Pittsburgh leaders look to sell 200 Ross Street to affordable housing developer

Pittsburgh leaders are looking to sell a Downtown Pittsburgh office building that has housed several city departments and authorities, hoping that a developer would convert the space into affordable housing.

The 200 Ross Street building had long been home to Pittsburgh’s Urban Redevelopment Authority, the Housing Authority of the City of Pittsburgh and various city departments, including the Department of Permits, Licenses and Inspections.

Several of those entities have since moved to the new 412 Boulevard of the Allies site, and those that haven’t made the move yet will do so over the next year, Director of the Office of Management and Budget Jake Pawlak said.

“With that, the three agencies no longer have a current need or a use for 200 Ross Street,” he said.

Currently, the city, URA and Housing Authority have an ownership arrangement in which each entity essentially owns a third of the property, Pawlak said. In order to sell the site, the three entities need to consolidate ownership.

Legislation preliminarily approved by City Council on Wednesday would transfer the city’s portion to the URA for $1. Once the city and HACP relinquish their portions to the URA and finish transitioning out of the building, Pawlak said the URA will move ahead with plans to sell the building and divvy up the money they make from the sale among the three entities.

Officials opted to have the URA sell the property because the authority can “have some control over the ultimate end-use of the building,” Pawlak said.

The URA will be able to specifically sell the site for an affordable housing redevelopment.

“It’s probably a good building for that type of conversion,” Pawlak said. “We think this is the most prudent and responsible way to dispose of what’s presently a public asset.”

Some council members expressed concerns with the proposal.

Councilwoman Deb Gross, D-Highland Park, objected that there’s nothing “binding” in the legislation that expressly says the city will get money from the sale once the URA gets rid of the property. While she said she was supportive of the building being converted to affordable housing, she pointed out there’s “not really any guarantee” in the legislation that will actually be the building’s end use.

“I think we should not be giving away city assets, especially a significant Downtown building that we could keep some control for its future,” she said.

Councilman Anthony Coghill, D-Beechview, said the city or URA could convert the building to affordable housing and manage it without having to sell it to a private entity. He pointed out that deed restrictions for affordable housing typically last only 40 years, meaning the property could switch to market-rate housing or another use after four decades.

“To me, it seems like we should take matters into our hands so we can protect the future (of the building),” Coghill said.

Despite some concerns, council unanimously supported the legislation in a preliminary vote Wednesday. They are expected to take a final vote next week.