University of Pittsburgh to build 'innovation hub'
The former site of a music venue that for decades played host to ground-breaking performances from acts ranging from John Philip Sousa to Queen Latifah will soon host a meeting place for academics and the business community for the University of Pittsburgh.
Pitt, which bought the former site of the Syria Mosque in February for $10 million, will develop a center on the 2.1-acre Oakland property where students, professors and businesses can collaborate. Chancellor Patrick Gallagher announced the plans Friday during the Pitt Board of Trustees meeting. He said it would be a “hub of innovation and entrepreneurship.”
“It should serve as a front door for the business community who wishes to collaborate with the University of Pittsburgh,” Gallagher said. “It will be a place of learning, and creativity and discovering where students can see research being translated into new products and services before their very eyes.”
Gallagher provided few details about the project. He said the university is in the early exploration stages of developing the site. He said UPMC has agreed to be a tenant in the building to work on advancements in health data.
Gallagher didn't have a timeline for the project or an expected cost. He said Pitt will seek “partner funding” to offset the costs but didn't specify what that meant.
Pitt bought the site from UPMC, which operates a parking lot on the site. The Syria Mosque stood on Bigelow Boulevard for 74 years before it was demolished in 1991.
The property is surrounded by some of Pitt and Oakland's most iconic buildings. Soldiers & Sailors Memorial Hall & Museum is across the street. The Pittsburgh Athletic Club is on the corner. All sit in the shadow of the Cathedral of Learning. It's part of the Oakland Civic Center Historic District, meaning Pitt will have to go through the Historic Review Commission of Pittsburgh for permits and permission to build on the site.
Gallagher said Pitt intends to respect the style and feel of surrounding buildings. He imagines a building with a classical exterior and innovative interior. It may look like a typical academic hall from the outside, but the inside will feel more like Google, Gallagher said.
“We're very interested in learning more about what they are proposing,” said Wanda Wilson, executive director of the Oakland Planning and Development Corp.
Wilson said the use of open space by existing buildings is part of the area's charm. Soldiers & Sailors has an expansive lawn. The athletic club sits back from the streets. She hopes Pitt involves the community early in the discussions.
The plans for the innovation hub were part of series of announcements by Gallagher related to the university's strategic plan, a Plan For Pitt. Other announcements included:
• The University Center for Teaching and Learning, a center for faculty to learn about the latest teaching techniques and have access to tools and strategies
• Declaring the 2016-17 school year a Year of Diversity, a commitment for an open campus and open dialogue about inclusion of all backgrounds
• Centers for Urban Engagement, offices in communities neighboring Pitt to strengthen the relationship between the university and its neighbors.
Trustees also elected three new board members: Edward J. Grefenstette, president and CIO of The Dietrich Foundation; Patricia D. Horoho, former Army surgeon general; and S. Jeffrey Kondis, manager of corporate marketing for L.B. Foster Co.
Aaron Aupperlee is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at 412-320-7986 or aaupperlee@tribweb.com.
