Floating house draws attention

It’s a bit odd to see a 2½-story house that would be more at home on a cul de sac instead bobbing along on Pittsburgh’s three rivers.

But that’s what happened Thursday morning as Max Construction moved a new subdivision-style “boater building” 11.5 river miles from the Fox Chapel Marina on the Allegheny River, around Pittsburgh’s Point and up the Monongahela River where it will anchor a new South Side Marina. The trip, made with the assistance of three towboats, took three hours.

“I didn’t announce the move, but I knew as soon as we started moving it we would attract a lot of attention,” said Mike White, project superintendent with Max Construction, whose headquarters are in Saltsburg, Indiana County. “And that’s what happened. My phone has been ringing nonstop with people wanting to know what’s going on.”

Mr. White said construction of the boater building, built on a floating dock, not a barge, began two months ago at the Fox Chapel Marina because none of the docks or river bank access for the new South Side Marina were in place in the Monongahela River, just below the Hot Metal Bridge. Both marinas are owned by David Maxwell.

About 400 feet of new docks were floated from Fox Chapel, where they were built, to the South Side last week. And the boater building followed the same route, including passing through the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers lock and Dam No. 2 at Highland Park without a problem, Mr. White said. The building was towed by one towboat and tended by two others, to help guide it in windy conditions.

“We were able to deal with the wind and it was all good. We had no problem,” he said.

Work is under way along the South Side river bank on a walkway and elevator shaft that will provide access over the active railroad tracks that run along the river.

The boater building, which still needs some siding and other exterior and interior finishing work, will have vending machines, restrooms and showers on the first floor for those who have slips at the marina. The second floor will house the marina’s offices.

Mr. White said work should progress enough to begin docking boats in the marina’s slips by May 1.

Larry Roberts/Post-Gazette This small house was floated up the Monongahela River on Thursday to its new home as the office for the South Side Marina, which runs along the river behind the Hofbrauhaus. To watch a video of the house, visit post-gazette.com.