Squirrel Hill Magazine Winter 2014 by Squirrel Hill Magazine

A Publication of the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition

Magazine

Winter 2014

The Visions for the Future Issue

Inside

Squirrel Hill Features 10

Imagine a Cleaner Future— By Eli McCormick

Collaboration Key to Future of Social Services in Squirrel Hill By Elizabeth Waickman

For more great content visit our website at www.squirrelhillmagazine.net!

In Every Issue

Squirrel Hill Speaks By Barbara Shema

SHUC President’s Message By Ray Baum

Real Estate Trends By Barbara Rabner

What’s New From Our Advertisers

Our Elected Officials Envision Squirrel Hill’s Future By Adam Stokes

6 8

This Just In

19 20

A Night to be Treasured

Squirrel Hill Voices By Christine Hucko

Squirrel Hill Transportation By Rich Feder

“Keeping Tabs”/Teaching Tolerance By Lindsey Albracht

Working toward Recovery By Kayla Washko

Sq. Hill Historical Society 10th Year Anniversary By Michael Ehrmann

Colfax Stundents’ Artwork By Kayla Washko

Gifts of Love at Gaby et Jules By Kayla Washko

Good News from Our Schools Educators Share Their Visions for the Future

Squirrel Hill Historical Society Visions of the Future That Shaped Squirrel Hill’s Past By Helen Wilson

35 36

Neighborhood Notes Events Calendar Cover art: Colfax students from Ms. Murdock’s sixth and seventh grade Enrichment class sent us their visions for Squirrel Hill’s future. The cover is a compilation of their wonderful submissions. For more, check out page 32.

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From the Editors Have you ever wondered what our neighborhood will look like in the future? For this issue, we asked everyone from educators and politicians to social service workers and residents to share their visions for Squirrel Hill in the next five to ten years. We hope this issue will inspire discussion and change to make our neighborhood an even better place. Please send comments and suggestions for future issues to Adrienne Block and Kayla Washko at editor@squirrelhillmagazine.net. We’d also like to extend a special welcome to our new Ad Sales Coordinator, Carolyn Jones. Carolyn is currently working on her Integrated Marketing Communications degree from Point Park University, and brings many years of experience as an ad sales representative for the New Pittsburgh Courier and Frost Illustrated. If you’re interested in advertising, please email marketing@squirrelhillmagazine.net, or call us at 412-223-7584. Advertisers can now pay with Visa, MasterCard or Discover.

Murray the Squirrel

Murray is available free of charge for visits and events to local organizations and schools. Give SHUC a call at 412.422.7666 or email marketing@squirrelhillmagazine.net

The Visions for the Future Issue PAGE1

SQUIRREL HILL URBAN COALITION OFFICERS: Raymond N. Baum, President Richard Feder, Vice President Lori Fitzgerald, Vice President Ceci Sommers, Vice President Francine D. Abraham, Secretary Chris Zurawsky, Assistant Secretary Peter Stumpp, Treasurer James Burnham, Assistant Treasurer Steven Hawkins, Immediate Past President BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Francine D. Abraham, Raymond N. Baum, James Burnham, Norman Childs, Vivian Didomenico, Andy Dlinn, Richard Feder, Lori Fitzgerald, Harry M. Goern, Ed Goldfarb, Barbara Grover, Steve Hawkins, Michael D. Henderson, Karen Hochberg, Ryan W. Hopkins, Lois Liberman, David Miles, Gregg Roman, Tracy Royston, Ceci Sommers, Sidney Stark (Director Emeritus), Peter Stumpp, Erik Wagner, Roger Westman, Chris Zurawsky Richard St. John, Executive Director

Our Mission The Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition is a non-profit community organization dedicated to preserving, improving and celebrating the quality of life in the 14th Ward of the City of Pittsburgh. Volunteer-supported standing committees provide leadership to our community by studying, debating, and advocating positions on issues affecting our neighborhood’s vitality. Our mission is implemented through a long range planning process, which fosters community-based initiatives in the areas of education, public safety, transportation, parks and open spaces, and commercial, institutional and residential development.

MAGAZINE STAFF: Adrienne Block, Editor Kayla Washko, Assistant Editor Carolyn Jones, Advertising Sales Coordinator Eli McCormick, Intern CONTRIBUTORS: Lindsey Albracht, Raymond N. Baum, Jean Binstock, Adrienne Block, Michael Ehrmann, Rich Feder, Sarah Flanders, Aisha Hallman, Christine Hucko, Eli McCormick, Barbara Rabner, Barbara Shema, Adam Stokes, Elizabeth Waickman, Kayla Washko, Helen Wilson

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Squirrel Hill Magazine, Vol. 12, Issue 1, is published through the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition, 5604 Solway Street. Pittsburgh, PA 15217. Please direct any questions or comments to SHUC by calling 412.422.7666 or emailing info@shuc.org. To inquire about advertising, please contact marketing@squirrelhillmagazine.net. Please support our advertisers—their ads solely finance this magazine! Reserve your space today for the Spring 2014 issue!

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shuc presidentʼs message

Looking into the Future The good news is that: By Raymond N. Baum, President, Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition info@shuc.org

elcome to the Visions for the Future Issue of Squirrel Hill Magazine. It is our hope that this issue will stimulate thought about where we are as a community, our visions of the future, and how to act on those visions.

What are our greatest assets and how can we preserve and strengthen them? I suggest that, in addition to our people, our greatest assets are our schools, parks, business and professional district, housing stock, and ready access to the rest of Pittsburgh.These are also assets that are under constant stress and require our greatest attention. Education. Parents are choosing to send their children to schools in and near Squirrel Hill and many choose to live here because of them. Our schools benefit from strong principals, dedicated faculties, and involved parents and volunteers. It is essential that our schools stay strong because our private and public schools are essential to the health of our community. With the severe budget shortfalls that face the Pittsburgh Public Schools, we need to be ready to advocate for sound decision making.Will the Board of Education feel it necessary, again, to overcrowd our public schools? Will staff and courses and resources that make each school work—such as physical education, libraries, arts education and elementary science— be reduced or watered down? Will families find it necessary to move to other school districts? Fortunately, we live in a community that cares and gets proactively involved.We get involved with our schools’ Parent Teacher Organizations or Parent School Community Councils. The Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition,The Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh, the Jewish Community Center and the Pittsburgh Area Jewish Committee have all decided to become more involved to make sure our schools are strong and serve us well. SHUC’s Education Committee, under the leadership of Karen Hochberg and Steve DeFlitch, will be working with these groups, each school and other community organizations to help coordinate a strong and sustained community effort and visioning process. What do you think are the priorities for action? Would you like to get involved with a school or with SHUC’s Education Committee? Parks. Our three great parks (Schenley, Frick and Mellon) are precious jewels that are essential to our well-being and our property values. Our parks are under pressure from heavy use, stormwater runoff and unexpected assaults, such as the emerald ash borer that has killed all of our ash trees.

n our parks are well cared for by dedicated City Public Works crews, and enjoyed and watched over by the many people who love and enjoy them; n the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy is working with the City, Councilman O’Connor, Councilman Gilman, Mayor Peduto, and the foundation community to bring us environmental programming, education and capital improvements such as the new entrance to Frick Park at Homewood Avenue, the gardens at Mellon Park and the exciting Environmental Center that will be under construction soon in Frick Park; n a major long-term effort is being led by the Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy to abate the severe stormwater and siltation problems in the Panther Hollow and Four Mile Run Watersheds; and n the Nine Mile Run Watershed Association is continuing its great work to abate the pollution of Nine Mile Run through Frick Park and the Monongahela River.

Still, we need more public engagement to help create a community vision, and support for these as indispensable assets. What do you think should be done to protect these parks? How would you like to become involved? Transportation and access. While the Port Authority has cut bus service throughout the county, bus service serving Squirrel Hill remains relatively strong and frequent.We have good transit, pedestrian, bicycle and auto access to Oakland, Downtown, Shadyside, East Liberty, Homestead and beyond. How can we expand and build on this? Can we add more bike trails and lanes? Will bus rapid transit help? What haven’t we thought of? What is your vision of the future of transportation as it affects the 14th Ward? Stormwater and sewage. Stormwater runoff and sanitary sewage overflows in our homes, businesses, streets, parks, streams and rivers are a huge threat.ALCOSAN needs to spend over $2 billion to meet the requirements of a Federal Consent Decree to help deal with just the sewage overflow into the rivers caused by stormwater surges. What can we do locally, and what can we ask the government to do to help us with the severe storm sewer problems affecting our entire business community and many homes in Squirrel Hill and downstream? There are at least half a dozen non-profit organizations, as well as representatives of Allegheny County, City Planning, PWSA, ALCOSAN and schools that are deeply involved.They are now also represented on the SHUC Stormwater Task Force (led by Continued on page 4 The Visions for the Future Issue PAGE3

shuc presidentʼs message cont.

