On July 19, 2021 in Pennsylvania, Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) Secretary Dennis Davin and Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission (PHMC) Executive Director Andrea Lowery announced the latest recipients of the fiscal year 2020-21 Historic Preservation Tax Credits.
State investment by this important program will help create an estimated $215 million in rehabilitation expenditures for projects that preserve historic buildings, revitalize communities and promote local economic development.
“The preservation of historic buildings in Pennsylvania is vital to simultaneously revitalize communities while still telling stories of the past,” said Sec. Davin.
“With this funding, the awardees can modernize and bring new life to these spaces—resulting in new opportunities in places to live, work and play in neighborhoods across the state,” he continued.
Selected projects include turning a vacant church into affordable housing in Braddock, Allegheny County; the extensive restoration of a vacant train station in Wilkinsburg, Allegheny County, into a mixed-use property with retail spaces on the first floor and 27 market rate apartments; the rehabilitation of a major mixed use building in Waynesboro, Franklin County; and the rehabilitation of two tobacco warehouses in Lancaster, Lancaster County, into mixed-use property with retail spaces on the first floor and student housing on upper floors; and the award winning restoration of the Bok Vocational School in Philadelphia into a business incubator for 150 tenants.
“The Historic Preservation Tax Credit encourages revitalization of distressed communities, preservation of state and local heritage, and long-term economic development,” stated Executive Director Lowery.
“The 27 projects awarded this year yield long-term benefits beyond the projects themselves, having significant positive spillover effects through the reuse of historic buildings in Pennsylvania cities and towns,” she added.
The 27 projects that are allocated the $5 million in tax credits will leverage an estimated $215 million in construction projects. In all, 49 applicants had sought nearly $21 million in tax credits for construction projects totaling more than $394 million in estimated construction costs.
The 27 Historic Preservation Tax Credit projects for Fiscal Year 2020–21:
- First United Presbyterian Church of Braddock, Braddock, Allegheny County – Rehabilitation of the National Register church into affordable housing. $225,000 tax credit allocation, $1,969,000 in estimated construction expenditures.
- Maul Building, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County – Rehabilitation of significant terra cotta clad commercial building in the East Carson Street Historic District. $125,000 tax credit allocation, $2,500,000 in estimated construction expenditures.
- Rite-Aid Building, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County – Rehabilitation of significant commercial building with distinctive chamfered corner in the East Carson Street Historic District. $125,000 tax credit allocation, $3,200,000 in estimated construction expenditures.
- Frick Building Annex, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County – Rehabilitation of the National Register listed Burnham and Company designed building into market rate apartments. $300,000 tax credit allocation, $19,500,000 in estimated construction expenditures.
- Hazelwood Brewing Company, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County – Rehabilitation of the National Register listed brewery back into three micro-breweries. $300,000 tax credit allocation, $4,675,000 in estimated construction expenditures.
- Pennsylvania Railroad Station, Wilkinsburg, Allegheny County – Rehabilitation of the National Register listed train station into a multi-purpose venue with a restaurant. $300,000 tax credit allocation, $3,968,000 in estimated construction expenditures.
- Berks County Trust Company, Reading, Berks County – Rehabilitation of the National Register listed bank into an office building with a food court in the main banking hall. $250,000 tax credit allocation, $11,000,000 in estimated construction expenditures.
- Sears-Roebuck Building, Altoona, Blair County – Rehabilitation of the long vacant commercial building in the Altoona Downtown Historic District into an office building. $175,000 tax credit allocation, $4,029,510 in estimated construction expenditures.
- Connellsville Union Passenger Station, Connellsville, Fayette County – Rehabilitation of the National Register listed train station into a bank and community meeting space. $125,000 tax credit allocation, $6,528,010 in estimated construction expenditures.
- Wayne Building, Waynesboro, Franklin County – Rehabilitation of the Art Deco commercial building in the Waynesboro Historic District into market rate apartments. $75,000 tax credit allocation, $767,950 in estimated construction expenditures.
- 428-430 Lackawanna Avenue, Scranton, Lackawanna County – Rehabilitation of the vacant commercial building in the Lackawanna Avenue Commercial Historic District into a mixed-use office building. $225,000 tax credit allocation, $2,500,000 in estimated construction expenditures.
