Heinz Endowments Contributes $750,000 to Redevelop Former PACT Building into Affordable Housing

The Heinz Endowments is injecting $750,000 to bridge a funding gap for the redevelopment of the former PACT building at 120 Cecil Way in downtown Pittsburgh, transforming it into affordable housing. The Pittsburgh Scholar House, in collaboration with main developer Beacon Communities, has announced the new funding, adding to the $2.5 million already secured in August. This previous funding included $1.5 million from the Henry L. Hillman Foundation and $1 million from the Richard King Mellon Foundation, bringing the total to over $3 million needed for the project.

Led by Diamonte Walker, former executive director of the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh, the Pittsburgh Scholar House focuses on helping income-eligible single parents achieve higher education to improve their economic prospects.

The redevelopment plan for 120 Cecil Way involves converting the building into 98 apartments, with 49 of them being affordable units dedicated to Pittsburgh Scholar House residents and their families.

Walker emphasized the significance of the Heinz funding in a prepared statement, stating, "This grant will enable the completion of 120 Cecil Way," and expand their ability to address critical challenges faced by single-parent students on their path to degree completion.

The nonprofit’s mission extends beyond housing to providing a comprehensive range of support services for its residents.

Carmen Anderson, vice president of Equity and Learning for the Heinz Endowments, described the PACT redevelopment as "a welcome and valuable resource that helps shape the future of downtown."

The redevelopment project includes one-, two-, and three-bedroom units for residents with incomes ranging from 20% to 80% of the area median income, including some Section 8 availability.

With this announcement, the Pittsburgh Scholar House has successfully met its fundraising goals for the project. While the total project cost remains undisclosed, Beacon Communities is pursuing various tax credits, including historic and low-income housing tax credits, to fund the larger redevelopment of the 120 Cecil Way structure.

Beacon and Pittsburgh Scholar House aim to start construction on the redevelopment in the fall of 2025.