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Chris Zurawsky and Rick St. John) so we can learn from each other and focus on what we can do locally to help. Housing and business districts. We enjoy a very low crime rate.We are a place where joggers and walkers feel it is safe to be out at almost any time, and where families, seniors, students and many others know it is safe to live, work and shop. The mix of businesses in Squirrel Hill has changed dramatically in the past few years. Clothing, book and hardware stores, restaurants and other retail stores have closed. Other businesses such as Charles Spiegel, Little’s, Orr’s, Eyetique and Mineo’s remain strong and attract customers from far and wide. Some closings can be attributed to big box competition and the aging out of sole proprietors. Is what we have now viable and sustainable?

Under the leadership of Rich Feder, SHUC’s Squirrel Hill Master Plan Committee is seeking additional funding for parking, housing and business demand studies, and inviting new ideas.What should and could we do to protect and strengthen our business and professional district? What do we need to do to attract more young professionals and more young families? What can we do to achieve the best possible mix of retail and professional services? Should we revise our zoning code and tax codes to: n encourage property owners and developers to encourage taller buildings in and near the business districts; n

include commercial space on the street level and office space above; n require open space, green roofs, parking and stormwater retention capacity; n

focus on denser development on Forbes, Murray and other streets in and near the business community; n

encourage shared parking and alternative transportation modes?

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We also hear repeatedly that housing in Squirrel Hill is old and expensive, that young families find more for their money in the suburbs and that there are very few choices for seniors and empty nesters looking for quality rental and condominium apartments when they are ready to sell their homes.At the same time, land to build apartments and new homes is scarce and very expensive.

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What is your vision for the future of our business district and our housing stock? The future of Squirrel Hill is in all of our hands.Your suggestions and your participation are needed and welcome. Please contact us by emailing info@shuc.org or calling our office at 412-422-7666. N PAGE4 The Visions for the Future Issue

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The Ultimate Beauty Spa: New Memberships and Frequency Cards The Ultimate Beauty Spa is located on Murray Avenue in the heart of Squirrel Hill. After 14 years of serving Pittsburgh and surrounding area residents, this state-ofthe-art, exclusive, upscale, holistic spa is in the process of transition. Starting in

January 2014,The Ultimate Beauty Spa will encourage present and future guests to become more committed to a better quality of life.We will be selling Wellness Memberships as well as Massage, Body Wrap and Facial Frequency Cards. These Memberships and Frequency Cards are designed to cut the cost of services, encourage frequent visits and enable guests to achieve better results. Members will also be privy to a wide range of amenities to enhance their overall experience. The staff of The Ultimate Beauty Spa takes pride in catering to the individual instead of the masses.We offer private, personalized service in a relaxed, homey atmosphere. If you're looking for a place to escape, relax your mind, body and soul, and uplift your spirits, this is the spa for you. Spa gift certificates are also available and make ideal gifts for friends, co-workers and loved ones. Therapeutic massages, customized facials, detoxifying inch loss wraps, sauna treatments and full body waxing are just a few of the many services offered at the Spa. For more information call 412-421-7100 or visit www.theultimatebeautyspa.com. Invest in your health today!

Help Build Squirrel Hill! Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition—the community-based organization dedicated to preserving, improving and celebrating the quality of life in Pittsburgh’s 14th Ward—is seeking a volunteer willing to devote five to 15 hours per week to the behind-the-scenes work it takes to make a great neighborhood even better. Our ideal volunteer would bring a buoyant, creative spirit to the challenge of helping a small, energetic office run efficiently—especially in the areas of membership communications, data entry and office coordination. Knowledge of GiftWorks or similar software would be great! Interested? Please contact Richard St. John, Executive Director, via email at execdir@shuc.org or phone (412) 422-7666. The Visions for the Future Issue PAGE5

fresh off the street

This Just In Monday Nights at the Library By Aisha Hallman

Starting in January, Carnegie Library—Squirrel Hill branch will be offering a new program called “Monday Nights at the Library.” Each Monday will have a different theme.The first Monday of the month will be Culture Night, giving you a chance to learn about different cultures through lectures and lessons.The second Monday will be DIY/Craft Night, a chance to learn about things ranging from bike repair to papermaking and more.The third Monday will be Literary Night where we’ll have events like poetry readings and author lectures.The fourth Monday will be Radical Home Economics Night where we’ll explore topics like how to raise chickens and make non-toxic cleansers for your home. Programs will start at 6 pm. Check our online calendar, carnegielibrary.org/events, for more information on each night!

Squirrel Hill Neighbors Launch the Squirrel Hill Active Senior Network By Dr. Jean Binstock

Calling Squirrel Hill Active Seniors to the Carnegie Library—Squirrel Hill branch to network every Friday afternoon from 3-4 pm.We bring our calendars to share news of great social/civic destinations that we are planning to attend.We invite participants to join in with the intention that we all get out more while building friendship networks. The great destinations are within Squirrel Hill and surrounding communities.After the Library meetup, we go on an optional café outing. PAGE6 The Visions for the Future Issue

Why should you join us? Both married and single seniors are enjoying what many call Encore,The Third Chapter and Golden Years. Networking active seniors are expanding their good fortune of longevity by being energetic, productive and enthusiastic. Enthusiasm stands out as being particularly relevant to the Squirrel Hill Active Senior Network. Enthusiasm is contagious. It’s awfully tough to be enthusiastic in a vacuum.The best solution is to seek out other active seniors who too are energetic, productive, optimistic, adventuresome, encouraging and enthusiastic.Thus the Squirrel Hill Active Senior Network is one really good way to go! For more information, contact Jean at 412-242-8603 or Linda at 412-521-3494.

Keep Yourself and Your Property Safe This Winter with These Tips From Zone 4 Commander Kathy Degler n It’s the law in Pennsylvania that drivers must remove all snow and ice from their vehicles before going out onto the roads. Snow and ice can fall off of your car and hit other cars or pedestrians causing unsafe conditions and even injury or death. Snow and ice that remain on your vehicle may obstruct your view.All windows and other surfaces need to be clear.

Don’t leave your car running unattended while it heats up. That’s an invitation for theft, and it can happen even if your vehicle is parked right in front of your home.And don’t leave your car running during a quick trip to the store or if you’re dropping something off somewhere. It isn’t worth the risk, not to mention, it’s illegal!

n Don’t leave your purse or wallet in your car when you go to the park, or anywhere else for that matter. We’re seeing more and more instances of theft from auto—it’s one of the leading crime issues in the Zone—and the parks are being targeted, even during winter. If you must take your purse or wallet with you to the park, put it in the trunk when you’re still at home, not after you get there. You don’t know who might be watching, and you’re not the first person to think of putting it under the seat or your jacket.

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good news from our schools Educators Share Their Visions for the Future We asked local educators to share their visions for the futures of their schools.Their responses to our first question are below. Visit our website at squirrelhillmagazine.net for the rest of their great responses!

What will the classrooms in your building look like in five years? “Education has made dramatic and exciting leaps over the past 10-20 years. I can recall a time when students sat in rows of desks, there was little noise and every student participated by raising his/her hand. But walk into a Pittsburgh Minadeo classroom today and you will be impressed by the high levels of student engagement and excitement around learning tasks.You will hear students grappling with rigorous math problems, participating in deep discussions over content, strategies, ideas and novels. In the next five years, Pittsburgh Minadeo will continue to change and grow. Student learning will transition from learning a wide array of content to learning less content/concepts more deeply.This deeper understanding of content will prepare our students as they reach higher levels of achievement.We have grown from learning as an independent task to a more social context.The focus will be on creating a school and classroom culture that fosters awareness and skills that lay the foundation for the academic rigor and development necessary for career and college readiness. More spaces that support collaborative learning will be developed, students may begin take assessments online, instruction will continue to become more individualized and our student population will become more diverse.The internet, online tools, software and tech devices will be integral to the curriculum and serve as vehicles for achieving educational goals.” – Melissa Wagner, Principal, Pittsburgh Minadeo “In five years, it is our wish that all of our classrooms are equipped with the latest technology for students to access digital information to support learning goals. Understanding that technological developments will lead us into utilizing devices that may not even exist as of now, it would be ideal for all students to have access to iPads, laptops, ELMOs and projectors. By then, it may be more feasible to purchase SMART Tables, where traditional student desks are transformed into digital media centers! The configurations of the classroom will not include rows of desks in any manner, and will join students together at central locations so as to promote socialization of knowledge and learning. Pittsburgh Colfax's goal is to protect the historical features of the facility, while providing "Information Age" items to every classroom.” Adam Sikorski, Principal, Pittsburgh Colfax K-8 PAGE8 The Visions for the Future Issue

