Former elementary school thriving as Community Forge
Building fully occupied with host of activities
After years of empty classrooms and vacant hallways, the former Johnston Elementary School in Wilkinsburg once again is buzzing with activity.
The school closed in 2012 and was vacant for five years before Community Forge, a group of eight entrepreneurs with ties to Pittsburgh, purchased the building in July 2017 with the goal of converting it into a hub for local entrepreneurs and community activities.
Now, the building is fully occupied, with more than 30 tenants renting space for a diverse set of ventures, from after- school activities and mentorship programs to art studios and musical clubs to gym classes and even batting cages.
“Our project was to evolve the space with the needs and the interests of the community in mind … [ thinking about] how can we be an example of things like an equitable economy, a diverse economy, community- owned real estate,” said Community Forge executive director Mike Skirpan. “We found the community was extremely excited that the school was going to be put back in the community.”
So excited, in fact, that entrepreneurs came in a “continual flow,” and there is now a waiting list to rent a classroom, Mr. Skirpan said.
Community Forge purchased the building from the Wilkinsburg School District for $ 212,500 plus additional costs for the first round of renovations.
Mr. Skirpan said the company was formed specifically for this venture and that they purchased the building through their own investments and a $ 500,000 loan.
Inside the building, tenants say there is a strong feeling of community and inclusion, both among businesses renting space and Wilkinsburg residents utilizing the services or attending community events.
“It’s like a family in there, honestly,” said Michael Johnson, a tenant of the building who also lives across the street. “I’m not leaving this building. It fits
me and my business perfectly. It’s a second home.”
Mr. Johnson is chief executive officer of Opening Doors for Kids Inc., which helps families with a variety of services from rental assistance to after- school programs to GRE classes. He said his business was always steady, but it really took off when he moved into Community Forge in December.
He started renting the smallest space possible — a single desk in a classroom — and quickly moved through the options to the largest — an entire room, which he has filled with desks, board games, video games and a fish tank.
Mr. Johnson, who was a member of the Wilkinsburg School Board when Community Forge bought the building, said the board fielded a number of requests for the space, including a car garage or storage units, but it wanted to “keep it in the community.”
“They are doing what they came in front of us and said they were going to use that building for,” he said. “They said they wanted to help small businesses grow, wanted to open doors to the community, and they’re doing exactly that.”
Angel Perry, a former student at Johnston Elementary and now the only employee at Community Forge, said she grew up in Wilkinsburg when it was a self- sufficient community, with “the main artery” of Penn Avenue lined with businesses up and down the street. She watched as businesses trickled out and families started to follow — including her own.
It is still a work in progress, she said, but she’s starting to see change — a few stores, a few businesses, a few buildings being cleaned up and, of course, Community Forge.
“People do care,” Ms. Perry said. “People do still care about this community, and they want to get it back to being that strong community it was.”
Community Forge, for its part, has big plans to continue growing with the community it serves, according to Mr. Skirpan.
They include:
• Fixing the atrium and the sky light in the building to restore the school to its historic beauty.
• Modernizing the former school’s utilities, particularly the air conditioning, to make it more efficient and cost effective.
• Adding an elevator and making the roof accessible so people can use their telescopes.
For now, though, it has settled on renovating the playground and adding a slide and a tire climbing wall.
On Aug. 17, Community Forge will hold a celebration of reaching full occupancy with three events: an annual barbecue hosted by the company; Lost but Not Forgotten Outreach’s Back- to- School Giveaway; and Sun Fest ’ 19, a community event with local musicians and artists, vendors and food trucks. Visit www. CommunityForgePGH.com for more information.