Now Available: 315 37th Street

When we decided to buy 315 37th Street and restore it, the house was literally falling down. This house was one of the very first places Wylie Holdings looked at way back in the day – and it looked like it hadn’t been touched in all those years. On one site visit someone almost fell through the floor!

Through our renovations, we rebuilt one of the exterior walls brick by brick. We also patched the existing “skylights”, which were really just holes in the roof. Yet, the house maintains a bright and airy feel without all the holes in the walls and roof.

The house now has 3 spacious bedrooms and 2.5 baths. We’ve incorporated the usual Wylie perks like brand new mechanical systems, gorgeous tiles in the bathrooms, glass enclosed showers, granite kitchen counters and stainless steel appliances.

A loft-style master suite on third floor features exposed brick , 3/4” hardwood floors, a California Closets custom walk in closet and views of Downtown Pittsburgh. The bathroom has a dual vanity and enormous glass-enclosed shower complete with with custom stone and glass tile.

The second floor bathroom also features a dual vanity with plenty of counter space and a glass enclosed shower with stone and glass tile. A half bath and laundry are conveniently located right off the kitchen.

The outdoor spaces are just as generously sized as the interior. One of the best backyards we’ve ever seen in Lawrenceville includes a concrete patio and large grass area. The yard is completely fenced in, making it dog friendly, too. On the side of the house you’ll find off-street parking for up to 3 cars.

The exterior has been restored to maintain its historic charm with funky modern touches like galvanized steel siding on the façade, third floor and rear addition.

This house rents for $2,500/month. More photos are on our Facebook page and website. Contact us for more information and to schedule a visit.

Now Open: Bernard Dog Run

Photo: www.bernarddogrun.org

We're excited to see the Bernard Dog Run finally open in Lawrenceville! What used to be vacant space under the 40th Street Bridge is now a fenced in dog run with separate areas for small and large dogs. This is something that Lawrenceville has needed for a long time, and we know that many residents are excited for a new space to take their dogs.

Back in March we were one of the lead sponsors of a Spaghetti Dinner that raised money for the completion of the park, which is named in honor of the late Jay Bernard — a Lawrenceville resident, entrepreneur and abandoned dog advocate.

This new attraction is a great compliment to the many dog friendly and pet centered businesses in our neighborhood. A few of them are located in Wylie Holdings spaces, such as The Big Easy Animal Hospital and Urban Dog Day Care & Day Spa. Both are just a short walk from the new dog run!

Now Open: The Allegheny Wine Mixer

Back in June, we profiled The Allegheny Wine Mixer as they worked on renovations of one of our commercial spaces on Butler Street. Now, the work is done and the wine glasses are full!

This cool new space is bound to become one of your regular destinations. They serve a great list of wines by the glass or bottle, cocktails, and six rotating taps of craft beer as well as a bottled beer selection. There are always a few featured wine flights and comparisons, and a $5 by the glass special.
Recent specials included a Malbec Trio, a Sauvignon Blanc Face-Off and  $5 Glasses from Portugal.

So far, in addition to the great wine and beer list, customers are also loving the cheese and meat plates and a Sinful Sweets chocolate plate.

Co-owner Jamie Patten says, "Besides myself and co-owner Lisa Walter, we have added bartender extraordinaire Dawn Gillespie who has started building us a cocktail list which includes some cool wine cocktails."

Unique art on display like a paint-by-numbers collection and Margaret Keane prints (she's the big eyes painter from the 1960s and 1970s) give the bar a funky retro vibe. 

Hours are Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday: 5pm to Midnight and Friday, Saturday: 5pm to 1am. Sunday nights are "Industry Night," food and beverage service industry employees gets 20% off their tab.

For Sale: 615 North Euclid Avenue

One of our latest major renovations is now complete. The house at 615 North Euclid Avenue has seen quite a transformation, from an empty shell to a modern home with all the amenties you've come to expect from Wylie Holdings.

We added a brand new deck on the front and back of the house. The front of the house is also accented with a new color scheme and a stylish beveled glass door. Right through that door and into the main living area, you'll notice hard wood floors and custom carpentry throughout, especially the support beams that have been wrapped in red oak to give them a finished designer look.

The bright and open first floor also features granite counters in the kitchen, a breakfast bar and stainless steel appliances. There is tons of storage and counter space in this kitchen!

The second floor features two full baths, two bedrooms and the laundry. We really thought of every detail in this renovation, the laundry is concealed with a pocket door and every closet has a light in it. It's amazing how attention to detail like this will make a home so much more livable.