“In the next five years, our goal will be to add more mobile iPad labs that can be used in any classroom, a full renovation of our chemistry labs and an ELMO and projector in each classroom. This past summer wireless internet was added to the building, which is allowing us to have access to new technology in our classrooms.We also hope to create a policy that will enable students to Bring Their Own Device to use during the course of a lesson in the next few years.” Melissa Friez, Principal, Pittsburgh Allderdice “We have recently begun an upgrade of our elementary school classrooms.This past summer we renovated our K-2 classrooms and plans are underway for the rest of our elementary school and middle school. Our new center based classrooms are designed to enable our teachers to work with our students in small groups using different modalities and technologies such as iPads, laptops, SMART Boards, art and drama in their lessons. These open and bright classrooms allow our faculty to seamlessly differentiate and meet the diverse needs of every one of our students.These new spaces also encourage our students to communicate, collaborate and manipulate information in ways that will be necessary for them to compete in the 21st century marketplace.” Rabbi Sam Weinberg, Principal, Hillel Academy “We fully expect to continue our dedication to bringing technology into each student’s worlds by providing equipment that will augment their basic learning toolboxes of bound books and notebooks to include electronic additions such as iPads for eBooks and laptops. By the end of their time at Community Day School, they will have acquired professional certifications in key business and design software applications, along with knowledge in the programming realm. Classrooms will mimic the best parts of workspace organization found in the corporate collaboration world, brought down to kid proportions. Classes will be broken into smaller work-group clusters (much as we already do at CDS), but each cluster will be outfitted with appropriately sized, dedicated SMART Boards and video conferencing capabilities that let kids share their learning experiences with students across town or across the world! Each classroom will also be outfitted with separate soundproof areas (transparent walls, still with an open feel) for group learning situations that might require a little seclusion. Desks will be made to be more ergonomically friendly as well, [an idea] also borrowed from the corporate world.” Avi Baran Munro, M. Ed., Head of School, Community Day School Special thanks to Karen Hochberg from the SHUC Education Committee for developing the questions included in this article.

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Imagine a Cleaner Future—By Taking Action Now By Eli McCormick

magine a column of water 19 inches across reaching from here to the moon. Now imagine that column is made of sewage. That’s the amount of untreated sewage (22 billion gallons) deposited into the Allegheny and Monongahela Rivers each year. Two factors contribute to this big problem: The antiquated sewer systems serving Pittsburgh and its neighboring communities and lots of rainfall.The Pittsburgh metropolitan area has over 4,000 miles of combined sewer pipe trying to handle our sewage and stormwater.As little as one-tenth of an inch of rain can cause surges through the emergency overflow valves, which are in place to prevent the pipes from exploding.A typical Pittsburgh rainfall is one-quarter of an inch.Though Pittsburgh’s 38 inches of average yearly rainfall isn’t extreme, the regularity of rain and the increase of heavy storm events like Hurricane Sandy put more stress on the sewer system, and when rainwater fills the combined sewer system the result is the contamination of waterways.This can be dangerous to people who come in contact with the contaminated water. The problem with overflowing sewers isn’t limited to the rivers. It also affects homes and businesses. During storms, when the system can’t handle stormwater runoff, basements flood, leaving home and business owners with ruined possessions and costly repair bills. In Squirrel Hill this problem threatens the business districts as well as residential areas. According to a survey of residents and business owners conducted by the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition from December 2011 to March 2012, just over 70% of respondents said they had experienced moderate to heavy property damage following a rainfall. Nearly 40% said they had spent more than $5,000 to repair the damage, and nearly 20% put the figure at over $10,000. Some respondents reported basement flooding as high as five feet. Residents have reported damage to appliances

PAGE10 The Visions for the Future Issue

and even damage to cars parked on the street. Some businesses reported spending up to $20,000 on clean up and repairs to inventory and equipment. Flooding has forced some businesses to relocate altogether. Chris Zurawsky, chair of SHUC's Stormwater Task Force, says that “if stormwater issues persist, many Squirrel Hill businesses and residents will absorb further financial setbacks.” One concern is that some businesses on both sides of Forbes Avenue experience flooding and sometimes sewer backup issues. One of the goals of SHUC’s Stormwater Task Force is to support Councilman O’Connor’s office and local property owners in coordinating an effective response. While major sewer line repairs will be needed, there are things individual property owners can do to keep water out of the system and help alleviate stormwater problems. Rain barrels can be set up to store rainwater for later use. Rain gardens can make use of deep-rooted plants to mimic a forest’s natural water retention systems, preventing runoff from carrying oil, chemicals and other pollutants into the watershed. Green roofs can be employed.Though these efforts may not have the impact of wholesale structural changes to the sewer system, they represent a small and far less expensive step toward more sustainable stormwater management. Trees are another way to help stem excessive runoff. SHUC's Gateway Project Committee has included tree plantings in its goals, particularly on Murray Ave.The USDA Forest Service Center for Watershed Protection has determined that a 10% tree cover can reduce runoff by 2-5%.Though nestled between Schenley and Frick Parks, the business district has minimal tree cover, so rainwater is washed into sewers rather than being absorbed by tree roots. If Pittsburgh continues to see more and more rainfall (the highest amounts since 1992 have been 48 inches in 2011 and 43 in 2012), stormwater runoff and overflowing sewers loom as even larger problems.Through homeowner action, community outreach and large-scale infrastructure improvements, flooding and sewer overflows can be abated and local businesses can flourish so Squirrel Hill can remain an attractive shopping destination and a vibrant, livable neighborhood for future generations. N Eli McCormick is currently studying at Chatham University.

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Collaboration Key to Future of Social Services in Squirrel Hill By Elizabeth Waickman

Rooted in Jewish traditions of community service, the Squirrel Hill neighborhood is a hub of social services and support for individuals, families, seniors, youth and so many more—and the organizations housed in this diverse and vibrant neighborhood have contributed to providing for the betterment of the community for many years. As overall community need has increased in recent years in response to the economic downturn, many Squirrel Hill-based organizations are already looking at how to best address changing needs and social service trends in the long-term future. Aryeh Sherman, President and CEO of Jewish Family and Children’s Service (JF&CS) has led the agency for more than 14 years, and sees trends indicative not only of changing community needs, but of the changing face of social service recipients. “While economic and unemployment situations are improving slightly from the recession in 2008, we’re finding that a lot of people are now considered the ‘working poor’— single-parent families or families who cannot maintain a two-parent or twoincome household—and are in need of continuing supportive services,” he said. Based on the individuals currently being served at the Squirrel Hill-based Center for Women, a joint initiative of the National Council of Jewish Women (NCJW) and the Jewish Women’s Foundation,Andrea Glickman, Executive Director of NCJW, agrees that the picture of social service recipients is changing. “Everyone thinks of the parts of the population that are really struggling to get by, and we serve them well through a number of social service agencies.This is sort of a different part of the population—women in transition— something that has never been focused on before and is proving to be a really successful endeavor.As we go forward, it’s going to grow and grow,” Glickman said.“Through our Center for Women, we are aiming to serve all elements of the population, ranging from those folks that are really destitute and really need to get back on their feet [to] people who are just part of our community and who we never would have targeted before.With the way our economy is today, things change so quickly PAGE12 The Visions for the Future Issue

and people, who maybe were absolutely fine, find themselves in a position where they need help.” It’s a sentiment echoed throughout the community. Due to the current economic climate, a need has emerged that many organizations like JF&CS, Jewish Residential Services (JRS) and NCJW note as an important factor in the future of the social and community service sector: the ability to offer comprehensive and collaborative services. “The trend is you really can’t have silos of service,” Sherman said.“You have to have a comprehensive service addressing a full scope of need.The mission of the JF&CS’s services is comprehensive-based, and helps address a wider set of needs to provide crisis management and prevent individuals and families from falling through the safety net.To do that, we need to look at problems not from a needs perspective but a strength perspective.We have to work together as a community to build on the strengths that we all have.” Sherman expects specific community needs such as affordable housing for special needs populations and increased services for aging populations to grow, but long-term future plans primarily center on collaborative programming with other Squirrel Hill-based organizations. Community leaders are in agreement that collaboration is the key to future of social services. “It’s very unlikely that in the next five years we’re going to be doing anything that’s not a collaborative effort, not just for financial reasons but because agencies have different areas of expertise and it doesn’t make sense to become an expert in everything,” said Deborah Friedman, Executive Director of JRS. Glickman agrees. “Collaboration is the most important thing. I think it’s so wonderful that we have so many social service agencies in our community in Squirrel Hill. I think that makes us unique and that makes us special and that makes us a destination for a lot people,” she said.“As we go forward and move into the future, I think that’s going to be even more important in terms of being able to avoid duplicate services and to garner the most support from donors and foundations. Collaborating is going to be key moving forward.” N

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Do you have a vision for the future of Squirrel Hill? Tell us about it! Email editor@squirrelhillmagazine.net.

