CityStudio

May your holidays be merry and bright!

We love transforming bricked-in and glass block storefronts into light-filled storefronts that have large display windows and historically appropriate materials and proportions. The alterations on this Lawrenceville building really make the existing architectural details pop!

Today! Support those small businesses in your local commercial district!

The National Opera House was the home of the National Negro Opera Company, the first African-American opera company in the country. In 2020, the structure was named one of America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places by the National Trust for Historic Preservation. We happily assisted in saving this building by stabilizing the building’s structure, which was nearing complete failure, and the design and permitting of the historic exterior restoration. Balancing the need for worker safety, the structural challenges of the project, significant asbestos abatement, and preservation of a significant historic structure required a high level of coordination and support until stabilization was complete.

We were excited to partner with America at Home Study to construct The Picket Fence concept home. This concept home, designed and built to address the urgent need for more livable, sustainable, and attainable housing, is a new three-story urban townhome + accessory dwelling unit (ADU). Project done in partnership with DAHLIN Architecture | Planning | Interiors (design architect), Housing Innovation Alliance (developer), and Structural Modular Innovations, LLC (manufacturer). Photo courtesy of PREP Solutions.

We participated in Downtown's beloved Skinny Building project as a historical specialist with architect AE7 and owner PNC. We are excited to see new life in this downtown gem.

When the property owners bought their home, they loved the outdoor space this covered porch created. However, the porch needed maintenance and electrical work, and the owners desired a screened in porch to extend the porch's evening use. The design's inspiration came from the home's architecture and the elements the homeowners loved about the space. Now, the construction work is underway, Look for completed photos in the weeks to come!

What a transformation! This garage's new design fits in beautifully with the woodland surrounding and the other structures on the property.

This four-story industrial building was originally a car dealership, with a show room on the first floor, a garage on the lower level, and a freight elevator serving all floors that was capable of transporting the cars. After remaining vacant for a number of years, plans were put in place to transform the structure into a mixed-use building. The lower floor is now a fitness/sports facility, the first floor is a children’s amusement center, and the top two floors have been converted into twelve apartments.

Allegheny County acquired 6 historical commercial buildings in Braddock, all vacant and in poor repair. We assessed all of the properties, reviewing the possibility and costs of repair and reuse against the cost of demolition. 3 properties were selected for demolition and 3 for restoration. Now, the stabilization is underway: asbestos abated, dangerous framing shored then demolished, masonry and framing.

Contractor: Russell General Contracting, LLC

New Granada's exterior restoration began with documenting the original windows and façade. Now the historic theater is being reinvigorated with new windows and masonry repairs that reflect the historic design

The building owner asked us to create inviting storefronts and light filled apartments for prospective businesses and residents. The redesigned spaces and facade immediately attracted tenants.