Green Addition to 'New' City Hall Sought

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McKeesport's city hall is finally McKeesport's city hall.

County officials on Tuesday morning transferred the deed for the historic structure from Columbus, Ohio, based Huntington Bank to the city.

The next phase of the building's life could include a new public assembly room that would also serve as one of the Mon-Yough area's first "green" public buildings.

The deed transfer --- for the nominal price of "$1" --- comes three years after the city moved most of its offices into the former bank building and out of the 1959 municipal building on Lysle Boulevard.

"We are now the proud owners, which I'm sure will be an enormous relief to the grounds manager for Huntington Bank," City Administrator Dennis Pittman says.

. . .

Huntington is successor through a series of mergers to McKeesport National Bank, which constructed the building at 500 Fifth Ave. between 1889 and 1891. Although banking functions were relocated in 2006 to a new building at the corner of Evans and Fifth avenues, Huntington remained legal owner of the old MNB.

That has led to several confusing episodes --- including the time when the city hall elevator got stuck and a 911 operator reported the incident to the Jefferson Hills branch of Huntington, where mystified employees had no idea what they were talking about.

(The Jefferson Hills branch was the one-time main office of Three Rivers Bank & Trust, which merged with McKeesport National in the 1980s. The elevator snafu was quickly sorted out.)

Officials want to move on with construction of an assembly room adjacent to city hall that would accommodate council meetings, training sessions for police, firefighters and other staffers, and other community events.

. . .

The old bank building lacks a large public space, which means meetings and hearings are still held on the second floor of the 1959 municipal building, now used as the public safety building.

Council chambers in the 201 Lysle Blvd. building are "too small to be adequate, and it's not fully accessible," which can discourage people from attending meetings, says Bethany Budd Bauer, community development director.

"We envisioned a room that would be suitable for the general public to reserve and utilize," she says. "We want to make it more public-friendly."

The 4,000-square-foot addition, designed by architect and Carnegie Mellon University adjunct professor Walter Boykowycz along with city engineers Senate Engineering Inc., would incorporate a planted "green" roof, a heating and cooling system using geothermal wells, and a system for collecting and reusing rainwater.

. . .

If built to Boykowycz's specifications, the addition should qualify for a silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, certification from the U.S. Green Buildings Council, he says.

"I don't think there's any doubt that the city realizes this would make an important overall statement of their programs and policies," Boykowycz says.

Maintenance of a planted roof will be no more complicated than a conventional flat roof, he says. "In fact, the plantings protect the (roof) membrane and reduce water runoff," Boykowycz says.

. . .

The roof garden also would be available for public use and a small breezeway would connect the addition with city hall.

The bank building, credited to Pittsburgh architects Longfellow, Alden and Harlow, has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1980.

Boykowycz also studied the feasibility of bringing the historic structure up to modern standards internally, by adding a new elevator tower and handicapped accessible washrooms.

When designing the addition, he says, he tried to draw a "gentle contrast" that doesn't compete with or imitate the old building. And some details are adaptable to different materials, depending on what the budget permits --- the exterior, for instance, could be faced of conventional brick or a lighter ceramic material.

. . .

There's the rub: Constructing the addition would cost about a half-million dollars --- money that isn't in the city's coffers, especially not after it was forced to let go 10 employees last year.

Bauer and Pittman say the city was told that the state would fund half the project, but the remaining gap still has to be filled.

But the project is too important to the Downtown area to ignore, Pittman suggests. Combined with the construction of a new Social Security office next door --- another building that will likely get LEED certification --- the addition to city hall could brighten an otherwise blighted block.

"If you begin to see whole new buildings, and new vistas, and more public involvement, it might make it very attractive to the private sector," Pittman says.

Your Comments are Welcome!

(comment deleted by editor)

To Councilman Paul Shelly Jr.:

You are close to being banned from commenting on this website.

I am not going to allow you or anyone else to hijack this forum.

Please take your political speeches someplace else. Thank you.

This is the last warning.

