Sandstone Quarry on North Side offers city views, mixed-income apartments
At Sandstone Quarry Apartments, former residents of a public housing high-rise live with doctors who work nearby at Allegheny General Hospital on the North Side.
Those who live in one of the 64 mixed-income units in the Fineview neighborhood also enjoy spectacular views of Pittsburgh.
The development of apartments and two-story town homes that opened in 2019 provides “an authentic urban environment,” said Bill Gatti, president and CEO of Trek Development.
The Andy Warhol Museum, New Hazlett Theater, National Aviary, Carnegie Science Center, PNC Park and Heinz Field are some of the nearby cultural and sports venues that can be reached by bike, foot or public transit.
“This is a life-changing experience for people who lived in Allegheny Dwellings,” said Latresa Zak, who knows all of the residents and deals with them regularly as community manager for Trek Development.
She said tenants include professionals, students, working people, retirees and families with young children.
Rents for one-bedroom apartments are $ 875-$ 975 and $ 1,100-$ 1,350 for two- and
three-bedroom units. Rent for 47 of the 64 units is subsidized and based on household income. Rent assistance is provided by the Section 8 program or through vouchers from the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh.
The housing authority manages the wait list for subsidized apartments at Sandstone Quarry(www. sandstone quarry apartments. The list is long and vacancies are rare, said officials at Trek Development. They said they are contacted often by people who are willing to pay the full rent, but that is not possible for subsidized units.
Sandstone Quarry has free outdoor parking. Cats and dogs are permitted with a $200 fee and an extra $35 per month in rent. Service and assistance dogs are not charged.
So how did Sandstone Quarry gets its name?
A real quarry stood on this site from 1888 to 1900, Gatti said. Workers rode a private incline in and out of the quarry and the incline house remains on the site. In 1943, the Pittsburgh Housing Authority opened
Allegheny Dwellings, according to Historic Pittsburgh. Part of the public housing complex was demolished to make way for this development.
The high-rise building “was turned away from the gorgeous views, which residents were not able to enjoy,” Gatti said.
Sandstone Quarry Apartments was designed by Rothschild Doyno Collaborative for Trek Development and the housing authority. The exterior is made of brick, stone and cement siding.
In September, the project was awarded a certificate of merit by the Pittsburgh chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Its design “presents a fresh vision for the mixed-income site. The reconfigured building orientation helps establish new connections and potential for vibrant community development,” said the fivemember jury of Baltimore architects.
The Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh is proud of Sandstone Quarry, said Executive Director Caster D. Binion. “It represents some of the most desirable, high-quality, mixedincome housing in the city.”
He said it offers “a vibrant mix of incomes, occupations, cultures and family composition, top-notch amenities and some of the very best views Pittsburgh has to offer.”
Some apartments have laminate floors that look like wood; others have carpeting. Each unit has a washer, dryer and GE kitchen appliances.
Amenities include a bike room, fitness center, business center, community lounge, outdoor patios and playground. Residents also can exercise on nearby public stairs used in the annual Step Challenge — a 5-mile course including 12 public stairs with more than 1,600 steps. Sandstone Quarry residents use the course year-round, Zak said.
She has a background that serves her well as community manager. The former caseworker for Allegheny County Children, Youth & Families has a real estate license and a master’s degree in social work. Gatti says he often hires social workers because he finds they are firm and fair in dealing with tenants.
The developer even has a director of mission, culture and people: Bethany Friel, a licensed social worker.