Squirrel Hill Speaks Photos and Interviews by Barbara Shema

uring the month of November, artist/poet Barbara Shema interviewed people out and about in the neighborhood and asked them about their visions for Squirrel Hill in the next five to ten years. Some described changes they’d like to see, some predicted where we might be heading, and some discussed goals they’re working toward. Here’s a sampling of what they had to say.

Barry Dougherty & Madison Erin Dougherty – Former Residents of Squirrel Hill An indoor play space for children especially for winter months, similar to My Little Outback which recently closed.

More business development to ensure a vibrant business scene.

John Alvin & dog – Residents of Squirrel Hill

Abby Lis-Perlis – Manager, Dobrá Tea & Resident of Squirrel Hill Vacated commercial property will be re-purposed for community outreach through the arts and other creative outlets: community meetings, performance, multi-use open gallery space, cross-cultural community center.

Florence Chapman – Resident of Squirrel Hill Revamped entrance to Squirrel Hill at the bottom of Murray Ave from the parkway to encourage business into that area… apartments, commercial space, possibly a park. PAGE14 The Visions for the Future Issue

Linda Wills & Beth Josowitz – Sales Associates, Designer Days Boutique There will be more retail clothing stores. There will also be more apartments which will increase foot traffic, and more families with children.

Mark Russell – Librarian, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Squirrel Hill Otgo Okhidoi & Batjargal Nanjil & children – Pitt Graduate Student & Residents of Squirrel Hill

The library will have expanded services to the community in various ways outside of the library building.There will be increased digital technology and a growing e-book collection.

There will be more international people and a more diverse community. More places where people can come together to share their culture, experiences, art and music.

Kelly Washington – Resident of Penn Hills

More accessibility of public transportation with more frequent bus service. Tommy & Heather – Employees, Coldwell Banker Squirrel Hill & Shadyside Offices

Elimination of all parking fees or initiation of monthly parking pass for people working in the business district. The Visions for the Future Issue PAGE15

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Real Estate Trends: A Place to Call Home By Barbara Rabner

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Even though I don’t have a crystal ball to predict the future, I would like to share some information I have gleaned from talking to real estate experts, and from my personal experience as a realtor. Over the last few years, the demand for rentals has exploded, resulting in an increase of new buildings exclusively for rentals. So, who is buying? Presently, Generation X is the largest group of buyers, second largest is Generation Y, followed by the younger baby boomers. In looking for a home, the most important factors to Gen Xers (ages 33-47) are schools, parks, quick commutes to work and one-stop grocery shopping. Gen Y (ages 18-32) will be the future homebuyers.They will desire functionality over size, urban living, eco-friendly (green) homes and technology. Today, baby boomers and retirees are exploring a range of real estate possibilities; some are downsizing into new homes, or renting or buying condos.A unique concept to consider is a cooperative household, which is a shared housing partnership of two or more unrelated people who co-own, reside in and jointly manage a residence. Three Pittsburgh women who recently invested in one house together have published a book titled My House Our House: Living Far Better for Less in a Cooperative Household, and also have a website to guide others in this interesting living arrangement. Here in Squirrel Hill, the community is experiencing a new energy and excitement. It seems like every day there are new businesses and restaurants.The streets are buzzing with people.According to an expert I recently interviewed, Squirrel Hill’s housing market will continue to thrive, thanks to the proximity of medical centers, universities and new technology companies. Speaking of technology, buyers, sellers and realtors are constantly increasing their use of this tool. Consumers access websites on their smartphones to search for properties. Realtors are marketing via YouTube videos and interactive blogs in addition to social media. Looking toward the future, two technologies that might be utilized in real estate are digital 3D user-controlled virtual listing tours and, though not yet approved, miniature remote drones to take aerial photos and videos of properties. No matter how advanced technology gets, we will all still need a place to call home. N For any questions or comments, please email: barbara.rabner@pittsburghmoves.com. The Visions for the Future Issue PAGE17

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Our Elected Officials Envision Squirrel Hillʼs Future By Adam Stokes

Squirrel Hill Magazine recently spoke with several of our public officials to get their take on Squirrel Hill’s future.A remarkably promising picture emerged. Mayor Bill Peduto thinks Squirrel Hill has the potential to embody the characteristics of his well-publicized vision for “a New Pittsburgh.” Throughout his campaign, in stump speeches and in daily policy memos published on his website, Peduto outlined this vision: harnessing the brainpower provided by graduates of the city’s universities to foster an emerging tech industry, investing in transportation, and spurring development in historically distressed communities.

growing Asian community, and I think those things are signs of a healthy city,” adds Frankel. Just as the residents of Squirrel Hill are becoming more reflective of the changing twenty-first century American populace, the Squirrel Hill business district has begun a transition from traditional retail space to a twenty-first century economic center.“We’ve had our ups and downs in the business district—obviously the loss of Barnes & Noble was seen as a real hit to the community,” explains Dan Gilman, city councilman for District 8.“The positive thing to come out of it is that space is now home to M*Modal, a growing tech company. This means new employees for the region and [people] who shop in the business district. It’s really taken a potential loss and turned it into a gain.”

“I would like every neighborhood in Pittsburgh to be as successful as Squirrel Hill is— that’s what ‘a New Pittsburgh’ is about,”

Unlike many neighborhoods in industrial centers across the county, Squirrel Hill was spared major population loss during the latter half of the twentieth century. “It’s fairly unique in Rust Belt cities across this country that you have a neighborhood that is a substantial part of the city’s tax base that has remained not only intact but has in many ways thrived,” says Dan Frankel, the representative for the 23rd Legislative District and a longtime leader of the Squirrel Hill community.

Now, with relatively low unemployment citywide and a population finally on the rise, District 5 Councilman Corey O’Connor sees a new challenge:“Squirrel Hill is such a stable neighborhood in the city of Pittsburgh that you don’t want it to become stale. You want to have vibrancy and different looks and different processes of bringing people in.” O’Connor and others point to the diversifying population of the neighborhood as an essential part of Squirrel Hill’s continued vibrancy. Senator Jay Costa, who represents the 43rd Senate District, says what excites him most about Squirrel Hill is that “the diverse cultures of the community, and the passion of the residents and business owners for it, come through the moment you arrive.” Just as importantly, the increasing diversity of the community’s population is a trend that everyone expects to continue into the foreseeable future.“What I’ve seen happen to Squirrel Hill and the city generally is that we see more immigrants, we see a growing Latino community, a PAGE18 The Visions for the Future Issue

Indeed, tech companies like M*Modal factor heavily into the vision of how Squirrel Hill can evolve into a thriving part of a twenty-first century economy that includes investment in intermodal transportation and sustainable infrastructure.“You see a lot of these tech companies prioritize living near your business, and that’s what Squirrel Hill can be,” says O’Connor.“With a new generation you have to think differently about what attracts people in an area.”

says Peduto.

Frankel sees the same opportunity:“We need to provide the kind of amenities people expect from a world-class city, whether it’s recreational amenities, bike lanes, creating a more pedestrian-friendly environment or enhancing our public transit system.” Furthermore, this connectivity will allow for what Councilman O’Connor dubs the “ripple effect” of Squirrel Hill’s success to spread not just up Murray Avenue, but also to the entire city of Pittsburgh. Frankel agrees:“If we reverse the deterioration in Homewood, it will have benefits for Squirrel Hill. Strengthening other neighborhoods around us is really important in terms of having a secure future for Squirrel Hill.” “I would like every neighborhood in Pittsburgh to be as successful as Squirrel Hill is—that’s what ‘a New Pittsburgh’ is about,” says Peduto.“It’s about every neighborhood and every resident sharing in the wealth and prosperity that is possible here when we work together to accomplish big goals and face big challenges.” N

A Night to be Treasured Some highlights from the 2013 SHUC Treasure Awards dinner

Thank you to our generous sponsors for helping to make this event a success! Platinum Sponsor Levin Furniture & Levin Mattress Company Gold Sponsors Vivian and Rocco Didomenico & Rockwel Realty Elsie Hillman Sally Levin Pepper Hamilton, LLP Silver Sponsors The Jack Buncher Foundation Eyetique Susan and Richard Nernberg Paul Peffer / UBS Financial Services S&T Bank Contributors Sam and Joanie Kamin M*Modal

Our 2013 Squirrel Hill Treasures (left to right): Rabbi James Gibson of Temple Sinai, Wendell Freeland, Esq., and Karla Boos, founder of Quantum Theatre.