The Master Suite features a great bedroom with two big windows, ceiling fan, giant walk in closet outfitted with a California Closets shelving system and a luxurious Master Bath with a glass-enclosed shower and glass accent tiles, a jacuzzi tub, double vanity, accent lighting and of course, a hook up for your flat screen TV.



The third floor has been built so that you can customize it for your life. We left the options open because the space could be so many different things - a TV room, kids play room, artist studio, third bedroom, you name it!

These photos just don't do the house justice, you need to schedule a visit to really imagien yourself living here. Visit the listing on Howard Hanna's site for more information.

New Commercial Properties Available

We're committed to keeping you updated on new properties when they become available. Below are some of the great commercial spaces that are just waiting for your new or existing business to move into. They all have the historical integrity that Wylie is known for, along with new and improved renovations.

Some of our commercial tenants include Cure, The Cigar Den and the forthcoming Allegheny Wine Mixer. Call us at 412-621-4689 or email us to schedule an appointment or get more information. You can view more available spaces on the For Lease section of our website.

Perfect for a Gallery: 5169 Butler Street - $1,200

•     900 Square Feet + Full basement
•     Dramatic High Tin Ceilings
•     Specialty Track Lighting
•     Available: Immediately 

Great Office or Warehouse Space: 4903-05 Butler Street - $1,800-$2,500 depending on space used.

• High Ceilings
• Overhead Garage Door
• Available: Immediately

Great Retail Space: 5165 Butler Street - $1,800

• Historic details
• Available: Immediately

Great for a Gym or Retail Space: 5104 Butler Street - $1,400

• Available: February 2013

Perfect for a Restaurant: 4502 Butler Street - $1,600

•     Beautiful Highly Visible Building
•     Best Patio on Butler Street
•     Historic Award Winning Building
•     Approx. 1,500 Square Feet
•     Kitchen Plumbed for 3 Bowl Sinks
•     Handicap Accessible
•     Basement Storage
•     Dramatic High Tin Ceilings
•     Down the hill from Children's Hospital

Perfect for an Office: 5170 Butler Street - $1,600

•     Great Corner Building
•     High Traffic and Visibility
•     Historic Award Winning Building
•     Approx. 1,600 Square Feet
•     Three Private Office
•     Large Conference Room
•     Kitchen Area
•     Dramatic High Tin Ceilings
•     Secure Basement Storage
•     Off Street Parking Available

Call us at 412-621-4689 or email us to schedule an appointment or get more information.

What Does Lawrenceville Need?

Lawrenceville is a great neighborhood, and one of our favorites in the city. But, every area has it's wish list of businesses and attractions. For example, we think Lawrenceville could use a dry cleaner or tailor shop, a great ice cream place and more walkways to give access to the riverfront. Add a bagel shop, prepared food market and a better full service grocery store and we'd never leave!

The Lawrenceville Corporation is a local organization whose mission is “to act as a catalyst and conduit for reinvestment in the Lawrenceville community.”  They have a few wish list items of their own such as:

• A diverse community that embraces a wide variety of newcomers and long-time residents.
• A thriving and competitive business district that attracts customers from around the region.
• A safe, healthy and clean community.
• An attractive neighborhood full of amenities including shopping, restaurants, green space, parks and recreational facilities.

We want to hear from you! What businesses or amenities do you think are needed to improve our neighborhood and achieve the Lawrenceville Corporation's vision? Leave your comment below or tell us on Facebook.

Coming Soon: The Allegheny Wine Mixer

Adding to the diverse mix in Upper Lawrenceville is The Allegheny Wine Mixer, slated to open in mid-July. This new hangout will focus on international wines from places like Spain, Italy and South America and craft beers both local and international. Although AWM doesn't have a kitchen, they will be partnering with other Lawrenceville business to bring you just the right mix of snacks to pair with your wine or beer. They will be serving delicious charcuterie from Cure, cheeses from Wild Purveyors and bread from La Gourmandine.

Owner Jamie Patten is excited to bring a relaxed wine bar to the neighborhood, and sees AWM as "a place for regulars to hang out in a jeans and t-shirt environment while enjoying high quality products at everyday prices." The intimate setting will be a perfect place to unwind after work or on the weekends. Hours will be Wednesday - Sunday 5pm-12:30am, and Jamie says they may extend their hours based on customer feedback in the initial months.

