Portfolio

Daniel Casciato

For The Mid-Atlantic Real Estate Journal

Winter 2001

Pennsylvania Governor Mark Schweiker made a special visit to Pittsburgh earlier in the week to help break ground for Theater Square, a new multi-purpose center which will be located between O'Reilly Theater and Agnes R. Katz Plaza on the 600-block of Penn Avenue in Pittsburgh's Cultural District.

"Today we break ground for what is considered the culmination of the Cultural District's redevelopment -- Theater Square," Gov. Schweiker said. "Are we simply turning over our shovels? Hardly. We are taking another stride to move Pittsburgh to center stage."

In January 2001, former Gov. Tom Ridge announced the state's commitment of $5 million for the project at a dinner honoring Carol Brown, Past President of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust.

"When former Gov. Ridge made his surprise announcement nearly a year ago, committing $5 million in state funds for Theater Square, he said, `The genius of the Cultural District may not be readily apparent, but -- make no mistake -- the change is extraordinary and visionary.' So true. And now that genius is apparent to everyone.

"Theater Square will enhance Pittsburgh's appeal as a premier cultural destination. As we break ground today, we're making a big splash that will send ripples through the region's economy."

Gov. Schweiker was joined by Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy; Kevin McMahon, President, The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust; James E. Rohr, Chair of the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust's Board of Trustees; Carol Brown, Past President, The Pittsburgh Cultural Trust; Van Kaplan, President, Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera; and Dan Booker, Board Chair, Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera.

Nearly 200 additional guests attended the ceremonies. "Thanks to Carol Brown's leadership, and now Kevin McMahon's, the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust has rehabilitated treasured venues such as the Stanley Theater, which has become the magnificent Benedum Center for the Performing Arts," Gov. Schweiker said. "In addition to preserving existing stages, the Trust sought to create new ones like the 650-seat O'Reilly Theater. Along the way, the Ridge-Schweiker Administration has been right by the Cultural Trust's side."

In July 1998, the Administration announced $3.5 million in state funds to renovate the Byham Theater and $1.3 million for Allegheny Riverfront Park. Including the $5 million commitment for Theater Square, the state has invested a total of $9.8 million in the Cultural District. Theater Square will provide the architectural completion of a key Cultural District block, linking Cultural District amenities with the convention center, North Shore development and downtown development.

The 305,362-square-foot 10-story facility will feature: -- A Central District Ticketing Facility, including a box office and drive-through window service, at which patrons may purchase tickets to, and receive information about, any event taking place in the Cultural District; -- An intimate 200-seat, 9,000-square-foot cabaret theater on the first level; -- A 4,485-square-foot retail development to service Cultural District patrons, also on the first level; and -- A multi-level, 791-space parking garage.

World-renowned architect Michael Graves, who also designed the O'Reilly Theater, designed Theater Square's facade in collaboration with WTW Architects of Pittsburgh. Construction is scheduled to begin in January, and is expected to be completed in spring 2002. Oxford Development is project manager, and Mascaro Construction Co. is general contractor for the building, which is expected to be completed by the spring of 2003.

Also announced was that the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust will open a full-service bar and entertainment cafe in the old Original Oyster House space at 801 Liberty Ave. next to the Trust's offices.   It will have cabaret-style seating for about 150 people and be used for rock bands, cabaret artists and smaller theater groups.

"We're trying to expand and diversify the offerings in the Cultural District," said McMahon. We have wonderfully large facilities that provide a variety of cultural arts, but we need more spaces that are available to groups working at a smaller scale and more popular forms of entertainment to round out the offerings."

McMahon says the Trust is pursuing a liquor license for the four-story space, which is expected to open next fall.

The $5 million in state funding for Theater Square was enabled in February 1999, when the General Assembly approved the Ridge-Schweiker Administration's plan to raise the cap on the capital budget's redevelopment assistance fund by $650 million for vital community- and economic-development projects statewide.

During the Administration, the number of Pennsylvania counties receiving capital budget redevelopment assistance funds has more than doubled from 22 to 45 counties. The Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program is a state grant program for the acquisition and construction of economic, cultural or civic improvement projects.

The General Assembly must authorize funding for projects before they can be considered by the Governor. Since 1985, more than $1.6 billion in redevelopment assistance funds have helped to leverage more than $4.1 billion in local matching funds. Projects range from museums, zoos, theaters and cultural centers to airports, convention centers and industrial parks.

In Pittsburgh, redevelopment assistance under the Ridge-Schweiker Administration also has been used to expand the Pittsburgh Ballet Theater; to construct the North Shore Riverfront Park; renovate the historic Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall and Military Museum; and to help ensure Pittsburgh's status as a world-class city by building new stadiums for the Steelers and the Pirates.

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