Former Cold Storage Facility in Pittsburgh will be Converted to Apartments

By Adriana Pop, Associate Editor

Sampson Morris Group is moving forward with its plan to redevelop the New Federal Cold Storage building in the Strip District into apartments. According to the Pittsburgh Business Times, the Monroeville-based developer recently briefed the city planning commission on its proposal, which calls for 144 apartments and 158 interior parking spaces.

Also known as the Wholey’s building, the massive 330,000-square-foot structure is located at 1501 Penn Avenue. Since purchasing the property in 2008, Sampson has considered various reuse options for the seven-story facility, including condominiums, industrial space, offices and a data center. However, the growing demand for apartments in the Strip District has convinced the developer to change its initial plans.

Construction on the Wholey Apartments community could begin in the spring, according to the project’s leading architect, Eric Booth, director of operations of Lawrenceville-based Desmone & Associates Architects. Most of the units will be two-bedrooms, offering about 1,200 square feet of space, while the rest of the apartments will be one-bedrooms of 800 to 900 square feet.

In other news, five new tenants have leased the remaining 6,800 square feet of retail space at the new Centre Heldman Plaza in the Hill District. Dollar Bank, Nationwide Insurance, Crazy Mocha Coffee, Subway and Cricket Communications will open next to the Shop ‘n Save in early 2014, according to an announcement made by the project’s development team, which includes the Hill House Association and the Hill House Economic Development Corporation. The Shop ‘n Save store is expected to open in October.

“We are excited about the opportunity these retailers offer the community,” Cheryl Hall-Russell, CEO and president of the Hill House Association and the Hill House Economic Development Corporation, said in a press statement. “These companies have demonstrated a commitment to the Centre Avenue corridor and their presence can be a springboard for further development in the area. Additionally, these new companies complement existing businesses and broaden the offering of convenient services to the neighborhood. Just as essential is the addition of an ongoing source of employment for residents.”

Photo credits: www.loopnet.com