- John F. Reed Company Cigar Factory, Lancaster, Lancaster County – Rehabilitation of tobacco warehouse in the Lancaster Historic District into a mixed-use property with retail spaces on the first floor and student housing on upper floors. $125,000 tax credit allocation, $4,000,000 in estimated construction expenditures.
- J.R. Bitner Tobacco Warehouse, Lancaster, Lancaster County – Rehabilitation of tobacco warehouse in the Lancaster Historic District into a mixed-use property with retail spaces on the first floor and student housing on upper floors. $125,000 tax credit allocation, $4,300,000 in estimated construction expenditures.
- Allentown Dairy Company, Allentown, Lehigh County – Rehabilitation of a vacant small-scale industrial building in the Old Allentown Historic District into market rate apartments. $125,000 tax credit allocation, $980,000 in estimated construction expenditures.
- Kistler Residence, Allentown, Lehigh County – Rehabilitation of the National Register house into an office. $150,000 tax credit allocation, $1,200,000 in estimated construction expenditures.
- Hotel Altamont, Hazleton, Luzerne County – Rehabilitation of the National Register hotel as market rate apartments. $250,000 tax credit allocation, $10,000,000 in estimated construction expenditures.
- 122 N. 3rd Street, Philadelphia – Rehabilitation of a row building in the Old City Historic District into market rate apartments. $100,000 tax credit allocation, $1,250,000 in estimated construction expenditures.
- American Protestant Hall, Philadelphia – Rehabilitation of a five-story elaborate Italianate brick and cast stone office building in the Broad Street Historic District into market rate apartments. $100,000 tax credit allocation, $2,244,174 in estimated construction expenditures.
- St. Gabriel’s Convent, Philadelphia – Rehabilitation of National Register listed convent into market rate apartments. $100,000 tax credit allocation, $2,800,000 in estimated construction expenditures.
- West Philadelphia Passenger Railway Company Carhouse, Philadelphia – Rehabilitation of National Register listed railcar building into mixed use with retail and market rate apartments. $150,000 tax credit allocation, $4,358,496 in estimated construction expenditures.
- Edward Bok Vocational School, Philadelphia – Rehabilitation of National Register listed school building into mixed use business incubator for 150 tenants. $200,000 tax credit allocation, $25,500,000 in estimated construction expenditures.
- John Greenleaf Whittier School, Philadelphia – Rehabilitation of National Register listed school building into a charter school. $200,000 tax credit allocation, $19,350,000 in estimated construction expenditures.
- Peter Woll and Sons Factory, Philadelphia – Rehabilitation of National Register listed curled hair mill into market rate apartments. $200,000 tax credit allocation, $5,000,000 in estimated construction expenditures.
- Henry Whitaker’s Mill, Philadelphia – Rehabilitation of National Register listed worsted yarn mill into market rate apartments. $200,000 tax credit allocation, $5,400,000 in estimated construction expenditures.
- Sykes Brothers Yarn Mill, Philadelphia – Rehabilitation of National Register listed yarn mill into market rate apartments. $250,000 tax credit allocation, $6,800,000 in estimated construction expenditures.
- York Hospital and Dispensary, York, York County – Rehabilitation of a hospital complex in the York Historic District into affordable senior housing. $200,000 tax credit allocation, $12,835,889 in estimated construction expenditures.
- Yorktowne Hotel, York, York County – Rehabilitation of a historic hotel in the York Historic District for continued hotel use. $300,000 tax credit allocation, $54,735,965 in estimated construction expenditures.
The Historic Preservation Tax Credit program, administered by the Department of Community & Economic Development and Pennsylvania Historical & Museum Commission since 2013, has invested more than $28 million to rehabilitate 154 historic buildings leveraging an estimated $2 billion in construction expenditures. The investments have helped preserve buildings that contribute to the distinct character of Pennsylvania’s boroughs, townships and cities.
Photo of Braddock Carnegie Library in Braddock, Pennsylvania courtesy of Christopher Rolinson via Wikipedia.