Jamie and assistant manager Lisa Walter both bring a ton of experience and knowledge to the table (or wine bar).  Jamie is a Court of Masters Certified Sommelier with more than 10 years experience in wine sales and food service - you may know her from Toast or the Silk Elephant . And over the past 10 years, Lisa has worked her way from bartender at a local restaurant, up to the management level at Pittsburgh Golf Club. With her experience and renowned people skills, Lisa will be a great asset to AWM.

Of course, being in a Wylie Holdings property, The Allegheny Wine Mixer is going to have a unique interior. Jamie has been working on the build out of the space since April - it will include a bar designed by furniture designer Joe Kelly and a granite bar top from Antique Granite, both located on Butler Street.

Stay tuned to our Facebook page for details about The Allegheny Wine Mixer's official grand opening in July. If you're planning a private event for the summer, consider booking it at AWM now, we're sure this space will fill up quickly!

North Euclid Avenue: Almost Complete!

At the beginning of April we showed you a sneak peek at our latest property in Highland Park - read that post here. Since then, the house has undergone some major improvements, most notably the stairs which allowed us to get some photos of the second and third floors.

This 3 bedroom home will be for sale soon, so if you like what you see here give us a call at 412-913-0092.

We're restoring the original charm of the house by adding a gracious porch to the front. This will be the perfect place to hang out all summer long!

Wait until you see the finished product!

A stylish kitchen with custom cabinetry and granite counters is the highlight of the first floor. A sliding glass door right off the kitchen leads to a deck and gorgeous back yard.

The kitchen is coming together beautifully.

The Master Bath has custom tile for the walk-in shower and around the generously sized jacuzzi tub. The second full bath upstairs features similar custom tile work with a different accent color.

Master Bath

Second Full Bath

All three bedrooms have big windows and get tons of light. The rooms have a great view of the spacious front and back yards of the house.

Bedrooms are filled with light.

The third floor is a bonus room that is perfect as a movie retreat, office, play room, guest bedroom or artist studio.

Great bonus space on the 3rd floor!

The Cigar Den Opens on Butler Street

The Cigar Den is the latest addition to the local businesses in Lawrenceville at 5268 Butler Street. This is the place to go if you want to relax in a comfortable environment and enjoy your cigar - it's not a private club, and there are no membership fees. Owner Sam Sing wants The Cigar Den to be a comfortable place to relax and sees it as a place where everyone can be comfortable. He's made sure that none of his cigars are over $11, so you can enjoy them as often as you'd like without breaking the bank.

Once you come in, select from the variety of mild, medium and full bodied cigars. Sing is happy to help you select one for yourself whether you've been enjoying cigars for years or just started.

Sing grew up in Lawrenceville and currently lives on the North Side. He's happy to be back in the neighborhood that he spent so much time in and is getting to know all his neighbors. He said, "The great thing about this location is it's easy for people in the neighborhood to walk here." Within walking distance is Cure at 5336 Butler Street, making this a great after dinner spot.

Sam Sing, Owner of The Cigar Den

In addition to having a great selection of cigars and amenities for any occasion (like a full kitchen, pool table, TVs in every room and Internet access), the Cigar Den also boasts an eco-friendly interior. Sing did all the renovations himself over the last several months, and is continuing to fine tune the building for his customer's needs. The chairs in the first floor lounge are re-purposed from an upholstery shop down the street, the ashtrays are all from vintage shop Who New? Retro Mod Decor, and counter tops for the front desk and coffee table are made from reclaimed wood from trees in Allegheny Cemetery. So, not only is The Cigar Den in Lawrenceville, but Lawrenceville is in The Cigar Den.

Sing is planning a grand opening in the next month. Currently his hours are Monday-Wednesday 9am-10pm & Thursday-Saturday 9am-Midnight. Follow The Cigar Den on Facebook to stay up to date.

Second Floor Lounge

First Floor Lounge

Pool Table on the Second Floor

New Commercial Properties Available for Lease

These are three great commercial properties available right now,  perfect for you new business or a new location whether it's a restaurant, gallery or office space. They all have the historical integrity that Wylie is known for, along with new and improved renovations. Call us at 412-621-4689 or email us to schedule an appointment or get more information.

