Home > Mayor, URA to approve financing for new community house in the east end

Mayor Luke Ravenstahl today announced that the Urban Redevelopment Authority (URA) will authorize up to $1.5 million in financing for East End Cooperative Ministry’s new facility-- Community House. The URA Board of Directors is scheduled to authorize the financing at their monthly board meeting held today at 2 p.m.

East End Cooperative Ministry (EECM) plans to build a new 56,800 square foot LEED platinumbuilding to house their many social services, currently scattered throughout the East Libertyneighborhood. The total development cost is $13.5 million.

“This project will allow East End Cooperative Ministry to continue their valuable work in ourneighborhoods while streamlining services and office functions,” said Mayor Ravenstahl. “Bybuilding a “green” facility, they are helping to further our commitment to make Pittsburgh one ofAmerica’s Greenest Cities.”

The building, located at Penn Circle North and Penn Circle East in East Liberty, will include acentral courtyard, rooftop gardens, terraces, and a greenhouse, kitchen and dining facilities, ashared-suite homeless residence center for men and women, a chapel, a respite care facility, aninformal café, administrative offices, and multi-purpose classroom, assembly rooms, and smallmeeting rooms. A 30-car surface parking lot will also be constructed on the site.

The project is being managed by Jaxon Development Company with design provided by PerkinsEastman Architects.

“The Board of Directors is grateful for the support of the URA and the Mayor. This facility willprovide the social infrastructure for the revitalized East Liberty community—a place whereeveryone in the community is welcome,” said Mark Bibro, board president of East End CooperativeMinistry.

Additionally, the URA and several other New Market Tax Credit allocatees are consideringpledging New Markets Tax Credit proceeds of approximately $2.4 million to the project. EECMexpects to start construction in the fall of 2011.

East End Cooperative Ministry is a 501c3 corporation, supported by 40 congregations that provide a wide range of social services in the East End. EECM operates Hunger, Housing, and Children and Youth programs, including a soup kitchen, one of Pittsburgh’s largest food pantries, a Mealson Wheels program, a men’s homeless shelter, a non-medical respite care facility, and severaltransitional housing programs. Children in the community have access to in-school, after-school,and summer programs, as well as educational and mentoring support.

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MAYOR, URA TO APPROVE FINANCING FOR NEW COMMUNITY HOUSE IN THE EAST END