St Wenceslaus Renovation Project, Part 3

   

As was previously stated, an interpreter/translator at the U.N. who was born and raised in Pittsburgh inherited the former Saint Wenceslaus Parish, near the Heinz Complex.  That complex which is on the other side of 16th Street is now called the Heinz Lofts.  

Technically speaking, St. Wenceslaus is at 887 PROGRESS STREET.  Meanwhile, the Heinz Loft is officially 300 Heinz, even though when you cross 16th Street from Progress Street, it's same one road.  They are in sight of each other and they are in walking distance from each other.  

So you don't get confused.  This is the Heinz Loft.  St Wen's is on the other side of the street.

This is St Wenceslaus', across the street from the Heinz Loft, as is seen from the 16th Street Bridge.  This is stated so that there is no confusion in assuming that St Wens' is in the Heinz complex.  St Wens' is a stand-alone structure with lots of potential parking surrounding it ... and with Andy Warhol's nephew three doors down.

The goal is to convert St. Wenceslaus' into some type of concert hall or convention center or something similar.  Co-investors ... aka business partners ... are needed.  So, if you have even a bit of curiosity in this project, call me at 1-412-475-1822 and at least leave a message.

The place was recently used by a young film crew, for a short while, for some kind of chase scene.  In fact, an admirer of historic architecture came by last week to take photos.  

If you want to only photograph the outside section of the church, then it's fine for you to be outdoors there, on your own.  There is more than enough parking for a quick photo session or video session, if you are a tried & true history buff. 

None the less, a structural engineer already submitted his findings on the structure.  So, that's done also.  

At this point, more photos would be in order, so as to show good faith in the project. This is the opposite of hiding things.  All in all, this is a fine project for well endowed two-toned shoe contractors.

By the way, those of us in construction don't look down upon those who invest in construction projects and never physically work on them.  Instead, we're grateful for the work they provide.  

So, stay in your very nice two-tone shoes and leave the work up to us ... and leave it up to the engineers who occasionally show-up and/or intervene ... as well as the inspectors who have the final judgment on things. 

Left-side belfry.  The ladder goes to a roof hatch.

Inside the church, itself, where Mass used to be conducted.

        Above:  This reminds me of M.C. Escher's staircase drawings.

Above:  The room behind the choir loft, en route to the ladder to the left-side belfry.

The altar was here ... at one time.

 

A circular "rose stained glass window" used to be here. 

This is the church entrance.  If you look at the darkened part of the floor, you will see a canoe.  The back of the photo is the former altar area.  The lit center sector is simply sunlight shining on the floor nearest the altar area.  The dark area, at right-center is where the canoe is.  Pews used to be there.

The pillar (column) to the right is holding-up the choir loft.  The wood strips there constitute the ceiling which needs refurbished.  And of course, there is one of the wall windows in the photo.

Yes, the metal recycling establishment of Andy Warhol's nephew is three-doors down.   Super nice guy.   In as much, in some kind of rudimentary way, the cosmic vibes of Andy Warhol do cross paths here.  

None the less, in downtown Pittsburgh is the Andy Warhol Museum, at 117 Sandusky Street.  In fact, the bridge closest to it is the Andy Warhol Bridge.  It used to be called, the 7th Street Bridge.

The oldest structure I ever worked-on (helped renovate) was the home of a ship captain who traveled the Pacific as a merchant.  Located along the Ohio River, it was called the Vicary House, and it was built in 1832. Plus it did have a walking tunnel to the river bank.  St Wenceslaus, as you can see, was a Year 1900 production.

More specifically, the St. Wenceslaus Parish was founded in 1871 ... by Croatian immigrants.  In the 1800s, Slavs were regarded as Bohemians, and Slavs fled to the USA in 1848, due to the simultaneous revolutions transpiring in Europe.  

The Year 1848, as well as 1870, were the years of revolution in Europe.  For some reason, Europeans didn't like each other very well.

Back road passing the church, passing under the 16th Street Bridge, and entering into the Microsoft & Heinz complexes.

Above:  The Heinz Complex, otherwise known as "The Lofts."  There is a road under that bridge that goes directly to the "Lofts."

Below:  This is where my roof jack suddenly snapped in half, giving me a refresher course on the Law of Gravity, during my down-slope slide.   And of course, sometimes Murphy's Law intersects the Law of Gravity, creating a challenging circumstance. 

                             

 This photo was taken from the choir loft, and yes, it's where the pews once were.  When a crew came to take away all the pews ASAP, I knew then & there that the owner meant business and wanted to convert this place into something substantial ... something meaningful.

                                                                                   

That is what you see when you're standing 40, 60, 80 feet away from the back of the church.  Furthermore, keep in mind that Pittsburgh was declared "the Most Livable City in America" several times.

 

The Renovation Attempt on St Wenceslaus, Northside, Part 2

This is one of those many parish churches that Donald Wuerl closed, as soon as he became bishop of Pittsburgh and was able to get his priest cover-ups under control.

Now remember, the intent here ... at present ... is to convert this former church into a concert hall or convention center or reception venue or something similar.  Wuerl closed this particular church in 1989.  A former U.S. Air Force fighter pilot eventually bought it, and then died in 2024.  His U.N. interpreter son inherited it, and conjectured if whether or not this could become a place of distinction.

The owner seeks co-investors.  Any curiosity on your part can be pursued by first dialing me, at 1-412-475-1822.  At least leave a message, if I'm not available to speak.  

I'll get you directly connected ... first with the prime contractor who can answer questions about the present condition of the church and its construction needs, as well as the structural engineer's official report.  Next would be connecting you with the actual owner who is a native of Pittsburgh and who does come a-visiting during holidays.  

The owner is an interpreter and translator at the United Nations, in New York City.  Now, if he is an inductee to the Phi Sigma Iota International Language Honors Society, then he and I are literally fraternity brothers.  I was inducted in 1983.  So stated for the record.

More illustrations of the building and its surroundings are in order, at this point.  As another reminder, the church was built in 1900.  In as much, the oldest structure I ever worked-on was built in 1832.  The second oldest was built in 1847.  And then came me working on the houses built around 1890, 1900, and 1910.

Neither one of those two guys on the roof are me,
being that I was the one who took the photo from the side parking lot.

If you never saw a church belfry in your life,
know that they look like this.

That's the ceiling of the belfry, and yes, that's a hatch at the top,
thereby explaining the presence of the ladder there.

Above:  That's the belfry from level view.  It has three windows. 
This means that it has three exterior walls.

Above:  That's the other side of 16th Street, from St Wenceslaus.
It was the former Heinz Factory Complex.  It's now an apartment complex.

                                          It doesn't smell like pickles or ketchup anymore.

When standing in the parking lot behind St. Wenceslaus',
this is what you see.

                          

Back of St. Wenceslaus.

This is the back of the church, too.

This is the business establishment of Andy Warhol's nephew,
three doors down from St Wenceslaus Church.
Andy Warhol IS a historic Pittsburgh figure.

Yes, Microsoft is nearby.

That's the 16th Street Bridge.

That's a window behind the choir loft, looking on to the former altar area.
It looks like a painting within a brown frame, on a green wall.  No.  It's real.