Daniel and Ellie Valentine have seen a lot of changes in Homestead since they opened their restaurant, the Tin Front Cafe, on East Eighth Avenue on Sept. 15, 2009.
"There have been a number of businesses that have opened just in our block," Mrs. Valentine said.
New stores that have opened nearby include Mostly Mod, which sells vintage home furnishings and art, Swagger World, which sells urban contemporary clothing and Emil's Modern Furniture, which offers custom built-in cabinets.
In addition to new businesses opening in Homestead, Mrs. Valentine said the Tin Front itself has experienced increased traffic because of new neighbors.
A new restaurant, Smoke Barbeque and Taqueria, is expected to open at 225 E. Eighth Ave. this month, in a building owned by developer Joe Ranii of Cityscape Construction, Homestead.
The takeout restaurant, featuring traditional Latin food for breakfast and lunch, will be run and managed by partners Jeff Petruso and Nelda Carranco.
Mr. Ranii said Homestead is poised to make a transformation such as the one that occurred on the South Side. He believes Homestead's metamorphosis will take place more quickly than did the South Side transformation, which happened over two decades.
During the South Side renaissance, Mr. Ranii first worked on the former Brady Street Bridge Café building, which now houses Mallorca. After continuing to work through that renaissance, and was invited to take part in the restoration of Homestead by urban designer David Lewis, Daniel Valentine's stepfather.
Mr. Ranii said Homestead's unique location makes it a prime spot for redevelopment.
"I think the potential of Homestead is unlimited," Mr. Ranii said.
Mr. Lewis, Mr. Valentine, Mr. Ranii and architect Walter Haglund are part of a loose-knit group of independent developers called the Downstreet Consortium, dedicated to improving Homestead's historic district.
Mr. Ranii said his apartments in the 225 E. Eighth Ave. building rent from $800 to more than $1,600 per month.
Both Mr. Ranii and the Lewis-Valentine family rent to young professionals, rather than students, he said. One of his tenants runs a boutique bakery, and another owns an art gallery.
Mr. Valentine said the goal of the Downstreet Consortium has been to create "a critical mass" of new businesses on the 200 block of Eighth Avenue and for them to spread into the community.
Buildings are undergoing transformations in other areas of Homestead as well, Mr. Valentine said.
Steelers backup quarterback Charlie Batch, a Homestead native, is renovating a former bakery and warehouse building between Sixth and Seventh streets into apartments.
Three recent additions to Amity Street include the Blue Dust restaurant and bar, Posh nail salon and Katie's Candy, which opened last year.
Mr. Valentine's mother, Judi Tener-Lewis, and stepfather, David Lewis, own seven buildings in Homestead. Their first, the former Moose building, was the site of Judi's store, the Annex Cookery, for six years.
Now the Cookery is located next to the Tin Front at 218 E. Eighth Ave.
The Tener-Lewis-Valentine family has created four 1,700-square-foot loft apartments in their buildings at 213 and 215 E. Eighth Ave. across the street from the Tin Front.
They started the loft apartment renovations in late 2005 and finished them in 2007.
Daniel Valentine said his family also put in a four-bedroom, 21/2-bath apartment above the restaurant, doing the renovations in 2008 and 2009.
When asked about the income from the Tin Front, Mr. Valentine said: "I think it continues to grow and improve."
Mr. Valentine said all three men obtained National Historic tax credits through the National Trust, which helped primarily with interior renovations.
They also obtained façade easements through the Redevelopment Authority of Allegheny County's Streetscape program, and obtained loans through the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency for interior apartment renovations through that agency's mixed use financing program.
Steel Valley Enterprise Zone also helped fund renovations of each building developed by the consortium.
The Three Rivers Wet Weather program helped pay for installation of a "green" roof on the Tener-Lewis-Valentine family's building at 215 E. Eighth Ave.
The financing made the renovations and restorations feasible, and a lot more development can be done in Homestead, he said.
"There's an amazing stock of municipal buildings and churches that could be easily turned into penthouses, condos and loft apartments," he said.
He said buildings that could be transformed include the former Strand Theater, old Post Office and municipal buildings and the historic churches on Tenth Street.
Thom Betz, Homestead code enforcement officer, said most renovations recently have been done in The Waterfront development, though some have been along Eighth Avenue. Mr. Betz said six new businesses were created in 2010 by rehabbing existing properties in The Waterfront.
Ten houses in Homestead were demolished last year, but seven new ones are being built along Mifflin and East 14th streets, funded with public money through the Mon Valley Initiative, he said.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11062/1129239-55.stm#ixzz1FallDdN3
