SPOTLIGHT: Union Project

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Friday, September 25 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. $25 per person This tour is limited to 20 participants. Purchase a ticket below. Many churches in Pittsburgh and Allegheny County have been de-sanctified in recent decades, and put to new uses. Our organization counts more than 150 of them! Unique among these is the Union Project, which occupies a church designed by John L. Beatty, built around 1902 to 1903 for a Presbyterian congregation. The building was taken over by a Baptist congregation in the 1930s, but the church's flock shrank a great deal over time, and the building's condition declined substantially by the late 1990s. The non-profit Union Project was established in 2002 with the goals of acquiring and saving the sturdy Gothic Revival church building, teaching people skills that [could] grow into careers, and building a sense of community and inclusiveness. The first step toward these goals: a program, begun in 2003, in which volunteers from the community were trained to restore stained glass. By 2011, the program resulted in restoration of all 155 historic stained-glass windows. In the ensuing 15 years, Union Project has carried out many other physical improvements to the building, both to restore it and to facilitate its evolution into a community arts center focused on ceramics. Much of the work of architectural restoration was supported by PHLF, through both loans and grants. The work continues, so that Union Project can continue to meet the growing demand for education programs, studio space for artists, and exhibition space. Join us to learn about this intriguing re-purposing of a church and the singular program that has made it a locus of community energy and creativity. Our tour will be led by Union Project's executive director. Tour meeting point: Entrance to the building, 801 N. Negley Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15206 Tour ending point: Same as starting point Please arrive 15 minutes before start time in order to ensure that the tour gets underway on time. Parking: Free street parking is available throughout the area. Accessibility: This tour is accessible to people with disabilities. Wheelchair access is available via the Stanton Avenue entrance. Please let us know at least 72 hours before the tour if you will need assistance. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- All tour participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by an adult. Children under the age of 13 may attend tours free of charge. By purchasing a ticket for this tour, you acknowledge that you are physically able to undertake the tour, assume all personal risk during the tour, consent to being photographed during the tour, and permit PHLF to use your image in our communications. All ticket sales are final.

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