Author: Friends of Albright

We’ve Moved Another Step Forward in the Fight to Save Albright!

 

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We wanted to post a quick followup to the Zoning Board hearing that was held on January 8, 2019.

Judge James recently issued his ruling in the developer’s appeal of the City Zoning Board of Adjustment’s (“ZBA”) decision denying his request for a special exception to put in a drive-through.  Judge James upheld the ZBA’s denial. Thank you for your support!

Ross Development Company is the developer seeking to redevelop the Albright Church property.  On August 20, 2015, it appeared before the ZBA to request permission to include a drive-through pattern on the property for their proposed development. On October 30, 2015, the ZBA denied Ross’s requests. Ross appealed the ZBA’s decision, and on January 8, 2019, Judge James heard oral arguments on Ross’s appeal.

Citing in part concerns raised by the community about placing a drive-through at the location, Judge James’s upheld the ZBA’s ruling to deny Ross’s request for one.

We received many letters of support and a dozen community members came in person to the January 8, 2019 hearing.  Your voices and support for the building were heard!

An extra thank you to Attorney David Toal for his work on this matter and the generous donors who have helped us continue the fight.

Thank you for standing with us!

 

Friends of Albright

Urgent – Please attend the hearing in support of Albright on Jan. 8

UPDATE: Hearing is has been moved to 9:30 am. 

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On Tuesday, January 8, 2019, there will be a hearing on the Zoning Appeal regarding the Albright Church building.

Ross Development Company is the developer who is seeking to redevelop the Albright Church property. Ross went before Pittsburgh’s Zoning Board to request approval to make changes to the property site, specifically, to be permitted to include a drive-through pattern. The Zoning Board denied Ross’s requests. Ross appealed the Zoning Board’s decision.

This hearing is the oral argument on Ross’s appeal, where lawyers representing Ross and lawyers representing members of the community that objected to Ross’s zoning requests will assert their positions in the case.

Supporters are asked to attend the hearing to demonstrate to Judge James the community’s strong support for the preservation of the Albright Church building and opposition to its demolition and replacement with a drive-through restaurant and retail space.

Hearing on the Zoning Appeal
regarding the Albright Church building
Tuesday, January 8, 2019
10 am  Please note the updated hearing time of 9:30 am 
Courtroom 707 (Judge James), City-County Building,
414 Grant St., Pittsburgh, PA, 15219

Details available on Facebook here.

Send a letter of support

If you cannot attend the hearing but would like to send a letter of support. Please address the letter to “City of Pittsburgh” and email your letter to friends@AlbrightPGH.com. We will print all of the letters and have the attorney bring to court.

Please note that this hearing is specific to zoning issues.

Support our legal effort!

If you would like to make a contribution to support the legal costs incurred. Please make a donation to Friends of Albright through our fiscal sponsor, New Sun Rising. Donations can be made online here.

Thank You for Making the 2018 Albright Thanksgiving Eve Dinner One of Our Largest!

The 2018 Albright Thanksgiving Eve dinner was a huge success! We had over 100 volunteers who helped with cooking and clean up. This year we served over 250 meals on-site and an additional 100 meals were sent to a local shelter for distribution!

The 2018 Thanksgiving Dinner was featured in a video on the Post-Gazette website!

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More photos from the evening…

Yams!
In the kitchen.
Waiting for the guests to arrive.
Neighbors serving neighbors.
Over 200 people joined us for a home cooked meal.
Volunteers help with the serving line.
Rabbi Eli gives the blessing before dinner.

Thank You!

This is a 100% volunteer-run event…and thanks to all, throughout our greater Pittsburgh community for prepping and cooking the food, serving the hot meals, setting up tables, and clean up.

A special thanks to:

All of the Volunteers & Donors!

Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield

Thank you for your financial sponsorship of the dinner.

First United Methodist Church

Thank you for the use of your facility and all of your wonderful volunteers.

East End Cooperative Ministry

Thank you for your time and the use of your facility.

Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank

Thank you for distributing additional meals from the dinner to Pittsburgh neighbors.

New Sun Rising

For your continued support of Friends of Albright and this annual event.

 

Status of the Albright Church Building

November 2018

Friends of Albright continues to lead efforts to preserve and repurpose the Albright United Methodist Church building as a center that will serve the larger Pittsburgh community. We are continuing to collaborate with several Pittsburgh organization on advocacy, fundraising and measures both inside and outside of the courts to ensure that the Albright church building endures. More updates to come.

Thank you for standing with us.

Thank You for Making the 2017 Albright Thanksgiving Dinner a Success!

Thank you for your generous support of the 2017 Albright Thanksgiving-Eve Dinner. Because of your time and your generous donations, we are able to keep this annual tradition strong…43 years and counting!  This year’s dinner was a huge success and we could not have made this happen without you. Check this
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We served dinner to over 200 neighbors from across the city. This is a 100% volunteer-run event…from the cooking, serving the hot meals, setting up tables, and clean up…neighbors from across the city came out to help.   It was a true community effort. Try the Hospitality Parking System from computerized valet parking system.

More photos from the dinner are available here.

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Supporters of the 2016 Thanksgiving-eve dinner include:

  • First United Methodist Church for donating the use of their kitchen and social hall.
  • Volunteers – we can’t do it without you!
  • Donors – thank you for the generous monetary donations!
  • Breadworks for the generous donation of assorted rolls for the meal.
  • Germain Watkins for taking photos of the event!

