Facelift approved for historic La Rose building in Greensburg
A Greensburg developer plans to turn a historic downtown building into retail space and apartments by next year, and the work is starting with the outside of the building.
The city's Historic and Architectural Review Board unanimously approved a proposal for facade renovations to the La Rose building on Main Street.
A.B. Mac Properties, the company planning the renovations, is owned by Steven and Rhonda Gifford.
Architect Lee Calisti developed the plans for the renovated three-story structures.
He hopes to take down the paneled facade and replace it with something that shows off the original brick, which dates to when the building was constructed between 1912 and 1915.
“The original brick facade is there in some condition, I don't know what condition, but some condition,” Calisti said.
The paneled facade will have to come down before Calisti can determine the condition of the brick. If it is in good shape, he can implement the plan he showed the Historic and Architectural Review Board. If the brick is badly damaged, it's back to the drawing board.
The two upper floors will house two one-bedroom apartments.
Calisti is a member of the Historic and Architectural Review Board, and he recused himself from the vote because of his role as the project's architect.
Steven Gifford is executive director of the Greensburg Community Development Corp., a nonprofit that develops downtown buildings and works with local businesses.
Gifford said protocols are in place to keep him from using his position with the corporation to give him an unfair advantage when privately buying and developing Greensburg properties.
“What the GCDC purchases and renovates is separate from the interests of my wife and I,” he said.
Gifford said he only buys properties that have been for sale publicly for some time. He runs his plans by the development corporation's board and steers potential tenants to other properties before his own.
Development Corporation Acting President Shannon Smith said Gifford is transparent in his private business dealings.
“He certainly doesn't cherry-pick properties, but he puts everything on the open market and lets the market dictate things,” Smith said.
If all goes well, work on the building's facade will start in the fall, and renovations to the interior will begin by winter, Calisti said. Gifford said he wants the building ready for tenants by May.
The La Rose building was vacated by its most recent tenant, a deli, in 2012. The Giffords have owned it since March.
La Rose Shop was a women's clothing store. The building was damaged in 1961 in a fire that killed five people and injured about 90.
Jacob Tierney is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-836-6646 or jtierney@tribweb.com.
