PITTSBURGH—May 16, 2019
Students from Hillel Academy joined VIPs and guests of JAA and The New Riverview Thursday morning to break ground on a renovation of two senior-living apartment buildings located along Brown’s Hill Road in Squirrel Hill.
The ceremony commemorated receiving a $17 million Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), launching a top-to-bottom renovation of the former Riverview Towers, now named The New Riverview.
“Places like The New Riverview are vital to the commitment we make to all seniors that they live in safe, comfortable, and well-maintained dwellings as they age,” says JAA Chairman Andrew Stewart.
Stewart recognized Hillel’s grade school students as the future of Squirrel Hill, asking the children to remember this event as they grow into leaders within the community.
On hand were elected officials who assisted with support of the project including Pennsylvania Senator Jay Costa, Representative Dan Frankel, County Executive Rich Fitzgerald, and City Council Member Corey O’Connor.
Partner organizations vital to the renovation included the Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency, the Pittsburgh Urban Redevelopment Authority, and Enterprise Community Partners.
“This now adds affordable senior housing to our continuum of care,” says JAA’s President and CEO Debbie Winn-Horvitz, who along with the students counted down to begin the dirt digging.
The renovation reduces the number of units from 221 to 191 of which 151 will be affordable for residents whose income is 60% or less than the area median income. The remaining 40 will be lower-cost, market-rate units. A total of 42 units will be fully accessible.
“We have been anticipating this renovation for quite some time and have our residents and staff primed for the work that is ahead,” says Hanna Steiner, Executive Director of The New Riverview. “Support from all our funders assures that The New Riverview will continue to serve this important segment of our community for many years to come and preserves an asset in a neighborhood where real estate and rents are constantly increasing.”
With the start of construction, project architects Rothschild Doyno and contractors Mistick Construction expect the work to take 16 months to complete.
###
About the Jewish Association on Aging:
JAA is a non-profit, senior healthcare organization that offers a broad spectrum of services to keep older adults in the Pittsburgh region active, safe, independent, and connected to their community. JAA provides these services to seniors of all faiths, backgrounds, and financial means.
About The New Riverview:
The New Riverview serves the housing needs of older adults (62-years-of-age and older) in two apartment buildings overlooking the Monongahela River. Partially subsidized by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), Riverview accepts residents from all income levels and provides services that support residents’ social, cultural, physical, and psychological well-being, allowing them to remain independent for as long as possible.