The former Bradberry Building will be home to 16 new apartments

By: Jeff Geissler

Sixteen newly renovated apartments are coming to the Garden Theater block at the corner of Reddour and Eloise streets next to the former Masonic Hall, now City of Asylum Bookstore at Alphabet City.

The historic Bradberry Building will become the 16-unit Bradberry Garden under the direction and partnership of Trek Development Group and Q Development. Demolition, construction and upgrades on the building began in May of 2017. They plan to open the four-story building in March, according to Rachel DeVemey, assistant property manager at Trek Development. The apartments will range in price from $993 to $2183 monthly.

“We have four two-bedroom units, and the rest are one-bedroom. And we do have four units that will be affordable housing,” DeVemey said.

In 1904, Allegheny City resident William Bradberry, president of the Anshutz-Bradberry Stove Co., hired prominent architect and fellow Allegheny City resident Frederick Osterling to design the residential building. Osterling was inspired by the Renaissance Revival style, a popular form at the time inspired by Italian classical details such as rounded arches, columns and decorative supports carved out of stone. The noticeable decorative brick along with wide square and semi-arched window openings adorning the facade of the building is a testament to Osterling’s creativity.

In addition to the Bradberry Building, Osterling also designed a number of buildings throughout Pittsburgh, including the Senator John Heinz History Center, the Union Trust Building and The Cork Factory Lofts.

Renovations include a shared courtyard where the back section of the Garden Theater was located. This will create an open, airy space in the dense urban area. Twelve of the 16 units have a view of the courtyard, and four units only have views of Reddour Street.

New apartment layouts, wall replacements and an elevator will modernize the aging building.

This is a step forward for the Garden Theater Block, where developers and their proposals have come and gone for almost 30 years.

Q Development and Trek Development Group first partnered in 2014 when the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh requested proposals to develop the block. The developers submitted plans to renovate the area, but zoning disputes in the area blocked their project ideas.

“When the full development proposal was overturned in the zoning court case, the development team agreed to pursue just the Bradberry,” said Rick Belloli, principal with Q Development. “We have a particular affinity for Frederick Osterling’s work.”

Both firms hope to continue working with the city to renovate and develop that block.

“Currently, the URA (Urban Redevelopment Authority) still owns and controls the other five vacant buildings on the block as well as vacant lots, and we continue to work with them on the future of that portion of the block,” Belloli said.

For more information or construction updates, visit the Bradberry Garden’s website. For vacancy inquiries call 412-688-7200 Ext. 1013.

Updated January 29, 2018 at 1:15 p.m.