Steel Life

The 947 Liberty Lofts, in downtown Pittsburgh’s Penn-Liberty Historic District, is one of developer Eve Picker’s efforts to bring the city core back to life. A 20-foot setback leaves room for an outdoor café that bustles at lunchtime. The 15-foot sculptures were created by James Simon, a Pittsburgh artist.

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“I love the old brick walls, and the idea of something very new and sleek sort of tucked back between these historic walls,” says Picker.

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For rents ranging from $900 to $1,500 per month, residents of 947 Liberty, such as Alena Roberts and Jon Norton, get a clean, minimalist space, bracketed by white drywall on one side and unadorned gray cinderblock on the other.

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Burnished concrete floors complement the stainless steel doors, refrigerators, and kitchen cabinets.

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Sleeping space is adventurously tucked away in an alcove above the kitchen, accessible by a track ladder that slides along a rail mounted above the counter.

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Edge Studio used an aluminum-and-glass curtain-wall system for the building’s façade. Enormous floor-to-ceiling windows frame impressive views of Pittsburgh’s skyscrapers to the south.

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Architect Dutch MacDonald and developer Eve Picker relax at the Pittsburgh Presse Deli in the building’s ground-floor storefront. Designed by MacDonald’s Edge Studio, the restaurant serves gourmet panini six days a week.

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