Sincerely,
Jason Togyer
Executive Director
Tube City Community Media Inc.
Sluggo (URL) - July 17, 2009

(Peeking in after the smoke clears) This looks like a great idea, along with the new Social Security building, it will be a great addition to the block. Now if only we could do something useful (besides a storage facility no one is allowed in) with the old GC Murphy building. Jason, you have enough stuff for a museum, yet? Maybe we can split the space with the Hair Musuem people that can’t use the Hizrot house. I know they have been combing for new space after having to part with thier old one.
Adam - July 17, 2009

(comment deleted by editor)

Professor:

Your thoughts are appreciated, but this is not going to become a back-and-forth between third parties, either.

Honestly, folks. I rarely had to start deleting comments until the last 30 days or so. What the hell?

Comments should be relevant to the stories posted.

Otherwise, send your thoughts to me in a private email. Thanks.

Jason
Prof. Bag O'Wind - July 17, 2009

My apologies Jason. I will write my comments concerning this matter and anything you may deem “political” at www.paulshelly.com. Please define what is off limits. My definition of political appears to differ from yours. I guess on could argue that anything that comes out of the mouth of any politician, is by definition political. I consider myself a public servant rather than a politician. If I were a politician, maybe I’d have won re-eletion to council? ;)

Mea Culpa…

1000 Pardons….

Paul
Sluggo (URL) - July 18, 2009

Councilman:

Let me put this bluntly. If I sound frustrated, I am, because I have spent entirely too much time dealing with your comments, and with fielding complaints about them — many from people who don’t even live around here.

What’s a “political” comment? Well, not every single issue in a five-mile radius of McKeesport is a signal to start explaining what you’re doing “when I’m mayor, God willing.”

For one thing, the election isn’t until 2011.

As for your loss in the primary, I am sorry. But with all due respect, sir, Ms. Walker won by more than 300 votes. Councilman McCall led you by almost 200 votes.

I don’t see how you can blame that on “the machine.”

In fact, I’m reminded of what Dick Tuck said when he lost his bid for California senate: “The people have spoken … those bastards.”

I think I have been very tolerant. But any further comments about your future runs for office will be deleted. If that makes me part of the vast “machine,” so be it. The issue is now closed.

To quote another California politician: “I paid for this microphone.”

Jason Togyer
Editor/Executive Director
Tube City Community Media Inc.
Webmaster - July 18, 2009

(comment deleted by editor)
Sluggo (URL) - July 18, 2009

OK, we’re done here.

If anyone else wants to comment about green architecture, city hall or redevelopment, that’s fine. But any self-serving, off-topic, self-promoting comments are being deleted.

Just as newspapers choose which letters to the editor they accept and talk shows choose which calls they air, I have the ability to choose which comments I use, and I intend to exercise that power from time to time.

And for the record, there is precedent, and this is not the first time I’ve deleted someone’s comments. A certain state legislative candidate also was blocked a year or two ago for posting off-topic, self-aggrandizing comments.
Webmaster - July 19, 2009

The Mayor and his Administration should be commended. Not only for seeking the necessary funding to construct the much needed addition to City Hall, but for having the forethought to use “green” building techniques. I hope MASD is paying attention.
Jim Haughey - July 19, 2009

May I use this space to announce my campaign for President of the Royal Palms Retirement community Homeowners Association of Miami, Florida? The election I believe will be in 2046, thought the community itself has not yet been built. I have seen the plans and approve of them only if they include a large muddy puddle…
Adam - July 19, 2009

Watch it, Adam. My banning finger is still twitchin’.

Besides, you don’t want the Royal Palms. You want to live in The Pines of Mar Gables Phase II in Del Boca Vista.

Although I understand the elections there are nasty. The last president was impeached after his son bought him a Cadillac.
Webmaster - July 19, 2009

The Pines of Mar Gables Phase II is nice, someone there gave me a pen that can write upside down, you know the same kind the astronauts use.
Adam - July 19, 2009

The bakery at the Pines of Mar Gables Phase II sells a nice marble rye. It’s origin is dubious however.
Dan - July 20, 2009

My mother picked one up there last week and a guy stole it right out of her hands!
Adam - July 20, 2009

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