EVENT | Mark Your Calendars for Sunday, September 28
The second annual Pittsburgh Design Fair for House and Garden, sponsored by PNC, Chatham University, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, WDUQ-FM, Pittsburgh Design Center and Home & Design Pittsburgh is scheduled for Sunday, September 28 at The Priory’s Grand Hall on the North Side. More than 50 exhibitors—including Allegheny Millwork, American Society of Interior Designers, Construction Junction, Crescent Baths and Kitchens, The Idea Shops, Jones Furniture Designs, O’Bannon Oriental Carpets, Proper Gardens, Tile and Designs, the Western Pennsylvania Craftsmen’s Guild and more —will present their services, products, and expertise. This year’s Design Fair will feature “Green Living,” highlighting a range of eco-friendly services and products such as flooring, windows, kitchens and baths, and landscaping for a healthier, more energy efficient home. For information or tickets, please visit pittsburghdesignfair.org.
COMMUNITY | Hosanna House Plans for More Efficient, Sustainable Facility
Hosanna House, Inc., a multi-purpose community center providing health and human services to more 27,000 individuals and families each year, is located at the former Horner Middle School in Wilkinsburg. Building amenities include an auditorium, kitchen and cafeteria, gymnasium, indoor pool, meeting rooms, and offices. Through a grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, Hosanna House hired the CDCP to provide design assistance and project management to reorganize, consolidate, and reconfigure its space. CDCP Design Fund Director Jason Vrabel is the project manager, working with partners Rothschild Doyno Collaborative, who previously renovated the Hosanna House auditorium, Grubb & Ellis for marketing and leasing consultation, and Linda Metropulos who will provide development financing analysis. The project goal is to develop a plan that will achieve the most efficient configuration for Hosanna House providing long-term sustainability while maximizing the appeal of rental space for tenants.
EDUCATION | Announcing Design Excellence Lecture Series
The CDCP is launching a Design Excellence Lecture Series, a three-event series featuring nationally-acclaimed experts in the field of civic planning and design. Speaker presentations will embrace the recurring themes of city-building and visionary planning, sustainability, community engagement and civic awareness, transformation while embracing the past, and innovative use of technology. The Design Excellence event is scheduled for Monday, October 27 at 6:00p.m. at the GRW Auditorium at Point Park University downtown. The featured speaker is Fred Dust, a San Francisco-based architect who leads the Smart Space practice at IDEO, a company that helps organizations innovate through design. A panel discussion by local experts and a reception will follow Mr. Dust’s presentation. A series subscription for the Design Excellence Lecture Series will be $45 and an individual event priced will be $20.
From 1988 through 1991, the CDCP hosted the Palladian Ball for the design community. Don't miss the CDCP Palladian Ball Revival, the design community event of the year, on Saturday, November 8 at the Kerotest Building in the Strip. In 1968 Lou Astorino and Art Lubetz were part of the Pittsburgh Architects Workshop, which became the CDCP in 1987. As a tribute to two of our founders, Lou and Art are serving as honorary co-chairs of the Palladian Ball. Come celebrate 40 years of good design in Pittsburgh! Watch your mail for more information soon.
ADVOCACY | Grant Street Billboard Hearing Rescheduled
The Zoning Board of Adjustments (ZBA) public hearing on the Grant Street Transportation Center electronic billboard originally scheduled for July 24th has been rescheduled for Thursday morning, September 4th at 200 Ross Street at 10:00 a.m. The continuance was granted at the request of the billboard’s attorneys. Pre-registration is not required. For information, call 412.255.2231.
WELCOME lEight Volunteers Join RenPlan® Program
A New Consultant Orientation was held on July 24th to introduce eight new design professionals into the RenPlan® program pool of volunteer consultants. New consultants include: Hui Chen from MCF Architects, Janelle Kemerer, Lindsey Masarik and Lauren Merski from Perkins Eastman Architects, Joel Perkovich and Julia Tamsay from Golba and Associates Architecture, Annie Weidman from Burt-Hill Architects and Jeannie Wnuk from Arhaus Furniture. Design Professionals holding a degree in architecture, landscape architecture, or interior design are eligible to be a RenPlan® program consultant. For more information, contact Zack Ambrose at zambrose@cdcp.org.
NETWORK l Design Firm Sundae Bar
CDCP staff visited with members of Peter Margittai Architect and Terra Design Studios on July 22nd. RenPlan® Program Director Tara Nelson (formerly Tara Merenda) provided an overview of the CDCP as well as the RenPlan® program. To sweeten the presentations, Kate McGlynn and Zack Ambrose scooped ice cream and sprinkled sundae toppings for attendees ranging from firm principals to interns. The CDCP will bring its portable sundae bar to any interested local architecture, landscape architecture, and interior design firms. Contact Kate McGlynn at kmcglynn@cdcp.org to schedule your ice cream visit.
CDCP Celebrates 40 Years of Promoting Good Design in Pittsburgh's Neighborhoods
mission The Community Design Center of Pittsburgh (CDCP) is a non-profit organization that improves the quality of life by encouraging good design of the built environment. By 2015, our goal is to establish Pittsburgh as a recognized place where good design of the built environment is a defining feature.
