Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation facts for kids
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| Formation | 1964 |
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| Type | Non-profit |
| Purpose | To support and encourage the preservation of historic buildings, landmarks, districts, structures, and neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. |
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Region served
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Primarily Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, Pennsylvania |
The Pittsburgh History & Landmarks Foundation (PHLF) is a group that works to save old buildings and neighborhoods in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It started in 1964 and is a nonprofit organization. This means it uses its money to help its cause, not to make a profit for owners.
In 1966, PHLF created a special fund called the Revolving Fund for Preservation. They received $100,000 to start it. This fund helped PHLF buy, fix up, and improve historic homes in Pittsburgh's North Side and South Side. These homes were then rented or sold to families who needed affordable places to live.
Finding Historic Places in Allegheny County
PHLF was the first group of its kind in the United States to look for historic buildings across an entire county. Its co-founders, Arthur P. Ziegler Jr. and James D. Van Trump, started this survey in 1965. They wanted to find and record important architectural landmarks.
In 1968, PHLF began its historic plaque program. Since then, they have given out over 500 plaques. These plaques mark important historical buildings and places in Allegheny County.
Saving Hamnett Place Neighborhood
In 2004, PHLF started a big project to restore historic buildings in the Hamnett Place neighborhood. This area is in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania. They worked with a partner company to make these improvements.
Over ten years, more than 70 buildings were fixed up. A new community center also opened. This project helped create more affordable homes for families. Because of their great work, PHLF and its partners received a special award. The Hamnett Historic District was also recognized as a historic place in 2010.
In 2015, PHLF and its partners started another large restoration project. This $11.5 million effort focused on more buildings in and near the Hamnett Historic District. They planned to restore four empty buildings from the early 1900s. They also planned to build new townhouses by 2016. These new homes were also designed to be affordable for families, following guidelines from the United States Housing and Urban Development Department. Work on this project began in late September 2015.
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