It's High Time we Celebrated Overbrook.

Last week Preservation Pittsburgh nominated the former Overbrook Municipal Building (now Accamando Center) to be a City Historic Landmark.  This came out of months of researching the history of the building, the events leading to Overbrook joining the city, and working in close partnership with the Carrick-Overbrook Historical Society.

The building was constructed between 1927-28 and officially opened in 1929, the same year the Saw Mill Run Boulevard (on which the building sits) opened.  It served as the seat of government for the independent borough of Overbrook for less than a year before its residents voted for annexation into the City of Pittsburgh in 1930.

The former Borough Building was constructed in the Colonial Revival Style, a somewhat unusual pick for Western Pennsylvania, by noted Pittsburgh architect Louis Stevens.  Stevens' work was primarily residential and can best be seen in many of the homes of Schenley Farms' Historic District.

The building housed not only the Overbrook Borough Council and offices but the municipal police force and the fire department.  After Overbrook joined the City of Pittsburgh in 1930, the building was renovated to become Engine Company No.59 and served the neighborhood until it was decommissioned in 1999.  The building today is still owned and maintained by the City and serves as the Accamando Center and is home to the Carrick-Overbrook Historical Society.  Read more about the building's history in the nomination here.

Should the City Council move to designate the building (and we hope they do!), it will be Overbrook's first historic landmark, the City's most southern, and the neighborhood's rich history will finally be formally recognized.

If you would like to lend your support for the designation, please email the City's Historic Preservation Planner, Sarah Quinn at sarah.quinn@pittsburghpa.gov or come to the Historic Review Commission's first hearing on Wednesday, June 7th at 1pm, 200 Ross Street.

If you'd like to help our landmarking efforts, please consider donating to our Landmarking Fund.