Please visit our website at www.shuc.org for more pictures from the Treasures dinner, and to view the Treasure Awards video produced by Pittsburgh Filmmakers.

bbb Elsie Hillman enjoying a laugh with her friend, Murray the Squirrel.

SHUC's Board President, Ray Baum, with Susan Nernberg and Harriet Baum.

Vivian and Rocco Didomenico and family. Robert Levin and Mr. McFeely (David Newell) lead guests in an impromptu rendition of "It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood."

Photos courtesy Lynne Goldstein of Goldstein Photography, the official photographer of the Treasure Awards. Visit online at www.goldsteinphotography.com.

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“Keeping Tabs” and Teaching Tolerance

Your financial world is changing...

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Eighteen years ago, Bill Walter’s history students at Community Day School set a goal to collect six million soda tabs. Soliciting friends, neighbors and community members, it took students about five years to do it. The tabs—which symbolize Jewish lives that were lost in the Holocaust—were preserved in large, glass blocks that form a stark and powerful sculpture on the school’s campus.The finished project, entitled “Keeping Tabs,” opened to the public this fall.

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“We mean it to be a reminder, a memorial, a cautionary tale,” says Head of School,Avi Baran Munro.“It’s a way for us to remember to pay attention to acts of hatred and to do what we can to stop it.” In light of a sharp increase in bullying over the past decade, some educators are turning to Holocaust education to teach students about the importance of speaking out against violence and intimidation in their own schools. Joy Braunstein, Director of the Holocaust Center of the Jewish Federation of Pittsburgh, says that studying the Holocaust can be an effective way to teach students to be “upstanders” rather than “bystanders.” “When students see bullying around them, and then they hear the stories of the Holocaust, many realize that they have an obligation to speak up,” says Braunstein. Holocaust educators will begin offering school and community group guided tours of the sculpture in January.The Community Day School and the Holocaust Center hope to partner with interested teachers and youth leaders. Baran Munro hopes that this will start important conversations in schools. “We teach students that you can be doing the bad thing, you can be watching the bad thing, or you can be stopping the bad thing,” she says,“It’s a really important lesson.” N To set up a guided tour for a school or community group, contact Samantha Chilton at the Holocaust Center: schilton@jfedpgh.org. PAGE20 The Visions for the Future Issue

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The Visions for the Future Issue was conceived by neighborhood resident and contributing writer Christine Hucko as a forum for community members to voice opinions and share ideas about Squirrel Hill’s future. Christine’s idea was to create a space where contributors could imagine the neighborhood in the next five to ten years, either by putting forth immediately practicable ideas, or by taking a more idealistic angle with ideas that may seem unrealistic at present, but could inspire discussion. Squirrel Hill Magazine would like to thank Christine for her creative contributions! Here’s Christine’s idea:

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I would love to see the business district in Squirrel Hill develop into a cleaner, greener, even more dynamic version of its current self.As it stands, buses and cars crowd Murray and Forbes, throwing noise and air pollution into Squirrel Hill’s prime gathering spot. Residents are fortunate to have a gathering spot in Murray and Forbes, but what they still lack is a place in the business district that feels like it truly belongs to them. Enter the pedestrian zone. Imagine if we could create a pedestrian-friendly space in the heart of Squirrel Hill, one set aside exclusively for pedestrians, or for pedestrians and clean public transport vehicles, such as light rail. Remove motorized vehicles from the equation, and a number of things change as a result: the air becomes cleaner and quieter, inviting people to linger; restaurants add outdoor seating areas; musicians play on the corner; neighbors commune on benches. In short, these kinds of areas foster community and change the dynamic of a business district for the better. If you happened to walk down Forbes Avenue between Murray and Shady last July ahead of the Vintage Grand Prix when the road was briefly closed to thru traffic, then you got a taste of the kind of atmosphere that emerges Snow falls on pedestrian-friendly Church Street in when the Burlington, VT. Photo by Adna Karabegovic presence of cars is reduced.At the heart of my vision for the neighborhood’s future is a desire to make residents’ lives even better, and I think the creation of a pedestrian-friendly zone somewhere in the business district would have this effect.N The Visions for the Future Issue PAGE23

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Squirrel Hill Transportation: Moving into the (Near) Future By Rich Feder

quirrel Hill is blessed with a good transportation system. Our roads and transit provide good circulation within Squirrel Hill, as well as for connecting with surrounding areas.The multimodal transportation system serving Squirrel Hill is integral to making our neighborhood an attractive place to live, do business and go out. So what changes can we expect to see in the near future?

Parking. In various public forums, parking is often identified as an area of concern. Is there enough parking? Is the parking in the right locations? Is the parking well integrated with adjacent land uses? Does too much parking take place in residential neighborhoods? Can parking be used as a tool to enhance future development in the commercial areas of Squirrel Hill? In order to collect data on the magnitude of parking supply and usage in Squirrel Hill, neighborhood volunteers participated in a survey in which they recorded parked vehicles in the business district.The survey was restricted to vehicles parked in 610 “metered” parking spaces, that is, spaces controlled by the Pittsburgh Parking Authority’s new multi-space parking kiosks. Of course, there are hundreds of other parking spaces available in the business district, in locations such as private lots associated with businesses and business district-related parking occurring on local residential streets. Based on the occupancy count observations taken on different days and times, during peak and off-peak hours, the parking spaces were found to average 67% occupancy. Not surprisingly, Forbes Avenue, upper Murray Avenue and middle Murray at 75% average occupancy were found to be significantly busier than lower Murray / Forward Avenue.This means there are times and locations where it is difficult to find parking in many parts of the Squirrel Hill business district. Given this situation, adding parking in the business district needs to be considered. Finding locations of “new” lots can be difficult. It might be more likely to expand existing lots, as well as to add parking associated with new development that may occur.

PAGE24 The Visions for the Future Issue

The Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition would like to undertake a market and parking study of the business district which would identify the types and intensity of land uses in the Forbes-Murray-Shady-Forward business district, including the types of commercial, office and future residential uses that may be appropriate. The study would then address the amount of parking needed to serve the business district in the future, and where those spaces might be located. The combined market and parking study would thereby help to address the interrelated issues of commercial district vitality and transportation accessibility.

Transit planning. Buses are the mainstay of public transportation in Squirrel Hill. Over 700 daily bus trips serve Squirrel Hill on a given weekday, on 11 different routes. A new concept called “Bus Rapid Transit” (BRT) has been proposed for the busy bus corridor between Downtown Pittsburgh and Oakland. In addition to exclusive bus lanes on Forbes or Fifth Avenues, BRT would include new buses fueled by alternative fuels, real-time bus arrival information, off-board fare collection, and stations designed for faster boarding. Facilities for pedestrians and bicycles would also be included in the design. Planning, engineering and environmental studies are currently underway for the BRT to Oakland, so it may be a couple of years before it is determined if BRT is approved between Downtown and Oakland, and what improvements might take place in Squirrel Hill.

Roadway planning. PennDOT is currently undertaking the Parkway East Corridor Transportation Network Project. This study is taking a look at all the roads in the vicinity of the Parkway East, including the Parkway itself, covering municipalities and neighborhoods in the corridor that includes Squirrel Hill. It will develop recommendations regarding safety and mobility improvements on the corridor transportation network, covering modes such as roadways, transit, pedestrian and bicycle facilities.

We will look out for when PennDOT schedules public meetings on the study and post them on the SHUC website.

