News


Roundhouse Renovation on Track

Plans for the renovation of the historic Roundhouse at Hazelwood Green along the Monongahela River were recently presented to Pittsburgh’s Planning Commission.

Part of the shuttered, 178-acre J & L Steel Mill site, the 10-bay Roundhouse was built in 1887 to service and turn train engines, redirecting the materials they carried to different stops in the production process and onto their final destinations.

Repurposing the Roundhouse as a technology accelerator and co-working space, the design celebrates existing materials – the mill-era masonry, concrete, steel, and heavy timber. The design also playfully reinterprets industrial elements, such as the engine turntable, to provide for relaxation and inspiration while opening a partial second floor within the existing space.

The renovation, which will pursue LEED Gold certification, will create additional landscaping, a rain garden, bicycle parking and seating for a shared, public space outside the building.

The way the design team sees it, the renovation is really about transforming the building from one that was for industry and for trains to one that really is for people.

Read more about the Roundhouse in Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Public Source, Pittsburgh Business Times, and KDKA CBS Pittsburgh.

Want to learn about other GBBN projects around Pittsburgh? Check out Tree Pittsburgh, MAYA Design Corporate Headquarters, or University of Pittsburgh’s Hillman Library Transformation.