Tag Archives: Penn Avenue

house of gold before and afer

Pittstarter – A Gentle Demolition of The House of Gold

Update 9/24 – Just 24 hours left til the Kickstarter deadline and the artist needs to raise $12,000.  Click here to go directly to the Kickstarter page for the House of Gold.

I learned about the House of Gold project over the summer and I wanted to share this Kicstarter project that only has a few more days to reach the funding goal.   Artist Dee Briggs lives next door to this house on Swissvale avanue. Last year, Dee was able to purchase the house thanks to the Allegheny County Vacant Property Recovery program.  This Kickstart project will help Dee deconstruct the house and re-imagine this site as a space for the community.

I think it is an important project for Wilkinsburg and Pittsburgh in general as it sparks a conversation about abandoned buildings.  At one point in its history The House of Gold was a corner store – and hopefully will be replaced with a community space and coffee shop in the near future.  This Kickstarter is a great way to help a motivated community member help to transform an abandoned property.

house of gold before and afer

Here are a few of the reasons why I like this project and I think you should consider making a contribution to the House of Gold Kickstarter project…

  1. A Gold House? Which is the perfect color for a building in a city that loves the color scheme of black and gold.  I like the idea of using gold paint to show this abandoned house in a new light.
  2. Telling the history of the house – take a few moments to check out the House of Gold website.  The artist has put together an incredible history of the house and the people who used to live here.
  3. Wilkinsburg – I have been driving down Penn Avenue for my entire life and most recently found myself wondering what would become of the Penn Lincoln Hotel.  What once was a meeting place of people had been abandoned and in the past few weeks was torn down.  How did a historic building, that was a thriving hub become a forgotten neighborhood?  Check out some of these photos from AbadonedOnline.net of the Penn-Lincoln Hotel before it was demolished.
  4. Gently demolition – take a moment to watch the Kickstarter video – it is worth the two minutes of your time, and Dee does a much better job of telling the story than I could here in a blog post.  I really like the idea of gently and carefully dismantling this house.  As much as I would love to save every old building in Allegheny county, some really do have to come down and the idea of carefully taking apart the building and separating out the historic pieces for reuse elsewhere, while reducing what would need to go into a landfill makes sense to me.

And this project has event been shared by the Kickstarter staff Twitter account…

If you would like to support this project – click here to make a contribution to the House of Gold: A Gentle Demolition Kickstarter project.

Treader’s Choice: Penn Avenue Arts in Motion

Treading Art has been putting together an amazing list of weekend events around Pittsburgh.  Each week we will highlight one of those events here on IheartPGH and link you back over to Treading Art’s weekly events post.

This weeks Treader’s Choice event:

Penn Avenue Arts in Motion

Penn Avenue Arts in Motion

Saturday, June 15th

Penn Avenue Arts in Motion

Celebrate the East End and all the changes the Penn Avenue Arts District has made and those to come! Learn about current Penn Ave dwellers, what’s in store and explore some music, art and “I Made It! Market.”

Penn Ave Arts District @ 4800-5500 Penn Ave – Garfield
12-6pm//FREE, but not including your loot!
Check out Treading Art for more Weekend Treadings

Festival of Geek Meets Green Meets Arts on Penn Ave – Friday April 2nd

Since tomorrow is the first Friday of the month – it is First Friday’s on Penn Avenue – where business and galleries stay open late and have special programs for the evening.Gagi Main-1

This Friday is also the Geek Arts/Green Innovators (GA/GI) Festival.  One of the great things about Pittsburgh, and I feel like I say this often, but it is true and worth repeating is how different communities come together to create innovation.  GA/GI celebrates the intersection of geek and green in the arts.

The organizers of the festival have assembled an impressive line up of people and organizations doing impressive things in the areas of technology and the enviroment in Pittsburgh.  See the entire line up below.  If you are not familiar with the Penn Avenue Arts coridor – start at the Pittsburgh Glass Center at 5471 Penn Ave and go from there.  The Glass Center always has interesting demos on first Fridays and a number of the GA/GI events will be there.

A few things that are definitly worth a stop:

  • Voluto Coffee – we <3 Voluto and they know coffee
  • Grow Pittsburgh – Twilight Farmer’s Market
  • Friends of the Pittsburgh Urban Forest –  Art Display by John Metzler
  • The Power Flower by Art Energy Design,
  • CMU ChargeCar
    • Check out the PopCity article about ChargeCar here.

But honestly – all of these are great organizations and it is nice that they have lined up so many great organizations and activities in one place.

