Point Park to acquire vacant YWCA building in Downtown Pittsburgh
In a few years, the former YWCA building along Wood Street in Downtown Pittsburgh will be a hub of activity from both the Point Park University and downtown communities, university officials say.
Point Park announced Tuesday it is moving forward with plans to acquire the vacant YWCA property, 305 Wood St., during the Pittsburgh Business Times’ Corridors of Opportunity: Downtown event.
The move will help increase and support Point Park enrollment and student experience, and also contribute to revitalization efforts downtown, according toTed Black, senior vice president of institutional advancement and strategy.
“Given its proximity and strategic location to campus, we thought it was a really good opportunity,” Black said.
“Point Park intends to be a catalyst for Pittsburgh’s next great renaissance.”
The YWCA went up for sale in 2020. Plans for apartments there never came to fruition. It has sat vacant since.
Point Park will collaborate with civic and business leaders to refine the project, Black said.
It’s too early to tell what the future of the property might hold, or how soon it will be ready, he said, but possibilities include student housing and a student union-type of hub.
“It’s important to us to have a vibrant and active downtown,” he said.
Both would be needed in the community, Black said.
School leaders have said previously they plan to increase enrollment at the Downtown university by at least 30% by 2030. Enrollment increases this fall led to anywhere between 80 to 90 students being housed at the Wyndham Grand hotel.
Incentives to boost enrollment include targeted recruitment efforts in smaller towns in western and central Pennsylvania, and eastern Ohio; maintaining an elite level of programming like dance, film and education, and a recent move from the NAIA to the NCAA athletic conference, Black said.
Point Park is emphasizing its downtown location and opportunities in those efforts, Black said.
Point Park currently enrolls 3,648 students, which is its largest population post covid-19 pandemic.
Kellen Stepler is a TribLive reporter covering the Allegheny Valley and Burrell school districts and surrounding areas. He joined the Trib in April 2023. He can be reached at kstepler@triblive.com.
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