Pittsburgh’s Polish Hill, Lawrenceville, Strip District and Bloomfield neighborhoods are converging into a residential/retail development that will be known as Brewers Block.

The development is located on Liberty Avenue between 32nd and 33rd streets, just down the street from the former Iron City brewery, as well as the Church Brew Works. The concept will consist of 377 units across three residential buildings, 2,300 square feet of ground-floor retail space, more than 100 bicycle storage units and 40,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor amenity space, including a rooftop pool with views of the Pittsburgh skyline. It will feature what’s called an “Animated Alley,” a plaza that can be utilized for concerts and community events.

RDC Inc., a Green Tree-based real estate and construction company, broke ground on the project last week. RDC is collaborating with New York-based Commonwealth Development Partners, which has more than 1,000 multi-family units under development.

Pittsburgh was chosen because of its technology and life hub that is growing here, said Matt Faris, principal, of Commonwealth Development Partners in a statement.

The land was purchased in September 2020, with development delayed during the pandemic.

Courtesy of RDC, Inc. A rendering of a commons area in Brewers Block  

The project will be completed in phases. The first is planned for completion in the fall of 2022 with the rest to be done by 2023.

“It’s a great piece of property,” said RDC president Shawn Fox. “These neighborhoods represent Pittsburgh. It’s the perfect spot among all those areas. We hope to create a new city block there to bridge all of those neighborhoods.”

RDC CEO John Deklewa said Brewers Block is located “at the convergence of four of Pittsburgh’s hippest neighborhoods.”

Courtesy of RDC, Inc. Brewers Block is a development along Liberty Avenue that will preserve one of the current buildings seen here, a former rail yard and biscuit company, and renovat it into loft-style units. It will use some of the materials from the other buildings in the construction to two new buildings.  

The design respects the history of the area by preserving one of the current buildings, a former rail yard and biscuit company, and renovating it into loft-style units. In blending the new with the old, materials from the buildings that were once located on the site will be used in the new construction of two buildings.

The project is expected to create more than 600 construction jobs and has employed over 12 local design, legal and construction consultants. More than 80% of the construction dollars are being spent by local subcontractors, according to a news release.

It is 100% privately financed, officials said.

“We really want to see this area grow,” said Deklewa.

Dollar Bank has supplied the loan, Deklewa said.

“To help build and maintain The Block, we will be hosting a neighborhood sourcing initiative to hire from within the community,” Fox said.

Mayor Bill Peduto said in a statement that the area will be a vibrant part of the city.

“Housing like this — transit-oriented, walkable and infilling vacant land — is a great puzzle piece that adds to the city’s tax base,” Peduto said. “It will attract the talented workers we need to bolster the new Pittsburgh economy.”

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