Trails. Readers may have noticed that Pocusset Street has

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been closed in the section closest to Schenley Park.The City was forced to make this closure because portions of the road were sliding down the hillside toward the Parkway East.The City is intending to have this section of road permanently closed to motor vehicles, but retain its use as a pedestrian and bicycle trail. There is also potential for a future trail connection from Squirrel Hill directly to the Great Allegheny Passage trail system.This can be done by extending Saline Street, located in “the run” area west of Squirrel Hill, as a trail on the north side of the Parkway East and under the Greenfield Bridge to Squirrel Hill, connecting to Forward Avenue next to the former site of the remote parking lot for Poli’s restaurant. The Coalition will work to have this trail connection included as a recommendation coming out of PennDOT’s Parkway East Corridor Transportation Network Project. N

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squirrel hill spotlight

Working toward Recovery By Kayla Washko

When Rich Morrow made his first visit to the Howard Levin Clubhouse in 2002, he was searching for a way to get his life back on track. His struggle with mental illness had led to 21 hospitalizations over a four-year period, an experience he describes as “debilitating.” But even on his very first tour of the Clubhouse, something started to click for Morrow.“It seemed like a place where [becoming] functional was not out of reach,” he says. The Clubhouse is a program of Jewish Residential Services established with funding from the Levin family, who own furniture stores throughout the Pittsburgh region and in Ohio. The family invested in the Clubhouse to honor their son, Howard, who died suddenly in 1992 at the age of 40. It is one of 341 clubhouses in 32 countries that follows the psychiatric rehabilitation model established by the International Center for Clubhouse Development.The basic philosophy behind that model is to provide a place where adults whose lives have been disrupted by mental illness can go to develop meaningful relationships and gain valuable work experiences. At the Howard Levin Clubhouse, members are encouraged to participate in three work areas: Food and Horticulture, Member Services and Business Education/Employment. These structured work areas give members the opportunity to socialize with others while learning skills like meal preparation, customer service, bookkeeping and interpersonal communication. Members may also participate in transitional or supported employment opportunities arranged through the Clubhouse. Over the years, members have held positions at many local businesses and organizations, including the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh (JFed), Chatham University,Thriftique, Edgar Snyder & Associates, Fingeret Law and Trader Joe’s. For Morrow, the impact the Clubhouse has made on his life is clear.“My attendance here stopped my hospital visits completely,” he says.“When I started going to the Clubhouse, I started to make friends here and other places, something which helped build my confidence.” During his time as a PAGE26 The Visions for the Future Issue

member, Morrow has gained skills ranging from accounting and bookkeeping to editing and basic computer repair. He has also completed a temporary work position with JFed. Looking forward, Executive Director Jeff DeSantis encourages local businesses and organizations to utilize the Clubhouse in their searches for new employees to fill part- and full-time positions. He also hopes the Clubhouse will be able to serve even more members in the future.“The more people we have, the better the Clubhouse will be,” he says.“Everyone has something to learn and something to teach.” N The Howard Levin Clubhouse is located at 2621 Murray Ave. Membership is free, voluntary and open to any adult who has been diagnosed with a mental illness. For more information, contact the Clubhouse at 412-422-1850 or visit its website: http://jrspgh.org/hlc/index.html.

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Founded in 1972, The Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition (SHUC) is a non-profit community group dedicated to preserving, improving and celebrating the quality of life in the 14th Ward of the city of Pittsburgh. Members of our volunteer-supported standing committees work to provide leadership to our community by studying, debating, and advocating positions on issues affecting our neighborhood’s vitality. Our shared vision is reflected through a long-range planning process which fosters community-based initiatives in the areas of:

Education Public Safety Residential Quality Parks & Open Spaces Commercial & Institutional Development

Membership Application Form The Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition needs you! Join with us and support our effort to maintain the quality of life in the 14th Ward. Please fill out the form below OR call:

(412) 422–7666 Enclosed is my check for: $500 Benefactor $250 Patron $100 Sponsor $50 Household $25 Individual Other Yes, I will volunteer!

Areas of interest/concern: Education Residential Quality Citizens Patrol Block Watch Parks & Open Spaces Urban Forest Litter Patrol Commercial Development

Name: Address:

www.shuc.org Phone: E–mail: Comments:

Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition is now seeking volunteers to help with fundraising.

The Coalition relies solely on member dues and grants.

Mail form to:

5604 Solway Street Pittsburgh, PA 15217

Phone: (412) 422-7666 FAX: (412) 422-8802

Website: www.shuc.org E-mail info@shuc.org

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squirrel hill historical society

Visions of the Future That Shaped Squirrel Hillʼs Past By Helen Wilson Vice-President, Squirrel Hill Historical Society

E Pluribus Unum – “Out of Many, One.” Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.The Declaration of Independence states they are unalienable Rights with which all men are endowed. Life and Liberty are self-evident, but “the pursuit of Happiness”? This strangely modern-sounding phrase was an ideal of the eighteenth-century Enlightenment.

rather than conduct business. In the 1800s the original farmers found themselves being bought out by wealthy men who coveted the land for vast country estates. Judge William Wilkins’s was the largest and grandest. He purchased 650 acres and built a palatial mansion on the grounds. He called his estate “Homewood.” Part of it is now Homewood Cemetery, designed for a new concept of burial. Churchyards and community graveyards couldn’t handle the needs of the increasing population, so the new, beautifully landscaped cemeteries were planned not only as places to bury the dead but also as proto-parks where visitors could promenade in the sweeping, carefully sculpted landscape.

The theme of pursuit runs through the history of Squirrel Hill, but it was not always in search of happiness. For the Native Americans and early European explorers and hunters, pursuit mainly dealt with In the late 1800s, railroads and trolleys survival. Life and libtriggered the replacement of the rural erty depended on country estates by sumptuous urban the ability to hunt mansions along Fifth Avenue, game and escape Beechwood Boulevard and other wild animals and newly created avenues of Squirrel Hill. human enemies.Yet Businessmen pursued wealth while in spite of the dantheir wives and daughters enjoyed a gers, Europeans, most- In 1936, the Frick Park Trustees purchased 90 acres of land that social round of teas and charitable had been Pittsburgh's first and most exclusive country club. Parts ly Scotch-Irish, kept endeavors. Life was pleasant for those of the greens and fairways can still be discerned. coming in search of who could afford it, enabled by serfreedom from oppression and the opportunity to build a vants who viewed life from a completely different angle. new life in the wilderness. The gilded excesses of the robber baron era couldn’t be susBy the early 1800s Squirrel Hill was a small farming and tained. Only a few mansions remain in private hands today. coal-mining community. Life was precarious. Farming was Some were torn down because the owners couldn’t afford to relatively marginal, grudgingly yielding crops of rye, wheat, maintain them. Some on Woodland Road were donated to oats and corn. In counterpoint, education was valued. what is now Chatham University and serve as dorms and classSettlers had a fear of descending into savagery and took rooms for students preparing for future careers. steps to prevent it. Sunday schools taught reading and writMost of the large estates in Squirrel Hill fell into the hands of ing along with religion until public pressure brought about land developers who saw the rural landscape with dollar signs the institution of free public schools in the mid-1800s. in their eyes.They subdivided vast tracts of land into smaller Pittsburgh had nine daily and 18 weekly newspapers by housing lots. A few large parcels of land escaped that fate and 1850. became Schenley and Frick Parks, envisioned as places where Old maps of Squirrel Hill show few industries. Clay deposits anyone, not just the wealthy, could pursue rest and respite allowed the making of bricks. Quarries yielded sandstone. from Pittsburgh’s smoky air and crowded living conditions. Coal mines dotted the higher ground. Heavy industry was The layout of the parks grew out of the City Fathers’ conflictabsent because Squirrel Hill lacked easy access to rivers and ing visions of how to best placate the working class. Should railroads.The hill’s uselessness for industry allowed it to the parks provide shaded country trails for quiet strolls or become a place where people moved to seek happiness Continued on next page The Visions for the Future Issue PAGE29

squirrel hill historical society cont. Squirrel Hill Historical Society Celebrates Its 10th Anniversary space for healthful activities such as ball fields and tennis courts? The compromises shaped what the parks look like today.

By Michael Ehrmann, Chairman, SHHS

Throughout the 1900s, waves of Jews, successively from Allegheny City, Oakland, the Hill District, Europe and Russia, migrated to Squirrel Hill because of its promise of new housing, clean air and a peaceful place to come home to after a long, tiring workday.The Jews from disparate cultures and different strands of belief were able to create, and maintain to this day, a thriving Jewish community in Squirrel Hill through a common vision of cooperation and the shared heritage of Judaism.

On November 6, members and friends of the Squirrel Hill Historical Society (SHHS) met to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the organization. Chairman Michael Ehrmann reviewed past achievements and discussed future plans for the SHHS at the meeting and celebratory reception that followed.