Perfect for a Restaurant: 4502 Butler Street - $1,600

•     Beautiful Highly Visible Building
•     Best Patio on Butler Street
•     High Traffic Count on Great Corner
•     Historic Award Winning Building
•     Approx. 1,500 Square Feet
•     Kitchen Plumbed for 3 Bowl Sinks
•     Handicap Accessible
•     Basement Storage
•     Dramatic High Tin Ceilings
•     Down the hill from Children's Hospital
•     Responsible for Gas & Electric

Perfect for an Office: 5170 Butler Street - $1,600

•     Great Corner Building
•     High Traffic and Visibility
•     Historic Award Winning Building
•     Approx. 1,600 Square Feet
•     Three Private Office
•     Large Conference Room
•     Kitchen Area
•     Dramatic High Tin Ceilings
•     Secure Basement Storage
•     Off Street Parking Available
•     Responsible for Gas & Electric

Perfect for a Gallery: 5169 Butler Street - $1,200

•     900 Square Feet + Full basement
•     Dramatic High Tin Ceilings
•     Track Lighting
•     Price may be adjusted depending on build-out
•     Available: Immediately

Call us at 412-621-4689 or email us to schedule an appointment or get more information.

Sneak Peek at our Latest Property: The Before Photos

Work is well underway on renovations of our latest property on North Euclid Avenue in Highland Park. Check out this PopCity video that recently profiled an adjacent neighborhood, East Liberty. The video shows several of the businesses and amenities around the North Euclid Avenue home.

We are transforming this home in typical Wylie style, adding all the high end finishes and conveniences that you love.  As you can see from some of these before images, we are really starting from scratch on this one.

The home was built in the 1920s and somewhere along the way was transformed into a three unit apartment building with two separate entrances. We're restoring the original charm and architectural details by rehabbing the exterior, including bringing back the original window sizes and the original front door. We'll also be rebuilding a front porch in the style of the original one that stood when the house was built.

View of all 3 floors from the basement

The first floor and main entrance

When the home is finished it will feature custom comforts such as a master suite with a big walk in closet, jet spray tub and walk in glass shower with ceramic tile. Top of the line finishes will extend to the kitchen with stainless steel appliances and granite counters.

Framing out upstairs

These photos are a glance at what we started with up through the dry wall that was just installed in the past week. There are more photos on our Facebook page. The house is really coming together! We can't wait to show you the finished product later this Spring! To schedule a showing, please call Jim Scott at 412-913-0092.

Drywall is up

View from the kitchen

The first floor is starting to take shape

Indoor Camping with The Pittsburgh Hash House Harriers

A couple of months ago, we were lucky to work with a group of local runners called The Pittsburgh Hash House Harriers. Pgh-H3, which has been around for 30 years, is trail running club with a twist: they have beer stops during their runs. Typical hashes are 2-8 miles with 10-50 participants. The Pittsburgh hash is one of the most active groups in the country.

Pgh-H3 hosts a weekly hash – Sunday afternoons in the winter and Monday evenings in the summer. In addition to the weekly hashes, there are hashes for ‘fool’ moons, on most holidays and charity hashes.

For New Years Eve 2011, Pgh-H3 wanted to try something different – one suggestion was Art All Night mixed with indoor camping. The suggestion was an instant hit! The only issue was finding a venue in Pittsburgh that fit the budget of a non-profit group. That’s when Pgh-H3 crossed paths with us at Wylie Holdings.

We thought we had the perfect building for the runners to use for their all-night indoor camping party. The building we recommended at 5601 Butler Street was previously used for manufacturing and still had several offices with their 70’s retro décor. It was perfect for indoor camping!

Prior to New Years Eve, the hash hosted two work days to clean building, hang Christmas lights, set-up a DJ and food area. They had 35 people show up for a 6 mile run on New Years Eve and then stick around for the after party with many folks setting up tents in the offices. An additional forty people stopped by throughout the evening. The festivities raged until sun up!

The Pittsburgh Hash was a great group to work with on this party and we were happy to provide them with a unique space for a very unique party!

Bayard Place Now Available!

We have just completed major renovations on six town homes in the heart of Lawrenceville. The structure at 4817 Blackberry Way has been transformed into a modern, functional home with the finishing touches Wylie Holdings is known for. The spacious kitchen features sleek quartz counter tops, stainless steel appliances, a gas range and hood and is accented with a custom tile backsplash.

Joe Edelstein, Partner of Wylie Holdings, is encouraged by the strong demand for high-end renovation projects and sees Bayard Place as the first of several high impact projects contributing to the vigorous revitalization of the Hatfield Street corridor.

