PITTSBURGH — The historic Troy Hill Fire House at 1800 Ley Street has been redeveloped into commercial office and laboratory space through a partnership between QGE Holdings, the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh and the City of Pittsburgh.
The project returns the late 19th-century building to productive use after it sat vacant for more than a decade.
Mayor Corey O’Connor said the project epitomizes his “Main and Main” initiative for neighborhood business district revitalization.
“This project to renovate an historic city-owned building that sat vacant for years into a commercial and laboratory space is the spirit of Main & Main,” O’Connor said. “It’s about collaboration in working toward a shared goal of community vibrancy. This new era for the fire house will bring new jobs, new research and new opportunities to the heart of the Troy Hill business district.”
The redevelopment was enabled through the URA’s public-to-private disposition process, which allowed the city-owned asset to transition back into private ownership. The move returns the property to the local tax rolls and establishes the facility as a neighborhood anchor in the Troy Hill business district.
QGE Holdings, a Wildman Chalmers sister company, served as the master developer for the project. In this role, the firm led the acquisition, financing and redevelopment efforts. Wildman Chalmers, an architecture and design firm based in Pittsburgh, served as the architect. The firm guided the building’s adaptive reuse while focusing on preserving its original historic character.
Physical work on the fire house included the restoration of historic masonry and windows. Crews repaired original architectural elements and performed targeted upgrades to the building’s systems.
The restored facility is now home to BioInterphase, a Pittsburgh-based bioengineering firm. The company occupies approximately 2,200 square feet of office and laboratory space.
Susheela Nemani-Stanger, executive director of the URA, emphasized the authority’s commitment to putting vacant properties back into use.
“By conveying the historic Fire House for redevelopment, we were able to honor its legacy while creating new opportunities for innovation, investment and economic growth,” Nemani-Stanger said. “We’re proud to partner with the City of Pittsburgh and QGE Holdings to ensure this landmark continues to serve the Troy Hill community for generations to come.”
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