Today Squirrel Hill’s good residential housing stock and proximity to educational, medical, cultural and technological centers of Pittsburgh continue to make it a place where visions of the future are discussed, planned, argued over and developed. N Anyone interested in learning more about Squirrel Hill history is invited to attend the meetings of the Squirrel Hill Historical Society held on the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. at the Church of the Redeemer, 5700 Forbes Ave. Go to www.squirrelhillhistory.org to view upcoming lectures and events. Also, consider joining the SHHS. Membership is only $10 per year. There is no charge for attending the meetings.

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The SHHS now has approximately 100 members. Since its inception, it has sponsored free monthly lectures that are open to the public on historical topics covering Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh and the region.To date, more than 100 different programs have been presented.The quality of the talks has been exemplary, and they have been very well attended.The SHHS has taped its recent programs, and loan copies are available upon request. Programs have included:“History of Chatham University” by Professor Elisabeth Roark of Chatham University; “History of Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood” by Hedda Sharapan of Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood;“The Development of Squirrel Hill,A Journey Through Time and Art” by Helen Wilson, SHHS Vice-President and Squirrel Hill Magazine contributor;“The Kaufmanns of Squirrel Hill” by Professor Franklin Toker of the University of Pittsburgh; and “The Paris of Appalachia—Pittsburgh Past, Present & Future” by Brian O’Neill of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The SHHS has also sponsored a number of walking tours, including Wightman Street from Forbes Avenue to Beacon Street, the “Garden City Movement,” the Morrowfield Complex, the Central Business District of Squirrel Hill, Frick Park, Schenley Park and Chatham University.The next walking tour will be held this coming June.

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The SHHS was founded by architectural historian Terry Necciai as a forum for the study and recognition of the history of Squirrel Hill. Mike Ehrmann assumed leadership after Terry accepted of an out-of-town job opportunity. One of the first projects Mike became involved in was to work with SHHS members Betty Connelly and Laurie Cohen to produce a book on Squirrel Hill’s history that was issued by the Arcadia Publishing Company.The success of the book, titled Squirrel Hill, is shown in the more than 4,000 copies that have been sold since 2005.

As the SHHS enters its second decade, look for it to continue its monthly programs and walking tours, as well as offering new activities. Check out the organization’s website, www.squirrelhillhistory.org, for a list of future speakers, links to other historic sites, a list of key readings, historic photos, and an interactive section for members and friends to send in questions and personal memories. N

Your friends at the Brandywine Agency would like to give our sincere thanks to the Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition, the Gateway Committee and their numerous volunteers for the positive change and progress being made in the Murray Avenue business district.

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Colfax Students Share Their Visions Squirrel Hill Magazine would like to thank the students from Ms. Murdock’s sixth and seventh grade Enrichment class for their wonderful contributions to this issue.We asked Ms. Murdock to have her students create artwork based on what they think Squirrel Hill will look like in the future.The students were free to portray any part of the community that inspired them, including parks, businesses and future modes of transportation. Here are the names of the students who sent us their visions, along with a description of each drawing and where you can find it in this issue: Phoebe Brown (Colfax) cover, page 24 Simon Bruhn (Schenley Oval) this page Madeleine Fair (library) page 8 Will Ganger (intersection with tall buildings) cover, page 24 Nicole Gurvich (Schenley Ice Rink) cover Abe Kurzweg (Giant Eagle) table of contents Emily Leong (Sq. Hill Tunnels) cover Josphat Mukogosi (Nike Arena) this page Dylan Olmsted (purple library) cover Alyssa Starr (Frick Park) this page, page 24

With so many creative ideas coming from our students, Squirrel Hill’s future looks very bright! N

PAGE32 The Visions for the Future Issue

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squirrel hill spotlight

Gifts of Love at Gaby et Jules Patisserie et Macarons By Kayla Washko

Deli and Catering Squirrel Hill 1912 Murray Ave. 412-421-DELI (3354) FAX 412-421-3374 Hours: M-S 9am - 9pm Sun. 9am - 8pm

Strip District 2680 Smallman St. 412-434-5800 FAX 412-434-6828

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Gaby et Jules owners Frederic Rongier, Lori Rongier and David Piquard think of their new French patisserie as “a gift of love” to their families and the city of Pittsburgh. Named for the grandfathers of Rongier and Piquard, who each dreamed of owning pastry shops of their own, Gaby et Jules is modeled after contemporary patisseries found on the Avenue des Champs-Élysées, bringing Parisian-style pastries to the heart of Squirrel Hill. The patisserie’s signature item is its gluten-free macarons, and Piquard, an award-winning master pastry chef from the Alsace-Lorraine region of France, experiments with new flavors and fillings each season to give this classic French dessert a delicious new taste. But macarons are just the start of Gaby et Jules’ product line. The patisserie’s immaculate front display case includes tartelettes, éclairs, napoleons, pralines, cakes and much, much more. For Valentine’s Day, Piquard will be offering a special macaron bouquet that includes floral-inspired flavors like daffodil, lilac, poppy, jasmine, violet and rose. Other holiday specials at Gaby et Jules this season will include chocolate lipsticks and “Le Bisou,” a special pastry in the shape of puckered lips. Orders for macarons can be placed through Gaby et Jules’ website, but for a truly authentic experience, the owners recommend stopping by their 5837 Forbes Avenue storefront. “For guests who’ve had a chance to travel, Gaby et Jules is a little piece of France,” explains Mr. Rongier. “For guests who dream to go there but don’t have the chance, it’s a first step.” N For more information, check out Gaby et Jules’ website: http://www.gabyetjules.com/

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The Visions for the Future Issue PAGE33

neighborhood notes New Murals Brighten Coriander Restaurant Inside and Out By Adrienne Block

On an outside wall of Coriander Indian restaurant at the corner of Murray Ave and Douglas St, passersby will notice a gorgeous new mural created in honor of Mohandas Gandhi. The mural was designed by CMU School of Art senior Adelaide Cole as part of a contest held by Om, a CMU student organization for Hindu spirituality and culture. The contest was held in honor of CMU’s Two Weeks of Peace and Gandhi’s birthday celebrations in October. Om members, volunteers from the Moving the Lives of Kids Community Mural Project (MLK Mural), and Squirrel Hill community members all worked together to paint the mural. Victor Barboza, owner of Coriander, was so enthusiastic when Om and Kyle Holbrook from MLK Mural approached him with the idea that he spoke to Holbrook about creating another mural inside the restaurant.The indoor mural was painted on the same day as the outdoor mural, with the students, MLK volunteers, and others pitching in, including Barboza’s son and daughter.All participants were invited to enjoy the buffet meal Barboza set out for the occasion. Barboza came to Pittsburgh in 2000 from Mumbai, and the mural shows the melding of these two influences. Half of the mural depicts traditional Indian scenes, like women carrying water, and the other half features famous Pittsburgh sports figures. Barboza says he “wanted to do something different” by decorating the space with a mural instead of only traditional framed artwork. As a huge Steelers fan, he also wanted sports to be represented. Check out the new murals by visiting Coriander for a delicious Indian meal! N

Light Your Spark at American Jewish Museum A new program at the Jewish Community Center’s American Jewish Museum seeks to bring people suffering from dementia together with works of art. Light Your Spark began in 2012 with major funding from the Hyman Family Foundation. It is modeled after a successful program from the MOMA in New York. “This program is very important to me,” explains AJM Director Melissa Hiller.“I get to see participants enjoying the conversations and engaging with each other. I see the sparks of memory from their lives being lit by connecting to the art we’re looking at. I’m a real believer in the power of the links between creativity and aging and have witnessed some beautiful and inspiring moments.” Light Your Spark tours are free of charge and take place at the AJM as well as at assisted living facilities. For more information contact Melissa Hiller at Mhiller@jccpgh.org N

The Squirrel Hill Urban Coalition welcomes the Agency for Jewish Learning and Sixth Presbyterian Church as its newest organizational members. If you or your organization would like to become a member, please contact the Coalition at (412) 422-7666 or info@shuc.org.

The Visions for the Future Issue PAGE35

events & happenings

Calendar Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Squirrel Hill Branch

Squirrel Hillbillies CD Release Sunday, March 30 at 2 pm

5801 Forbes Avenue, Squirrel Hill (412) 422-9650 or www.carnegielibrary.org squirrelhill@carnegielibrary.org

The Squirrel Hillbillies will have a release party for their second CD, “Goody Shoes,” which features all original acoustic folk, country and blues. Join us for an hour of live music, then refreshments and socializing with the band!