GA/GI Festival Details

5472 Penn Ave,Pittsburgh, PA, 15224
April, 2, 2010, 5:00 pm – 11:00 pm
Festival location within 4800-5500 Penn Avenue…OR start at 5472 Penn Avenue–The Pigh Glass Center!

Website and Facebook

CLUSTER 1 (near Pittsburgh Glass Center 5472 Penn Avenue)
Pittsburgh Glass Center
A “Hot Jam” in the  Hot Shop;
Exhibit: “From the Earth to the Fire and Back”;
Live Entertainment:  Life In Balance,
The Rusty Bagpiper, DJ Stevey B of iParty Productions,
Cello Fury (Formerly Cello Fourte) and a Fashion Show “Pedal to the Metal” with DJ James Gyre @ 9:30 pm

Enjoy a light nosh and wine made in Lawwrenceville–with Duane Rieder of Engine House 25!

@Glass Lofts “Eco Living” – NOW OPEN! Pittsburgh’s hottest, address, view a show space by Emphasis Interiors and a variety of art exhibitions: the Society of Sculptors, celebrating their 75th Birthday. Featured Artists: W. Johansen,  V. LaValle,
A. Almarza,  J. Fisher,  A. Azoury, E. Singer, M. Gregio, Carnegie Mellon Entertainment Center Global, and  Pittsburgh Filmmakers.

@ Dance Alloy Peformance @ 7 pm  5530 Penn Ave “Tap Into the Possibilites” (cost $7 admission)

Voluto Coffee hosting artist R. Snow” Open Until 10 pm

A Glass Clearnce by Shermise hosting an intallation by Evolve Architechs “Fast Forward to 2020” (Also showing in Cluster D)

Edge Studios “Exquiste Corps” @ 5411 Penn Ave.

Creative Fitness /Go work out a sweat free for 20 minutes @ 5406 Penn Ave

CLUSTER 2 ( near Quiet Storm 5430 Penn Avc)
Grow Pittsburgh “Twilight Farmer’s Market
Friends of the Pittsburgh Urban Forest Art Display by John Metzler
Turner Dairy Farm
Garfield Farm and Friends
Student Conservation Association
Sprout Fund GA/GI Showcase: Replay My Play and The Hill District Green Print Plan
Quiet Storm Cafe /Benefit Dinner for Grow Pittsburgh (Reservations preferred)

CLUSTER 3 (Family Dollar Sector /Intersection of N. Pacific Ave and Penn to 113 S. Pacific)–Great Family Venue!!!
The Power Flower by Art Energy Design, ZipCar, CTSI Science Mobile Lab, CMU ChargeCar, Verizon Fios,
(Hula)Hoop Union, The Pittsburgh Chess Club, EcoCents, Allegheny County Library Association “One Book”, Pittsburgh Technology Council, Global Links, Creative Reuse hands-on activities;  Save the Igloo,  Yellow Black and Green Pittsburgh, Green Gear Pedicabs; The Trash Fairy–a salvage art storyteller, and others!

CLUSTER 4 (Penn Avene and Winebiddle sector)
Awesome Books–Book Release Party for C. Leach and  E.McNutt
Laura McLaughin–Community mosaic project
ARTica Gallery w  J. Vachon Salvage Quilt Project and C. Dregalla, artist
Irma Freeman Center–“Anitquated & Future or Imaginary Technology
Ian Ingram @ All God’s Creatures Grooming (see window)
Image Box–featuring exhibit “Green, Green Grass” by J. Visnesky
Most Wanted Fine Art–J. Lysak and the Edinboro University Print Shop
Mixed Media Terrariums by S. Wojdylak
Mondern Formations / Annual Spring Salon and guest Electric Owl
International Children’s Museum / Mandala art work
Space Robots and Other Creations
R. J. Walters Law Office “Tango” demo
5000 Penn Ave  and Gross Street Exhibitions by P. Villalobos Echeverria
Tweek clothing/ 10% for College Students on entire shop
B. Ziller’s Beautification Project–Paint colorful boards for abandoned RE

Passports: Art of Diversity – Estate Sale and Gallery

Having just returned to the area I’ve been hitting up flea markets and Goodwills as well as doing my fair share of garage sailing.  I’ve inexplicably started reading the Pennysaver, which I have never really done before.  I was intrigued by an estate sale ad that advertised the gamut of antiques, furniture, art, jewelry, and vintage clothes.  I was also excited because it started at 8am this morning, and being currently unemployed, this meant I could be there for first crack at the bounty. Continue reading