New homeless shelter to open in Downtown Pittsburgh

A new 45,000-square-foot facility homeless shelter in Downtown Pittsburgh will soon open to help provide services and beds for people in need.

The Second Avenue Commons is run by Pittsburgh Mercy, in collaboration with the Allegheny County Department of Human Services, Community Kitchen Pittsburgh, Second Avenue Commons, Inc. and UPMC.

Located at 700 Second Avenue near the Liberty Bridge, the five-floor facility will operate year-round. It aims to be a low-barrier shelter for adults, their pets and their belongings, officials said.

The site features 43 single-room occupancy apartments.

“The shelter is based on a harm reduction model and, in addition to being open all day, is designed to provide what other shelters cannot — space for pets, partners and possessions,” said Erin Dalton, director of the Allegheny County Department of Human Services. “It is an important addition to the homelessness system in Allegheny County with the potential to engage differently with those experiencing unsheltered homelessness.”

Services provided include help with unemployment and addiction.

UPMC will operate a medical and behavioral health clinic on site, while Community Kitchen Pittsburgh will operate the kitchen and eventually offer job training opportunities for residents staying at the facility.

The facility will also house flexible workspaces for a variety of existing street outreach programs.

The project was led by PNC’s Realty Services, which oversaw the design and construction of the facility. The project took less than three years to complete, and was the result of a public-private partnership that included dozens of organizations.

The $22 million project was funded by a $10 million contribution from the PNC Foundation, $6.75 million from Highmark Health and Allegheny Health Network, $1.75 million from UPMC and grants from various foundations and the Pennsylvania Department of Community and Economic Development. The city of Pittsburgh and Urban Redevelopment Authority donated the land.

“The opening of Second Avenue Commons is a testament to what a community can do when it opens its heart to those who are suffering by not having a permanent home,” said Linda Metropulos, president of the facility’s board of directors. “The Commons will serve hundreds of people each year, providing the help they need to regain the stability in their lives that leads to finding a new home.”

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• Pittsburgh eyes homelessness solutions, including tiny houses

• Pittsburgh City Council looks to give organizations $1.2M to combat homelessness

This comes as Pittsburgh officials have recently emphasized the need to address homelessness in the area.

“The Second Avenue Commons fills a critical need for a low barrier shelter in our city,” Mayor Ed Gainey said. “We can solve homelessness in our city, but only if we work united together to solve it. This new navigation center is a tremendous step forward and will provide much-needed safe, indoor shelter for many of our unhoused residents.”

Allegheny County data from September showed that about 650 people were experiencing homelessness in Allegheny County, and about 200 adults were without shelter.

“We know that homelessness is challenging, but it is also solvable,” Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said. “Working together, we can find and provide the resources that individuals experiencing homelessness need to give them support and provide opportunities for them to improve their situations.”

Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the shelter had opened. A press release indicated it was to open in mid-October. Officials say inspections must be completed before opening. A dedication was held in September.