Genre Book Club Meets on the third Wednesday of the month at 6:30 pm January 15 – Tenth of December by George Saunders February 19 – Black History Month, 32 Candles by Ernessa T. Carter March 19 – Women’s History Month, The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II by Denise Kiernan Language Classes Chinese for Beginners 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month at 6:30 pm Classes start January 9 Japanese for Beginners 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month at 5:30 pm Classes start on January 15 French for Beginners 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month at 6 pm Classes start on January 22 Polish for Beginners 1st and 3rd Thursdays of the month at 6:30 pm Classes start on February 6

Drawing by Sarah Flanders.

National Squirrel Appreciation Day is Tuesday, January 21!

Squirrel Hill Active Senior Network Connecting Seniors to Great Social/Civic Destinations Squirrel Hill Library, Meeting Room C Fridays from 3 - 4 pm Social/civic destinations will be generated from the calendars of sharing active seniors. That’s what makes them so great! Come to give or get information. It’s that easy to make plans to get out more and build your friendship network. The program/events are neither sponsored nor endorsed by Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh.

Jewish Community Center 5738 Forbes Avenue, Squirrel Hill For more information, please call (412) 521-8010 or visit JCCPGH.org Micaela Amato American Jewish Museum Exhibit runs October 14 through December 29 Micaela Amato creates mesmerizing paintings, sculptures and installations. Impelled by her Mediterranean ancestry from Iberia, Morocco,Turkey and Rhodes,Amato’s work synthesizes her personal history with significant historical and societal issues including identity, ethnicity, migration and cultural hybridity. She is particularly interested in the paradoxical viewpoints—including tolerance, prejudice and coexistence— humans generate around these issues. 3 Perspectives: An Attempt to Understand Exhibit runs February 3 to March 2 The Holocaust Center of Pittsburgh is hosting an art-poetry exhibition featuring paintings by Kara Ruth Snyder created in response to poetry taken from Judith Robinson’s The Blue Heart, a chapbook of Holocaust-related poetry published by Finishing Line Press in 2013. JCC Big Night March 8

Why not celebrate the neighborhood namesake by supporting our local merchants? PAGE36 The Visions for the Future Issue

Line up your game pieces for the Jewish Community Center of Greater Pittsburgh’s eighth annual fundraising event, JCC Big Night: Game On. It will be more fun than a Barrel of Monkeys, filled with music, dancing and enough food to feed the Hungry, Hungry Hippos, on Saturday, March 8, 2014, at the JCC in Continued on page 38

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Squirrel Hill. Big Night is more than a Trivial Pursuit; it’s a Game of Life that everyone who participates wins. Corporate and individual sponsorships for Big Night, as well as the good will produced by the event, provide essential support for the JCC year-round.

Squirrel Hill Historical Society The Church of the Redeemer, 5700 Forbes Avenue Events are held on the second Tuesday of each month FREE at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 14: “Squirrel Hill's Mansions” Speaker: Melanie Linn Gutowski writer, researcher, historian Melanie Linn Gutowski is a writer, researcher and historian originally from Stanton Heights. Her history writing has appeared in Pittsburgh Quarterly magazine and the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, among other local and national publications. She holds a bachelor's degree in history of art and architecture from the University of Pittsburgh and a master's in professional writing from Chatham University. Melanie currently works as a docent at Clayton, the Henry Clay Frick estate in Point Breeze. Tuesday, February 11: “History of Coffee Tree Roasters and Commentary on Coffee” Speaker: Bill Swope, Jr., Co-founder and Co-Owner of Coffee Tree Roasters Tuesday, March 11: “The History of Tree of Life-Or L'Simcha Congregation”

“

events & happenings cont.

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Valentines On Ice Sponsored by UPMC Health Plan Friday, February 14, 2014 7 pm – 10 pm Enjoy a special opportunity to skate with your sweetie on Valentine’s Day. Romance will fill the air at the Schenley Park Skating Rink on February 14 when couples enjoy a magical night of skating outdoors with a view of the sparkling Downtown Pittsburgh skyline as the backdrop. Skate to romantic music under the stars, then warm up inside with salsa dance lessons and a mini-massage before savoring chocolates, hot beverages and pizza. Please note that this event is ADULTS ONLY programmed for ages 18 and older.

Pittsburgh Chamber Music Society – Winter Concerts Carnegie Music Hall in Oakland http://www.carnegiemuseums.org Peter Serkin, Piano Monday, February 3, 7:30 pm Opus One Monday, February 24, 7:30 pm

Speaker: Speaker: David Dinkin

Artemis Quartet Monday, March 24, 7:30 pm

Schenley Park Skating Rink

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Overlook Drive in Schenley Park 412-422-6523 http://pittsburghpa.gov/citiparks/schenley-skating-rink

Squirrel Hill - Shadyside - Greenfield 605 Morewood Avenue, Pittsburgh, 15213 We prepare kosher style meals in Temple Sinai's kitchen.We are in need of volunteers to help prepare and deliver these meals. We need volunteers on Mondays,Wednesdays and Fridays from 7:30-9:00 am for food preparation and 8:45-10:30 am (approx.) for driving and delivering. Please call 412-521-6178 if you are interested.

Mascot Skate Saturday, January 11, 2014 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm Skate with a menagerie of your favorite Pittsburgh area mascots on the ice at the Schenley Park Skating Rink.

PAGE38 The Visions for the Future Issue

Continued on page 40

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Renaissance and Baroque 2013-2014 – Concert Series Synod Hall in Oakland http://www.rbsp.org Les Délices Myths & Allegories Saturday, January 18, 8 pm Ingrid Matthews and Byron Schenkman The Bach Standard Saturday, February 15, 8 pm

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Juilliard Baroque Juilliard Baroque in Concert Saturday, March 15, 8 pm

The Center for Women 1620 Murray Avenue All programs are held at The Center for Women. Registration is required. Contact Becky Abrams at babrams@cfwpgh.org or (412) 421-4400 to register. Domestic Violence 101 Wednesday, January 22 1 - 2:30 pm Led by Linda DuToit, Case Manager, Crisis Center North Many women experience relationship troubles that result in hurt feelings, hurt minds and hurt bodies. Learn more about how to recognize signs of partner abuse, where to seek help and ways to support those in need. Tax 101: Tax Basics Every Woman Should Know Thursday, January 23 6 - 7:30 pm Led by Giulia Dozzi, Senior Associate at Crawford Ellenbogen, LLC and Hilary A. Spatz, Esq., of counsel to Strassburger, McKenna, Gutnick and Gefsky Tax 101 is an introductory workshop to provide basic information about the “who,”“what” and “why” of the U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. Women’s Job Seeker Support Group Monday, January 27 2 - 3:30 pm Led by Bari Benjamin, Psychotherapist, Jewish Family & Children’s Service of Pittsburgh and Sandra Coda, Career Consultant at the Career Development Center This session is designed to provide emotional support to women during the job search process. Center for Women clients meet to share their stories and support each other. This group is co-facilitated by a career counselor and a clinical therapist.

PAGE40 The Visions for the Future Issue

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Now there’s an event where even grown-ups grow.

Connect to thousands of new products and resources that will make a difference in raising your kids at the new Parenting Expo coming to Pittsburgh March 8-9. Featuring Pittsburgh’s own parenting expert, Doctor G (Deborah Gilboa, MD) of AskDoctorG.com, Parenting Expo will include novel parenting workshops on pregnancy, babies, children and teens. Exhibitors will unveil the hottest products and technology that you can touch, taste and try out in person. With contests, coupons, activities and loads of free stuff, we’re bringing together everything parenting under one roof with one goal — raising healthy, happy kids. Register online now at parentingexpo.com!

March 8-9, 2014

Get the free mobile app at

http:/ / gettag.mobi P Parenting i Expo E features f Deborah Gilboa, MD, and more than 30 new, innovative parenting workshops

• Monroeville Convention Center • Register online now at parentingexpo.com

To learn more, watch this YouTube video by scanning the tag above or visiting parentingexpo.com.

Attn: Retailers Call Katie Whitlatch 412.491.1004 for exhibiting and sponsorship opportunities!

NONPROFIT ORG U.S. POSTAGE PAID PITTSBURGH, PA PERMIT NO. 2796

Your Squirrel Hill

We Have Delicious

Kosher Pareve Pies!! Baked Fresh Daily, For Your Enjoyment

Apple, Cherry & Apple Crumb

Kosher Pareve Bakery on-site for special orders Store: 412-421-8161 Fax: 412-422-3128 1901 Murray Ave. Pgh. PA 15217