The exposed brick walls are one of our favorite features of the home. They really maintain the charm of a house that was build one hundred years ago while also complimenting the modern finishes and conveniences that we've added. Behind the scenes, we've also added all new mechanicals with a high efficiency heating and cooling systems.

The home has two bedrooms and one full bathroom done in ceramic tile and glass block with a walk in shower and plenty of light.

In addition to all the great features inside the house, we've also added a fenced in patio, perfect for entertaining!

We look forward to showing off our latest project! Please call us at 412-913-0092 to schedule a showing! You can also visit our Facebook page to see more photos including before and after shots.

Cure Now Open at 5336 Butler Street

Cure on Opening Night. Photo from their Facebook page.

 Our newest commercial tenant, Cure is the latest restaurant to bring unique flavor to Lawrenceville. Opened in early January by head chef and owner Justin Severino, the restaurant combines flavors from local produce and finely cured meats to create a unique style of cuisine he refers to as "urban mediterranean". Severino has worked with several talented chefs, and in 2005 he opened a small charcuterie shop (a delicatessen-style meat shop) called Severinos Community Butcher in Santa Cruz, California. Today at Cure, he is focusing on using as many local products as possible to enhance the meat-heavy menu.

Cure's rustic interior and small dining room make for a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere. In addition, the restaurant encourages guests to BYOB. While some guests may be intimidated by terms on the menu such as "confit", "harissa", and "saba", Severino told Pittsburgh Magazine in a recent article that he wants to “try really hard to make it extremely casual. I’d like it to be … inviting to anyone who wants to come in there—from the décor to the food—just approachable from anyone’s perspective.”

The menu is small, featuring 10-12 items, which allows Severino to change the offerings on a frequent basis. The variety is sure to keep guests coming back, as they will be eager to sample the latest creations from Cure's kitchen. Joe Edelstein of Wylie Holdings says, ”fine dining is a critical moniker of Upper Lawrenceville’s transformation plus", he adds, "the food is inventive and phenomenal!”

The men of Cure. Photo by Adam Milliron.

The restaurant space was once the Sunrise Cafe, "home of the $3.99 breakfast." But today Severino is leasing the building from Wylie Holdings, and there seems to be nothing but a bright future on the horizon for Cure.

Cure
5336 Butler Street
Lawrenceville, PA 15201
412.252.2595

Quantum Theater takes over The Bayard School

We recently lent one of our buildings, The Bayard School at 4830 Hatfield Street, to innovative local theater company Quantum Theatre. The group, which is known for using unconventional spaces, transformed the space in the heart of Lawrenceville into the set for "Fat Beckett", a re-imagining of "Waiting for Godot" by Samuel Beckett.

Karla Boos, Artistic Director or Quantum, had this to say about the building:
"The Bayard School was exactly what we hoped to find - a building with a rich history that's in transition to another meaningful phase of life. We hope that a Quantum project at that moment of transition allows people to have a great time in there and see it in an unexpected way… no one finds old buildings with a lot of layers more beautiful than we do!"

The performance was critically acclaimed by the local press including the Post-Gazette, who's theater critic Christopher Rawson noted the setting. "Since this is Quantum, there's an unorthodox place in which to play, this time an old school in Lawrenceville, in a couple of rooms like catacombs with paint peeling and fire-singed ceilings." He pointed out that this was a perfect place to create a "near-void, Godot-like atmosphere."

We love when we can be a part of creative projects like this, it adds to the excitement of working in a community like Lawrenceville. As much as we enjoyed working with Quantum Theatre, it looks like they enjoyed working with us as well! Karla said it was "a pleasure for Quantum to work with people who have enacted a transformation in a great neighborhood, through their patient hard work and faith. We feel that we contribute to that process, and the Wylie folks were true partners, supporting Quantum believing that our adventurous audience was good to have (and hopefully using the nearby restaurants and businesses!)"

Quantum's next performance is "The Electric Baby" starting on March 29th. Check out their website for more information. Also stay tuned for a future blog post about the development of The Bayard School. We're currently envisioning the next life for the school house as residential units.

Welcome!

Welcome to the Wylie Holdings blog!

Wylie Holdings, L.P. is a real estate development and management company specializing in the renovation of existing mixed-use, commercial and residential properties.

Based in Lawrenceville, we focus on community revitalization via planned development efforts with an emphasis on spurring urban renewal. We're going to be sharing stories on our blog about the community we live and work in, Lawrenceville.

Like what you're seeing so far? You can also become a fan of us on Facebook for the latest up to date information and news about Wylie Holdings.