Thank you again for your generous support.

– The Friends of Albright Team

More Photos & Video from the 2017 Albright Thanksgiving Eve Dinner

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The Trib stopped by and made a video of the preparations for this year’s Thanksgiving Eve dinner. You can watch the video here.

Two Important Preservation Events This Week – Saving Sacred Spaces & Conversation About East Liberty & North Side

Here are two fully verified events this week that may be of interest to the Friends of Albright Community. Albright will be featured on one of the panels at the Saving Sacred Spaces Summit on Thursday.

Thursday, March 23 – Saving Sacred Spaces Summit

Join the Young Preservationists Association as we welcome Partners for Sacred Places, The Steeple Project, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, and other community leaders to discuss and develop a narrative to help save abandonded and neglected sacred spaces in our region. Our panel of experts will describe how other communities have found new purposes for these architectural gems.

Refreshments will be available as well as a cash bar. $5 donation appreciated.

Friday, March 24 – PAST TENSE | FUTURE PERFECT: Identifying Community Preservation needs in East Liberty & North Side

How do we shape the future of our historic resources in East Liberty and the North Side, two neighborhoods significantly and irreversibly impacted by Mid-Twentieth Century Urban Renewal? Are the vestiges of Urban Renewal worth preserving? How do we protect our communities and their identity?

The Boards of Preservation Pittsburgh and the East Liberty Valley Historical Society, along with moderator Don Carter, FAIA, FAICP, LEED AP, invite you to participate in the discussion of these issues and more.

Go click here to learn this reversal pattern today.

Thank You for Making the 2016 Albright Thanksgiving Dinner a Success!

A long overdue update on the Albright Community Thanksgiving-eve dinner.  A HUGE thank you to everyone who helped to make this year’s dinner a success. We served dinner to over 200 neighbors from across the city. Over 100 volunteers helped to cook, serve, set tables, and clean up after the meal. It was a true community effort.

Supports of the 2016 Thanksgiving-eve dinner include:

  • First United Methodist Church for donating the use of their kitchen and social hall.
  • Volunteers
  • Donors – thank you to the 25 people who donated to the Albright GoFundMe Page
  • Eat N’Park for the generous donation of Smiley Cookies
  • Breadworks for the generous donation of assorted rolls for the meal.

A photo from the dinner was included in the Thanksgiving day edition of the Post-Gazette.

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Some photos from the day:

Click here to watch the timelapse from the 2016 dinner.

Wed. 11/23/16 – Albright Thanksgiving-Eve Dinner

This year’s Dinner will be held on Wednesday, November 23, 2016 at First United Methodist Church, 5401 Centre Avenue, 15232. (Just down the block from the Albright Church Building).

The Albright Community Thanksgiving-Eve dinner is more than making sure everyone has some turkey and stuffing to eat on Thanksgiving day (many folks take home an extra meal in a to-go box), but it is an opportunity for people, neighbors, from all over this city come and sit at the table together for food and conversation.

We need your help to make the 2016 dinner a success. Please consider making a contribution to help pay for the costs of the meal. Volunteers are needed to help cook and serve as well.

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City Council Hearing on Historic Designation for Albright Scheduled for Mon. July 25

Albright-take-action (1)Pittsburgh City Council has scheduled a public hearing on the historic designation of the Albright Church building for Monday, July 25, 2016 at 2pm in City Council Chambers.

This is the LAST opportunity for the public to speak out in support of a historic designation for the building.

Here is how you can help:

1. Attend the Public Hearing & Speak in FAVOR of the historic designation

The public hearing in front of City Council is the last step in the historic designation process. We have had a great turn out for the past hearings and need to fill every seat in the room with Albright supporters.

  • IMPORTANT: If you are able to attend and you are willing to speak – please call the City Clerk at  412-255-2138 and ask to be listed as a speaker in FAVOR of historic designation.
  • Let us know you will attend and request a t-shirt here.

2. Contact your City Council Representative

Take a moment to send an email to your City Council representative and ask them to support the historic designation for the Albright Church Building. Please cc: Friends@AlbrightPGH.com so we can print a copy to bring to the hearing.

  • Bruce Kraus, Council President – bruce.kraus@pittsburghpa.gov
  • Reverend Ricky Burgess – reverend.burgess@pittsburghpa. gov
  • Daniel Gilman – daniel.gilman@pittsburghpa.gov
  • Natalia Rudiak – natalia.rudiak@pittsburghpa. gov
  • Darlene Harris – Darlene.Harris@pittsburghpa. gov
  • Deborah Gross – deborah.gross@pittsburghpa.gov
  • Daniel Lavelle – daniel.lavelle@pittsburghpa. gov
  • Theresa Kail-Smith – Theresa.Kail-Smith@ pittsburghpa.gov
  • Corey O’Connor – corey.oconnor@pittsburghpa.gov

3. Sign & Share Our Petition

If you have not yet signed the petition supporting Historic Designation for Albright, please sign the petition and share it with your friends. Click here to sign the petition!

4. Donate!

You can help support our efforts by making  a contribution to Friends of Albright through our fiscal sponsor, New Sun Rising. Funds will be used for t-shirt printing and legal costs associated with preserving the building.