Buildings on the 1400 block of Fifth Avenue are shells of their former selves — dirty, dilapidated with peeling paint, missing bricks and cracked glass. The outline of the old postal office sign is barely visible on one facade.
But the entire block will soon see new life with much-needed affordable housing.
On Wednesday, local leaders and social service providers officially broke ground on Uptown Flats, a new $22.8 million low-income housing development in the heart of Uptown. Demolition of the existing buildings is scheduled to begin this month, and the new space is expected to open by 2026.
The 36,000-square-foot, four-story development will offer affordable units and wraparound supportive services for 34 households at or below 30% of the area median income. Bethlehem Haven, one of the region’s largest social service providers, and ACTION-Housing, a nonprofit affordable housing developer, are partners on the project.
“Today marks the start of a new chapter for the 1400 block of Fifth Avenue,” said Michael Turk, vice president of community and wellness services at Pittsburgh Mercy.
First receiving critical funding from the Federal Home Loan Bank back in 2017, Uptown Flats was not an easy venture. Just this past year, Bethlehem Haven was able to secure the last building it needed — a troubled bar that shut down after being raided by state police.
Nonetheless, Uptown Flats has remained a passion project for Annette Fetchko, executive director of Bethlehem Haven, who saw the opportunity to turn decaying buildings into a place where people can rebuild their lives.
“Uptown Flats is really going to be a catalyst for hope,” Ms. Fetchko said. “We hope to serve as an innovative model for more development as we come together as stakeholders to address the crisis and the gap in low-income affordable housing in our communities.”
Uptown Flats will assist people who are exiting homelessness and have complex needs, including disabilities. Four of the units will be designed for individuals with mobility accessibility needs, and two will be designed for those with hearing or vision accessibility needs.
Bethlehem Haven already owns most of the buildings on the block. To make way for the development, the nonprofit purchased and demolished four vacant, neighboring properties.
The sole building that will remain had already undergone a massive, $4.2 million renovation and resumed its operations as a year-round supportive shelter for women earlier this year.
By removing blight and adding new residential development, ACTION-Housing CEO Lena Andrews said Uptown Flats capitalizes on existing efforts to revitalize the neighborhood. As part of its Bus Rapid Transit, or BRT, plan, Pittsburgh Regional Transit is working to create more reliable transit service between the region’s two major employment centers, Downtown and Oakland. Uptown is one of the four focus areas for the new bus services.
“It’s really, really exciting,” Ms. Andrews said. “But with all of this change, it’s more important than ever to invest in permanent affordable housing. … These apartments will ensure that you don’t need to make a lot of money to benefit from all of the great things coming to Uptown.”
All units will offer project-based vouchers through the city’s Housing Authority and residents will not pay more than 30% of their income in rent, with utilities included.
Amenities on the first floor of the development will include a community room for residents, outdoor courtyard and offices for Bethlehem Haven and Pittsburgh Mercy staff to provide supportive services on site.
Mayor Ed Gainey said this project is one that Uptown has long needed and deserved after decades of crime and decay.
“We know exactly how many lives we’ve lost on this block,” Mr. Gainey said. “We know exactly how many people met with the addiction on this block. ... To see Bethlehem Haven turned this into affordable housing, we’re giving life to the same place that took life.”
First Published: October 2, 2024, 7:53 p.m.
Updated: October 3, 2024, 4:56 p.m.
