and the place to hold major civic events. The second reason was, contrary to common belief, Schenley Park is almost entirely within Squirrel Hill, according to the City’s official neighborhood maps.
When I was perusing the lists of federal, state, and locally designated sites during my research on Schenley Park, I discovered that not only did the park hold many historically designated buildings, bridges, and monuments, so did other places in Squirrel Hill, including some with more than one designation. What Squirrel Hill encloses might surprise you—WQED, Central Catholic High
School, Carnegie Mellon University, and Chatham University are all historically significant sites within Squirrel Hill.
There are basically four levels of historical designations. At the top is the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), administered by the National Park Service. This designation offers the highest level of protection because it can create legal hurdles for projects that might negatively impact a designated property, especially when federal funds are involved. NRHP sites may also be eligible for federal tax credits, grants, and other preservation resources. Squirrel Hill has eight NRHP sites: Pittsburgh Allderdice (Taylor Allderdice) High School, Pittsburgh Colfax Elementary School, Frick Park, Schenley Park, Phipps Conservatory, U.S. Bureau of Mines (now CMU’s Hamburg Hall), Wightman School (now Wightman School Community Building), and the Henry Koerner House.
The next category is the Pennsylvania State Historical Markers, which offer information rather than legal protection. Squirrel Hill is home to two markers. The first, located near the Columbus statue in Schenley Park, honors noted sculptor Frank Vittor (1888–1968). The second is the “Station WQED” marker at 4802 Fifth Avenue.
A third marker just across Squirrel Hill’s border in Greenfield is closely connected to Squirrel Hill. The marker for Simon Girty (1741–1818), whose property extended into what is now Squirrel Hill, is located at 3424 Beechwood Boulevard beside Turner Cemetery, where some Girty family members are buried, along with other original Squirrel Hill settlers. SHHS member Eric Marchbein took the lead in applying for the marker, and SHHS members helped with the research involved in getting it.
City of Pittsburgh Designations form the third level of historical
Helen
Wilson
The Westinghouse Memorial, one of Schenley Park’s City Designated historical sites.
designations. This group includes City Designated Historic districts (CDHD), sites (CDHS), buildings (CDHB), and objects (CDHO). Nominees must meet one or more criteria from a list of possible grounds for historical significance. People or organizations usually apply for City Historic District status to prevent properties in their location from being demolished or their exterior integrity from being compromised, which was the reason for the creation of Squirrel Hill’s sole City Designated Historic District—Murray Hill Avenue. A second district, Robin Road, is now going through the nomination process for the same reasons.
Squirrel Hill also has seven City Designated Historic Buildings and Objects. Most are located within Schenley Park— Snyder Spring/Catahecassa
Fountain, Panther Hollow Bridge, Schenley Bridge, the two tufa bridges, and the Westinghouse Memorial. Outside the park are the little Neo-Grecian Howe Springs temple on Fifth Avenue and Frick Park. Anathan House on Murray Avenue, now home to NCJWPittsburgh, has been nominated for a City Designation.
It is important to note that a City Designation does not mean a site cannot be altered. For example, both Frick Park and Mellon
Park (in Point Breeze) are City Designated Historic Sites, but improvements and additions have been made throughout their histories. The same is true for Schenley Park. Parks are living entities that undergo changes as they outgrow some uses and take on others. Schenley Oval is a good example, changing from a racetrack to the Sportsplex.
The category with the largest number of historic designations in Squirrel Hill is the Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation plaques. Although they don’t offer as much protection against demolition or exterior alterations as the other designations, the plaques are a visible way to keep significant places in the public eye. They overlap in some cases with other historical designations. For example, CMU’s Hamburg Hall, originally the U.S. Bureau of Mines, has both PHLF and NRHP designations. Other PHLF plaque recipients include thirteen of the original buildings on Carnegie Mellon’s campus designed by architect Henry Hornbostel in the early 1900s.
Other Squirrel Hill buildings carry PHLF plaques, including the Howe-Childs Gatehouse (“Willow Cottage”) on Chatham’s campus, Central Catholic High School, Episcopal Church of the Redeemer, Temple Sinai (Worthington House), Neill Log House, Phipps Conservatory, the recently
Public domain
Schenley Park Oval’s original racetrack, seen here in a vintage postcard.
Murray Hill Avenue, a City Designated Historic District.
Helen Wilson
renovated Schenley Park Visitor Center, “Sunnyledge” (McClelland House), The Pittsburgh Golf Club, and eight privately owned houses. PHLF
plaques have also been awarded to the Panther Hollow Bridge, Schenley Bridge, and Homestead High Level (Grays) Bridge.
From their inception as new additions to Squirrel Hill to their recognition as historically significant remnants of the neighborhood’s past, each designated place holds layers of Squirrel Hill’s history. Thanks to these designations, people viewing the sites today can know these are places worthy of being preserved and remembered.
If you would like to read the Schenley Park City Historic Designation nomination form or follow along as the designation process proceeds, you can do so online at https://www.pittsburghpa. gov/Business-Development/ City-Planning/HistoricPreservation-Program/Applyfor-Historic-Designation.
UPCOMING EVENTS SQUIRREL HILL HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Anyone interested in learning more about Squirrel Hill history is invited to attend the programs of the Squirrel Hill Historical Society, held on the second Tuesday of each month except August at 7:30 p.m. at the Church of the Redeemer, 5700 Forbes Ave. and also on Zoom. Go to squirrelhillhistory.org to request a link to the program or see a list of upcoming lectures and events. Events are also listed in the calendar in this magazine. Please consider joining the SHHS. Membership is only $15 per year ($25 for couples). There is no charge for attending the programs.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 12
No Meeting
The SHHS generally doesn’t schedule programs in August, so see you in September!
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9
“Red-lining in Pittsburgh”
RANDY WEINBERG, Professor of Information Systems at CMU, will discuss the origins and substance of racial covenants and other discriminatory housing practices in the city of Pittsburgh throughout much of the previous century.
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 14
“Tales from the Graves of Smithfield Cemetery”
In keeping with this spirit of Halloween, JAN KURTH, editor of Print, Pittsburgh’s East End Newspaper, will share captivating stories about some of the people buried in Smithfield Cemetery.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11
“Pittsburgh’s Historic Stadiums and Arenas”
MARK FATLA, author of the book Pittsburgh’s Historic Stadiums and Arenas, will present information about many of the city’s iconic sports venues, including Forbes Field, one of the first “modern” concrete and steel ballparks; PNC Park, the best of the new millennium’s retro design movement; Schenley Casino and Duquesne Garden, the first artificial indoor ice rinks; and the engineering marvel of the Civic Arena’s movable dome.
SQUIRREL HILL HISTORY
Inside Baker Hall, one of Carnegie Mellon’s multiple buildings with historical recognition.
Helen Wilson
